I’m a storyteller who tries to make sense of everything life throws at us, and maybe even find the humor in things.
When I was a young kid and well into my teenager years, I loved to curl up on the sofa in our living room and read the Sunday comics. I cared little initially about the rest of the paper — the dark and drab side, as I used to call it — but I pored … More Life lessons from Peanuts, Calvin & Hobbes & Company
Several years ago, a friend and coworker called me out of the blue and before I even had time to say hello, she was greeting me with the latest news. “Did you see the note I just sent you? Can you believe it? Another freaking org change? Can you believe this crap?” We were off … More The search for Bosom Buddies
When I was a teenager, I would go to a state park near my house to run on the trails to get ready for the cross country and track seasons. Other times I would hike in the woods to relax and clear my mind. I loved that the trees hung low, the brush was thick, … More Childhood feelings coming out of hiding
I clicked the button and my screen went blank. For half a second, I stared straight ahead, thinking what the hell had just happened. I couldn’t believe it. I was helping my client with an issue and had offered to prepare a presentation and a few talking points for her for upcoming Town Hall meeting. I … More Disappearing into thin air
I tried to sprint the final 20 yards, but my legs felt like slabs of concrete. I straightened up my posture, but I was instantly back to being hunched over like an old man. My breaths came in deep gulps. I turned a corner in the trail, hit my stopwatch and shuffled my feet to … More Better . . . stronger . . . faster!
I try to write a little each night. You know the tortoise from Aesop’s Fable, The Tortoise and the Hare — well, the tortoise and his “slow and steady wins the race” pace is me. Yes, imagine me with my hard outer shell cranking away each night at my laptop. In the story, the tortoise walks slowly … More The ups and downs of a writer
Kids love to play dress-up. Educators tell us that imaginative play boosts problem-solving skills, creative thinking, and helps manage emotions. Kids create situations and scenes and then act them out. In the long run, they become well-adjusted adults. When I was a kid, I was pretty typical, I loved to play policeman, soldier, cowboys, and mimic … More Playing dress-up
My wife had several children’s books sprayed across our kitchen table this week. Of course, I had to look at them. In that moment, I was nine- or ten-years-old again getting ready for elementary school and wolfing down my soggy cereal, while reading from whatever book gripped my attention that week. One of the books … More An open book
The elderly woman held tight onto her checkbook in her hand and was trying to get the lawyer’s attention. He worked full-time as a family law and real estate attorney, but helped support his business by also serving as a local municipal solicitor. He had his back turned to the woman and was giving me … More One good deed deserves another
I’m amazed by the way my wife’s brain works. She’ll set out a challenging jigsaw puzzle and she sees things that I could never see in a million years. She sees color and shape patterns. She’ll see a small glint of gray and knows without hesitation that it goes with a dark blue piece off … More A puzzling problem
The Heart of the Matter 