“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” ~ Nelson Mandela Being resilient isn’t just about hanging in there or enduring; it’s about coming back even stronger after a setback. It’s a lot like farming. A farmer prepares the soil, plants seeds, and waters them. […]
That may seem like an odd title for this post because it’s a celebration of the Holiday Season, a reflection of my incorrigibly stubborn hopefulness, and an acknowledgement of the inscrutability of human nature. So, perhaps I should explain. The world, as you likely know, is rife with turmoil. I say as you likely know […]
Since the beginning of America, we have been a very giving people. Starting with the Pilgrims in 1630, neighbors relied on each other to survive the harsh winters. The settlers raised each other’s barns, hosted quilting bees for the community, and built common areas in their towns. Benjamin Franklin, one of the most famous American […]
Those of you who’ve been to the dance with me likely know of my baby brother, Woody. I’m his legal Guardian and Conservator. The day before Thanksgiving, he wasn’t feeling well. One of the staff members from his group home took him to the emergency room (ER). His blood pressure was 66/45. He was kept […]
An artist is someone who has a special and unique connection to the inner self bringing to the world a deep emotional releasing that can be felt at the core. Madison Tayor powerfully expresses feelings and the relationship between the human experience and the unspoken parts through her lyrics and songs. She grew up with […]
According to The Washington Post, our teacher shortage has grown 35% in the 37 states they monitor to over 49,000 vacancies. For example, Arizona has 2,890 openings, more than 1,000 from the previous year. West Virginia was missing 1,500 teachers, which is a 50% increase from the previous year. So, what is causing this shortage […]
I don’t think I fully understood or appreciated the effect political correctness has had on language until I took my car to the repair shop one morning last week. Ernie, the service manager who wrote up my service order, told me he’d call to let me know what his team found, to get my permission […]
Some years ago, I wrote the first piece in what’s now, with the publishing of this piece, turned out to be a series. Who knew? A common expression says there are no guarantees in life. Since, as Grandpa O’Brien loved to say (among a million other things), “It’s the exception that proves the rule,” there […]
Because I love true crime shows, it should come as no surprise that I love the Oxygen True Crime channel. My favorite show on the channel is New York Homicide. I love New York cops just because I love the way New York cops talk. And even if the show were a waste of 59 […]
According to the United States Census, 1 in 6 people in the United States are 65 and older. That compares to 1 in 20, a hundred years ago back in 1920. Social Security benefits are received by 48.6 million Americans. 10,000 Baby Boomers are turning 65 each day. Introduction Retirement is a significant life transition […]
