Kevin D. Hendricks's Blog, page 35

Be a Human

Have you seen the story about the Green Bay alderman quizzing a Muslim about terrorism before answering her question? Crazy.

Here’s the full blown exchange and the USA Today story, but basically the woman, Heba Mohammad, emailed Green Bay Alderman Chris Wery asking about free public transportation on election day. An innocent question, especially considering Green Bay offers free bus service on Packer game days, and not a bad idea. But beside the point.

Instead of answering, Wery asks Mohammad...

33 Thoughts on Reading from Austin Kleon

I think perhaps Austin Kleon has reduced my book on reading down to 33 quick points. My book was pretty short anyway, but if you’re too busy for that, Austin’s version will work.

Austin Kleon is the creative mind behind Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work!—both are good kick-in-the-pants books for creatives.

I can really get behind his points:

1. I will make time for reading, the way I make time for meals, or brushing my teeth.

4. I will read whatever the hell I feel like.

20. When I find an a...

West St. Paul Mayor Race: John Zanmiller vs. David Meisinger

Local elections are usually yawn fests, but this year the race for mayor in the Twin Cities suburb of West St. Paul is heating up. incumbent West St. Paul Mayor John Zanmiller is facing off against former West St. Paul Mayor David Meisinger.

Zanmiller has served as West St. Paul’s major since 2005 and ran unopposed in the last election in 2012. Meisinger served as mayor from 2001-2002. (You can see Zanmiller and Meisinger together in this 2013 photo from a gathering of past West St. Paul mayor...

Turned on the Heat 2014

Finally caved in and turned on the heat this afternoon. After a couple days in the 70s and 80s, temps have sunk below 60 consistently. The cold, overcast days haven’t allowed anything to warm up in the afternoon, so it’s been a high of 60 in our living room.

That’s probably ridiculous.

The forecast has temps dipping into the 30s at night and never getting above the high 50s. So it’s time.

We had a very cool summer this year, rarely getting those hot and humid days when we hit 90. Now the fall se...

U2’s Songs of Innocence

I can be pretty fanatical about my love for U2. Since 2000’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind, their music has been fiercely personal and deeply spiritual for me.

So yesterday’s surprise news at the Apple event that U2 was releasing a brand new album and giving it away for free? Incredible.

There was a mad scramble as 500 million iTunes users powered up the program (many of us for the first time in a long time) and tried to grab the new album. Once I finally got it downloaded, I had to sit back...

U2′s Songs of Innocence

I can be pretty fanatical about my love for U2. Since 2000′s All That You Can’t Leave Behind, their music has been fiercely personal and deeply spiritual for me.

So yesterday’s surprise news at the Apple event that U2 was releasing a brand new album and giving it away for free? Incredible.

There was a mad scramble as 500 million iTunes users powered up the program (many of us for the first time in a long time) and tried to grab the new album. Once I finally got it downloaded, I had to sit back...

College or Jail?

Facts like this make white privilege real for me:

African American males have a higher chance of being incarcerated than they do of earning a college degree. (TakePart)

Talking about privilege is difficult. People get defensive. When you talk about inherent advantages it implies to some people that their hard work doesn’t matter. See? Difficult.

But that doesn’t change the fact that privilege is real. Lots of ways to get your head around it. If you’re not there yet, keep trying.

But don’t tell me...

Colorado Vacation

Earlier this summer we took a much-needed vacation. It’s hard to believe it was this summer… seems like so long ago.

But it was so good. We met my parents in Nebraska and dropped the kids off with them for a week of grandparent bliss in Kansas. We went on to Colorado.

Abby and I spent about four days in Rocky Mountain National Park. Growing up my family made it to Grand Lake, Colo., and Rocky Mountain National Park every summer. In 2002 Abby and I took a vacation to Colorado and loved it.

So it...

Like No Other by Una LaMarche

Like No Other by Una LaMarche is a lovely Romeo and Juliet story between a Hasidic girl and a black teen in modern day New York.

Maybe even more than the original Romeo and Juliet, this story is truly about crossing family lines. Devorah sees something beyond her strict religious upbringing and wants to know more. But instead of just condemning her former life, she still sees value in it.

And the nerdy Jaxon who never quite fit in or connected with a girl, found a girl, well, like no other.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

I love Rainbow Rowell’s work and wanted to read her latest, Landline, as soon as I heard about it. It features a magic phone that allows you to talk with someone from a different time. Time travel is always an awesome setup, and the phone-based approach is just fun.

So a workaholic mother, Georgie, sends her family off for Christmas vacation without her and as her marriage is on the brink she discovers a magic phone that connects her with her husband from 15 years earlier in the midst of anoth...