Hey there, hither and yon! We are most def gratitudinal (sic) to see you here and now! In this episode, Doug went way in the way back machine and brought out a topic and possibly the start of his part of these notes back in fall of 2023! We’re always trying to fully use what we create on the way to these notes, and it’s always great to be able to go back and rescue topics and ideas that had perhaps fallen to the side!

Folks, we are talking loss & grief in education… and it does get heavy!

We are committed to these discussions! And we are excruciatingly handsome! #ednontech

Unsurprisingly, we have some exceedingly handsome audio hereabouts as well! #ednontech

Listen, I’d be remiss here not to observe the following that have been shaping my viewpoint on certain aspects of how communication works in our new Trumpian, post-social media shitshow that is passing for culture!

The Pope died on Easter Sunday the day after meeting a senior executive from one of the most chaotic, problematic US administrations in modern history.

This same Easter weekend has also coincided with the normal 4/20 stoner fest to celebrate legal weed.

As far as significant rock things go, we are also this same weekend with Easter, the death of the Pope, and 4/20… today, as I write this, Easter Monday of 2025… is the fifth anniversary of the passing of Prince, the legendary genius generational musician and cultural icon… and, at bottom, basketball-loving Minneapolis homebody! They’re a type, actually!

It’s also Iggy Pop’s birthday today, cause why the fuck not?

In the times of MAGA and the complete annihilation of economic, cultural, and political norms… people are feeling stressed, angry, exhausted!

I know this because I’ve made an intentional effort to reach an American audience for podcasts and other media offerings vis-à-vis the “adding friend” feature on FB! Here are the points that I made this afternoon when somebody reached out! It seems best to share these verbatim! Honestly, I think this says it all!

I have a PhD in a thing called educational technology! I teach English at a college here in Alberta! I’ve been doing somewhat of a multifaceted social media experiment.

I’m using 5 different social media platforms with pretty specific purposes in order to amplify content that I produce related to: an education podcast, a music podcast, a literary interview series, plus bespoke indie media production.

As of 6 weeks ago, I had around 115 followers… a normal, selective amount for a middle-aged separated educator guy.

Then, after your president fucked over the world economy, I decided to start poking back through very specific and disruptive techniques equating to spam, but with advanced cultural and technological messaging behind it.

Cause you know, 4 university degrees, temporary English contract, away from my kids, single, basic bored sober dude.

I’m trying to be as transparent as possible to anyone who asks.

I have a very legitimate 20 year practice as PhD level educator in the language, learning technology, training and development spaces.

I have seen MAGA use very basic features and approaches through Meta tools, largely FB and IG but also Whatsapp.

The Democrats are utterly fucked at running counter messaging.

I am a basic overeducated Canadian dude whose Grandfather fought in Korea alongside American troops in the first conflict against Soviet-Russian backed forces following WWII.

I take this bullshit from your fucked up bigoted dictator personally.

I am using very basic counter propaganda techniques to put out messaging which is educationally and cultural valid, while also causing the other side to scramble with my advanced writing skills and my basic ability to use media creation tools and web marketing techniques to disrupt some very bogus and lazy narratives being propagated by very very lazy, mid, mostly male, mostly white privileged assholes

Thanks for attending my TED talk, lol

And thanks, as ever, to Doug for being such an outstanding partner in this endeavor! It would literally not exist in any way, shape or form without him! Thanks, pal! And thanks to all/any new pals checking out this podcast and associated media and notes for the first time!

The use of the arts and humanities, as a teaching and learning strategy, is achievable through the bringing together of different art and media by a skilled educator to facilitate reflection.  

Johnson, A., & Jackson, D. (2005). Using the arts and humanities to support learning about loss, suffering and death. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 11(8), 438-443.

There is minimal research relating to grief and loss education in the field of counseling or other helping professions.

… a grief and loss course specific to death and dying concerns: 

Doughty Horn, E. A., Crews, J. A., & Harrawood, L. K. (2013). Grief and loss education: Recommendations for curricular inclusion. Counselor Education and Supervision, 52(1), 70-80.

Loss, impermanence, and death are facts of life difficult to face squarely. Our own mortality and that of loved ones feels painful and threatening, the mortality of the biosphere unthinkable.  Consequently, we do our best to dodge these thoughts, and the current globalizing culture supports and colludes in our evasiveness. 

Affifi, R., & Christie, B. (2019). Facing loss: Pedagogy of death. Environmental Education Research, 25(8), 1143-1157.

Loss

How can education help with the loss of important people in educator lives?

Seneca knows what he is talking about.