BreakDrink Podcast

Professional Prep for Higher Education Practitioners 

In this @BreakDrink episode Laura is joined by guest co-host Paul Eaton (@profpeaton) to talk about higher education and students affairs profession, specifically the preparation into entering the field of work. This conversation was initiated based on a chat we had on professional prep, in terms of certifications, masters degree programs, continued learning programs, apprenticeship models, or on-the-job experience, as you seek out an administrative or professional career working at a college or university (in a non-faculty role). We shared a bit about our career pathways into student affairs and academic advising in Canada and the United States, and then dig into the value and purpose of continued education credentials and more about the value of gaining competency through hands-on, work experience in the field. 

If you are considering a career in student affairs, academic advising, or another professional student support or student development role, here are some resources we shared during this podcast:

-Considering a career in student affairs: http://www.myacpa.org/considering-career-student-affairs by @pglove33

-ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/ACPA_NASPA_Professional_Competencies_FINAL.pdf

-MBA degree https://www.mbaprograms.org/mbaadmission

-School Counseling (K-12)

ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies Rubrics https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/ACPA_NASPA_Professional_Competency_Rubrics_Full.pdf

-Clinical LPC: Who are licenced professional counselors? https://www.counseling.org/publicpolicy/whoarelpcs.pdf

-Paraprofessionals exist in K-12 https://www.thejobnetwork.com/how-to-become-a-paraprofessional/ Why don’t we have more of these in higher education?

-Maybe we need a “GAP year” https://www.gapyear.com/ post-undergrad degrees to get experience

-Tuition costs of colleges & universities in the US (NCES) https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76

-Canadian tuition fees by university https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/160907/dq160907a-eng.htm

-Healthcare (US): Getting covered if you’re under 30 https://www.healthcare.gov/young-adults/coverage/

-Cost of living calculator https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator 

-Salary, Benefit, Paycheck, and Cost of Living Calculators https://www.thebalancecareers.com/salary-calculators-and-cost-of-living-calculators-2063445 

-Higher Education in the Postdegree Era https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2018/06/04/how-higher-ed-has-change-remain-relevant-future-opinion

-The Changing Face of Today’s Student [in US Higher Ed] http://acrobatiq.com/the-changing-face-of-todays-student-more-diverse-older-and-requiring-more-personalized-learning/ 

-Trust and Organizational Culture in Higher Education https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-6604-7_3 

It turns out -- we have no answers. We just have more questions. What questions do you have about professional preparation for higher education educators, professionals, and practitioners? Do we need certifications, masters degrees, experiential learning or a combination of these? How did you prepare for the job you currently have at your college or university? And to discuss later, do you really need a terminal degree for some of these administrative positions in higher education? Or would you like to discuss a related issue in higher ed? Let us know!

Let us know what you think by posting comments on our website or on SoundCloud. For more of this, be sure to follow the “BreakDrink” podcast via the following channels:

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)

The Ethics of Ed Tech with @hypervisible

In @BreakDrink episode no. 28, Laura welcomes guest co-host, Chris Gilliard (@hypervisible), join me to talk about the ethics of educational technology, data, and student labor. As the Spring semester is keeping Jeff busy, he suggested bringing back past friends of the pod to talk about different topics and issues. It just so happens that Chris published an instigating article on the topic of ethical considerations for our learning technology in the Chronicle of Higher Education in April [sorry it’s behind a paywall; message me and I would be happy to share]. 

How Ed Tech Is Exploiting Students

https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Ed-Tech-Is-Exploiting/243020 

To give you the just of this article, Chris discusses how student work is contributing to the business models of a number of technologies we use for learning in higher education. Companies are using data from our learners to “feed the machine” by tracking students, using their work, and more within a specific platform for the sake of a course, assignment, and grade. Our learners are not often given the choice about participation or the information they include/exclude within our digital learning environments. Chris thinks we need to bring the ed tech community together to have “the talk” about consent and rights for the digital platforms we use in education. I concur!

