I was so close to the door. I was just twelve feet away. A couple more steps and I would be free. I would be out the door with the prize in my pocket. I could taste the chocolate on my lips. When no one was looking, I had placed two Hershey's bars in my... Continue Reading →

We think we're good listeners. But, are we really? Numerous surveys over the years have shown that respondents think they're good listeners. One survey published in Psychology Today reported that 96 percent of respondents said they were always or sometimes good listeners. However, a study two years ago by two Carnegie Mellon professors showed that we... Continue Reading →

Oh, the crazy places the mind can go. In my post today, Remembering my why on The Heart of the Matter, I write about how I ran into several challenges recently, and had to think on my feet. As I was writing the post, I thought instantly about the old Trix cereal commercials of my... Continue Reading →

I have a serious worry. I joke about being a curmudgeon and stuck in my ways. I've never really been serious, but I'm starting to really wonder if I'm not becoming a crusty, ill-tempered, old man. I've noticed a few signs. I seem to complain about more things than usual, telling young kids whenever I... Continue Reading →

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’ve been blogging now for eight years. I was thinking about why I’ve enjoyed it so much. The answer has been an interesting one for me to analyze. On one hand, I love having a blog because I enjoy the constant need to come up with a new idea... Continue Reading →

I saw an interview a few years ago where Tom Hanks, the actor of Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, and many other movies, talked about his hobby of collecting vintage typewriters. He appreciates the craftsmanship and history behind them. His personal collection numbers about 250 machines. I'm nothing like Hanks. No Academy Awards in... Continue Reading →

When we were kids, we lived off the beaten path, about a five-minute drive out of town. Of course, this was before the days of 500 channels and on-demand streaming. Our choices for evening entertainment were limited. We got two of the Big Three Networks — NBC and a very blurry CBS — and that... Continue Reading →