Danan Whiddon

College Life: The Beginning

2012-03-01T07:57:00.001-08:00

I'm so happy to announce that my students from Nashville State Community College have published their own book on their college experiences called College Life: The Beginning. These students were in my remedial writing class in Fall 2011. I was honored to help them publish their own book!

Schadenfreude

2012-02-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

Schadenfreude means to derive pleasure from the misfortune of others. The word is German and is there is not an English word that directly translates from it. Does this mean that the Germans are crueler than people from other countries? Probably not, but the fact that they “have a word for it” should be some indication of its history. Interestingly, English speakers are using it more and more

Fun with the OED - Integrity

2012-02-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

Integrity is something that gets mentioned alot these days. In its most moral definition, integrity means to be free from corruption - to be innocent, sinless. It's much easier to define it than it is to live it. The Oxford English Dictionary states that the first person to use "integrity" in English print is the Calvinist, Thomas Norton. Here is the general paraphrase of the quote from 1561:

Examples from "Formula for Making a Thesis Statement"

2012-02-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

In an earlier post I gave a formula for making a thesis statement. This formula helps you make a thesis statement that contains your position, a qualifier, and why you are correct despite the qualifier. I have my students practice this a few times with silly thesis positions. When each student has constructed two statements, I then put them in groups to construct a Super Thesis from the work

The OED Assignment

2012-01-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

Few freshmen have used their college library databases enough to appreciate the joys of the online Oxford English Dictionary. Every semester I assign a fun homework project in which each student has to pick one difficult word that they don't already know the definition for and look that up through the school's portal for the OED. The students share these words (with their definitions and

Skype - Student/Teacher Conferences of the “Future”!

2012-01-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the fall semester, 2011, I was dealing with a scheduling conflict that was going to require that I drive 45 minutes (each way) one extra day of class just to hold office hours where my students may or may not have actually visited me. As an adjunct, my office would have been a cramped room with other adjuncts present (not an ideal place for a student to voice serious

Why I Left My Bra at the Belcourt

2012-01-07T20:24:00.001-08:00

Before there were hipster icons like Jack White, there was the real thing - Crispin Glover. Crispin Glover may be one of the weirdest - and most genuine actors of our time.....or any time. That's why I took off my bra at the Belcourt Theatre and left it there...in honor of him. Or of his insistence on making people uncomfortable. Or it could have been the wine. Whatever. I can't really explain

Goodbye Cable TV - Hello REAL World

2012-01-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

I am finally calling to disconnect my cable TV today. I don't need it anymore. (I actually never did - I always knew it; but I never knew how important it was to take a stand against it.) 2012 is the year that we should all try to reconnect to what is real. I mean - really real. And what is true and right for each of us. Increasingly it's become apparent that television does not give us reality-

Product Review - Arbonne Creme Concealer

2011-12-26T18:57:00.000-08:00

My friend Natalie gave me the Arbonne Creme Concealer for Christmas! I had been using a drug store brand that I was not exactly happy with because I had been too busy to really check out brands that I would like. I used to be pretty loyal to Mary Kay (that was about 10 years ago), but since then I have not found one company that I really liked. AND then I heard about Arbonne. It's vegan certified

Painting with Coffee

2011-12-26T11:50:00.000-08:00

My experiments in painting with coffee have positive reception. I have been using instant coffee applied with paintbrushes and makeup sponges. I like that these paintings are not clear-coated, so if they get wet, they're gone. Below are a few of those paintings. The first one I ever tried is called "Morning Pain." This one hangs in my bathroom. This is called "Where the Angels

Flipping the Classroom

2011-11-19T12:44:00.001-08:00

I've been working on a project that will become a presentation I am giving at the MTSU curriculum meeting this coming February. The video presentation will be based on the research I am doing on creativity in the classroom and transversal learning. (Thanks, Bryan Reynolds.) I was inspired today by this amazing video presentation by Gabe Zincherman : How Games Make Kids Smarter. I've been

I Heart Tom Nelson!

2011-10-29T07:46:00.001-07:00

The Future Adjunct Spring?

