I flipped through my paper one last time. Looking back now, I'm not sure what I was checking. I couldn't have changed anything. I had been up late, the wee hours the night before, finishing up the ten-page paper on American General Douglas MacArthur. "I thought for sure you said we had another week," I... Continue Reading →
Where do we get these sayings?
Sometimes Pennsylvania feels like the center of the universe for folksy sayings, slang, and idioms. When I'm out and about, often times I'll hear something. The writer in me makes me stand up and take notice. Oh, you have the yinz and youse comments, meaning "you all. There are other peculiarities like wooder for water.... Continue Reading →
The Big Three: Vibing
The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, April 27 – May 3. What I'm grateful for: —Early mornings. We have an... Continue Reading →
Who said money grows on trees!
I've watched as the New York Stock Exchange has experienced high volatility in recent months. One day it's up, the next it's a giant meteor crashing to the Earth. The S&P 500, the index tracking the performance of the 500 largest companies in the U.S., has experienced mixed numbers this year. While it was up 4.6%... Continue Reading →
Wearing my emotions on my sleeve
My lying face could use some work. My wife and I occasionally play cards. We'll play gin rummy or poker. She's a great player. I just try to keep up with her. I'll take a deep breath and look at my cards. I tell myself to keep a straight face. I try to talk myself... Continue Reading →
The diagnosis: Live like you were dying
(A version of this story ran in November 2019.) The dentist came into the room with a copy of my dental x-ray in his hand. He gave me a big smile that actually made me more nervous and went out of his way to promote the benefits of the practice’s 360-degree panoramic x-ray machine. He... Continue Reading →
Fighting the good fight
I've had a few challenges in recent weeks. It's been nothing earth-shattering, just the usual work and home highs and lows that we all face. For whatever reason, I was getting a little down in the dumps the other day. My breaking point came as I was looking over several bills that came in the... Continue Reading →
The Big Three: Good boy!
The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, April 20 – 26. What I'm grateful for: —You can do it! Our Lhasa... Continue Reading →
People watching gone wild
I sit in my seat in my local library and sneak a peek at the guy with the long sleeve Henley shirt, jeans, and running shoes with orange bottoms. I give him a long look. He's head down, his face in a notebook. He's got a backpack and jacket spread out on the table in... Continue Reading →

You must be logged in to post a comment.