Featuring Brianna, Kira, Sara, and Ken of the Minnesota Ballet. Duluth, MN. May 11, 2021. Shot with the Polaroid SX-70.
January 10, 2021, Memo to the MN National Guard Regarding the Need to Address Rightwing Extremism
Following the January 6 Capitol Insurrection, I wrote a 12-page memo regarding the need to address rightwing extremism in the Minnesota National Guard (MNARNG). I submitted it to my chain of command and the MNNARNG's Joint Force Headquarters. In the interest of publicizing this issue (and after being told that my memo would likely "end … Continue reading January 10, 2021, Memo to the MN National Guard Regarding the Need to Address Rightwing Extremism
Polaroids of Flowers
Among the thousand or so Polaroids I've taken, here are a few of flowers.
Polaroid Curios
I've always been fascinated by the landscape of the table -- and those trinkets, totems, and curios that fill the space to which we pull our chair, the set to our stage play of daily life. What is it you keep around you when you're working? What do those things mean to you?
Polaroid Diary 11/3/19: Sen. Bernie Sanders in Minneapolis, MN
On November 3, 2019, Rep. Ilhan Omar officially endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign for President of the United States. Though the rally was planned for the University of Minnesota's Northrop Auditorium, organizers moved it to Williams Arena when the number of RSVPs exceeded expectations. On that evening, more than 10,000+ supporters gathered to hear Rep. … Continue reading Polaroid Diary 11/3/19: Sen. Bernie Sanders in Minneapolis, MN
Robert Bly’s Dream Diaries and His Poem “Digging Worms”
On May 18, 2019, I graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School -- and after I put away my robes and medals and stacked my textbooks, I went through my papers to take stock of what, over the last three years, have gathered around me like fallen leaves. These include poems, short stories, and … Continue reading Robert Bly’s Dream Diaries and His Poem “Digging Worms”
Read my review of “Miles Lord” (2017) in Minnesota History Magazine
Although I never met Judge Miles Lord, when he passed on December 10, 2016, I attended his memorial service at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior, Minnesota. The public filled the pews, and his children and grandchildren shared anecdotes from Lord's long and accomplished life. Afterward, when everyone filed into the cafeteria for lunch, admirers … Continue reading Read my review of “Miles Lord” (2017) in Minnesota History Magazine
The History of Nursing in Minnesota
Last year the Minnesota Historical Society awarded me a 2017 Legacy Research Fellowship. This supported a project I am doing on how early-20th century nurses organized what later became the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA). For those unfamiliar with the MNA, not only is it a major political force, but it is responsible for both elevating the profession and improving the quality of care for hundreds of thousands of patients.
Giving the ‘Gift’ of Poetry: “Who knows what may come of that?”
When I was in Seattle last January, I purchased a used copy of The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart: A Poetry Anthology (1992) edited by Robert Bly, James Hillman, and Michael Meade. Inside is an inscription written in simple print with a signature that caught my eye -- the "Y" of Jerry's name wraps around … Continue reading Giving the ‘Gift’ of Poetry: “Who knows what may come of that?”
Read “Hanging Onto a Moving Home” in Popshot Magazine #19
In February 2018, Popshot Magazine published my flash fiction story, "Hanging Onto a Moving Home." It's a piece I'm very proud of, and I'm so ecstatic the editors commissioned an artist to illustrate it. In it, I explore what it's like to be mobile with someone you love -- and how it often feels like you're … Continue reading Read “Hanging Onto a Moving Home” in Popshot Magazine #19
Joshua Panduro Preston 