An Ounce - For Your Consideration

It is one of those events in history that at first might cause a little grin. It was such an outrageous and unexpected event. But, upon discovering more about it, the grin fades, and the horror of the grisly reality can cause a gasp. What happened – and how? That question has been the subject of many a study and investigation – and most details have been figured out. What was this mayhem of molass...

About 1/2 mile from our home was a little marsh. And, along with the flowering dogwood trees, one of the ways we knew that spring was upon us, was that 100s of little frogs down in the marsh would start to sing.  The backyard was a perfect place to sit in the evening, watching the fireflies dance in our little grove of trees, viewing the brilliant colors in the sky change as the sun set, and liste...

Be wise enough to recognize that focus, courage, grit, and commitment can be found in places you might not expect. Anyone who chose’s to be courageous can accomplish more than you might think – and true courage may be found in those you might least suspect– including yourself.  Have you ever heard of Sgt Otybrskaya? A pretty amazing soldier in the Russian army during World War 2 on the eastern fro...

Does the world really need more platypode - or platypuses - or whatever? To answer my own rhetorical question. Maybe. But not without a second thought and some consideration. Think before you speak. Consider before you do.  "Is this really a good idea"?

Setting goals is a great way to improve and grow. The beginning of a new year is a traditional time to evaluate our lives - to see where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.  The new year's resolution is a common example of this. It’s a great time to think about what we want to accomplish, what we want to change, and who we want to become.  Goals can give us the power and persp...

This episode is the final one for the third season, and for 2021.  I get the privilege of sharing an interview with an extraordinary person, Kelli Charlton. She explores with us the concept of the 3 C’s. The 3 C's are an excellent prism to view life through. And, a great set of perspectives to view life through as we move forward into the new adventure of 2022!

Christmas is full of tradition, symbolism, and mythology. There are rituals handed down over generations, and new customs begin with family and friends. One of the more ancient traditions is the, sometimes lauded and often dreaded, Christmas Fruit Cake. (And no – I’m not referring to crazy aunt Mable)  Believe it or not, fruitcake has an interesting history covering over 2 millennia. And, even tod...

I’ve got a story for you about the life of one of the most well-known characters in entertainment history. This story will highlight some of the lesser-known facts about him. See if you can guess who it is before I tell you. This character is probably one of the most famous 'Mama’s Boys' ever. Though he never wrote his own music, he had an ingenious way of making the music uniquely his. ...

Idioms – defined as a phrase or group of words the represent a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase -or- an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but must be understood as a whole. American English idioms can be a nightmare for those learning to speak English. And, also cause a lot of confusion for those who just haven’t heard the expression...

As the wind blew, the bright-colored kite sailed aloft. A lone patch of color dancing in contrast to a gray fall ocean sky. A child in a warm coat and cap, with bright red cheeks, smiled has looked skyward and held the string that tethered the kite.  The kite however was not at all happy. But, no one would have known. Its frustration was not visible in the beautiful and vibrant colors. Its anger c...

Pride – Arrogance – Conceit. We can pretty quickly see these things in others. And, most of the time it’s annoying as heck. We often however can be completed clueless that we are just like those we disdain for their self-importance. Pride is funny that way. Those of us who know it all are often annoyed by those who think they do. You are almost never as cool, as tough, or as important as you think...

Who really wants to have to deal with challenges? They can so uncomfortable as to be painful, they may be so difficult that they seem impossible to bear, so definite that dreams can be crushed and hopes lost. There is an interesting quality in hardships and challenges that is often overlooked by myself and others. And, as we attempt to push through, we see only the challenge, the struggle, the pai...

The human tendency to see want we want to see is an innate condition. One that perhaps keeps us happy, by blinding us from what we don’t want to know – or just simplifying life by ignoring what we decide doesn’t matter.  Maybe it’s an outgrowth of “Confirmation Bias” that tends to open our eyes to see what we expect – or believe.  It could be the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon where - what one focuses...

Every home has the potential to have some extra uninvited guests. I am speaking of pests, bugs, or critters, and the like. But there are some things you can do about it. This episode is all about how and why you should.  In this episode, I have the privilege of an interview with Ryan Burke who works with a locally owned company called bug blasters. Ryan is a straight-shooting guy who is happy to a...

There have been some amazing things done in the name of science. Some, that today, seem absolutely ridiculous. Some seemed like a great idea - at the time. Some that actually proven to be great ideas. A few that could make your head explode with disbelief or amazement. Check it out…. There are a lot of ‘Sciences’. Some are more legit than others. But let's focus on one of the most important t...

Got a story about 2 sisters who aren’t that well known, but probably ought to be.  Let’s take a moment to set the stage… It was not until the mid to later part of the 20th century that most folks were able to travel from coast to coast in the US without a lot of preparation, plenty of fortitude, and a hefty bankroll.  In 1916 the United States was on the verge of entering WW1 and the Van Buren Sis...

The secret life of a spy. Anonymously watching an enemy, quietly passing information, dodging detection, living heroically, stoically, and quietly - and staying under the radar. Well, most spies are probably like that. In fact, most spies might describe their lives as discreet and somewhat boring – unless they get caught.  But, that’s the point right – avoid detection, don’t attract too much atten...

Here is a story that shows how completely different people are in the way they interpret what they witness – In how they comprehend what they see. Every person experience’s life differently. There are a lot of things that shape our perspective. We have different histories. We have divergent interests. We do not value things the same way. One has a passion for this – and the other for that. One has...

Have you ever meet someone who thinks they know it all? I have, and I can tell you those people really annoy people like me who really do know it all…. OK Everybody knows something – and if you speak with the most learned you’ll find – if they are honest with you – they will admit there is much more than they know they don’t know than there was before they began their studies. They find that the m...

Rod Allen shares the story of miracles in his life. How, along with the support and love of neighbors, he and his wife were able to face the potential loss of the 18-month-old son. Rod talks about the feeling of helplessness, have to watch his son through the glass as his condition deteriorated. Being brought to a point of humility where he and his wife had to accept whatever the Lord was going to...

You may not have heard of Violet Jessop – But, you should have. She is one of the luckiest – (or, depending on how you look at it perhaps unluckiest) – people who have ever lived. Her life was hit, up-close and head-on, in 3 well-known disasters at sea. -The Olympic -The Titanic -The HMHS (The Brittanic) She continued working at sea for another 35 years after the sinking of the Britannic and retir...

This episode begins with a story about a dreaded monster named contempt. And, how in spite of a wise wizard's message that the monster is a liar, the people reject the wizard and choose to keep the monster. Contempt is defined by Webster as ‘the act of despising: the state of mind of one who despises”. “Lack of respect or reverence for something” or someone. There are a lot of other words tha...

Vizzini (as played Wallace Shawn), a character from the classic film “The Princess Bride” famously said … “Haha! You Fool, you fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is, ‘never get involved in a land war in Asia,’ but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!’” There is another classic blunder that Vizzini failed...

How do you feel about your mistakes? Do they make you angry, embarrass you, make you feel like a failure, or cause you to want to give up? Do you blame them on someone else? Do you try to ignore them?  Do you repeat them again and again?  Have you ever tried to take hold of those mistakes, and own them, and let them make you better? I had a fun conversation with Charlotte, a 14-year-old cousin of...

Here we are at the close of another summer. Kids are back to school, the nights are cooling off, and if you haven’t yet, you’ll probably be watching a football game. Be it community league, College, Highschool, heck – you might be one of those who still watch the pro’s play in spite of the politics and the egomaniac personalities.  I get it. Back in 1978-79, before the internet – and shortly after...