Natalie Proulx

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Shannon Doyne |Natalie Proulx

Besides home and school, where do you go to gather with others on a regular basis? Maybe it's the football field where you practice daily, a recreation center where you hang out with your friends after school, the local library where you go to study, a restaurant or store where you and your family are regulars or your place of worship. How often do you go there? Who do you see or spend time with there? What does that place mean to you?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Natalie Proulx

When was the last time you dressed up? Was it for a special occasion, such as a school dance, a wedding or an awards ceremony? Was it to go out somewhere, like to a restaurant or a concert? Or was it for an everyday occasion, like school? Have you noticed that you - and others - are dressing up less these days? If so, why do you think that is? It has become the style to dress down when eating out, even at fine dining restaurants. Why is this, and when did it start?

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Natalie Proulx

How often do you spend time in nature? Is it easy to go hiking, camping, swimming, biking or boating where you live? Is being in the great outdoors part of the culture of your community? If not, do you wish it were? On the surface, hiking can seem as if it has a low barrier to entry. How hard is it to get up and go outside? Dig deeper and you will find that you need proper footwear and plenty of water. Depending on the weather, moisture-wicking apparel and warm socks will come in handy.

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Natalie Proulx

Have you ever had your heart broken? Perhaps it was the end of a romance or a friendship. Maybe it was another kind of loss, like the death of a pet or of someone you loved. Is there an object that reminds you of this relationship? Is it something that was a symbol of your time together? When their relationship ended more than 20 years ago, the time came for Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic to divide up their stuff, including a TV, a computer and a bunch of vacation souvenirs.

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Natalie Proulx

Imagine you were to go to a school where every task in class was timed down to the second, where you were expected to comply with strict behavior rules and where all your teachers closely followed a district-approved curriculum. Does this sound anything like the school you go to now or one you have attended? Or is it radically different from what you're used to? Do you think this kind of schooling model would work for you? Why or why not? In " Is Micromanaging Classes a Recipe for School Success?