I’ve lived through a great many Valentine’s Days. Most of them have been with my dear wife, thank goodness. Allow me a few observations of this “holiday.”First of all, it is not a holiday, not even for state and federal employees. Neither is it a Hallmark Holiday (i.e. Grandparents Day). This lovey-dovey day actually has a pretty dark and morbid origin. (This does not … [Read more...]
Word of the Year
Crotchety: Full of peculiar whims or stubborn notions; cantankerous; eccentricNext fall, I reach the mathematical end of another decade. Let’s just say it is one of the later decades. It seems I am already leaning in to the Word of the Year if you talk to my wife, children … OK, anyone who knows me. I’m not fighting the adjective. I especially like that Mr. Collins … [Read more...]
The Vertical Challenge
I’m short, maybe 5’3” when standing up straight. I used to be 5’4½” (half inches count when you are short of stature), but time and gravity have lowered my profile. I’ve heard a lot of short jokes in my life. Perhaps you recognize them.• I just played miniature golf with a short person. He just called it golf.• Is it harder for a short person to reach his goals?• I … [Read more...]
Life on the Farm
My wife is one of nine children and she has roughly 52 first cousins. Before I proceed, let me briefly divert to John Denver.John Denver? Millennials may say, “Who the heck was he?” Well, he was actually one of the top-selling pop music artists of the 1970’s. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was one of his #1 hits, but many of his songs focused on country life. Here are some … [Read more...]
‘Tis the Season for Some Imperfection
My imaginary alter ego visits me this time every year. She knows I’m a mom preparing to host Thanksgiving dinner, buy Christmas gifts for five children and various friends and extended family, and make the holiday season feel special. And she tells me I need her to pull it off.A mix between professional organizer and ghost of holidays past, she typically begins her … [Read more...]