From requiring students to access their courses from a learning management system to an app we include to quiz for assessment -- how much autonomy, information, and choice do we, as educators, provide for our learners? We have allowed technologies monetize our information, data (a.k.a. “The new oil”), and work without considering the social justice concerns and considerations. This article was drafted to start a conversation for consideration for how we provide consent to participate on these digital platforms and applications for learning first. We hope you this interesting conversation and start to take into consideration what technologies you are using or are required to use within your own teaching and practice in higher ed. How do you define work? What is the labor or contributions your learners are required to complete for your courses, services, or other in higher ed?

Technology services & platforms discussed in this episode and Chronicle article:

-- Amazon Mechanical Turk https://www.mturk.com/ 

-- TurnItIn http://turnitin.com/ 

-- Using TurnItIn To Teach Students How to Not Plagiarize https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2018/04/10/how-use-turnitin-teach-students-not-plagiarize-opinion

-- IBM Watson https://www.ibm.com/watson/ 

-- Meet Jill Watson: Georgia Tech's first AI teaching assistant https://pe.gatech.edu/blog/meet-jill-watson-georgia-techs-first-ai-teaching-assistant 

-- CatCards at University of Arizona https://catcard.arizona.edu/

-- Researcher Looks at 'Digital Traces' to Help Students https://uanews.arizona.edu/story/researcher-looks-digital-traces-help-students 

-- Response to the post (after our podcast was recorded) https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/letters/ai-project-at-georgia-tech-does-not-exploit-students

-- University teachers are exploited, too https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/08/opinions/teachers-pay-adjuncts-southern-illinois-bodenheimer-opinion/index.html 

Questions to ask as you are thinking more ethically about the technology we use in higher ed: 

1. Who owns the data collected from the technology service or platform provider? And who do you share this data with (3rd party)? Can your students download and access their data collected within this platform or app? 
2. How are you informing your learners about the technologies you are using? This might include privacy policies, data policies, and terms of services required to agree to for use of this platform.
3. How are you thinking about labor and data contributed by your learners, specifically with regards to informed consent for using a particular educational technology or platform? Transparency and openness for the how and why of use on a platform.

@BreakDrink Recommendations

- The Wizard of Oz (Movie or Musical) https://wizardofoztour.com/ 

- Avengers: Infinity War https://marvel.com/avengers 

- Platform Capitalism by Nick Srnicek

- Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter

- Algorithms of Oppression by Safiya Umoja Noble https://nyupress.org/books/9781479837243/ 

- Automating Inequality by Virginia Eubanks https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250074317 

- The Poverty of Privacy Rights by Khiara M. Bridges https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=25115 

- Comics from Saladin Ahmed https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-04-10/author-saladin-ahmed-has-found-mainstream-success-us-while-being-unapologetically 

- Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil https://weaponsofmathdestructionbook.com/ 

- Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson https://markmanson.net/not-giving-a-fuck 

- Sylvan Esso (band) http://www.sylvanesso.com/ Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/sylvanesso 

To share this podcast with friends, families, or foes, feel free to do so with the following links:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/breakdrink-podcast/id346969286?mt=2 

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/breakdrink 

If you have comments, questions, or feedback about this podcast episode OR want to share your own input...

Pod Save Texas, Y’all!

We talk about Texas elections and politics in this episode of @BreakDrink. This state is a very interesting state, when it comes to politics and change. With Jeff’s knowledge of the Lone Star State political history and Laura’s inquiries around Texas legislature, we dig into what the 2018 primary elections. This episode was recorded in February 2018 and BEFORE the primaries; however it has some interesting insights into Texas state politics and suggestions for how you can get informed and act locally with your own elections. The Texas Primaries (and other primary elections) offer some insight to US politics ahead, which really impact the U.S. senate. Here are a few notes and updates (post-election) from (READ: Here’s What Happened in the Texas Primaries 2018 and 6 Takeaways To Kick Off The 2018 Election Cycle] 

