Softening Sharp Teeth: Getting Curious About Conflict
Interpersonal conflict and disagreement are part of being in relationship with others, but many of us fear conflict. Motivated by many factors, including cultural norms, concern for social consequences, and personal safety, many of us avoid it. What might we learn and how might we grow by making more room for conflict? What skills do we need to responsibly engage in conflict? How can shifting our relationship to conflict offer us new perspectives about ourselves and the groups we belong to? This community conversation is an opportunity to reflect on our relationships to interpersonal conflict outside of where we might most often encounter it, like the heated context of an argument at the dinner table or online. Facilitator Emily Squires will lead a judgement- and jargon-free discussion of what we mean when we say conflict, considering how interpersonal conflict shapes our lives and tools to use when experiencing it.
Beyond Plunder
Minal Mistry on how plunder became the basis for our culture economy, and what might replace it.
The Pains and Joys of Aging
An illustrated essay by Leanne Grabel
Not a Circle, Not a Line
Susan DeFreitas writes about Ursula K. Le Guin's long view of the American West
So Much Together: Us and Our Stuff
Frog & Toad Hauling is a junk removal and creative reuse service dedicated to seeing the treasure in trash. In this two-part workshop, we will explore through conversation, practice, and self-reflective, multimedia activities questions such as What is trash? How do we determine what does and doesn’t belong to us?
So Much Together: Us and Our Stuff
Frog & Toad Hauling is a junk removal and creative reuse service dedicated to seeing the treasure in trash. In this two-part workshop, we will explore through conversation, practice, and self-reflective, multimedia activities questions such as What is trash? How do we determine what does and doesn’t belong to us?
A Body in Motion
Tara L. Campbell on searching for the roots of her daughter's incessant rocking and her own need to stay moving.
From the Director: Paying Attention
Adam Davis on the odd activity that is listening.
Reflections on an Icon
George Estreich writes about finding personal connection in a universal icon.
Editor's Note: Finite and Unpredictable
Editor Kathleen Holt writes about the settling and unsettling of an aging parent.
The Reflex
Jamie Passaro on searching for the cause of her daughter's debilitating tantrums
Conversation Project: Too Busy to Rest
Boundaries and Balance in a Nonstop World
Conversation Project: Too Busy to Rest
Boundaries and Balance in a Nonstop World
Conversation Project: Life after War
Photography and Oral Histories of Coming Home
Conversation Project: You're In or You're Out
Exploring Belonging
Beyond Repair
Editor Kathleen Holt on the aftermath of a traumatizing fire
Perhaps, Perhaps
Bobby Arellano on waiting for an alcoholic father to stand up
Goal Control
An interview with Reed College professor Jennifer Henderlong Corpus about goals, praise, motivation, and coping with failure.
Shooting the Lions
Two cousins try to revive the family circus with tragic results. By Susan Meyers
The Long Look Back
Editor's note by Kathleen Holt
Pursuing the Science of Happiness
In the complicated quest for bliss, the search is the thing. An essay by Andrew Guest
Funny Is All I Got
The shocking true story of a lifelong humor abuser and the trail of thoughtless amusement left in his wake. By Todd Schwartz
Public Servant
A cab driver whos an elected official by day has his work cut out for him. An essay by David Bragdon
Abnormal Beauties
Portlanders don't fair well in a national magazine's beauty ratings. So what? An essay by Karen Karbo
Here, Not There
A wife looks to the Greeks when her husband is called away to war. An essay by Sarah Gilbert