[January 11, 2024] I was sitting on the living room floor with my hand-made kite working away, making modifications to get it to fly correctly; I had failed earlier that day, which was maddening. I was the only one in my small group of new friends who couldn’t get his kite to fly successfully. I was maybe 10… Read More »
[January 10, 2024] Evil leaders exist. While leadership means many things, it ultimately means getting people to accomplish a goal. Leaders come in a range of abilities and outcomes in performance – great, good, bad and, yes, evil. But one category, the evil leader, deserves special mention. Several years ago, I was presented with a DVD of recordings… Read More »
[January 9, 2024] My brother Philip and I were a disagreeable duo, always creating chaos in the family household. Our mom would send us outside when things started to get out of hand. Our favorite game to play was Cowboys and Indians. Neighborhood friends would all get dressed up in our cowboy outfits, including a cowboy hat, boots,… Read More »
[January 7, 2024] When I returned from my first combat tour in Iraq, it was common for people to ask me if I had Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or if I was somehow traumatized. Their thinking was pretty typical, being unfamiliar with the terror of combat. The reality is that returning combat troops are better than their former… Read More »
[December 31, 2023] As I type this article, my last blog post of the year, my dog Bella is at my feet. She is sleeping there but also in her protective mode, guarding me from any danger lurking and unknown. A few days ago, she returned to the veterinarian’s office for a second emergency visit in a week. … Read More »
[December 29, 2023] Larry Elder is a hero of mine. He and I are almost the same age; we grew up under similar circumstances and were, at best, average at school sports. In an article published yesterday titled Success is not Just about Skill and Talent, Larry tells the story of his superbly skilled and talented friend who… Read More »
[December 27, 2023] A statue is not so much about the past as about our future. That is the best way to understand why we build statues. This simple observation does not mean statues are not about our past. But it does mean that we build statues to bargain with the future, to help bring about a better… Read More »
[December 24, 2023] Four years ago, a small group of men – all acquaintances – were discussing “doing something” for their community. One of these men knew and befriended a World War II veteran and his devoted daughter. The veteran was a highly decorated Army medic. After the veteran passed away, his daughter suggested to the group that… Read More »
[December 21, 2023] I’m convinced our human relationship with dogs is magical. Not magical like a flying dragon or the Loch Ness monster magical, but magical like extraordinary, irresistible, and amazing. We usually think of animals as social creatures, but within their own species and while that is undeniably true, dogs have a stronger social attraction to humans… Read More »
[December 12, 2023] I am fortunate to live in a rural community with a low crime rate, good and courteous people, reliable utilities, and proper local governance. Alas, there is always a Scrooge who wants to make things bad for others, and we have one who goes around photographing people’s homes and complaining. Their offense? They have Christmas… Read More »