Random Connect Points:
Reba's Stories

Note: I always enjoy writing when my professional interests can overlap with personal passions. This article appeared in the August issue of Midlands Anchor. What are the building blocks of a great community? The quick answer might be money, political will or progressive leadership. Certainly these elements are important. But in most cases, real community boils down to trust, connections and relationships. The arts and culture environment in a community can be a driving force in establishing and cultivating these connections. Communities that invest in a flourishing arts and culture scene are the communities that thrive across demographic and geographic lines in good times and in challenging times. These connections build the social capital necessary to create the community engagement that drives economic growth. Just as a business needs an ongoing investment of financial capital to be successful and grow, a community needs an ongoing investment of social capital to b

With all the awful name-calling during this political season, it got me thinking about the importance of name. T.S. Eliot’s beautiful poem “ The Naming of Cats ” is one of my favorite songs in the play “Cats.” It contemplates the importance of a name. The great self-improvement guru Dale Carnegie once said, “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language” I couldn’t agree more. One little thing that matters to me greatly is for people to remember my name. Maybe it’s important because I’m just so bad at remembering people’s names. I try those tricks you learn in leadership development classes – find a feature of that person to remind you of his name. But if I look at someone named Ernest and try and remember his name by the fact his hair looks like a bird’s nest, I probably end up calling him something like Jay or Robin next time I see him. A name is everyone’s most personal possession. It’s your label, your identi

Writing can be a personal expression of creativity, experience, knowledge, expertise and connection. It's an art and a science where the practicality of clarity and crisp communication converge with the creativity of inspiration and flow. Rules abound in the craft of writing, and many of them deserve respect. I love the structure of rules in life and especially love rules for writing. I spend many hours reading about the craft, the rules and how the writers whose work I love approach their writing. My reading preferences reflect my love of writing. Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, the classic on the craft of writing, sits dog-eared and well-loved at the top of my stack of books I re-read when I need inspiration. The day the new AP Stylebook comes out is always reason for celebration for me. My new copy already has sticky notes clinging to the pages. And doesn't everyone still have their high school grade grammar book? Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the writing profe