writers

His Name is Michael Powelson

/ Elizabeth Gaucher / 4 Comments

His name is Michael Powelson, and if you use social media at all and you live in West Virginia you may not know his name immediately but you surely will recognize the title of this blog post:

1 Shining Moment for a 2-Sided State

I never asked Michael how many hits his blog received when he posted this — his first post — but to date the post has nearly 300 comments and is still going strong.  It is almost unheard of for established bloggers with thousands of regular readers to get this many comments on a single post (think CNN.com), but here comes unassuming Mr. P and blows it out of the water.

1 Shining Moment is a very personal reflection on being a West Virginian that struck a powerful chord with natives, transplants, “still here-ers” and “want to go back-ers.”  Using the WVU men’s basketball coach as a vehicle for exploring the complex nature of shared cultural identity, Michael spoke to what so many people feel deep inside but often can’t articulate:  We care what you think, but we don’t really care what you think.  We know who we are, and whether anyone else ever understands us or not, we will always have each other.  West Virginia is a family, and the phenomenon of 1 Shining Moment demonstrated once again that eternal truth.

In perpetuity, we belong to each other.

Michael’s long-awaited second post is now up on  his site, and he most graciously made it a part of the Essays on Childhood project this year.  It’s up via the EOC site here, or you may visit his site directly and read the hilarious sibling warfare, hijinx, and righteous bonding over cough drops and yodeling by clicking here.

Enjoy, and many thanks to Michael for connecting to all of us with his wonderful writing and storytelling!  Michael, if you thought we were going to let you stop writing, you were sorely mistaken my friend.  What’s next?

Essays on Childhood: The 2011 Writers, Part Two

/ Elizabeth Gaucher / 2 Comments

The Essays on Childhood project recently introduced you to 6 of the 11 writers this year.  Cue the drumroll…………here are writers 7-11!

It bears repeating that the entire collective is multi-talented, courageous, and impressive.  We hope you will spend some time “getting to know” these fine people and anticipating the pleasure of reading their essays.  Their stories and reflections will open your eyes and stir your heart with new ways of thinking about childhood experience and the way it shapes our adult lives.

Margaret Ward McClain

Margaret was born in the miasmal swamp of Charleston, South Carolina.  She spent her childhood dividing time between the Holy City and Greenville, SC, the red dirt capital of the Upcountry, where she was raised and attended school.  She says, “At Davidson College I learned how to be a better human being, and also received a B.A. in English.”  She earned a  J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, went on to practice domestic law, and finally landed at I.B.M. Today she is a recovering lawyer residing in Chapel Hill with her wonderful husband Tim.  Professionally she is the mother of a 13-year-old son, two grown stepdaughters in-residence, and three very spoiled dogs.  The working title of Margaret’s essay is, “The Simons House,” centering on the house where her family spent two weeks each summer.

Cathy Nelson Belk

Cathy is an Ohio gal at heart, particularly so after walkabouts in various other, truly fabulous places. She’s taking advantage of this one wild and precious life by trying new things, which includes this first foray into creative writing (so be gentle).  In addition to family and friends, Cathy loves her work supporting entrepreneurs and blogs about it on the Idea Exchange, the blog for Jump Start.  Jump Start is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization transforming the economic impact of entrepreneurial ventures and the ecosystems supporting their growth.

Lisa Lewis Smith

A native of Charleston, Lisa was born on June 9, 1973 (the day Secretariat won the Triple Crown).   She received her B.S. in Biology and minor in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston in South Carolina.  She worked as a fisheries and wetland biologist in Washington, Alaska, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia before transitioning in 2002 from environmental consulting to outreach and education.  She currently serves on the board of the WV Land Trust and is an elder and lifelong member of Kanawha United Presbyterian Church.  Lisa grew up spending her summers and weekends at her family home in Lewisburg, West Virginia where she developed an early connection with beautiful and unique outdoor environments.

Jennifer Irene Kayrouz

Jennifer moved to West Virginia just prior to starting 8th Grade. Some people thought that her family moved to West Virginia on a dare.  That was over 22 years ago and she now claims she would give her left pinky toe to be considered a West Virginian by her hillbilly peers.  She went off to college once or twice, but always happily landed right back in Charleston. She now works for the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and loves most minutes of it, getting to travel and constantly learning and being challenged. She lives in Kanawha City with her husband, who, while being 7 years younger is still decades more mature and light-years ahead of her in his intellectual and emotional capacity. They are delighted to be the parents of one precocious 4-year-old girl.

Christi Davis Somerville

Christi grew up just outside the city limits of Charleston, West Virginia, in a middle class home with her parents and younger brother Bobby.   She graduated George Washington High School, obtained a BA in Elementary Education from the University of Charleston and an MA in Special Education/Gifted from Marshall University.  She now teaches first grade at CLE and her husband is the principal at Anne Bailey Elementary in St. Albans, West Virginia.  They live in Cross Lanes with son Brett who is in the 4th grade.  Christi’s essay will explore her experiences growing up next door to her grandmother.