When my middle son was in first grade, he found a little yellow frog in our toy box. It was one of those small toys that you get out of a coin-operated vending machine. For a three week period, the 50 cent toy meant the world to him. He carried it with him wherever he... Continue Reading →
Who’s got your back on Difficult Days?
There's an often told A.A. Milne story about Winnie the Pooh having a tough day. Piglet asks if he wants to talk about it and Pooh says that he doesn't think he does. Piglet says that's okay, but instead of walking away, he sits down next to his friend. Pooh's not sure what's going on... Continue Reading →
Things people want to know, but rarely ask
We all have questions on things that don't always make sense to us. Here's a few questions I have on life. Some are whimsical, some are serious: --When you open a door that says "Emergency Exit Only. Door Must Remain Closed At All Times," what really happens? Will a blaring alarm go off? Or is... Continue Reading →
If I ever . . .
Hear me out. If I ever finish my book. If I ever sell millions of copies and become moderately famous. If I then get asked to speak before a crowd of adoring fans and readers and need to come up with a funny entertaining speech . . . I want to be just like Fredrik... 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 →
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 →
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 →
All dressed up & nowhere to go
I need some help from my readers. I make a regular trip for coffee to Wawa, a convenience store near my house. I often grab a soft pretzel and a soda for later. I'm usually dressed in shorts or sweatpants and maybe a t-shirt. If I'm running straight from a Zoom meeting, I'll have on... Continue Reading →
The simple skills we fail to learn in high school
(A version of this story ran on March 20, 2016.) My day had not started well. I forgot that I needed to drop my son at school and I was running late to work. I still needed to make a few tweaks to a presentation I was giving later that morning and I desperately needed... Continue Reading →

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