Here are a few things we discuss about Texas voting and politics:

-About Texas Legislature: https://capitol.texas.gov/

-Here’s What Happened in the Texas Primaries 2018 https://www.texastribune.org/2018/03/07/texas-primary-elections-2018/

-The Texas Primaries: 6 Takeaways To Kick Off The 2018 Election Cycle https://www.npr.org/2018/03/07/591536751/6-takeaways-from-the-texas-primaries-and-what-they-could-mean-going-forward-in-2 

-After the bathroom bill and voter turnout, Texas businesses turns to education https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/03/23/after-rallying-bathroom-bill-voter-turnout-business-turns-education 

-No Unions in TX: Right-To-Work Laws in Texas https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/agency/right-to-work-laws-in-texas 

-What Facebook Did to American Elections https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/10/what-facebook-did/542502/ 

-Texas voter ID Ruling https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/23/politics/texas-voter-id-ruling/index.html 

-The Future of Bipartisanship in Congress Might Be Road Trips http://time.com/4703631/beto-o-rourke-will-hurd-road-trip-congress/

Texas Groups Mentioned:

Empower Texans https://empowertexans.com/

Texans for Public Education https://www.texansforpubliceducation.com/ 

Friends of Texas Public Schools http://fotps.org/index.php 

Politicians we discuss (in order mentioned):

Dan Patrick https://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/ 

Scott Milder https://www.scottmilder4txlg.com/ 

Beto O’Rourke https://betofortexas.com/ 

Will Hurd https://hurd.house.gov/

For Local & State News in Texas

-Texas Monthly: https://www.texasmonthly.com/ 

-The Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/

-Houston Chronicle: https://www.chron.com/

-Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/ 

-Texas Tribute Podcast https://www.texastribune.org/series/tribcast/ 

-Texas Standard http://www.texasstandard.org/ 

-The Source (TX) https://www.npr.org/podcasts/381443874/t-p-r-the-source 

Act local. Be informed. Listen to both sides of the issue and platform. Learn about your local politics and get involved. Find your “Jeff Jackson” of your state, region, or municipality to help you figure out what platforms and issues political candidates stand for or running on. And... who’s joining the campaign team?!?!

Jackson 2020!

@BreakDrink Political Podcasts Recommendations:

-Pod Save America + all Crooked Media Podcasts https://crooked.com/ 

-NPR Politics https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast 

-It’s Been a Minute npr.org/itsbeenaminute  

-On the Media https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm 

-Politically Reactive https://www.politicallyreactive.com/ 

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)

Battery Life Check

In this @BreakDrink episode, Laura checks Jeff’s energy levels at the midpoint of the semester. You can try it out and find the audit at http://breakdrink.com/ 

Check your battery life.* Give yourself ONE (1) point (or half a point) for every statement you AGREE WITH below, in relation to your working life:

EMOTIONAL
I am frequently irritated, impatient, or anxious, especially when demand or stress is high at work.
I do not spend enough time with my family and loved ones, and when I am with them I am not really with them.
I take very little time for the activities I really enjoy.
I rarely stop to express my appreciation to others or to savor and celebrate my accomplishments and blessings.
I often feel that my life is a relentless set of demands I am expected to meet and tasks I have to complete.

PHYSICAL

• I do not get enough sleep, i.e. less than 7-8 hours of sleep/night and/or I often wake up feeling tired.
• I often skip breakfast or settle for something unhealthy to eat in the morning.
• I do not include enough physical exercise (3x min./week and strength training (2x min./week) into my weekly routine.
• I do not take regular breaks during the day to renew and recharge.
• I often eat my lunch at my desk, if I eat any lunch at all. | Points

MENTAL

• I have difficulty focusing on one thing at a time and I am easily distracted by emails and/or text messages.
• I spend much of my time reacting to immediate demands instead of focusing on larger projects/activities/tasks. 
• I do not take enough (or any) time in my schedule for reflection, strategizing, or creative thinking. 
• I rarely have any time when my mind is quiet and free of thoughts.
• I often work on evenings and weekends and/or I rarely take an email-free vacation.

