Have you ever been in one of those meetings that are so excruciating that they threaten to suck the marrow from your bones? I have. During one of those long and tortuous meetings, I noticed that we were making no progress at all despite several hours of intense discussion on the topic, let’s call it … More Words, Words, Words
Nine years ago tomorrow my 79-year-old dad got on a bike to get a little exercise, was three blocks from home when he collided with a car, suffered blunt force trauma to his neck, and then died almost instantly. There have been many times I’ve wanted to change the reality of that description above. Sometimes … More Gratitude versus Greed
“One person caring about another represents life’s most significant value.” Jim Rohn I was struck by a moment of utter, age-related joy a few weeks ago which then turned to age-related horror. Given that we are discussing gratitude this month what better time can there be to share. Please note however, I AM poking fun … More Still Younger…With Some Wiser Tossed In
Hello, October! This month at Heart of the Matter we’re focusing on courage, or as my sometimes-countrified father might’ve said, “gumption”. I loved how my papa could pivot from a corporate, buttoned-up dude to his downhome, rural roots. One of his charms, I think. He had a knack for putting people at ease and it … More The Courage Bucket
I’d guess 90% of my days are pretty predictable. That is to say, there is probably a low probability of randomness within any given day. Sure, we might head out for an evening walk to pet some bunnies and end up going to the ice cream shop, and making new friends along the way. But … More One Thing Led to Another
It’s been a wild and wonderful week with activities related to the official launch of my book, “Surviving Sue”. I thought I was humbled before – grateful for the interest and support from friends and family – but the intensity grew as the week unfolded. I share a “Peek Inside” the launch party on Victoria … More When We Get Swept Up in Self
The other day I had a moment where I was sitting out on my back steps in the sun. My kids and I had been gardening with my mom and I stopped for a moment to look at a splinter that had penetrated my gardening gloves and was embedded in my thumb. Of course, I … More A Brief Moment in Time
My dad died just a week before Father’s Day in 1997. I’ve written about him a bit because he was a source of tremendous strength to me throughout my childhood. He carried burdens of his own but still managed to set an example of how to be a good human. Wynne and I recorded a … More Watering the Fence
I have a strange, strange habit. It dates to when I first became a newspaper reporter. Some people have healthy, life-sustaining habits like getting out and exercising each day, drinking plenty of water, or going to sleep at a set time each day, while others have questionable ones like playing with their hair, cracking their … More Life lessons from an unlikely place
My book, “Surviving Sue” (coming soon) is about my mother who suffered from alcoholism, depression, anxiety, Munchausen’s by Proxy and more. It’s a lot…I know…and I promise every upcoming post from me won’t be about it. 😉 However, Wynne and I know that many of our blogging friends have powerful, inspirational stories to tell about families. This topic … More Growing Into Writing
The Heart of the Matter 