Truthfully, sometimes I think that the bullet points, lists, self-assessments, and strategies amount to little more than modern-day alchemy, a way to turn the average metal of humanity into superhuman gold.

Silent Night
Where is home really? Where do we shelter when we are in unfamiliar territory? How do mere mortals do something transcendent? Which strangers will become friends that guide and walk with us? What does it mean to be someone’s mother or father? How do we keep children safe and raise them to adulthood? Struggle, displacement, uncertainty, identity, fear, perhaps longing for something easier or something past, all wrapped up in that humble nativity scene.

You are Worth Something
Note: This will go out to our campus through the Office of Faculty Governance tommorow. Dear Carolina Community: When I was in 8th grade, I

Half Life
Early fall mornings in Chapel Hill–bright skies, bits of color shooting through the green, morning glories in full bloom. The day’s worries will arrive, but

PEPTO-BISMOL: A Faculty Chair Diary
These days, I am often asked about my experience being chair of UNC Chapel Hill’s faculty. I’m pretty inarticulate in those moments. But friends keep

Tenacity and Turbulence
This post is derived from a talk I gave a week ago to the Royster Society of Fellows. The conference theme was “Tenacity in Turbulent