SPIRITUAL

• I am not passionate about the work I do.
• I spend little time at work doing what I do best and enjoy the most.
• There is a gap between what I say is important in my life and how I actually live it.
• My decisions at work are often more influenced by external demands than by a strong, clear sense of my own purpose.
• I do not invest enough time and energy in making a positive difference to others and/or in the world.

*This battery life check activity has been adopted from the 2015 The Energy Project

Jeff’s battery life check results:

Physical score: 2.5

Emotional score: 0.5

Mental score: 2.5

Spiritual score: 0.5

Total: 6 => his battery life is moderately charged

Category Score Ratings:

5    burned out

4    fading

3    low battery energy life

2    moderate battery energy life

1    fully energized battery

Overall score:

17-20     burned out

13-16     fading

9-12    somewhat energized

5-8    moderately energized

< 5    fully energized

In this @BreakDrink episode, Laura checks Jeff’s energy levels at the midpoint of the semester. You can try it out and find the audit at http://breakdrink.com/ 

Questions to reflect on after “The Battery Life Check:”*

• Is this the life you want to live? Is the life you’re living worth the price you’re paying to live it?
• What behaviors are undermining your productivity and satisfaction?
• Why have you allowed these behaviors to persist?

Our recommendations for taking the time and making time:

1. Do ANYTHING you want to do early in the morning and make it a habit. You will have more motivation earlier in the day (for most) and minimal distractions.
2. Eliminate your mobile device from your wake up routine. Find a real alarm clock instead of setting your phone -- to avoid checking messages, email, or other notifications. If you want to wake up naturally, consider modifying the light in your bedroom to wake you up or open your curtains if you want to wake up with sunshine. 
3. Make early morning routines enjoyable and enticing. Find a way to create a morning routine that encourages you to get up and out of your cozy bed. This might be tasty fresh-ground coffee, a fuzzy robe, comfy slippers, meditation cushion, warm hoodie, etc. 
4. Find some time to pause in a quiet space by yourself. Find something to anchor yourself to a time in your day to just sit and “be” present. If it’s not the morning, then schedule in another consistent time you will take a break for some quiet solo thinking space. This might be using meditation or other app to support your work, guided music or voice, or even perhaps you own silent prayers. Find what works for you. 
5. Reflect and assess your own battery life and energy. How are things going? Are you focusing on the right things? Are you present in your emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical well-being? If not, what is one thing you could improve in any one of these areas? 

@BreakDrink Podcast & Other Shout Outs:

• Hidden Brain episode: Why Did Marriage Become So Hard? 
• Stepping Out. Living the FitBit life. by David Sedaris in The New Yorker
• 12 of The Best Books on Psychology, Philosophy, and How to Live Meaningfully
• Headspace: a mindful meditation app https://www.headspace.com/
• Andy Puddicombe’s TED Talk: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes

*The Battery Life Check was adopted from the Energy Audit 2015 from: https://theenergyproject.com/ 

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)

Pod-Inquiries

Jeff brings Laura some very pressing questions on episode no. 25. Or at least give pod-inquiries he’s been pondering so far in 2018.

Q: Since Amazon HQ2 announced its finalists, it has two locations in Texas on the shortlist - Dallas and Austin. Which one would you pick?

A: Laura & Jeff both agree. Dallas! P.s. New hire for Amazon L&D comes from higher ed.

Side note: Everybody IS Obsessed with HQ Trivia! [Find the app and play] heard on CBC Spark “This mobile gameshow is either the future of TV or a hellish dystopia” segment. You decide.

Q: Does the color of icing make or break you eating a cupcake? 

A: Laura: Black, purple or orange. Jeff: Green. Laura refutes this color block. #GoMeanGreen

Q: When was the last time you went to install software, and you had to think, “Will this software run on my Mac or is it for PC [operating systems] only?”

