Just as I was adjusting to losing a job, its income, and benefits (see last week’s email if you missed that bit of excitement), this happened. First, let me be clear; I am fortunate. I’m not out on the streets or sleeping on friends’ sofas (done that before). My gratitude for all I have is […]
Have you ever taught a cat to bark? It’s a very involved process. You will spend weeks, months, and years diligently repeating your instructions to the cat, “I need you to bark.” You may even demonstrate to your feline companion the exact sound you desire them to produce. Morning, noon, and night you will drill […]
It should have been a simple event. There should have been no stress, just relaxed fun with a group I enjoy spending time with. On deck was a small (35-40 person) supper staffed by a seasoned group of volunteers. Planning meetings were perfunctory; supply lists were drawn up, assignments were selected, and with one week […]
When I left you last week, I was standing in the basement of my 200-year-old house, with water falling through the floorboards after a pipe above my dining room ceiling burst. Waves of panic, fear, and anxiety rose as rapidly as the water dancing around my ankles. A decision is required, but which path […]
Earlier this week, temperatures here in Maine dropped into the negatives, with air temps landing around -20 with wind-chill dropping to -30 and beyond. My home is almost 200 years old, and while in remarkable condition, frigid temperatures require specific attention. Books, blogs, and YouTube were each tapped, and as the thermometer dropped, my checklist […]
Wendy – Hey, Boomer I fell the other day! All because I wanted to go outside for a healthy walk on a warm winter day. Well, that is not exactly the reason I fell. I fell because I was trying to be a good person. Wait, that is not exactly right either. Here is what […]
An Interview That Changed His Life It was late in the 1950s, and a Navy officer, fresh out of Annapolis, was hours into an interview with the admiral who single-handedly created the world’s first nuclear Navy through sheer willpower and determination. No one worked on one of his atomic subs who had not survived one […]
I have read that the nightmare of standing on a stage, under bright performance lights, as the curtain rises and realizing that you are stark naked is more common than people imagine. Realizing the shared nature of that horrible dream should ease my shame around the stupid mistakes dotting the landscape of my life. But […]
Adults, who have returned to their parent’s home for any length of time for any possible reason, may resonate with this little story. On the surface, it’s simple, but the current of its implications runs deep. I was a fat kid. No getting around that. Eating my feelings was my standard approach to life going […]
A New Year, A Little Confusion, and Some Positive Intelligence Big questions and some confusion as the new year lifts off. It’s Monday morning, 02 January 2023, and I’m writing this before joining my family to watch the Rose Parade, something we look forward to every year. Before leaving the guest bedroom at the family […]