2011-10-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

I’m no protestor. My idea of civil disobedience is usually a pithy comment on a news story I’ve seen posted on Facebook. But I surprised myself (and my family) last Thursday when I stood with a few hundred other people on the side of West End Boulevard in Nashville as part of the “Occupy Wall Street” protests. What brought me there was not, as the media claims, a secret liberal agenda, or a

Vern - A Hero's Journey

2011-09-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

Some people sit in the comfort and safety of mediocrity, never really living life to the fullest, and some people take the hero's journey through the worst, scariest, and ultimately the best, of what life has to offer. At least, that's how the expert on mythology, Joseph Campbell, explains it. The reason that Campbell is read by so many is not that he knows so much about gods of our past, but

New Project Ideas

2011-09-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

A new semester has started and I'm already thinking of projects that inform and improve my teaching. The first project will deal with my basic writing classes at Nashville State. I would like to actually rethink the way we are teaching remedial courses from refreshers to being ESL based. I'll have details later after I do some initial research, but I am starting to feel that we need to

Notes from Big Red - 5

2011-08-16T17:22:00.000-07:00

Recently I replaced my toxic dryer sheets with a Mr. Steamy ball. I love how it works – no static cling and my clothes are soft and not heavily scented. Since then I thought it would be REALLY nice to never have to buy clothes detergent as well. I found a great recipe online that’s simple and SO cheap! Here it is: 1 part Borax1 part Arm and Hammer Washing Soda1 bar of

JT Pottery - Just beautiful stuff!

2011-05-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

Today I spent some time at the Nashville Centennial Park for the TACA Arts and Crafts Fair. One of my favorite vendors was JT Pottery. Here is their bio: Our pottery shop is located down in the Southern Middle Tennessee Hills near the small town of Pulaski, that is where you will find the home of JT Pottery. It is there that our hand crafted pottery is created. JTPottery is made in the USA

Bull Thistle is Edible!

2011-05-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Walking down 8th Avenue the other day, I saw a bull thistle growing in front of a business. I'm sure it will be (or already had been) sprayed with some horribly toxic pesticide (that will eventually be in the water table). But did you know that many weeds, like bull thistle, are edible? Of course, the ones that have been sprayed with poison should be avoided. Here's some info on the very

Just Scary - Banning Herbal Products

2011-04-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Herbal medicines banned as EU directive comes into forceBy DAILY MAIL REPORTER Last updated at 8:35 AM on 30th April 2011Comments (43) Add to My Stories Patients have lost access to hundreds of herbal medicines today, after European regulations came into force.Sales of all herbal remedies, except for a small number of popular products for 'mild' illness such as echinacea for colds and St John's

What an Honor to Teach

2011-04-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

I just had a wonderful Facebook chat with a former student who wanted to check in with me. I'm so proud of her - she's really living life and succeeding in her chosen field. She was a bright student and I always remembered her through the years. What she said to me tonight brought tears to my eyes - that I was the teacher that influenced her the most. I'm just so thankful that I have been able

What's it gonna take?

2011-04-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

An Easy to Make Facial Scrub

2011-04-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is a great facial scrub that costs just cents and is totally natural and good for you! You can mix it to be as thick or thin as you personally like. Just mix baking soda, fresh lemon juice, and drops of lavender essence oil and that's it! I keep a jar in the bathroom and use it whenever I need a deep cleaning.

Indoor Organic Garden

2011-04-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

I've started to grow my own food - in my apartment. Underneath my 1000 watt light you will see in the picture below Silvery Fern Tomatoes, Broccoli, Small Cucumbers, Lettuce, Mint, Jalapeno Peppers, Cilantro, and Strawberries. I am adding Baby Carrots and Echinacea later. This is a dirt garden in pots - I'm no where near being able to do hydroponic vegetable gardening yet. The dirt is organic

Vishnu in Nashville

2011-02-22T07:33:00.000-08:00

Recently I toured the Vishnu exhibit at the Frist Museum in Nashville. I was surprised at the pieces in the collection - statues from the 12th Century up to modern interpretations of Vishnu in Indian homes today. Before my tour, I knew very little of Vishnu. In fact, the only Indian god I was aware of was Ganesh. This is a fun tour and something that I think many Nashies will enjoy seeing.

My First Video on iMovie

2011-02-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt with iMovie. It was fun and easy.

