In this opening episode, we’ll be discussing the 2020 report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute from the University of Utah that recommends best practices for affordable housing. For the first season, each episode will focus on attainable housing.
Check out the episode here:
Episode 1: Best Practices for Attainable Housing in Utah
If you would like to review the Best Practices report in depth, check it out here:
The microphone and me.
Something new is coming to this website. I would describe myself as beyond excited, but that would be too short. I am excited, but I am also nervous, thrilled, and if there were another word for nervous that involved introverts stressing about having to talk to people they respect, admire, and don’t know very well about a subject near and dear to their hearts—well that would be the other thing beyond excited.I often have this conversation.
Well-meaning loved one (WMLO): “What have you been up to?”
Me: “I’m going to graduate school.”
WMLO: “What are you studying, and where are you going to school?”
Me: “Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric at Utah Tech University.”
WMLO: (confused look)
Me: “It’s a kind of Masters degree in English.”
“What will you do with it?”
Me: “I don’t really know.”
Part of my reason for going to graduate school, aside from it being a dream, was because I was having second thoughts about doing real estate. I’m an introvert. Can introverts succeed as realtors? That is a great question for another time. As I have gone through my program I figured out that I do in fact care deeply about the housing market. It affects every person, and in our county in particular housing is a huge issue. People who have lived here for generations are wanting so much to hold on to our agricultural heritage, but we also want our children to be able to live here. What can we do? Well, remember the “Digital Rhetoric” part of my degree title? It turns out that Podcasting is a form of Digital Rhetoric. So for part of my major project portfolio, I will be launching a podcast here on this blog very soon. I can’t wait to share it with you. I have interviewed some amazing people already, and I’m just putting the finishing touches the first few episodes. So hold tight, and soon you will be able to listen to the Jenny Chamberlain Podcast, and this first season we are going to focus in on Attainable Housing in Washington County.
What is up, friends? I haven’t posted in months because I have been doing so many things—having Covid, teaching at the college, planting my garden, doing my directed readings for my masters portfolio, burying my last living grandmother. When I recovered from Covid I again felt grateful for my good health. I relished the feel of digging in the soil with my bare hands as I planted peas, onions, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and some flowers to attract the bees. I filled my mind until I thought it would explode as I studied this semester. I reflected on my mortality at my grandma’s passing, and I felt so much gratitude for reaching the age I have and getting to have her for so long. In short, it’s been a busy spring.
Now I am getting ready to go help my brother move in Texas, go to girls camp with a bunch of 12-18 year old young ladies, and shuttle my kids to camps, pools, libraries, lakes, and anywhere the wind takes us this summer.
I just interviewed a couple of caregivers, and I can’t wait to make time to honor their work. They have really contributed a lot to the local caregiver community in the Washington County area, and I’m excited to tell a little about them soon.
One of the exciting things I’m working on is a podcast regarding attainable housing in our county. Housing costs have truly become a huge issue with the skyrocketing prices of homes. Just this week I have seen two of my favorite businesses, River Rock Roasting Company, and JoAnn, post notices on their doors that they will be closed some evenings. I’m sure there are complicated reasons, but we are seeing a lot of people in the service industry have to leave our area because they can’t afford to live and work here with rent the way it is. I attended a Housing Action sub-committee meeting today and heard that even the hospital is struggling to keep employees because the cost of housing in Washington County is pushing people away from our labor market.
I guess what I’m saying with this post is, Hello Summer! I can’t wait to enjoy everything you have to offer. I hope I can offer something back.
I’m having my annual late summer blues. Every year at this time they creep around my house and make me feel like a little dried out raisin falling off the vine. I’m here to write myself some notes to remind myself that I’m not a raisin. I’m a grape.
Dear Friends, Family, and fictional characters we wish were real,
Merry Christmas! The Chamberlains have been blessed to stay employed this year. Alex and Jenny both turned 40. Jenny wanted to have a dance party and was sorely disappointed. Alex kindly had friends write on our sidewalk, which eased the pain, but Jenny is still on record describing 2020 as “the world’s biggest un-party.” Alex got the car of his dreams close to his birthday after many, many discussions with Jenny which shall not be revisited here. Jenny also started graduate school at DSU in the fall for a degree with a super complicated name, and she is loving it.
Jenny’s current jam remains I Will Survive (Polydor Records, 1978), by Gloria Gaynor, while Alex has been rocking out fairly consistently to Get Lucky (Columbia Records, 2013) by Daft Punk, featuring Pharrell Williams.
The children spent the spring part of school on our couch. The couch used to be yellow and modern, and now it’s more of a light brown with misshapen theme. In the words of Indiana Jones, “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.”
Grace repainted her room white so that she can better decorate for each season. She’s currently jamming Commissioning a Symphony in C (BMI, 2001) by Cake.
Henry got a hat and excelled at online school. He discovered We’re not Gonna Take it (Atlantic Records, 1984) by Twisted Sister and repeats it often. His deepest wish is for reptiles to rule the earth once more.
Scott has developed an abiding love for Ava Max (Atlantic Records, 2020). He continues to look identical to Bastian from The Neverending Story, and thought that Frozen II was a worthy follow-up, and not a blatant cash-grab. He has been reading Amulet, which is usually pronounced “A Mullet” in our house.
Kaleb’s favorite song of the year is Speed Me Up (Atlantic Records, 2020) by Wiz Khalifa, featuring Ty Dollar $ign, Lil Yachty & Sueco the Child, and he wishes everyone to listen to it whenever it is his day to pick the music at our house. He is convinced that it’s called “Spickle me.”
We all enjoyed a lot of ultimate frisbee, pickleball, and a fall trip to Joshua Tree as highlights of the year.
Sending all our love and wishes for a *MUCH* better 2021,
The Chamberlains
Check out the playlist HERE.
Jenny Chamberlain 