Nathan Branson
Whatever you read here is a way for me to hash out ideas until I can talk about them in real-time with whoever is willing to join in.
What I Learned Working at Branson’s Auto Service
Every Business has a Culture, I Hate to See This Culture Die
My parents decided to close their auto repair and tire business last week, December 21st 2018. My great grandfather JO Branson opened Branson’s Auto Service in 1959. He then handed it down to my grandfather Ed Branson, who then handed down to my father Elliott Branson. My parents have decided to close the business and then put it up for sale . . .
Posted in: business culturecivic lifemanual labormemoryteaching yourselfthe american dreamwalt whitmanwork ethic
How to Lead a College-Level Discussion
Seven Steps for Leading a Smoother Classroom Discussion
There is a real difference between leading a college-level classroom discussion and participating in a college classroom discussion.
As a literature major in undergrad, professors were constantly pushing me to form my own point of view about a book and be able to confidently articulate my thoughts in discussion. The typical . . .
The Atlantic Monthly Consistently Delivers a Needed Skepticism of Technology
Long-Form Journalism Is Alive And Well
As Americans in the 21st century, we must question what technology is doing to our personal, social and intellectual lives. What is it doing to your identity? What is it doing to your sleeping patterns? What is it doing to your soul? What is it doing to your friendships? Is it effecting our ability to be a happy, free person?
Such . . .
Making the Transition from “Road Tripping" to “Vacationing in Denver”
Four Beliefs That Shape a Restful Vacation
On June 13th, 2018 at 3am, I sat on a plane completely satisfied. I felt thankful as I flew over the mid-west states, back to North Carolina. Sitting behind me were two children sleeping, traveling alone, leaned up against one another. The two women next to me had each found a way to curl up and sleep in their seat for the 3 and hour flight. . . .
Funerals Are the Best and Worst Kind of Reunion
A Reflection on my Brother's Wake Service
There are many reasons people do not attend the birthday party on Friday night, skip the informal college reunion or attend the local concert. Some are spoken clearly in text messages or in a short conversation after work, other reasons are never said aloud. Here are some of those potential reasons people give for not attending an event:
. . .What I Want Every One of My Students To Know on their First Day of Class
Every April I spend about 50 hours per week grading essays. That doesn't include other duties at my job. During those hours, I begin to take note of the good and bad habits of my students. As I grade I sit and ponder the personalities of my students: students who made an A in my class, students who do the bare minimum to pass, students . . .
On Revision: The Most Ignored Part of the Writing Process
Knocking Out Unfinished Writing Projects
Revision is the hardest part of writing. It comes after the free flowing first draft and before the sentence by sentence editing process. Revision is the process of looking at things on a macro scale so your ideas are logical to the reader. Yet most people think that overcoming “writer’s block” and “improving their grammar skills errors” are . . .