Glenn Beck's The 7: Seven Wonders that Will Change Your Life

2011-02-08T05:29:00.000-08:00

Glenn Beck - you know - that guy who cries on television and uses an old chalk board to scare the hell out of us. Yes - that guy. Well, I'm not the world's biggest fan. In fact, I had never really thought much about Glenn Beck until my dad (and others) started quoting him all the time. I have heard his talk radio show while driving to tutoring sessions - and it's during one of these times that

2 New Origami Cranes

2011-01-26T07:55:00.001-08:00

Origami Cranes

2011-01-25T19:33:00.000-08:00

Recently I learned to make origami cranes. The act of making them is so calming and fun - and I love giving them away to people. Here are two of my latest cranes:

My One-Sheet

2011-01-18T16:49:00.000-08:00

Arnold's - A great place to eat.

2011-01-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

Today we tried Arnold's on 8th avenue. I loved it. I have decided to eat there any time I feel homesick for Alabama. The people there are so nice and the food - well - the food is amazing. I suggest the cheese grits!

New Painting

2011-01-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

I painted this using Mount Hagen organic instant coffee. I call it Morning Pain. It looks pretty good hanging in my bathroom.

Great resources for students and teachers!

2011-01-12T16:35:00.001-08:00

Everything online for students! Check out this site.

Librarian Chick is HOT

2011-01-12T16:32:00.001-08:00

Check out this site for reference sources.

Everything in one sentence

2011-01-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

One Sentence is about telling your story, briefly. Insignificant stories, everyday stories, or turning-point-in-your-life stories, boiled down to their bare essentials.

Tasty Tacos at Leticia's

2011-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Leticia's (on Gallatin Pike) has some of the most amazing tacos I've ever had. (Their health department score is 98!) The place doesn't look like a 5 star restaurant by any means - but the food speaks for itself. Try it. (They also have cokes with REAL sugar!!) I can't seem to find anything about them online and I don't know the address. I think they cater mostly to Spanish speakers, so they

Growing Sprouts in Mason Jars

2011-01-11T05:41:00.000-08:00

Growing sprouts indoors is really easy. I use mung beans (you can get them in a bag at almost any grocery store). Here's the easy way to grow your own sprouts at home: 1. Put a small amount in any size mason jar and soak for the first 8 hours in water. 2. Drain in the morning. 3. Every morning rinse out your beans. 4. When the bean pods are all off and rinsed out of your jar, your

My Teaching Philosophy

2011-01-09T07:27:00.001-08:00

I’ve had the pleasure of teaching in the classroom as well as the internet classroom; and both experiences have influenced my style of teaching today. In my composition classes, my aim is to choose real world materials and topics in conjunction with rhetoric, grammar, and logic to provide a modern, comprehensive trivium in which students develop critical thinking and writing skills. In my

A Feminist Call to Action

2011-01-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

Feminist frameworks have been baseless because of the classification of a dichotomous sexual preference system. We must now move to a nullification of all feminist theory based on these systems. They're the same as if we were using science based on the idea that the sun revolves around the earth. But now we must start over - only this time with the truth. True feminism is honorable. The power

Burger-Up in Nashville - My tummy is stuffed

2011-01-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

We just had lunch at Burger-Up on 12th. Wow. I had the L burger and some Tomato Basil Soup. YUM. I suggest you try it. I also liked the fries....the ketchup was a little sweet, but still good.

Water Main breaks at Big Red - Pics and Video

2011-01-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

First day of 2011 Pics and a few videos of the event.

Sunday Morning Nashville

2010-12-27T04:05:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning NashvilleListening to Ol '55Got to get in the car and driveGot to get out of my mindTo pretendI'm alive So tired of getting yelled at in the morningsSaying sorry after don't mean a thingYou think it's nothing to forget what I rememberBut I got plenty of reasons to leave Nashville has the morningAnd lots of people like meNot all sad songs are countryAnd I got plenty of reasons to

A Trip to the Country - a Show in the City

2010-12-18T05:25:00.000-08:00

There are many sides of Nashville - many more than I ever imagined. Yesterday was a great example of that. First, we headed out to east Nashville to drop off one of the BF's amps to get fixed....lugging it up a flight of creaky stairs to a tiny apartment in the attic of someone's house. The repairman, who of course will remain unnamed, seemed a solitary genius packed in a couple of tiny rooms and

