“The good life,” any idea what that is? Advertisers suggest it’s hanging out with Snoop Dogg on a white-sand beach drinking Corona beer! Some say it’s retirement. Others say it’s a million bucks in an investment account! Still others are “Searching for some other place to be.” I was thinking about my definition of “the … Continue reading “The Good Life”

Summer is in the rearview mirror. Autumn’s blowing by us in the passing lane, and the ghosts of Round Lake have returned. Exiting Leder Bay on the last pontoon boat ride of the season, we passed the small island in front of our cabin. The popular beach was empty, but I could clearly see Bryan … Continue reading “Ghosts”

I wrote this series out of concern for the future of our democracy. The most significant problem we face as a nation is our growing separation from one another. Previously trusted institutions, including government, business, and religion, fail to champion needed solutions. My thesis is that we’ve reached a point where change is required from … Continue reading “Better Together, Conclusion”

People rarely change without strong intentions and a lot of practice. We are habitual creatures. Even a modest change in behavior takes at least 40 consecutive days of practice to initiate a routine. I have no idea why 40 days is magic. Still, I’ve found that if I adopt a new behavior for forty straight … Continue reading “Better Together, Part 4: “We Can Work It Out””

“Tell me why is it hard to make arrangements with yourself?” -Neil Young If you’ve hung with me to this point in the series, you know that I believe the most significant problem America faces is our growing separation from one another. It’s a problem because “separation” is wired into our consciousness. Each individual experiences … Continue reading “Better Together: Part 3, “Tell Me Why””

In the introduction and Part 1 of this series, I made two claims: The first was that our growing separation from one another is the most significant problem our nation faces. The second was that our disagreements are, in a sense, “wired in,” arising from the unique context of our experience and predispositions. On the … Continue reading “Better Together, Part 2: “To Our Children’s, Children’s, Children””

How did we get to be so politically divided? It seems like a simple question, but I’ve yet to come across a definitive answer. I believe it comes down to the fact that it’s impossible to put oneself in another’s shoes. Perhaps our views would change if we exchanged backgrounds and life experiences with a … Continue reading “Better Together, Part 1: “There’s Only You and Me, and We Just Disagree.””

“Better Together” is a new series addressing our Nations’s greatest problem, our growing separation from one another. ———————————————— In a recent survey, more than fifty percent of college students said they would refuse to date someone from the opposite political party. A lot has changed since I was in school! Earlier this year, I had … Continue reading “Better Together, Introduction”

—————————————————————— Please Note: This will be my last post until after the Labor Day Holiday. I’m freeing up time to work on a new series. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait. —————————————————————— Basketball fans are familiar with commentators’ use of the term “Bigs,” referring to a team’s star seven-footers. Dr. Julie Krull, author of … Continue reading ““Smalls””

“The world is deep; deeper than day can comprehend.” -Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche’s statement is born out in the new James Webb telescope (JWT) image of deep space. If you missed it, here it is: The image contains thousands of galaxies like our Milky Way. It took light from the most distant galaxies in the image … Continue reading “A Question Of Belief”

Most of us fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to someone else and coming up short. Perhaps the comparison involves an accomplished friend or an admired artist. I’m certainly guilty of this. After playing a tune on the guitar or writing a post, I’ll often compare the result to a song I’m attempting to … Continue reading “The True Measure Of A Life”

The title quote is attributed to Yogi Berra. It’s absurd yet relatable! My academic training was in economics, specializing in price forecasting. Forecasting involves applying statistical models to past data to anticipate future events. In applying my newly minted knowledge to the business world, I quickly discovered the truth in another Yogi line: “In theory, … Continue reading ““The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be””

The other day I was cutting up downed limbs left over from bad winter storms at the cabin. Afterwards, I was exhausted. I suppose I need to step up my aerobic exercise. No big deal! Sometimes, storms disturb our inner peace. When that occurs (and it always does), it is a big deal. Whether we … Continue reading “The Inner Journey (6-Minute Read)”

During my thirty-five years of employment, I had eleven bosses. Most were great. However, a few were not. MJ’s wise council got me through the not-so-great ones. She told me to carefully watch the bosses I disliked and figure out why, and then make sure I never exhibited those behaviors with people that answered to … Continue reading “Good Bosses”

It’s hard to overstate the influence Dad had on my life. He wasn’t so much a buddy, like Mom. Instead, he was more of a revered coach. Conversations with Dad were never casual. In my adult years, our frequent discussions centered on economics, politics, and investment finance. Dad was a staunch conservative. Though we often … Continue reading “Remembering Dad”

This post is a little late this morning because I didn’t have anything prepared when I woke up. Luckily, David French’s blog, “The French Press,” supplied a wonky-sounding term that stimulated some thoughts. The term was “stochastic terrorism.” It refers to violent events that can’t be precisely predicted but whose probability rises as the flames … Continue reading “Thoughts Matter”

About four weeks ago, the ice finally went off the NW Wisconsin lake where our cabin is. This year, it took its sweet time, courtesy of a cold, wet Spring. I love getting up early on summer mornings and taking the kayak out. Calm conditions offer a rare glimpse of a beautiful aquatic world normally … Continue reading “Learning To Be Still”

This past weekend I was playing with our 21-month-old Granddaughter in the yard, and Kahlil Gibran’s (1883-1931) beautiful poem “On Children” came to mind: “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself.” He continued: “their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, … Continue reading “Not Even In Your Dreams”

My Dad grew up on a farm without electricity or indoor plumbing. Throughout his life, he waxed nostalgic about the “Good ole days.” As a kid, I listened to his stories and thought, no thanks, I like switching on the lights and flushing the toilet! Now that I’m an elder, I fear I am falling … Continue reading “A Little Soon To Say”

My Grandmother lived in a small rural community in Southern Indiana. Letters to her were addressed; Grandma Coats, Pekin, Indiana 47165. No street address was needed. When visiting Grandma, everything would be found exactly as it had been. I can close my eyes and picture every item in her house. The only new thing Grandma … Continue reading “A Different Era”