“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CCOi0OJD1nd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link John Trumbull’s proud and bold image had been inspired by the recollections and musings of Thomas Jefferson, of which … Continue reading In the Room Where It Happens: The Legacy of the Declaration of Independence
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A Good Walk
“Few people know how to take a walk. The qualities are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good silence, and nothing too much.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson https://www.instagram.com/p/CAJlRTXjHqX/?igshid=afron4rc5mx9
Ramp Season and Foraging
It’s that time of the year again in the Hudson Valley!! I’ve been seeing buzz about ramps and fiddleheads in my social media newsfeeds. Not so gentle reminder, just because something appears to be in abundance, doesn’t mean it is. In fact, ramps, or “wild leeks,” or “wild onions” are listed as a threatened species in Quebec … Continue reading Ramp Season and Foraging
How My Family Helped Me Break Into the Ivy League (The Short Version)
This piece is as much reflections on my education as a continuing graduate student as well as my role as a history and social studies teacher at an independent Waldorf high school. Scandals like last year's Operation Varsity Blues bring to the fore the role of socioeconomic status and inequality at elite institutions of higher … Continue reading How My Family Helped Me Break Into the Ivy League (The Short Version)
“Regret”
Should've. Could've. Would've. Didn't. I've been tirelessly busy with graduate schoolwork, PhD applications, work and project planning, but I wanted to drop a few quick lines to say "Hello out there" and put to rest a few things that have been swimming in my mind lately. More to come!
Just a Thought Burst
"Alone in the deep, dark forest of my own thoughts--I ran."
Introduction to My Latest
Welcome to my professional page. I’m Stephen McDonald. I am, in no order of consequence: a writer, a photographer, an explorer, an Americanist cultural and historical scholar, a Progressive Christian and a devoted father a much beloved daughter. (Maybe the best for last!) This page will include my thoughts, queries, musings and links to my … Continue reading Introduction to My Latest
Welcome!
This is the post excerpt.
Back to School!
Another school year begins! I'm excited and glad to be back this term. Work-life balance has kept me pretty busy over the summer; that and studying for my LSATs, which are now only a few weeks away. Im sitting here in a campus dining hall, in my mid-thirties, and remembering just how depressed, sad and … Continue reading Back to School!
Introduction: About Me and My Blog
Welcome to my blog! I am Stephen, also known as "Bear", or here as "The Non Trad Dad", and here is where I chronicle my journey as a working professional, a father, a writer, an ordained minister and a returning non-traditional adult student. I have re-matriculated at a local college where I first began my … Continue reading Introduction: About Me and My Blog
The Study 