Practice Makes Perfect?
A little Hope-ium for Easter. Sharon McMahon is known on social media as “America’s Government Teacher” under the handle @SharonSaysSo, where she replaces “confusion with clarity, cynicism with home, and division with understanding.” For me, she did that with one phrase in a recent article: “Hope is not a feeling, but a practice.” 🤯 = mind blown. I’ve long said public service …
BREAKING-ish: Hamilton Exploratory
On Deck When I moved back to Kansas from DC in 2000, my brother was attending a church with about 1,200 people in each service, no hymnals, loud music, lyrics styled in power point on screens, grunge guitarists, soloists with voices like angels, and a pastor barely older than me. Count me out. Or so I thought! It turns out you …
What Do You Need Today?
What can you pay forward? Tuesday, February 17th was Random Acts of Kindness Day. We 😍 this graphic from Johnson County (KS) Mental Health! Plus, their post linked to their volunteer website with more than a dozen ways to serve neighbors: I’m going to be needing strength and gentleness in the coming days. What do you need today? This week? Which of …
Schoolhouse Rock… NOT
I recently wrote an op-ed (I’ll link here if it’s published) on a bill passed by the Kansas House and Senate, which was awaiting the governor’s signature. The major problem with the bill was the legislators’ use of an oft-maligned (mostly for good reason) tool in the Kansas legislative process – the “gut-and-go”, combined with “declaring an emergency” final action …
Table-hood Watch
If you’ve ever worked from home, you know there are sometimes you need a change of scenery. A coffee shop, a library, a bustling restaurant, or even a sports bar with dozens of screens during March Madness… Just for example… A LinkedIn contact, Shannon Watson, recounted a recent such visit in a post last week. She asked a woman working nearby …
Voting Nerd ACTIVATED!
In the midst of trauma, fear, and global chaos, I am hopeful about this year. WHY? What in the world would give me that feeling? I LOVE LOVE LOVE voter engagement. The more people act in neighborhoods and communities (a TON of action steps in our Serve60Sharp newsletter), show up (even protesting), and vote, the more representative our elected bodies become. You …
Best of 2025!
For the last Friday of 2025, we’re joining the “Wrapped” trend. First and foremost – thanks for reading – it’s no fun to keep writing if no one is reading… If you read it they will keep coming! Day with the most reads: September 22 Top 5 most read: Earned most new subscribers: The 2025 Sharp Sheet If this was forwarded to …
Part 2: Bill of Rights
This week features the 2nd half of the Bill of Rights, where, by the focus of these amendments, it becomes pretty obvious that most of our Founders were attorneys! Amendment VI In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall …
Bill of Rights
We had so much fun celebrating Constitution Day with an 8-piece reading of the U.S. Constitution, we thought the Bill of Rights should get the same treatment! The first 10 amendments to the Constitution (originally proposed as 12) were passed by Congress in September 1789. It took more than two years to achieve the required number of states, ratifying on …
Community Colleges: Your Next Step?
A few weeks ago, this newsletter spotlighted your role as a patron (taxpayer) of your area’s community college. Let’s discuss that a little more… The intent of this newsletter is to provide low-commitment, high-impact tips to serve your neighbors and community. Many of those tips have involved equipping yourself with information in order to serve as a resource to those around you. …