A: Laura:  SAS and SPSS (back in 2009?). Jeff: Microsoft Power BI (Business Intelligence) Software to look at data. A recent discovery that it is only a Microsoft PC product. But who wants to run Parallels? 

Q: How much do you hate the Apple commercial “What’s a Computer?” iPad commercial? 

A: This ad apparently enrages Jeff and rubs people the wrong way. Being on a tablet is still computing! Too soon. Too soon. Laura is indifferent, but it reminds her of:

"Is screen time the new sugar?" asks @anya1anya in her new book, “The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life” on a recent Note to Self podcast episode with @manoushz Recommendations for screen time: Be social and make the screen time a family/community time -- reading, research, listening or other together. Updated research: The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Age Zero to Eight 2017

@BreakDrink Reads & Pod Recommendations

National Podcast of Texas by Texas Monthly

How To Be Everything: A Guide for Those WHo by Emilie Wapnick http://howtobeeverything.com/ + I’m a Multipotentialite!! [Thanks for the book recommendation, Katie!]

TEDxBend Talk -- Why Some Of Us Don’t Have Just One Calling https://puttylike.com/tedx/ 

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)

Jeff and Laura take the first podcast in 2018 to catch up on life and times. Apparently their travel schedules have not allowed for similar time zones or even time to chat with one another. #SorryNotSorry about that. Here’s to starting off the new year right and taking stock in what happened in 2017, and what lies ahead for 2018. Yay:

• Our Team Resolution: “Bring the bar down, people”
• Laura’s Resolution: Get more sleep. Downtime is good for yourself.
• Jeff’s Resolution: He should vacation more. Time off work and with family is good.
• It SNOWED in San Antonio the 1st time in 20 years in December. 
• NEW classes we’re teaching online and face-to-face this semester:
  • Jeff: Sam Houston State University: Research in Higher Education
  • Laura: UNT’s doc course: Theory and Practice of Distributed Learning
• Topics we’re thinking about chatting about this year on the @BreakDrink pod:
  • Online and Digital pedagogy
  • Research Methods to study: distance learning & higher ed
  • Finding Your Fit at Work
  • Planning or Not Planning Your Career
  • Retirement/Financial Planning for the Future [e.g. TRS Rule of 80]
  • It’s a World Cup year! https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html We’ll talk soccer or football... depending on what you call it where you watch.
  • Data Awareness & Taking Back Our Digital Selves from Episode no.13: Tacos and Email (Laura’s post: Re-evaluating my digital self. P.s. 
  • Simplify tech: Facebook might go buh-bye (for Laura). A “dumb” phone without apps (for Jeff). Thinking about being purposeful with tech stuff.
    • Reply All, Episode no. 109: Is Facebook Spying on You?  
    • BreakDrink, Episode no. 10: Have You Read _ Privacy Policy Lately?
  • We’re Over Conferences -- or are they really needed? Only attending #ACPA18 in Houston (Laura in March)
  • Hiking, Adventures, and the Great Outdoors

@BreakDrink Reads

Bored and Brilliant ~ Manoush Zomorodi #GetBored

Yes Please Amy Poehler

Wild Cheryl Strayed

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking Susan Cain

The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell... W. Kamau Bell

@BreakDrink Listens

Up First from NPR 

10% Happier Dan Harris the #116 episode with Manoush

Dr. Katz: The Audio Files on Audible or find the free version on the YouTubes

Heavyweight with Jonathan Goldstein

Slow Burn: A Podcast About Watergate from Slate

The Bible Project 

Mogul: The Life and Death of Chris Lighty -- R.I.P. Reggie Ossé  

Hidden Brain with Shankar Vedantam

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends and stay connected:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

Email: [email protected]

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple Podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)

TEDxBreakDrink

During a previous conversation (say in November... we know we’re podcast slacking), Jeff and Laura catch up on conference travel and teaching experiences. Here are a few resources discussed and shared in the last conversation we had about medical school education and giving TED-like presentations.

