-

Biggish Events in Iowa in 1982
We’ve been watching for the house finch eggs to hatch sometime soon here. Remember they’re the ones who are nesting in the artificial Christmas tree on our front porch. The 2023 edition of the book Birds of Iowa Field Guide, written by Stan Tekiela says the house finch was first seen in Iowa in 1982.…
-

The University of Iowa Role in the Science Behind Psilocybin for Psychiatric Treatment
On April 9, 2024, the University of Iowa educational podcast, Rounding@Iowa presented a discussion about the study of the use of psilocybin in the treatment of psychiatric and addiction disorders. You can access the podcast below. The title is “Psilocybin Benefits and Risks.” The format involves an interview by Dr. Gerard Clancy, MD, Senior Associate…
-

Is it About the Nail or Not?
I saw this essay about getting your hamster off the treadmill and being in the moment. It’s not just for University of Iowa employees. I do the mindfulness thing, I juggle, I make dumb YouTube videos. And for a little over a month now, I have not scrolled past the first few headlines at the…
-

Solar Eclipse Around the Corner So We May Need to Protect the Cicadas!
The solar eclipse is just around the corner! We’re hoping for decent weather. We’re also hoping that everyone views the event with safety in mind. University of Iowa Health Care ophthalmologist Dr. Ian Han has great tips on how to observe the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. He pointed out that eclipse glasses that…
-

Good Luck Dr. Chris Buresh
Sena was looking up the meaning of a four-leaf clover the other day. You might call it a shamrock although that’s usually reserved for the 3-leaf variety. It’s fitting for St. Patrick’s Day to say the four-leaf clover is special because it’s rare to see one. The four leaves represent faith, luck, love, and hope.…
-

Black History Month: In Honor of James Alan McPherson
I thought it would be nice to mention James Alan McPherson, Pulitzer Prize winning author and longtime Iowa Writers’ Workshop faculty member, in keeping with the theme of this month’s Black History Month: African Americans and the Arts. A neighborhood park was named in his honor (James Alan McPherson Park) in 2021. There has been…
-

More Thoughts On “Our Hidden Conversations” Book by Michele Norris
I need to correct something I got wrong in my first post about Michele Norris’s Distinguished Lecture on January 23rd. While reading her book, “Our Hidden Conversations” I ran across this race card in the chapter “Black Babies Cost Less to Adopt:” “Vote (for) Obama! He looks like me!” That was the 8-year-old daughter said…



