I almost made a huge, life-altering mistake yesterday. I'm not going to get into the details - suffice it to say that I had pulled the trigger on this action, and was going to go through with it. I consulted with people that had experienced the same thing, and I thought my decision was the … Continue reading Regret

Two clarifications: first, it was more like two years. Second, it wasn't as glamorous as all that. I learned to play guitar in high school. I've always been able to carry a tune; my mediocre voice and average guitar skills kept me playing in my living room for many years, never believing that I was … Continue reading My Year of Living the Rock Star Life

While too much of something is always a bad idea, the converse - not enough of something - can be equally as bad. Case-in-point - staying informed with what passes for news these days. I was thinking about this as my spouse watched her Sunday morning pair of news programs - This Week with George Stephanopoulos and Meet the Press with Chuck Todd. She … Continue reading Impasse

I used to be a runner. I ran almost every day - three miles, just like clockwork. I ran in numerous 5K races, did a couple of 10K's, and even did a half-marathon in December of 2015. That half-marathon was the end of my running habit. I had not prepared as well as I thought … Continue reading The Once and Future Runner

I suspect that people who close Venetian blinds up instead of down are the same demented individuals who install new rolls of toilet paper under rather than over. I came to this realization rather recently. I don't believe it's a left-handed vs. right-handed thing, or a left-brain vs. right-brain situation. My assumption is that people … Continue reading The Blinds Leading The Blinds

Words matter. One of my favorite examples: on the semantic surface, one might think that butt dial and booty call certainly must mean something similar, if not the same thing entirely; their meanings, as I'm sure you are aware, are not even remotely the same. While it may be true that certain butt dials may result in a … Continue reading Words and Meaning

We decided a few months ago to replace the wallpaper in our dining room. It was very outdated, and with the holidays approaching, we thought it would be a nice touch, sort of liven up the room when everyone was over for Christmas dinner. We're very much the DIY type, so we spent a few … Continue reading Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Every morning, I carve out thirty to forty-five minutes to wake up. I used to do this by drinking coffee and watching the news. Lately, I've been using this time to finish up what I was unable to complete the day before. This morning, when I should have been finishing the podcast I was listening … Continue reading Swearing Up A Storm

Philanthropist Melinda Gates said, "I choose a word of the year - a word that encapsulates my aspirations for the twelve months ahead." I could unleash a sesquipedalian buildup to what word I would choose, but assuming the graphic I uploaded with this post is resolving properly on whatever device you are currently reading using, … Continue reading Intention

I’m always tempted during this time of the year to compile a list of New Year’s resolutions. I have, in fact, prepared such a list. A list of ten mini sure-fire self-improvement plans. Ten behavioral changes guaranteed to make me a better friend, a better husband, a better employee - a better person. They range … Continue reading The New Year

I've gotten into The Minimalists podcast lately, and recently they mentioned the Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus. I'd never heard of him, so I did some reading up on him. He was born in what is now Turkey in 55 A.D., and was sold into slavery and moved to Rome to serve in the household of … Continue reading I’ve Got Stoicism On My Mind