Happy Birthday to our little man Griffin

Big Griff is two today.

We love watching him explore the world.

(Photo by Kira Childers)

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Today, I’m opinionated

I’m popping up in stories at a variety of places and for a variety of different reasons today.

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On CNN on Scouts

John Sutter interviewed me about the Boy Scouts of America’s possible decision to allow gay scouts, but ban gay scout leaders in his well thought out essay on CNN. He quotes me:

The group’s attitudes on gay rights are “more out of style than the scout socks,” said Kelsey Timmerman, a former Eagle Scout who mailed his badge back to the organization because of its discriminatory policies.

“I never wore those damn socks,” he said, laughing.

If you want to know my thoughts on this whole issue, read John’s, that’s pretty much where I stand.

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My global food adventure coming to a dial near you…

I have a busy morning of national and regional radio programs tomorrow.  If you get one of the shows below in your area, tune in to hear me talking about Where Am I Eating? I’ll be the one that sounds like a mix of Joe Dirt and Matthew McConaughey. 

Speaking at University of Oklahoma

I’m giving the keynote address at the University of Oklahoma’s Social Entrepreneurship Symposium Tuesday at 4:30.

I’m free all day on Wednesday, how should I spend my time?  I’m thinking maybe I’ll play flag football with Kevin Durant, but if that doesn’t work out I’m open to suggestions.

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Think like a 3rd grader

Third graders think farts are hilarious. Me too!

That’s why I knew I had to share my anti-flatulence underwear story with the third graders at Fort Recovery elementary.

I held up my “Gas Eaters” and asked them what they thought they were. There were the typical guesses (adult diapers), but then I called on a bright-eyed girl sitting on the floor in the back.

“They go over your underwear,” she said, “so you can dance in the rain and not get your underwear wet.”

That was a response I had never heard before, and I loved it. And here’s the thing…none of the kids laughed at her. They thought it was quite possible that these were my dancing-in-the-rain underwear.

Kids aren’t bound by reason or logic; they are freed by curiosity and imagination.

I…

I <3 Zombies

I write nonfiction narratives about the global economy, and I have to read a lot of boring books on topics like globalization, the garment industry, world population, and food.

You have to read a lot of boring books to write an interesting one. (At least I hope WHERE AM I EATING? is interesting. The reviews should start coming in soon enough.)

I do find these subjects fascinating because I see firsthand how these global issues impact people I’ve met — garment workers in Cambodia, farmers in Colombia. But rarely am I absolutely thrilled to crack open a book written by some policy expert or economist. I’m amazed at their brains and I’m happy to have their info and knowledge flow into mind. But I’m less hungry for…

University of Kentucky using WEARING!

From the department of awesome news of awesomeness…

The University of Kentucky has announced the selection of WHERE AM I WEARING? as their 2013-2014 common read book.  This means that all incoming freshman will read the stories of Amilcar, Nari, Ai, Arifa, Dewan, Zhu Chun, and all the rest of the amazing folks I write about in WEARING.

I’m so pumped that I can almost forgive the Wildcats for beating my Wally Sczerbiak-led Miami Redhawks 58 to 43 in the 1999 Sweet 16.

Almost!

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The Next Big Thing

Cathy Day, champion of literary citizenship, English professor at Ball State, author of Circus in Winter and Comeback Season, and my fellow committee member of the Midwest Writers Workshop, tagged me in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop.

Here’s Cathy’s post answering the questions about her work in progress.

And here’s mine…

What is your working title of your book (or story)?

Where Am I Eating? An Adventure Through the Global Food Economy

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Ever look at your banana and wonder who picked it?

In 2009 the USDA began requiring Country of Origin Labeling on food. I couldn’t believe how global our diet had become. Today, the United State’s imports 86% of its seafood, 50% of its fruit, and 18% of its vegetables. I…

Boy Scouts Showing Lack of Leadership

When the Boy Scouts of America doubled down on their policies to discriminate against gay scouts and leaders, I announced I was going to turn in my Eagle Scout awards.

The decision wasn’t made lightly. Scouts helped give me the confidence and independence to travel around the world alone as an author and journalist gathering stories. But Scouts also gave me the moral compass to stand up and act against injustice.

I promised my former troop leader that I would call Boy Scouts Of America’s national office to talk with them about how they reached their decision before I made my final decision to mail my awards.

That call went something like this:

“My name is Kelsey Timmerman. I’m an Eagle Scout. I…

Write a Full-Length Work of Literary Journalism

If you’re interested in the writing I do, there’s a class for that.

The last writing class I took was English 102 during my freshman year at Miami University. At least that was the last class until I audited Literary Journalism taught by writer Mark Masse’ at Ball State University in 2010. Now the class is online and being offered to anyone interested. (You would enroll as a non-degree (non-licensure) student. If you are interested, Ball State is now offering this class online with Mark. That means you don’t have to worry about driving to Muncie and finding parking on campus, or about wearing pants while attending class! Freedom!

Here’s how Mark describes the class:

J614 is an advanced literary journalistic writing workshop taught in a 100 percent online format. It is…