Outta’ this world blog

June 11, 2024 — In previous posts, I wrote about the relationship between childhood interests and careers, a topic I find intriguing. My interest in writing started from a very young age. And my writer parents were early role models. My father even “published” my first little picture book before I’d even started kindergarten. He titled it A Jack-O. He cut out parts of pictures and some words I’d drawn in crayon, added to it a bit, and turned them into a little book in a binder. As I’ve blogged before, I still remember the thrill that gave me and clearly, I’ve cherished it, as I still have the booklet to this day. 

I have a folder full of other very early writings, many from the first grade (ages

April 30, 2024 — As I was turning into the Brick Elementary School parking lot, I heard a loud rumbling nearby. I looked around but didn’t see a truck or anything that could be making the noise. Then I saw the helicopter hovering overhead getting ready to land in Brick’s field. I thought, this is a pretty big deal. There was someone standing in the lot directing traffic and many, many cars. Brick goes all out for its students. 

Surprisingly (or not in Michigan) April 24 dawned cold and windy with a little drizzle. Happy spring :) Perhaps I’d overlooked something, but I hadn’t realized the event was taking place OUTDOORS! I was dressed for a quick trip from my car to the indoors. Luckily, we don’t live too far away and I have a supportive husband. He

April 9, 2024 — Jenny Kalejs is an exceptionally cool human who I had the good fortune to meet at my previous job. We were both communicators working in different, but related, areas. Jenny was with the University of Michigan Biological Station. I worked in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Prior to 2019, we worked in separate buildings but with our move into the new Biological Sciences Building, our cubicles shared a (tall) wall. I knew Jenny was an artist as I’d seen some of her creative drawings for the Biological Station and if we sat together in a seminar, I’d notice her amazing doodle notes. But what I didn’t know at the time was that she was a children’s book artist. 

After looking around on the internet and social medi

February 20, 2024 — Favorite books from our childhood hold a special place in our hearts. They transport us back to a simpler time and for many lucky children, they may also be attached to warm memories of cuddling with Mom, Dad, or some other special loved one, before bedtime. 

A classic line from the movie, You’ve Got Mail, is when Kathleen Kelly, the small book store owner says, “when you read a book as a child, it becomes part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.” 

One of my favorite childhood books was Frederick by Leo Lionni. If you’re not familiar, Frederick was a mouse who lived in a stone wall with his mouse family. During the autumn days as winter approach

January 23, 2024 — I’m curious how many people, like me, showed an interest at a very young age for what would eventually become their career? I imagine it’s fairly common since we hear these stories about famous people often. Steve Irwin, “The Crocodile Hunter,” grew up loving all wildlife, especially reptiles. Mae Jemison, the first Black woman astronaut, was introduced to science, and developed an interest in astronomy at the age of 3. Steven Spielberg, the famous movie director and producer, became captivated by filmmaking as a child. 

On the flip side, 20 - 50 percent of college freshmen have an undeclared major (and up to 75 percent change their major at least once), according to some quick Google research