How do you spice up your marriage? Years and years ago, I had an older friend, Harry, who became a bit of a mentor. We’d met through our respective consulting businesses. He’d been around the block more times than I had, and he possessed something I lacked -- wisdom. Harry had a way of distilling… Continue reading The Thursday Jar
I met Judy Shields in the autumn of 1964. It was at a church youth group dance. They called it “Young Peoples” in those days. At one point in the evening, full of life and sparkling with energy, Judy approached me, chattering on as if she’d known me for years. Not yet aware of how… Continue reading Girl-Crazy #2
My fashion philosophy is, if you’re not covered in dog hair, your life is empty.” Elayne Boosler Who doesn’t love their dog? When Melissa and I first married, we didn’t have a dog, even though we were both dog lovers. Before adopting our first, we used to drive around with a large plush Pongo (from… Continue reading The Family Dog
When our youngest daughter was eight, she wanted a mouse. A white mouse. We already had a pretty good dog, but Leah wanted a mouse. My wife, Melissa, has an aversion to rodents, so you can probably guess who Leah approached to maximise her probability of success. As a management consultant in one of my… Continue reading I Can’t Talk!
What do you remember about your first kiss? I’d speculate it wasn’t as traumatic as mine. The Hurley sisters lived right across Winston Road from our house. I vaguely remember them as twins or at least close in age, and a year or two older than my seven years. Adele Hurley and her sister had… Continue reading First Kiss
There's no straight lines make up my life,All my roads have bends."from "Circle" by Harry Chapin When acquaintances ask about my backstory, I often laugh and say that I’ve taken a “scenic route” through life. “Scenic” denotes a leisurely drive along picturesque backroads, taking in breathtaking vistas or pastoral landscapes. But such a romantic picture… Continue reading No Straight Lines
A lie stands on one leg, the truth on two."Benjamin Franklin Melissa and I have been lying to our kids for over twenty years. We had three of our four babies when we were living in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Our house was a hundred and twenty-five-year-old late Victorian with a slate Mansard roof. An historic landmark… Continue reading The Disappearing Pool
Years ago, when I was immersed in graduate studies, one of my mentors suggested I start an “encouragement file”. It was a casual, out-of-the-blue suggestion at the time, but one I now acknowledge as packed with wisdom. Thankfully, I listened to my mentor and established an encouragement file back in 2003. First, one lonely note… Continue reading Words from the Heart
(The following true story occurred about two years after my house fire incident recounted in “Dogs Can’t Talk”.) How is it that you meet someone just momentarily in life, but her name becomes permanently etched in your memory? When I was thirteen, my Southern Ontario town built an arena at the end our our street. … Continue reading Girl-Crazy #1
Everyone names pets. Some people name body parts. At our house, we name our vehicles. We didn’t always do that, but it is becoming a tradition. It all started with a 1994 BMW 3-Series. Since he was assembled in Munich, we gave him a nice Germanic name, "Hans". When we sized-up to a 7-seater Mazda… Continue reading What do You Name?
The more that you read, the more things that you’ll know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.Dr. Seuss My eldest daughter unintentionally inspired me to read a book-a-week this year. Of course, she’s a well-practiced, voracious reader. For me, it’s more of a stretch. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t read… Continue reading Cover to Cover
Peace in the Home 