Category Archives: History

Monday Musings: Humans Behaving Stupidly

Posted on July 10, 2023 by dbjackson

In real life, it’s not so easy. When actors in life’s drama do dumb things, we can’t revise the narrative to avoid disaster. We’ve all experienced the frustration. We’re reading a book or watching a movie or television show, and … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Contemplating Our Republic As July 4th Approaches

Posted on July 3, 2023 by dbjackson

This is a holiday week and Nancy’s first week as FORMER acting-president of the university. And so I am feeling lazy and rather unmotivated. I can think of lots of stuff to write about, but those thoughts have been slow … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Coming Home From Launch Pad, and Contemplating the Cosmos

Posted on May 29, 2023 by dbjackson

I spent last week at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, attending the Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop. Launch Pad is the brainchild of Mike Brotherton, a science fiction writer who also happens to be a professor of Astronomy at U … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: What Holds Me Back, part II — Building a Platform

Posted on March 15, 2023 by dbjackson

Last week, I started my newest series for the Professional Wednesday feature: “What Holds Me Back.” My first entry was on life in general, and the ways in which we learn to cope with life’s intrusions on our creative output. … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, part IV — Managing Expectations

Posted on March 1, 2023 by dbjackson

For the past several weeks, I have been sharing “My Best Mistakes,” which have included inappropriate remarks at a convention, poor business decisions, and replies to reviews. This week’s “Best Mistake” is a little different, in that it’s less about … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Our Best Former President

Posted on February 27, 2023 by dbjackson

In 1976, I was thirteen years old. I couldn’t vote, obviously, but I could work for candidates I liked, passing out pamphlets and such. That’s what I did in my little (at the time) moderately conservative (at the time) hometown … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Title IX, Soccer, and My Family

Posted on February 20, 2023 by dbjackson

This past weekend, Nancy and I went up to Nashville to see the U.S. women’s national soccer team play Japan in a group stage match of the She Believes Cup. The tickets were a gift to us from our younger … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, Part II — A Bad Contract Is Worse Than No Contract

Posted on February 15, 2023 by dbjackson

Last week, I kicked off the latest Professional Wednesday blog post series, “My Best Mistakes,” with a humorous story about my behavior at a convention early in my career. I hope you enjoyed it. This week, I turn to more … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: The Story of the Storyteller On My Desk

Posted on February 13, 2023 by dbjackson

In May of 1994, Nancy and I took our first trip to New Mexico. (We have been back several times since, and we’re always looking forward to our next visit; it is one of our favorite places in the world.) … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: The Two Best Holiday Gifts I’ve Gotten. Ever.

Posted on December 5, 2022 by dbjackson

The holidays are upon us, and chances are you — like me, like everyone I know — have been caught up in the spirit of gift-giving. We want to find those perfect presents for the people we love most. We … Continue reading →

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