I was in bed Sunday night, listening to Latino USA on NPR. I heard an interview with Reverend Ignacio Castuera speaking about tolerance and how words, concepts and perceptions change over time. You can listen to an mp3 recording of the interview.

In my last post I wanted to demonstrate that personal narratives can have an educational and even a healing effect; not just for the storyteller but the recipient of the story as well. That led to the next question. How does a country express the narratives of its people? Who gets to share that story and how is it held in trust for the future? 

In literature the personal narrative is the factual or fictional recounting of an experience. From identity politics to Twitter tweets this has certainly been the year of the personal narrative. It is the search for your story told by another being that shares or reflects your thoughts, feelings and, at times, pain.

If you are a journalist, or love someone who is, you know that most of us could use a little extra love this holiday season. As Elana recently noted we ink-stained wretches are high up on the growing list of industries that have had a rough year. So, here are a few suggestions for gifts that might bring a smile to your favorite (current, former, or aspiring) member of the Fourth Estate.For the backpack journalists

Do you really know your teen? Do you have a functional relationship or is it just a culinary or financial one? Are you able to communicate your values and experiences and have a young person be receptive to listening to you? Don't be too quick to answer.

Danny (not his real name, and you'll understand why in a minute) is a husband and father who wanted to do something special for his wife this Christmas.  They were both fed up with the materialistic emptiness the holidays often brought: "typical American Christmas—gizmos, gadgets, whatnots, and an oversized helping of turkey," as he calls it.

I'm starting to travel for work again at the rate of a 90 mph where I arrive home just in time to unpack, do laundry and then turn around and hop on another plane. All the while planning additional trips because stress is so very becoming on me. But as I go through the travel process again and again, I'm realizing that since starting my job that requires more time being probed by TSA than actual work, that I do have some good tips on being able to afford all of this travel since it seems that I need to like eat and stay and hotels and stuff.

For those of us who will peddle push our way to the polls it is an exciting time. Many people want to take their daughters, sons and grandchildren to witness the most dramatic and unpredictable election in recent American history. Before I begin, I need to give an ancestral shout out to Mrs. Ida B. Wells-Barnett. Ida's career included being an homemaker, teacher, writer, pamphleteer (pre-Internet print based blogger) and journalist.

This is the first of several interviews with women in technology. Today you'll learn about Shelley Powers. Shelley is perhaps best known as a writer. Her most recent books are Learning JavaScript and Painting the Web. She's also a programmer and web developer, and she applies a powerful and logical mind to everything she does.

Sometimes when you are writing--whether it is a blog post, a book or just in your own personal journal-- you have to just throw things out there and see what sticks.  Today I am throwing this out there betting many of you can relate.Writing?  It is hard.

So about a year ago I began to do something that other bloggers might consider to be most sinful: I started blogging on another site for free. I know! Try to remove your jaw from the floor while I give my reasons for taking up this opportunity because it wasn't the first time and let's face it, it probably won't be the last time.

A group of high school students in a rural community in South Carolina thought their school needed a journalism program and a school newspaper. They had no support or funding from the administration, but they went ahead with efforts to make it happen. Raising money with bake sales, and using a computer and camera borrowed from the teacher, this group of enthusiastic students produced 8 issues of a student newspaper last year.