EXPERT BLOGS
Open Road with Catherine Watson
Life, it turns out, really IS a journey. The road may be open, but it doesn’t necessarily get smoother the farther you go. In these mini-essays about work, self-worth, travel, and finding meaning, award-winning travel writer Catherine Watson will share some of the bumps, detours, sharp turns and, ultimately, joyful discoveries along the way.
An award-winning writer, editor, and photographer, Catherine was the first travel editor at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and was its chief travel writer and photographer from 1978 until 2004. She has written two acclaimed collections of travel writing, Roads Less Traveled: Dispatches from the Ends of the Earth and Home on the Road: Further Dispatches from the Ends of the Earth. She is a contributor to the Star Tribune and MinnPost, and a mentor in the Split Rock Arts Program's Online Mentoring for Writers program.
The Self-Discovery Digest with Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh
In The Self-Discovery Digest, HirshWorks partners Elizabeth Hirsh and Katherine Hirsh will feed you a healthy portion of ideas, resources, and support as you explore what’s out there for you – the exciting possibilities for growth and development – and recognize what’s already there within you – your hopes and dreams, your knowledge and abilities, and your aspirations and ideals.
HirshWorks consults with individuals and organizations to improve performance and increase personal and professional satisfaction and development. Both partners are experts on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI® tool), and have consulted locally, nationally, and internationally. Elizabeth Hirsh is a consultant and counselor who has been involved in consulting, career development and coaching, and MBTI® tool training during her career. Katherine Hirsh is a cognitive psychologist who has been involved in university teaching, faculty development and coaching, and MBTI® tool training during her career. She teaches life skills workshops in LearningLife.
Financial Planning for Life with Mark Fischer
Mark Fischer says that financial planning is 20% about money and 80% about everything else. How can holistic financial planning help you craft a more meaningful life? If you start thinking of your money as just one of many resources you possess, then you’re on the right track. Let Mark guide you toward the life you want with his unique perspectives and expert insights.
Mark Fischer is a Certified Financial Planner who owns and operates Fischer on Finance, an independent, fee-based financial planning firm. Since 1986, he has been helping people craft life strategies for more meaningful lives and a better world. Fischer holds a Ph.D. and an MBA, has taught at several universities, and has done seminars with numerous organizations. He also authored the financial planning/money management chapters of Mapping Your Retirement, published in 2007. Mark teaches life skills workshops in LearningLife.
Thresholds with Donna Bennett
Another threshold,
another door,
another world,
to explore.
From "Another Threshold" by Raymond A. Foss
Thresholds present us with opportunities to move forward. In the ebb and flow of our lives, we stand at many doors that beckon us. Whether we enter freely, go kicking and screaming, or turn away, our moments on thresholds shape and mold our lives. Join coach and career consultant Donna Bennett as she offers guidance through changes we all experience: jobs, aging, relationships, careers, and more.
Donna Bennett is a licensed psychologist, author, lecturer, presenter, coach, and consultant who, over her 25-year career, has focused on professional leadership, career and life transitions, and work/life balance. Her book, When You Lose Your Job, was published in 2002 by Augsburg Press. She works as an internal consultant for the Office of Human Resources at the University of Minnesota, and she has a private practice. Donna teaches life skills workshops in LearningLife.
Boom Blog with Kristen Mastel
For those of us born between 1946 and 1964, and for those of us on either side, this blog about all things boomer offers an online magic carpet on which to ride the age wave. Join LearningLife’s librarian, Kristen Mastel, as she gazes into her crystal ball to connect us to articles, Web sites, and useful information about and for baby boomers.
The University of Minnesota Libraries liaison to the College of Continuing Education (CCE) and LearningLife, Kristen Mastel is a reference librarian with a special interest in the lifelong learning continuum. Says Kristen, “Long gone are the days when a librarian might sit alone at a reference desk waiting for patrons to ask a question. I do spend time answering reference questions in person, but I also answer questions via phone, e-mail, and online chat: we are now at our patrons' point of need.”
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Explore LearningLife
Expert Blog Roll
Open Road
with Catherine Watson
Life, it turns out, really IS a journey.
The Self-Discovery Digest
with Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh
What's out there – and already in there – for you?
Financial Planning for Life
with Mark Fischer
It's 20% about money and 80% about everything else.
Thresholds
with Donna Bennett
Opportunities to move forward with a coach and career consultant.
Boom Blog
with Kristen Mastel
All things boomer from our LearningLife librarian.

