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Today our third vodcast episode drops. When I first started this adventure, I was terrified and had no idea what I was doing, which is the way most things seem to begin for me. But I thought it might be a new way to connect and hopefully be of service to listeners and to our state. I wanted to see if I could learn to use my words on camera like I do on the more-forgiving editable page. If I could overcome my imposter syndrome. If I could get past the cringe of hearing my own voice recorded.

So I just showed up and started doing it. A group of smart people who are good at technological things help me. And even though there is no denying I sound like Elly May Clampett instead of the sophisticated woman I would like to be, I am having a ball with this.

This column is the best writing assignment I have ever been given because I was hired to be myself. "Write whatever is on your mind," they told me. The vodcast is an extension of that. I get to cultivate the conversations I want to have about things I think are interesting and ultimately might help people.

And so far, the very best part is that I have been able to amplify voices of Arkansans who are the best of us: my friend Tony on growing up gay in small-town Arkansas, Dr. Glen Fenter on how to fix what ails us in education, and now, this week, my shero Stacey McAdoo.

Stacey reminds me of my........

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