My next-door neighbor, Bob, is a good guy. He’s a kid’s doctor. He drives a motorcycle and has tatoos, but has a gentle nature that children … and their parents … adore. In summers past we have leaned on rakes and talked politics and weather. We have shoveled the shared sidewalks in the freezing cold and dug out fence posts that blew over with strong spring rains. He has two great kids who are polite and fun-loving. They look adults... Read more
He pulled the rope taut, and with a flick of the wrist and lightning quick motions with his thumb and forefinger and he had a knot. I was nine and amazed. Image by mr.smashy I wanted to tie knots. I began to dream of all the things I could connect rope to. I could tie one on the branch of a tree and swing on a tire like I’d seen on The Waltons. I could pull my wagon with my bike... Read more
There’s plenty to occupy the mind of the pessimist. A Bleak economy. Bad news around the world. A protracted war. Heavy traffic. Moral decline.Indigestion. Post nasal drip. You name it – and it’s happening in very real ways. Image by Ankher via Flickr If you are pessimist by nature, you’ve got to be feeling a little smug right now. It doesn’t help that the current presidential selection process is based on who has the worst news to reveal.I can hear the nay-sayer now.... Read more
The best-selling toys from this last Christmas season were hi-tech inventions, full of innovation and wizardry. Many of them need batteries or a manual. If I was a kid, I might be fascinated with them for a while, but then go back to something simple. If you look at the best-selling toys of all time include the Hula Hoop, the View Master, the Slinky, the Pet Rock, Zhu Zhu pets, Mr. Potato Head, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Gameboys, Barbie, and Nerf... Read more
His name was Ed and he liked to talk. The administrator down the hall was one of those guys. He had a story for every situation. He’d been everywhere. He’d done everything. Ed had driven trucks for 12 years. He ran a pool hall for six years. He served as a hunting outfitter for four years and had been in his current job for 21 years. When I did the math, he was well north of 80 years old —... Read more
How do you gain respect in your workplace? Leave a comment here. Sports fan or not, if you want to be respected, this post is for you. The big news in the sporting world is that Quarterback Tim Tebow led an unlikely charge of the Denver Broncos into the second round of the playoffs. They lost to the Patriots, but there’s more to the story. Image by Jeffrey Beall via Flickr Tebow was a Heisman Trophy winner and led the University of Florida... Read more
I remember the impact of that one e-mail I sent. I added a snarky comment about the boss — it was funny, but terribly wrong. As soon as I hit “send”, I wish I could have taken it back. There was the time I picked my teenage son up and “strongly encouraged” him out the door to do a chore. He had been shuffling, dawdling, delaying the inevitable and I gave him a push and he tripped on the way... Read more
I finally did it. That one box in the garage that has been tightly sealed for years is now gone. I was keeping it because I thought the contents had value, either real or just sentimental. After I went through it with a realistic and open mind, I shipped most of it off to goodwill. I have no regrets. I suspect you are a little like me. Getting rid of things isn’t always easy. I’m not like those unbelievable people on... Read more
The High Calling is a wonderful resource for those who seek to integrate their faith into the every day. Each week, there are articles on culture, family, leadership and work. I’m honored to be on staff, editing the weekly newsletter and submitting occasional articles. This week, Sandra Sims is featuring a series of “best of 2011” articles, culling from hundreds of articles last year. So far, she have featured the Best of Books, the Best of Leadership, the Best of... Read more
I have a lifetime of snapshots. Some are on paper, printed on shiny stock and filed away in envelopes. Some are just left on my computer. But most are in my mind, memories of where I’ve been, what I’ve done. W With time, some of them fade. Others, I cannot shake. Some I wish I could remember just a little clearer. We went to Disneyland when I was a boy, but the only thing i can recall is standing at... Read more
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