Better sleep

I have officially reached “I-can’t-sleep-through-the-night-anymore” years-old. There were no parties with black balloons to mark the occasion. It snuck up on me. I knew it was coming based on the tales of my elders, but I mistakenly thought I had many more years of sound sleep before these restless nights set in. My chief problem … Continue reading Better sleep →

Working remotely or remotely working?

I do not like to work remotely. You may be following the news out of Amazon these days, even if you mistakenly click on a headline thinking it was an update on one of your package deliveries. On Sept. 16, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy sent a memo to employees that sent reverberations throughout the world: … Continue reading Working remotely or remotely working? →

Full driveway, full house, full heart

Carla and I are in the stage before the empty nest, whatever that’s called. We’re not quite empty nesters because we still have one at home in high school. We’re more like intermittently semi-occupied nesters. Is that a thing? If not, I’m calling it. We’re ISONs. In this stage, our house can go from empty … Continue reading Full driveway, full house, full heart →

Letting them figure it out

Parenting today involves a lot of heavy equipment, evidently. From “helicopter parenting” to “lawnmower parenting” and even “bulldozer parenting,” much has been made on social media, in the press and scholarly journals on the impact on a person’s psychology when parents are too involved in their children’s lives and deny them the opportunity to overcome … Continue reading Letting them figure it out →

Projects and piddlin’

I spent Labor Day weekend with my folks in Lake Wales, Fla., and tried my best to complete as many projects as I could in three days. I don’t get down there as often as I should, and I mean no disrespect when I say this, they are at an age where they need assistance … Continue reading Projects and piddlin’ →

Pep rallies

Who doesn’t love a pep rally? They’re loud, boisterous, emotionally overwrought and typically focused on sports and athletes. If that isn’t your scene, you may not be into it. But even if you aren’t naturally a pep rally person, you have to admit, you could use a cheering crowd from time to time to get … Continue reading Pep rallies →

Football season

Exactly what constitutes “football season” has become a moving target for me. This old dog is learning some new tricks. I am on a journey from being a fan of football to becoming a fan of football. Or, to be more precise, moving from American football to association football, which I have always known as … Continue reading Football season →

And then there were two

For 13 to 20 years the cycle of our lives includes going back to school. Whether it was a highly anticipated or traumatic experience doesn’t matter. Back-to-school season imprints so heavily on our psyche that it dominates our thoughts and haunts our dreams even if we aren’t actually the ones going back to school. Then … Continue reading And then there were two →

A night out with Radney

I’m not a complicated man. You can get me to part with my money in a hurry if you follow this simple formula: ‘90s country music star + Texas-born singer/songwriter + intimate venue = sale. It’s a pretty straightforward algorithm, and the internet has figured me out. Back in the late spring, Spotify sent me … Continue reading A night out with Radney →

Unaccompanied minors

Out of sight is not out of mind when you’re a parent. When your children are toddlers, you develop a sixth sense. You instinctively know that if you don’t see them and it’s quiet, trouble is afoot. I learned this summer that sense stays with you the rest of your life. It is especially acute … Continue reading Unaccompanied minors →