From the Caregiver's HAErt – a Column by Danita LaShelle Jones

After Suffering a Crippling Loss, Keep Going

He lost the race. Sure, when he stepped in front of the cameras, the commentators announced all of his victories, how many Olympic medals he possessed, and how he’d been a favorite to win, but there he was, in the pool, not coming in second or even fourth, but seventh.

Why I Fear Sending My Daughter to Slumber Parties

The chatter of various dinner conversations hummed throughout my father’s house. It was Easter weekend, and our traditional dinner for family and friends who were visiting for a local university’s homecoming was in full swing. Guests had come and filled various rooms to enjoy great conversation and food. At the…

We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know — But We Can Learn

“Professor Jones!” my student wailed as she purposely dragged out the vowels in my last name. My level-three screenwriting class had been writing for almost an hour, and until her outburst, it had been relatively silent. I watched as she ceremoniously marched her laptop up to my desk and then…

Maybe Those Sitcoms Were Onto Something After All

By the time the 1990s rolled in, I had become obsessed with any sitcom taped in front of a live studio audience. Because all my favorite shows were spread across several networks and aired on different days, I used syndication to my advantage. After homework and maybe procrastination with certain…

On Bad Weeks, You Need the Best Team Ever

Regardless of what was behind his motivation, at the 10-minute mark of the movie, we already know that a recently released convict, Danny, wants to pull off the biggest heist in Las Vegas history: robbing three casinos for $150 million. At first, Danny’s partner in crime, Rusty, deems the task…

I’m Not in the Business of Raising Champions

I was flat-out sick. While I watched my peers wander around the large waiting area, laughing, high-fiving, and waiting patiently for their turn, I was curled up in the corner in my choir dress with a splitting headache and chills. It was the final solo and ensemble competition of the…