Dr. Talithia Williams, Happy Birthday. I was lucky enough to be talking with a mutual friend today and obtain the secret code to your birthday zoom. What a wonderful occasion! I know you as an inspiring speaker, teacher, mathematician, and statistician. To see you through the eyes of others was wondrous. Unapologetically yourself. Spiritual. Loyal.Continue reading “February 2 Day 331: Uplifting Moment”
Category Archives: community
January 31 Day 329: Eve of a Presidency
Tomorrow I become President of the Mathematical Association of America for a two year term. What an honor! What a crazy time to take on this responsibility. First, I must publicly thank outgoing president Michael Dorff for his leadership. I realize that this last year in particular was not the presidency for which he hadContinue reading “January 31 Day 329: Eve of a Presidency”
January 8 Day 306: What’s Missing?
It’s the end of day three of the Joint Mathematics Meeting. There have been inspiring talks, earnest discussions, fond remembrances, and vulnerable honesty. But the fatigue is real. Conference fatigue + zoom fatigue + emotional fatigue and I am ready to return home. No wait, I’m already there. And that’s what’s missing. We have reachedContinue reading “January 8 Day 306: What’s Missing?”
January 5 Day 303: Notable Firsts
The Joint Mathematics Meeting 2021 is a virtual affair and will be my first national conference of the pandemic. It officially starts tomorrow morning but today was the MAA Board of Directors meeting that is held the day before. I’ve just finished planning my first two days of attendance. There is a learning curve forContinue reading “January 5 Day 303: Notable Firsts”
January 3 Day 301: Time Machine
It has been more than fifteen years since my family moved to Tacoma, WA. I left a tenured position to follow my husband to the Pacific Northwest. At the time people thought I was crazy to leave without a replacement position—but keeping my family together was more important than a job or a title. Besides,Continue reading “January 3 Day 301: Time Machine”
December 22 Day 289: Recreate to Celebrate
What a fun social “hour” hosted by the MAA Special Interest Group for Recreational Math (SIGMAA REC). I was there for more than three hours–chatting, playing, and meeting friends. I had an intimate conversation with a dear old friend, just the two of us. I had different small group conversations about math clubs, covid, andContinue reading “December 22 Day 289: Recreate to Celebrate”
December 17 Day 284: You Know It’s Been One of “Those” Days When…
…for this first time in 13.3 years, you send a reply all message to the entire school without intending to. Oops. Nobody really needed to know that. I am too tired to be embarrassed. Sending a retraction only draws attention to it. People will know it was an accident, right?
December 8 Day 275: Preparing to be Presidential
Today was the first day of the “Developing Your Leadership 2021 Game Plan” Workshop run by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE). MAA Executive Director Michael Pearson suggested that we attend together and I am glad that I took him up on the offer. I have written on leadership a couple ofContinue reading “December 8 Day 275: Preparing to be Presidential”
December 4 Day 271: How Are YOU?
I regularly check in with my students but I realize that I have not done the same with you, the reader. I would really appreciate hearing from you. Please respond: HOW ARE YOU DOING? You can reply on any of the social media platforms: WordPress (of course but unlikely), Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Five words orContinue reading “December 4 Day 271: How Are YOU?”
November 28 Day 265: TFW You Are Being Watched
Today’s walk was one to remember. Mark and I started at Owen’s Beach and walked to the Point of Point Defiance. We saw swimmers of all varieties. It began with the human swimmers. And then we saw harbor seals. Just one or two at first. I asked Mark if those dots in the distance wereContinue reading “November 28 Day 265: TFW You Are Being Watched”
Math Belongs to All of Us 