Med Schools & Competency-Based Education

• Learn Serve Lead: The AAMC Annual Meeting 2017 https://www.aamc.org/meetings/annual
• American of American Medical Colleges https://www.aamc.org/ 
• Jeff met a friend of the pod, Sue, over coffee in Boston (listen to @BreakDrink Episode no. 6: #HECommitts); p.s. We <3 America’s Walkable Cities (like Boston)
• Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) Program
• What Medical Schools are Looking for: Understanding the 15 Core Competencies + Pre-Professional Competencies
• Topcast Episode no. 31: WGU Did What? (Or Did They?)
• ACPA/NASPA Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators + Rubrics
• NACADA Academic Advising Core Competencies Model

The TED Talk or TED-like Presentations

• TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) https://www.ted.com/ 
• The power of vulnerability TEDx Houston Talk by Brene Brown’s
• What is an answering machine? [Jeff brought it up, so we thought we should explain it]
• Nancy Duarte - Slide:ology, Resonate, etc. http://www.duarte.com/ and her TED Talk The secret structure of great talks 
• TED Talk presentation materials (to organize a TEDx event)
• How to sound smart in your TEDx Talk | Will Stephen | TEDxNewYorkCity
• Shout out Presentation RESOURCE from Paul Brown: Designing Kick Butt Presentations

Examples of TED Talks that landed these speakers a book deal:

• The puzzle of motivation TED Talk & follow up book Drive by Daniel Pink
• Your body language may shape who you are TED Talk & follow up book Presence by Amy Cuddy; 'Power Poses' Co-Author: 'I Do Not Believe The Effects Are Real'

Jeff’s message: “Do the work. Don’t worry about the talk.” BUT... he does appreciate the messages from these TED Talks from higher ed colleagues & friends: 

• The shifting conversation around citizenship | Julissa Arce | TEDxTexasTechUniversity
• The sound of silence | Dr. Gage Paine| TEDxSanAntonio
• Choose Your Own Adventure: Career! | Steven Tomlinson | TEDxTraverseCity your own 

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends and stay connected:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

Email: [email protected]

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple Podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)

On episode no. 22, we welcome Jess Pettitt, to join the @BreakDrink conversation. Not only is she long-time friend with the “Tall Drink of Water” co-host, Jeff Jackson, but she has a wealth of experience with social justice training and public speaking around a myriad of topics including identity, politics, privilege, and more infused with humor and real-world examples to support employee retention, crisis management, and development at corporate, nonprofit, and educational institutions. After doing diversity and social justice education for 15 years in higher ed, Jess decided to take her lessons and experiences on the road and into her latest book about a pattern she started to see happening in her life and others. This book is an introduction to her current work and training work in subliminal “diversity training,” specifically how team building and leadership organizations area impacted by differences and individual responsibility.

This book is pulled together by best career and life experiences, plus curated resources for self-improvement and well-being ideas, concepts, and knowledge from a wide range of industries and areas. I love the way Jess has encouraged her workshop participants to have courageous conversations – that is to engage, sustain, and deepen the dialogues we are having with others and inside our own heads. This book guides readers to take a self-reflective look and introspection into our the ways we behave, communicate, and engage with others.

This book has a number graphic organizers and visuals to break down the central framework of Good Enough Now and the “pro” parts of each perspective of the model:

• Head: Why? What? Understanding, attentive, focus, detached, etc.
• Heart: How? Being open, authentic, empathy, listening/gather perspectives, passion, translator, loyal, awareness, etc.
• Action: Do/Action Verbs Get it done, solve problems, results-oriented, leadership, adaptable, eager to implement, accountability, etc.

This model shares about how we show up with either our head (brain with lightning bolt), heart (heart with wings), or actions (a wicked cool sneaker). This is important to consider as we interact with others, make decisions, engage in any situation, participate in conversations, or just how we “show up” in our workplace meetings.

