Shana
@shanawestlake.bsky.social
Writer. Runner. Reader. Mom.
Former Brooklynite, former news producer, former event producer. Current NYer. She/her.
Former Brooklynite, former news producer, former event producer. Current NYer. She/her.
New post! The nice thing about starting this Substack is that I've been able to write about this that I've never successfully pitched to publications.
sustainablepto.substack.com/p/the-sustai...
sustainablepto.substack.com/p/the-sustai...
The Sustainable PTO Origin Story
Why I care about building sustainability into parent-teacher organizations
sustainablepto.substack.com
April 15, 2025 at 5:31 PM
New post! The nice thing about starting this Substack is that I've been able to write about this that I've never successfully pitched to publications.
sustainablepto.substack.com/p/the-sustai...
sustainablepto.substack.com/p/the-sustai...
It's so cute when you see someone protesting the current administration when you know for a fact they voted for Jill Stein.
April 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
It's so cute when you see someone protesting the current administration when you know for a fact they voted for Jill Stein.
I started a new project! After seven years as an active PTA volunteer, I started a Substack to help other volunteers make their organization more sustainable year after year.
open.substack.com/pub/sustaina...
open.substack.com/pub/sustaina...
What to Expect from The Sustainable PTO
How to stop starting from scratch with your Parent Teacher Organization
open.substack.com
April 2, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I started a new project! After seven years as an active PTA volunteer, I started a Substack to help other volunteers make their organization more sustainable year after year.
open.substack.com/pub/sustaina...
open.substack.com/pub/sustaina...
I'm working on a project about PTOs/PTAs in schools and would love to hear why you did or did not get involved when your child was in school.
February 27, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I'm working on a project about PTOs/PTAs in schools and would love to hear why you did or did not get involved when your child was in school.
Thankful that other people are still scouring Twitter for calls for pitches. Check out Study Hall and avoid the cesspool:
studyhallnewsletter.com/subscribe?re...
studyhallnewsletter.com/subscribe?re...
Study Hall Sampler
Journalism writing opportunities, resources, and community news.
studyhallnewsletter.com
December 3, 2024 at 12:43 AM
Thankful that other people are still scouring Twitter for calls for pitches. Check out Study Hall and avoid the cesspool:
studyhallnewsletter.com/subscribe?re...
studyhallnewsletter.com/subscribe?re...
I scored of $1,500 grant for my kid's PTA. If only people would pay me to write grants instead of doing it as a volunteer.
November 21, 2024 at 3:10 AM
I scored of $1,500 grant for my kid's PTA. If only people would pay me to write grants instead of doing it as a volunteer.
Going to try manifestating here and put out into the world that I am looking for work in the event or podcasting space, putting together interesting conversations with interesting people. I'm not interested in hosting, but rather booking for, interviews and panel discussions. 1/2
November 19, 2024 at 8:50 PM
Going to try manifestating here and put out into the world that I am looking for work in the event or podcasting space, putting together interesting conversations with interesting people. I'm not interested in hosting, but rather booking for, interviews and panel discussions. 1/2
I don't really believe in student of the month awards for a lot of reasons, but it did feel pretty awesome to hear that my daughter was selected as student of the month for her first month of her first year of middle school.
November 18, 2024 at 3:42 PM
I don't really believe in student of the month awards for a lot of reasons, but it did feel pretty awesome to hear that my daughter was selected as student of the month for her first month of her first year of middle school.
Does anyone know about one of these for romance authors? Threads made it easy, since it followed all my IG follows automatically.
Starter pack for writers in the NYC area (NJ/NY/CT) and beyond-- decide for yourself if you're close enough :) go.bsky.app/7UHUZHQ
November 16, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Does anyone know about one of these for romance authors? Threads made it easy, since it followed all my IG follows automatically.
The biggest struggle with all these different text-based social media apps is where the like, comment, and repost buttons are.
November 16, 2024 at 3:48 PM
The biggest struggle with all these different text-based social media apps is where the like, comment, and repost buttons are.
I want to be a successful author so that when someone asks me if I always wanted to be a writer, I can do an extremely exaggerated Coach Beard "Noooo!"
December 29, 2023 at 5:17 PM
I want to be a successful author so that when someone asks me if I always wanted to be a writer, I can do an extremely exaggerated Coach Beard "Noooo!"
So if my daughter asks her teacher to call her Maddie instead of Madelyn, that's a fireable offense?
