PinnedMember-only60 quotes about 60 things I’ve learned in 60 yearsMy big divisible-by-five birthday has arrived! At past milestone birthdays and events, I’ve written lists of things I’ve learned during that time. For my 60th birthday, I’m doing something different. Here are 60 quotes from my speeches and books that reflect things I’ve learned in life. I need coffee to…Quotes9 min readQuotes9 min read
17 hours agoMember-onlyShut Up and Write the Book: Does it work?If you’re a writer, you probably have at least one shelf full of books about writing. You probably have a copy of Strunk & White, Stephen King’s On Writing, Writer’s Market, The Chicago Manual of Style, and a dictionary and thesaurus you haven’t opened for years because you now look…Novel Writing3 min readNovel Writing3 min read
Jan 31Member-onlyWe’ve all been Joseph OssaiThe AFC Championship was brutal for the Cincinnati Bengals, especially for Joseph Ossai. His late out-of-bounds hit of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the final seconds led to a 15-yard penalty that enabled the Chiefs to kick a game-winning field goal. You can point to dozens of other failures during…Mistakes2 min readMistakes2 min read
Jan 19Member-onlyAll the time in the worldA recent family medical emergency and another family member’s death got me thinking about age and time. From the moment we are born, we only have a certain amount of time left on earth. We don’t think about it when we’re young because we think we have all the time…Aging2 min readAging2 min read
Jan 10Member-onlyHow institutions changeAs an American, I have no position regarding the British Royal Family. We signed a paper in 1776 that settled this. But I’ve learned enough about English history to know this isn’t the first tiff within the Royal Family or the worst. …Prince Harry4 min readPrince Harry4 min read
Dec 29, 2022Member-onlyFun a Day Reseda — My 2023 ProjectIf you’ve been following my website, you already know about Fun a Day. You dedicate the month of January to creating art and later share it at a community event. I’ve taken part in Fun a Day Reseda for several years. …Contemporary Fantasy2 min readContemporary Fantasy2 min read
Dec 24, 2022Member-onlyWhat to wear when you’re speaking — revisitedAt Toastmasters, I learned the importance of dressing appropriately when giving a speech. Usually, this means wearing a suit. I once experimented with not wearing a suit to give a contest speech, and it didn’t work out. As a Distinguished Toastmaster, what do I think of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy…Toastmasters3 min readToastmasters3 min read
Dec 17, 2022Member-onlyLessons from 2022: The outcome of our choicesIt finally happened. Two years and nine months after the start of the pandemic, I finally got COVID. This comes as a relief in a strange way. I missed it when it ran through our house last year. When a coworker asked if I ever got it, I felt embarrassed…20223 min read20223 min read
Dec 14, 2022Member-onlyHanukkah and the silence of neighborsFrom the beginning of our history as Jews, people have wanted to kill us. This happens so often, we create holidays to celebrate the times nations tried and failed. At Passover, we celebrate Egypt’s failure by drinking four glasses of wine and finding creative uses for unleavened bread. At Purim…Hanukkah3 min readHanukkah3 min read
Dec 11, 2022Member-onlySilver Bells“Silver Bells” is one of those pleasant holiday songs you think little about. I’m sure I sang it in our high school Vocal Ensemble and possibly other caroling groups. Here’s Dean Martin’s version. It’s just about people shopping during the holidays. What’s the big deal about it? To me…Silver Bells2 min readSilver Bells2 min read