It was a delight to have Jess share about her book and experiences with “crossing the streams” to take the perspective of others. There are “multiple perspectives that are realities at the same time that are far more powerful together.” Jess reminded us that “Part of I believe you… is that you validate somebody’s existence and their story whether you perceive it, or have experienced it, or not. That is the part of belief. And part of belief is faith … and part of faith is having respect for the other person to know themselves better than maybe you might know them.” #truth Thanks for chatting with us about what’s going on with you and your work, and general life lessons for professionals and those invested in self-start ups.

WATCH: Good Enough Book Video Overview:

https://youtu.be/T8zncpgnxtw

To WIN a FREE copy* of the Good Enough Now book, here is the @BreakDrink episode challenge: Q: Do you primarily lead with your head, heart, or action?·      Head: Why? What? Understanding, attentive, focus, detached, etc.·      Heart: How? Being open, authentic, empathy, listen, passion, translate, etc.·      Action: Do/Action Verbs Problem solver, results-oriented, lead, implement, etc. Tell us about it! Tweet and/or post a photo on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag: #GoodEnoughNow 

*Jess promises to send the winner a copy of the book, perhaps with a solid veggie chili recipe she loves!

Want to learn more about Jess Pettitt’s Good Enough Now book?

Pettitt, J. K. (2017). Good Enough Now: How Doing the Best We Can with What we Have is Better than Nothing

Website: www.goodenoughnow.com

Follow on Twitter: @jesspettitt

Text your questions: 202-670-4262

Audiobook recording coming soon!

@BreakDrink Book Recommendations
by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

Good Enough Now by Jessica Pettitt

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends and stay connected:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

Email: [email protected]

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple Podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)

Airbnb: Q&A with a Couple of Superhosts

Believe it or not Airbnb has been around for 10 years. Additionally, did you know you're one of your @BreakDrink hosts (Laura) is a Superhost with her partner-in-crime, Fiachra. What is a Superhost? It’s not just something that Laura has made up. Listen to Jeff ask these two Superhosts about their experiences hosting guests for over two years. 

About Airbnb

• The Airbnb Founder Story: From Selling Cereals To A $25B Company
• How Clever Entrepreneurs Turned 3 Air Mattresses Into Airbnb, The Site That Makes Any Home A Bed And Breakfast
• How I Built This Podcast: Episode with Joe Gebbia 
• The Airbnb Story: How Three Ordinary Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions . . . and Created Plenty of Controversy by Leigh Gallagher 
• About Airbnb reviews
• What’s the difference from Airbnb, Homeaway, and VRBO?
• Get a professional photographer for your listing [no longer free -- boo!]
• Airbnb host tips, if you want to host a room or place.
• How should I choose my listing's price [on Airbnb]? 
• 15 Things You Would Be Downright Stupid Not to Do Before Putting Your Place on Airbnb

Other things referenced about Airbnb and other things from the episode:

• Welcome Wagon https://www.welcomewagon.com/ 
• Airbnb for the camping crowd: new startups bring the sharing economy to the back country
• What is Glamping? [It’s what Fiachra & Olive prefer] 
• FACT CHECK: Champing is actually camping in churches https://www.champing.co.uk/ 
• Airbnb requirements for guests
• Want to host on Airbnb? Check it out!
• You can now be an Airbnb Experience Host (not just a room) => Now Promoting Events, Experiences, and Tours ... what will Laura & Fiachra’s “experience be”?
• Campsite not included, but rent camping gear on Airbnb
• Texas Airbnb RV & Trailer rentals ... your potential competition, Jeff.
• Airbnb Hell Book https://www.airbnbhell.com/
• E.g. Issues by state or region
  • In Austin, A Boom In Short-Term Rentals Brings A Backlash
  • How Airbnb is breaking up communities worldwide
  • Rental Rules In California Raise Questions About Who's Using Airbnb
  • Living and Dying on Airbnb
• @BreakDrink Episode No. 4: The Things We’re Not Supposed to Talk About in Polite Conversation

Are you coming to the DFW area? We recommend checking out the Airbnb options, and are open for friends of the pod who want to book with us as well. Please inquire within.