Missouri HB.1739 contains provisions for the immediate dismissal and 4 year suspension from employment for any nurse, teacher or social worker who calls a student a name other than that which is on their school registration forms, or fails to report a non-cis identity.
legiscan.com/MO/bill/HB17...
legiscan.com/MO/bill/HB17...
December 17, 2023 at 8:36 PM
So if my daughter asks her teacher to call her Maddie instead of Madelyn, that's a fireable offense?
Would it be fraud if a doctor accepts initial consultations and then is so rude and condescending that no one ever follows up, so she makes money off without actually doing any work with patients?
December 16, 2023 at 11:37 PM
Would it be fraud if a doctor accepts initial consultations and then is so rude and condescending that no one ever follows up, so she makes money off without actually doing any work with patients?
Last night, I had an experience with a medical provider that swiftly entered the top three of worst medical experiences in my life. Which is impressive considering the other two involve a gynecologist and out-patient surgery while pregnant.
December 16, 2023 at 6:54 PM
Last night, I had an experience with a medical provider that swiftly entered the top three of worst medical experiences in my life. Which is impressive considering the other two involve a gynecologist and out-patient surgery while pregnant.
I acknowledge that this is terribly morbid, but when I die, I feel very strongly that my cause of death be shared. I'm so fucking nosy and always want to know when other people die. Especially when the language is so wishy washy.
November 22, 2023 at 3:53 AM
I acknowledge that this is terribly morbid, but when I die, I feel very strongly that my cause of death be shared. I'm so fucking nosy and always want to know when other people die. Especially when the language is so wishy washy.
Are all mental health offices terrible at scheduling or is just the ones that I'm dealing with? I'm supposed to have an intake telehealth appointment right now, but I never got a link for the appointment. Why is this so hard?
November 15, 2023 at 10:34 PM
Are all mental health offices terrible at scheduling or is just the ones that I'm dealing with? I'm supposed to have an intake telehealth appointment right now, but I never got a link for the appointment. Why is this so hard?
What if, instead of long questionnaires, psychiatrists just asked adults how long it took to research a provider and then, once a provider was found, how long it took to actual call for an appointment to diagnose adult ADHD?
October 26, 2023 at 3:04 AM
What if, instead of long questionnaires, psychiatrists just asked adults how long it took to research a provider and then, once a provider was found, how long it took to actual call for an appointment to diagnose adult ADHD?
Creative ways to describe the stomach swoopy feeling when your crush says something nice about you? Non-cliche words are failing me!
October 24, 2023 at 4:27 PM
Creative ways to describe the stomach swoopy feeling when your crush says something nice about you? Non-cliche words are failing me!
Not for nothing, but I wrote about NYC math in my WIP long before girl math became a thing. To be fair, though, NYC math is a thing that every resident of NYC is familiar with.
Is it faster to walk or take the train or take a cab? If I leave five minutes early, I'll only be 10 minutes late.
Is it faster to walk or take the train or take a cab? If I leave five minutes early, I'll only be 10 minutes late.
October 24, 2023 at 4:01 PM
Not for nothing, but I wrote about NYC math in my WIP long before girl math became a thing. To be fair, though, NYC math is a thing that every resident of NYC is familiar with.
Is it faster to walk or take the train or take a cab? If I leave five minutes early, I'll only be 10 minutes late.
Is it faster to walk or take the train or take a cab? If I leave five minutes early, I'll only be 10 minutes late.
I climbed a mountain today. And while I was climbing, I wasn't called a hiker or an athlete. No, when I got to thy first landing a mile and 1000ft of elevation up, I heard, "Hi Nathan's mom!" So even on top of a mountain, I'm defined as Nathan's mom. 🤦🏼♀️
October 14, 2023 at 3:00 AM
I climbed a mountain today. And while I was climbing, I wasn't called a hiker or an athlete. No, when I got to thy first landing a mile and 1000ft of elevation up, I heard, "Hi Nathan's mom!" So even on top of a mountain, I'm defined as Nathan's mom. 🤦🏼♀️
That moment when you open a new book and it's first person present. *sigh*
October 4, 2023 at 4:43 PM
That moment when you open a new book and it's first person present. *sigh*
I'm revising my WIP and slowly adjusting the POV changes, so each chapter is from a single character—it's a dual POV romance—and it's definitely working better, but I've reached a chapter with switches and I can't decide whether I should keep the switch or go all in on chapter by chapter switches.
October 3, 2023 at 4:00 PM
I'm revising my WIP and slowly adjusting the POV changes, so each chapter is from a single character—it's a dual POV romance—and it's definitely working better, but I've reached a chapter with switches and I can't decide whether I should keep the switch or go all in on chapter by chapter switches.