Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode Eight

The Power of Control and Responsibility: A Whackadoodle lesson regarding the importance of taking responsibility for your choices in order to take control of your life, including a few words about not falling to the dark side.  If you have entered this story in the middle, click here for the table of contents. ________ “Just … Read more

Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode Seven

The Power of Process and Growth: A Whackadoodle lesson regarding process, growth, and the importance of consequences, raised sidewalks, and speed bumps. If you have entered this story in the middle, click here for the table of contents. “This is one of those lessons that has too much in it,” she informed me, sitting down … Read more

Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode Six

The Power of Vacuum: A Whackadoodle lesson on what it takes to budget your time, why recording your schedule helps to eliminate waste, and how you can MASTER your goals. If you have entered this story in the middle, click here for the table of contents. “So I still don’t understand why you decided to … Read more

Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode Five

The Power of Strategy: A Whackadoodle lesson about the difference between tactics and strategy, along with some good advice regarding building a strategy. If you have entered this story in the middle, click here for the table of contents. “Ironic,” I admitted at last. “We have to do a Whackadoodle episode on strategy, but I … Read more

Presidential Records Act, or Why They’re Not His Letters

A Whackadoodle mini civics lesson about why America has a Presidential Records Acts and a Freedom of Information Act, as well as a link to FOIA where every citizen can request government documents. “What’s up with the Presidential Records Act?” she asked me out of the blue. “What do you mean, ‘What’s up’ with the … Read more

Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode Three

The Power of Reflection. In which my Whackadoodle student and I begin the third of fourteen lessons for navigating life, and spend some time reflecting on what makes people tick. If you have entered this story in the middle, click here for the table of contents. ________ “So I have that list of abstract nouns you … Read more

Court Reform: Or Why Do Nine People Hold So Much Power?

A Whackadoodle discussion about the Supreme Court, Court Reform, Dark Money, and whether or not people like you are interested, including links to Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island’s eighteen floor speeches regarding the need for change. “I still don’t understand why you want to post a bunch of speeches given on the Senate floor on … Read more

Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode Two

The Power of Definition and Belief. In which my Whackadoodle student and I begin the second of fourteen lessons for navigating life, and rediscover how important it is to keep examining our definitions. If you have entered this story in the middle, click here for the table of contents. ______ “So I have been thinking about … Read more

The Magic Fairy: Irony, Sarcasm, Saying or Satire?

A Whackadoodle answer in which my student and I answer a Dear Navigator question about sarcasm; only to end up discussing why classifications matter. “So we have another one,” she told me, waiving her iPhone. “Another Dear Navigator question?” I asked, pleasantly surprised. “Sort of,” she nodded. “It was a question posted as a comment … Read more