New Family Traditions
Our Thanksgivings have been changing. This year was a milestone. My parents are deceased, as are Barb’s. Neither of us is from this area. We have a blended family with five kids. They are… Read More
Category: Life
Do We have a Mental Health Crisis?
I have recently watched an email thread among my West Point classmates discussing the suicide epidemic among veterans, particularly combat vets. Why do so many people appear to have mental impairments? Moreover, why do current conditions seem… Read More
What is more important, the Message or the Messenger?
Our understanding of politics is muddled by confusion between policy and image, between the message and the messenger. In today’s debates, one side despises the President because he is a repugnant human being and… Read More
What do we do with the Homeless
Several weeks ago, while sitting outside at a local downtown restaurant, we observed a man stumbling down the street. His course veered off towards the benches in the median and with a blood-curdling “thump”… Read More
Stupidity has its own rewards
“Could-a. Should-a. Would-a.” The mantra of someone who just screwed-up. My mantra over the weekend. I could have worn a pair of hiking shorts with deeper pockets. I should have left the other keys… Read More
Who should pay the bill for bad decisions?
It is time for a serious discussion about personal responsibility. At this point, I will warn the reader that some of my commentary may seem insensitive, but we need to to address the problem.… Read More
There is more to a handshake than you think
President Trump is well-known for his unique handshake, for better or worse. To say the least, it is firm. He also has a habit of patting the other shaker’s hand, a gesture that is… Read More
Perhaps the “Greatest Generation” still lives on today
A quite afternoon on Boone Lake was interrupted by an unmistakable sound, the roar of four huge radial engines clawing an ancient bird of war through the air. As I looked up into a… Read More
We Find Happiness in the Simple Things
What is happiness? In definition, it is a state of pleasure or contentment. The former is an active state, the latter passive. Yet, either seems difficult to achieve or, more definitively, to maintain. Life… Read More
Will it make the boat go faster?
I recently read an insightful article about the British rowing team training for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. They developed a very simple approach. Before they did anything, they asked one question: “Will it make… Read More
