Merry Midwinter (2020 in Review)
Thank you for following my journey for another trip around the sun, dear reader. Whether you're new to my blog or you've been following for some time, I just wanted to say Merry Midwinter and that I hope your holiday season is filled with light.
I'll be writing up my annual reviews of theatre next week to round up 2020. This year has been very different (for reasons I don't think I need to explain to anyone). I'm still figuring out what this year's annual review post is going to look like. I haven't seen nearly as much live theatre as usual but I have experience so much interesting digital and online art. In the meantime, give my post from last year a read.
2020 has been a tremendous year for me, for a number of reasons. Even though many of my production I had planned were cancelled due to COVID-19, including Mockus by George M. Johnson with Jupiter Theatre, I have still been creating and looking towards the future. This year Frankenstein became my first published play (it's available for purchase in Canada and the UK!) and I launched a podcast anthology with Jupiter Theatre called (exp)lore.
(exp)lore is a fiction anthology podcast to be enjoyed in the community while social distancing. These site-specific stories take an imaginative dive into the past and future of Calgary’s inner city. Each episode immerses the audience in a rich audio play while they explore the world through a new lens.
You can listen to the episode that I wrote in the series (Under the Plaza) on the audio fiction page of my website. I also directed Episode 1: The Folly and Episode 8: The Overview Effect for the anthology. Plus, there's going to be a shorter, bonus episode launching Christmas Day! Subscribe to the (exp)lore wherever you find your podcasts to give this spooky holiday treat a listen.
I also have two very exciting pieces of news coming up for 2021. I can't announce them yet, but keep checking out my blog for more updates or subscribe to my newsletter to be among the first to know.
And if you're in the northern hemisphere, make sure you get outside and check out the Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction this evening after sunset. You don't want to miss this amazing celestial event!
If you're reading this, we survived 2020! I hope your 2021 is everything that you want and more. I'll see you in the new year!
A conversation about planning the next step in graduate education seems most useful to me when it leaves space for uncertainty and further questions. A clear research interest can make a programme comparison more meaningful than a list of rankings. It makes me curious about the practical side of graduate study planning. I would probably come back to this question after trying to work through one concrete example rather than deciding immediately. What would help you decide whether a programme fits your learning goals?
There is something approachable about discussing discovering the cultural heritage of Lusatia through situations people can actually picture. Language and local stories can reveal connections that are easy to miss on a map. That is the kind of detail I would keep in mind while exploring Lusatian cultural heritage. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. How would you introduce regional heritage through a classroom project?
Considering learning local history through school projects, I keep coming back to the difference between knowing about an idea and putting it into practice. Family memories and public records can offer different perspectives on the same place. I would keep that thought nearby when looking for ideas about Przyglow history projects. I am still thinking through the details, and a small example would help me picture how this works in practice. How could students compare these sources while respecting what each can show?
What draws my attention to finding your way around Polish businesses is the possibility of making an unfamiliar subject feel closer to everyday life. Clear descriptions help readers distinguish what a business does from the language used to advertise it. It makes me curious about the practical side of Polish business information. I am more curious about the process than a polished result, because the steps in between are usually where questions appear. Which details matter most when comparing unfamiliar local businesses?
I find using the local environment in Zalesie lessons easier to think about when there is a concrete question to start from. A short walk can provide material for science, writing and observation in the same lesson. Seen this way, Zalesie outdoor learning becomes a topic to explore rather than something to sum up too quickly. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. How can an outdoor activity stay focused without losing its sense of discovery?