Blogging on the Powwow

Last week was busy: some last minute requests at work, family visits, car breakdown in Maine, a 20-mile run, and on and on. In the midst of these activities, I learned that the Maine Government Oversight Committee was holding a public comment session about two tragic child abuse deaths in Maine - Kendell Chick and Marissa Kennedy . Both girls and their families were known to the state's child protective services. This is where I come in. One of my main areas of expertise is children who die from abuse or neglect and the child welfare workforce. What a thing to specialize in, right?  I know. Trust me. It's not something that you want to open with at a dinner party. It's best to be vague and say that I study "family violence" or the "child welfare system." That said, I once did have someone on an airplane offer to illustrate the book that I was writing on child maltreatment deaths. He was joking. And, I thought that I made dark jokes.  Anyway, enough...

Today is the two-year anniversary of Murray's death. It's the official day to pay tribute to him, to remember all the good that he did in the world. To remember how many children and adults live without or with less violence in their lives because Murray was curious and he followed the story that the data that he collected had to tell. It's the day to pay tribute to this wonderful human being: mentor, colleague, friend, social scientist, teacher, supporter, innovator, and endless optimist. A man who saw the silver lining when many others couldn't see any lining at all.  A scientist who took endless risks with his career. A man of morals and high standards. As I penned in my 2016 tribute to Murray, a man who "was engaged, enthusiastic, and totally committed to life every day, even at the end." Today's the day that the world lost Murray; that his family, friends, and colleagues lost him. Today's the day that I lost Murray: mentor and colleague, turne...

I haven't blogged in a long time. Actually, a very long time. Last year when I was in Washington, I managed to pretty much blog every week about all of the new experiences that I was having in the U.S. Senate, being a Congressional fellow, living in Washington, D.C., and living away from home. I even blogged when I was on the fence about my blogging, slightly worried that someone in my Congressional office would find out and tell me to stop, even though I used a lot of discretion. It's true that I had to be careful, but somehow, I managed to walk that line.  I'm having a similar experience this year. I returned to academia, but in a  new role , at a new school. Everything is new. Sure, I've been an academic in one form or another for 15 years, so I'm pretty comfortable with that identity and I know what goes on in academia, unlike when I entered Congress. Still, a lot of stuff is pretty new. Like I said to a colleague this week, "It's the same, but tot...