Experts I’ve talked to have delicately suggested that I stop sharing new articles here every day.

“You could write just a few that are targeted to the exact problem you solve for your prospective customer,” they say. “And then you can link to those on social media.”

Yes, that is a very tidy way to do business. But that’s not what this blog is for.

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I recently returned to Instagram after some time away.

I generally dislike social media, but after months of pandemic life, I really missed those casual connections with friends and the glimpse into their lives afforded by the platform.

Everything was going fine — “fine” meaning that I was able to view others’ posts without going too far down the rabbit hole — when I downloaded a routine update.

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One of the more painful things about teaching middle school is bearing witness to uncomfortable social dynamics and not being able to do anything about it.

Certainly, when there's an opportunity to do so, I will coach a student on how to be more effective in building relationships. But in the moment, it would be inappropriate for me to say anything. Thus, I just have to listen and cringe.

“My dad’s friend has a pet hawk who’s trained to send messages to people.”

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I wasn’t allowed to watch Saturday morning cartoons as a kid. (Yes, it killed my elementary school social life big time.) For some reason, we were only allowed a bit of Mr. Magoo before the TV was shut off and it was time for breakfast.

Mr. Magoo centers on the adventures of a hapless, legally blind retiree who has frequent brushes with death and disaster as a result of his inability to see — and his seeming unawareness that he can’t see. He bumbles through life oblivious to the danger he’s in and the degree to which other people are constantly rescuing him.

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Anything new starts out as someone’s idea. Someone tries something, and if someone else sparks to it, they may try it, too.

At a certain point, these ideas become established as the new norm. Social media has accelerated this process. An idea can become a trend or even a movement very quickly.

As a new idea gains traction, the culture (or subculture) shifts to accommodate it. Maybe the new thing gets a name. Now, it seems as if it was always present.

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