Notes from Big Red 4

2010-12-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Random notes: I just picked up two new blogs that I'll be writing and updating monthly for a media company in Louisiana. That should be fun work!! So far, I have one tutoring student in Franklin. And I've been Christmas shopping and baking cookies while getting organized. I have yet to get my TN Driver's License (oops) or my library card (a must). My reading list this week: Dune Feminist

A Great Weekend in Nashville

2010-11-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

I had my first job interview with the Metropolitan Action Commission on Friday. Before the interview I was able to spend some time at the Nashville Farmer's Market. I was able to find some ingredients for my medieval recipe that I was cooking later that night and some pie and tarts that were handmade and yummy. (I even got some awesome incense called Patti LaBelle!) Yes, after getting the rest

Welcome to Nashville

2010-10-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Nashville During my last trip to move some more of my stuff to downtown Nashville, I discovered the answer to one of life’s great questions: why are homeless guys often seen wearing only one sock? It’s a random thing to wonder, yes; but for someone who doesn’t see many displaced people these days, I’ve pondered the one sock conundrum more than a few times. When I lived in New

Notes from Big Red - 3

2010-10-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

Back at Big Red for the weekend. Of course, I plan to get some writing done! I have two pieces I want to finish this weekend - a 6-8 page research paper on an obscure Brazilian metal Hamlet tribute album (really), and a short essay about the giant pile of human shit I found next to my car the last time I was here. Today the Boyfriend and I went to the Habitat for Humanity store (there's a giant

Tutoring Services starting in January

2010-10-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

Starting in January 2011, I'll be offering the following tutoring sessions in the Nashville area for students and homeschoolers of all ages. Please contact me at dananwhiddon@gmail.com to be added to my 2011 roster. (A Shakespeare and Great Books module will be added soon.) English Tutoring for Non-English Speakers - Any level of student is welcome - $25 per hour Special Tutoring Sessions

Back to BAMA

2010-10-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

10/10/10 I'm driving back to Alabama today. The boyfriend has already gone to work (an 8:00 call for rehearsal set-up). This is my first time relaxing in Big Red all by myself, and the first thing I thought to do - write. Yeah, I'm going to get alot done here. The Dragon Cat and I are lounging on the sofa watching some stolen cable (he has 6 channels) while I recall this first weekend in

Notes from Big Red - 3

2010-10-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Today, the boyfriend took me shopping around Nashville. First, we went to Off Broadway Shoes where, he explained, many Nashville girls have recovered from a bad day with a little cheap shoe therapy. I'm all for that! I got a couple pair of boots and have decided that as soon as I move to Nashville, this will be a regular stop for me - bad day or not. Next we stopped by Pre to Post Modern

The Tree That Grows from Big Red

2010-10-09T13:35:00.001-07:00

This is a tree growing from the second story of Big Red. I took this from the ground floor while looking straight up at its roots.

From a Dream 10/9/10

2010-10-09T06:11:00.000-07:00

“They’re coming,” the man said. “Who?” Someone asked in the darkness. “Nobody.” Everything went even blacker; and even though the man was still standing there in his suit, in the darkness, the room seemed empty. Who was nobody? And why was the man so serious? And who dared to ask such a silly question? The warning came without explanation. And it was not until days later it was understood

Notes from Big Red - 2

2010-10-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

10/8/10 I’m sitting at the kitchen counter reading passages from The Koran in my Western Lit text and writing notes on how I will present it to my students back in Alabama. None of them have read The Koran. I’m sure that some of my more religious students will be reluctant to read it lest they are corrupted by the Muslim text. The boyfriend and I have been listening to the Opening from The

Notes from Big Red - 1

2010-10-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

10/8/10 This is my first morning waking up as a quasi-resident of Nashville. The plan is to move here – to Big Red - in December. Big Red is a downtown building of 16 loft apartments – all with exposed beams, mismatched brick and stone walls, and wood/ concrete floors. I love this place. My boyfriend has lived here for years and I am coming to cohabitate with him until we find a place in