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Current Curiosities
[Reading] Create Dangerously by Albert Camus [Listening] Star Wars: Old Canon Book Club [Watching] The Sopranos Rebellions Are Built on 'Ope [Please note, this post has been radically updated (1/25/26) since its original upload (1/15/26). With the peaceful protests and brutal federal violence in Minnesota, now did not seem the time to focus on how fascism is creeping into Human Resources. I plan to repost "Words Matter: Divergent Opinions," with a tighter focus on words and their meanings and real-world impacts, at a later date.] I'm angry and anxious and heartbroken about what's happening in Minnesota. I'm Minnesotan by choice. And I could not be prouder of my fellow Minnesotans as we protect our neighbors and protest the horrific brutality of ICE and Border Patrol agents enacting Trump's retribution (his word) on our state for not electing him three times. (Indeed, Bondi demanded Minnesota voter rolls as the quid for the quo of stopping ICE and CBP violence in Minnesota.) As Governor Tim Walz said in his address, Attorney General Kieth Ellison's office has set up the Federal Action Reporting Form to document ICE atrocities throughout the state. Additionally, Attorney General Ellison published this press release alerting Minnesotans that the Department of Homeland Security is digitally surveilling peaceful protestors. Protect yourselves. Use encrypted messaging apps like Signal, but be cautious of Meta's WhatsApp. (See also, the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act.) If you document an incidence of ICE or CBP brutality, send the videos and photos immediately to a friend or family member not present at the protest in case ICE or CBP (illegally) seizes your phone. Then immediately delete the sent message. This ensures your evidence reaches others — including the media — and protects you from the initial (illegal) search of your phone. To my fellow Minnesotans — be vigilant, be vocal, be safe. And document everything. Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Silver Fox Tools Mini Caddy [Sharpie] The title and subtitle of this post come from signs seen at local protests and on r/Minnesota.
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Current Curiosities [Reading] On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century Graphic Edition by Timothy Snyder + Nora Krug [Listening] "Unchained Melody"/"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by The Unrighteousness Brothers [Watching] The Mystery of the Wax Museum Roamin' and Ramblin' into the New Year I can't remember when I first stumbled across Woody Guthrie's 1943 list of New Year's resolutions or which Instagram account had posted it. Before the 2016 Presidential Election? After? Before the 2020? Honestly, aside from wanting to provide attribution, I suppose it doesn't really matter anymore how I found it, but that I did. When I maintained social media accounts, I would post Guthrie's handwritten resolutions, highlighting both his penmanship (a gorgeous mix of cursive and printed all-caps), his doodles, and particularly his twenty-seventh resolution: HELP WIN WAR - BEAT FASCIM.  I added the blue box highlighting Resolution 27 whenever I initially took this screenshot. For more than a decade, we've witnessed a rise in fascism in the United States and abroad. And perhaps by the time I've uploaded this post, we will be at war with Venezuela. Though, the word war is misleading, as the violence is one-sided and the actions of a demented bully wielding the world's strongest military. So it seems, once again, we too are faced with war (on several potential fronts) abroad while confronting fascism at home. Happy 2026, I guess??? HELP WIN WAR - BEAT FASCISM Anyway, the other day, I finished reading Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny, and one thing that struck me, aside from the parallels between our current moment and twentieth-century fascist and totalitarian regimes, was how small interpersonal acts and decisions can flaunt tyrannical control. Indeed Snyder suggests make eye contact and small talk (Lesson 12), practice corporeal politics (Lesson 13), and establish a private life (Lesson 14), among others. Now, I have never been a fan of New Year's resolutions. Resolutions are black and white, pass or fail - or to paraphrase Yoda resolutions are do or do not; there's not a lot of room to try.* That is a lot of pressure to put on yourself at the start of a new year. So instead of resolutions, I am setting intentions for 2026. For me, intentions provide space for missteps and mistakes, for reflection and learning, highlighting progress and process over perfection. HELP WIN WAR - BEAT FASCISM So as I consider the one ahead, I thought I would frame my intentions for 2026 through the lens of Snyder's lessons. My 2026 Intentions
CODA Queer and trans folks may be best positioned for Lesson No. 12 in which Snyder underscores the importance of observing your surroundings as a way of knowing whom you should trust or not. As LGBTQ+ people, we already do this on a daily basis, in new situations and old, with new people and old. This practice has protected us for generations against the radical and religious Right. So keep on keeping on, team. Continue being alert. Continue being cautious and critical of those in power. And continue protecting and supporting each other. [Lesson 12] HELP WIN WAR - BEAT FASCISM I wish y'all a safe, healthy, and happy 2026. Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Sherpa Christmas Lights 2023 Limited Edition Pen Cover [Sharpie] *I prefer Kanan Jarrus' reframing of Yoda's maxim in Rebels: If all I do is try, that means I don't truly believe that I can succeed. Current Curiosities
