My First UK Walk in Wellies
I was excited as a two-year-old to take my first walk in wellies across the beautiful British countryside (I am easily amused.) Wellies, the symbol of British culture, reflect the lasting legacy of the Duke of Wellington and the term carries a sense of tradition, practicality, and British identity. Wellies, aka. Wellington boots, date back […]
It Only Takes One Bite
I don’t have a regular post this week, but I have been working on an issue that weighs heavy on my heart and is important for everyone. I am happy it landed on the Star Tribune Opinion page. (Minneapolis- St. Paul) Please read it here: https://www.startribune.com/lyme-disease-it-only-takes-one-bite/600363636/ Useful links on this issue: https://www.lymedisease.org/ https://www.globallymealliance.org/ […]
A Très British Outing – Ze Pub
When my son married a beautiful British-Irish-Ukrainian woman, we were given an insiders peek into UK life, which begins and ends at the local pub. Going to the pub for a pint is as much a part of British life as a coca cola and Friday night football is to an American. Dating back thousands […]
Women’s History Month, March Madness, Acknowledging Ghosts of Women’s Basketball
Half a century ago, no one paid any attention when my friends and I played basketball. We got kicked off the court, but shoved our way back in the game, clearing the lane for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, Juju Watkins and the contemporary stars of today. Over the decades, women’s opportunities grew thousandfold […]
I am X-Pat, a feisty globetrotter. Teacher, writer, coach, speaker, and trailblazer with the down-to-earth, open-armed persona of The Heartland and a European twist. I have lived in four different countries, speak three languages and raised two bi-cultural kids with one très bon Frenchman. My passion is inspiring courage, breaking barriers, and creating connections.
Down and out? Hopeless and helpless? No matter where you are in your journey, my stories can help pick up your spirits, make transitions, gain new perspectives or just escape the daily grind.
If you deny a woman’s history, you erase her identity. I reveal the athlete’s untold story, from the passage of Title IX through forty years of social change. What makes it different from other sport biographies is the voice of a woman who walks the talk, who dribbled the ball and tells the story. Learn more by clicking here