Dear Readers,

I created this blog reluctantly. Blogging seems so trendy and as anyone who has seen my clothes and haircut knows, I am not a trendy person.

My current, established website seems to be useful to others. I post my "real" articles, columns and workshop materials there often. It has an effective search engine. People can find out how to contact me there. It's my professional face.

So the question remains, why in the devil do I need a blog? I’m somewhat reluctant to share my personal life since it has only two speeds - boring and embarrassing. Intellectually, it’s about all I can do to come up with enough cogent thoughts for published columns and articles.

What I did not have before the Blue Skunk was a convenient way for people to respond to my writing or presentations. This blog affords such a means. It serves as a sounding board for ideas I am currently thinking/writing about. You may see some Blue Skunk entries as parts of a published article or book.

As it's turned out, I've continued to write simply because it has been so dang much fun. I amuse myself on a fairly regular basis, and if when doing so I amuse you as well, so much the better. I love the comments - both contrary and supportive. And I enjoy the simple freedom of having no editor other than one's own conscience.

Be aware, of course, that the opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone and do not reflect those of my school district, my children, nor totally rational human beings.

Please continue to read and add your your thoughts to the Blue Skunk. But as always, keep them clean - my mother reads this. You never know - your mother might be reading it too.

All the very best,

Doug

Oh, Blue Skunk? As I understand it, early explorers attempted to give this part of Minnesota the Lakota name for “blue earth” - mah-kah-toe. Somehow this got changed to man-kay-toe, the Lakota word for “blue skunk.”

I like the image and the lesson about how easily things get lost in translation.

The Blue Skunk was started August of 2005.