[Reading] And Don't F&%k It Up: An Oral History of RuPaul's Drag Race by Maria Elena Hernandez [Listening] It's A Holiday Soul Party by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings [Watching] The Rocky Mountain Mortician Murder We Wish You A Merry Christmas (As Long As We Benefit From It) It's that time of year again when anti-trans red kettles clutter store entrances and organizations begin laundering their reputations through nonprofits and via official social media posts of team members volunteering in the community. The motivation behind the publicity photos shifts the narrative from helping those in need to focusing on the organization appearing to be made of good white people. Motivation matters. And it's clear organizational giving and volunteering is actually about increasing profits and gilding reputations damaged by credible complaints of discrimination and harassment from marginalized employees or by harming communities and the environment. For example, a while ago I volunteered at a local food bank with some friends. We wanted to bond and have fun and do some good. We arrived at the same time as an organizational volunteer group from a well-known financial institution. As my friends and I sorted nonperishable goods and toiletries into individual and family-sized packages, I noticed the organization's group was standing off to the side chatting with each other and looking at their phones. Not one of them was actually volunteering. When their time was up, the organization's group made sure to take group photos that were immediately shared across social media in order gain local accolades for the financial institution's alleged community engagement during the holidays. The financial institution's opportunism and the hollowness of their engagement at the food bank shocked me and changed how I see organizational philanthropy. I began to look critically at LinkedIn posts of local organizations laying out their collections of toys or school supplies or shelf-stable food on tables in the same manner the DEA lays out drugs and guns seized during raids. These photos are less about the act of giving to and service to others and more about the quantity of stuff (including money) collected. Through social media, organizational giving and volunteering is not only profit-driving and reputation-laundering, but also has become a capitalist size-measuring competition. Organizations document their piles of collected stuff, with the biggest piles given awards and status by nonprofit gatekeepers. If organizational philanthropy isn't documented on social media and recognized by nonprofit gatekeepers does it even count??? Motivation matters. Organizations have lost sight of why we volunteer, why we serve others. It's our responsibility to our fellow humans. We volunteer to give back to our community because we are part of the community and a thriving, healthy community supports everyone. Motivation matters. Here are some considerations to make when coordinating your organization's annual philanthropic efforts:
Showing up and volunteering is not enough. Successful organizational philanthropic efforts are scaffolded learning opportunities. This is why Learning & Leadership Development teams should plan, execute, and debrief giving and volunteering opportunities. Volunteer teams need to understand the causes and impacts of the particular issue targeted by your organization's philanthropy. Volunteer teams also need a chance to debrief their experience serving, to unpack their thoughts and feelings, to reflect on high-level systemic issues and the lived experiences of those whom they're serving. Moreover, sustained and ongoing giving and volunteering opportunities are more impactful (for volunteer teams and nonprofits) than one-and-done events. One Final Consideration: Does your organization need to photographically document its philanthropy? And what motivates your organization to publicize its giving and volunteering? Maybe skip the official social media posts this year and just be present in the experience of giving and volunteering. Motivation matters. That all being said, I hope y'all get out there and thoughtfully and purposefully give back to our shared community this holiday season — and beyond! Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Nahvalur Triad [Rollerball] | Monteverde Capri Blue [Ink] Welcome to Rough-Draft Thinking, a blog where I will reflect on the inclusion media and ideas I consume and my experiences as a queer educator, consultant, and engaged community member living, working, and dog-walking in the Red River Valley.
I chose to title my blog Rough-Draft Thinking, a phrase I’ve used with students, friends, and family for years, because it creates space for initial, unpolished thoughts. Rough-draft thinking leaves open the possibility of learning and growth through revision of perspectives and ideas. Rough-draft thinking relies on curiosity over judgment, on closely and actively listening to others. (Yes, like many of you, I’m also drawn to the lesson in that particular Ted Lasso scene.) As a former college educator, I encouraged curiosity over judgment, though I didn’t realize it at the time. When I started teaching in the English Department at the University of Kansas, I made the decision to comment on rough-draft student essays in pencil rather than pen or cumbersome Microsoft Word comments. I liked physically holding my students’ ideas in my hands. I liked responding as a reader in marginal comments and writing a quick supportive endnote to each student in pencil. I like the pretense of impermanence graphite offers. Graphite’s erasability quietly connotes that writing (and learning) is a process, requiring revision, further development of ideas – reminding students nothing is fixed permanently in place. And most mistakes are fixable, are opportunities to exercise curiosity, learn, and grow. By commenting on student rough-drafts in pencil, I also encouraged progress over perfection and practice is the point. Though, as a recovering perfectionist, I occasionally have to remind myself about the importance of celebrating progress and honoring the experience of practice, so I draft posts or outline projects in pencil, first, before committing them to the digital spaces. (For those curious, my favorite pencil for writing is the Musgrave Tennessee Red.) As an organizational learning partner, I actively incorporated curiosity over judgment, progress over perfection, and practice is the point into every workshop I created and during every one-on-one coaching session. And now I bring these lessons into my work as an inclusion and leadership consultant. My goals for Rough-Draft Thinking are to:
Thank you very much for your time and for joining me on this adventure! And I cannot wait to start a conversation with y’all! Sending y'all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today's Pen(cil): Blackwing 602 [Wood Pencil] Half the pressure, twice the speed |