Upcoming @BreakDrink Episodes

• Jessica Pettitt - Good Enough Now
• #AcWri Tips for Scholar-Practitioners
•  The Long Commute - do you have one of those in higher ed? Talk to us
• Jeff’s Love of TED Talks
• Parenting vs. Non-Parenting in Higher Ed

P.s. Happy Basketball New Year!

If you have something to share or want to chat with us about a topic on a future episode — let us know! We would love for you to post a comment or connect with us via any of the “BreakDrink” podcast channels:

• Website: http://breakdrink.com/
• Twitter: @BreakDrink
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/

We welcome feedback, comments, suggestions, and/or sass in any of these digital spaces. If you listen to the podcast Apple Podcasts please consider leaving us a rating and review. Thanks!

Toy Hall of Fame 🎱!

The Strong - National Museum of Play http://www.museumofplay.org/

Toy Halls of Fame http://www.museumofplay.org/exhibits/toy-halls-of-fame

The Strong Toy Hall of Fame http://www.toyhalloffame.org/toys

About: The National Toy Hall of Fame® at The Strong, established in 1998, recognizes toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period. Each year, the prestigious hall inducts new honorees and showcases both new and historic versions of classic toys beloved by generations.

Anyone can nominate a toy to the National Toy Hall of Fame. Final selections are made on the advice of historians, educators, and other individuals who exemplify learning, creativity, and discovery through their lives and careers. Inducted toys are selected on the basis of the following criteria:

• Icon-status: the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered.
• Longevity: the toy is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over multiple generations.
• Discovery: the toy fosters learning, creativity, or discovery through play.
• Innovation: The toy profoundly changed play or toy design. A toy may be inducted on the basis of this criterion without necessarily having met all of the first three.

Nominate here: http://www.toyhalloffame.org/nominate

2017 National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists http://www.toyhalloffame.org/2017-finalists 

The following 12 toys are finalists for 2017 induction into The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame. Only two or three will take their honored places in the hall this year when they are announced at a ceremony at The Strong on Thursday, November 9, at 10:30 a.m.

• Clue https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1294/clue 
• Magic 8 Ball http://www.ask8ball.net/  
• Matchbox Cars http://play.matchbox.com/en_US/ (vs. Hot Wheels http://hotwheels.mattel.com/shop) 
• My Little Pony (About Brony: https://whatisabrony.com/) 
• Paper Airplane
• PEZ Candy Dispensers
• Play Food
• Risk https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181/risk 
• Sand
• Transformers
• Uno https://www.unorules.com/ (Kings in the Corner https://www.pagat.com/layout/kingscorners.html) 
• Whiffle Ball http://www.wiffle.com/ [We left this off our nomination discussion. Our bad. #sorry]

Laura’s Top 3

1. Clue/Risk/Uno 
2. Transformers
3. My Little Pony

Jeff’s Top 3

1. Magic 8 Ball
2. Uno/Risk/Clue

2014 Winners: Bubbles, Little Green Army Men (Art: War Bowl), and Rubik’s Cube

2015 Winners: Puppet, Super Soaker, and Twister

What are your top 3 toys for 2017? What would you vote for?  

Interested in doing play research? http://www.museumofplay.org/research-publications 

@BreakDrink Recommendations
A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers  by Gray, Brown, & Macanufu

Website: http://gamestorming.com/ 

Share the @BreakDrink podcast with your friends and stay connected:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakdrink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakdrink/  

Email: [email protected]

If y’all listen to the podcast via Apple Podcasts, please consider leaving us a rating and/or a review. We’d appreciate the love. :)