In High School Basketball Friendship Wins, Cancer Loses
I spent the first half of my life fighting to be allowed on the court and the second half learning to graciously cheer for others when I could no longer play the game I loved. Even though I can’t drive the baseline anymore, I get a kick out of seeing the players I coach at […]
Little Free Libraries Bring Books to Your Neighborhood
What an innovative idea to promote reading. In Hudson, Wisconsin, in a tribute to his mom, who was a book lover and a teacher, Todd Bol built a miniature little red school house, stuck it on a post in his front yard, and filled it with books to share. Since its inception in 2009, ‘The […]
Minne-SNOW-tans’ Winter Survival Tips
Wear fur lined Grumpy Old Man hats with ear flaps down. Get a dog to warm up the end of the bed. Wear plaid, panel lined jeans. Tuck hand warmers in mittens. Eat soup. Carry a corn sack –fill a flannel bag with field corn, microwave 2 minutes, take it to go. Melt frozen pipes […]
Home Improvement Beats Post Holiday Blues
After the letdown of the holidays, I decided to beat the blues with a little home improvement. Nothing kicks winter doldrums like a change in décor. With a bee in my bonnet (British expression) in manic mode, I insisted, “Let’s rearrange the living room.” A half day later, we were still on our hands and […]
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