Week 1 by the Numbers

40 hours of class (not including time spent in transit) 36 miles walked (that’s my total; many students walked more) 35 blog posts (there are two more drafts in progress as I type this) 25 arts professionals consulted (I may have undercounted) 24 St. Olaf...

The One Where the US is Big

Throughout our first week here, a group of us spent several hours running around the Congressional office buildings to either attend or make appointments with our congressional representatives. These experiences were thrilling to say the least. It is profoundly...
“Sweet Dreams Are Made of These”

“Sweet Dreams Are Made of These”

From my early childhood, probably stemming from my family baking traditions, I have loved desserts and baking. It has been an activity I have enjoyed sharing with my grandmother, mother, and sister over the years. When my sister Lilly and I were young, and...
Unexpected (but Predictable?) Encounters

Unexpected (but Predictable?) Encounters

Tonight, at the random restaurant Alyssa picked for dinner (Café Berlin on Massachusetts Ave. NE, just a few blocks from Capitol Hill), who should sit down next to us but Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Jon Thune (R-ND), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK)....