Rachel’s granddad passed away recently. His name was Cliff Davis, and he almost made it to the ripe old age of 91. He lived with Grandma on the second level of Rachel’s parents’ home, and I loved seeing both of them whenever we went up there to visit. I felt like I got to know Granddad Davis over the last few years better than even my own grandparents - who ...
I didn’t know if it would ever happen – me meeting someone who was everything I ever wanted. And then I did, completely out of the blue, while I was serving at a summer camp in North Carolina. Her name was Rachel. We dated for two years, tied the knot, and now five full years have gone by and I’m married with two kiddos. Geez. That happened fast. Over these ...
In every great story, someone is fighting for what they believe in. Something dear to their heart. Something that is much bigger than their own life. When we think about our favorite movies, we recognize that Frodo is fighting for the survival of Middle Earth. Wonder Woman is fighting to preserve human kind. James Bond and Ethan Hunt (from the Mission Impossible franchise) both fight for the lives of those ...
I recently saw this slogan on a t-shirt. It feels right, and is super inspiring. But is it a healthy mentality? Will it actually lead to the life I really want?
In my classes at the university, I sometimes give my students extra credit. Most of the time, it is specific to the subject matter I’m teaching, but occasionally I mix it up and ask them to do something that will stretch their brain and get them out of their comfort zone. For example, i've asked them to partner up with a fellow student and learn a hand-clap (or hand-jive) song. ...
I fly on a regular basis for work, and I’ve dealt with all of the typical hassles that might face a person while on a plane. This includes turbulence, smelly people, inconsiderate seat-back-recliners, smoke in the cabin, and…kids. Kids on planes are challenging simply because they are kids and generally fidgety, but sometimes you have kids on planes who are not just challenging but who act absolutely insane. They cry ...
New Year’s Resolutions are normal, healthy, logical, and helpful. They springboard and incentivize us to make positive changes. I understand why we make them, and why I made them for a very long portion of my life. But when I consider the driving motivation for me personally with these January commitments to myself, it clearly reminds me why I stopped. Resolutions are typically prompted by a feeling of discontent. At ...
As the pages of the calendar keep turning, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I spend my time recently. Actually, this is something I regularly have tried to do – the periodic evaluation and recalibration of what I do during my waking hours. I think we all can agree that time (not money) is our most precious resource, and we’re specifically encouraged to make the very most of our ...
Have you ever bought anything on Craigslist? For me, it’s always a little nerve-wracking, not because I’m afraid that I will get mugged or killed but because I’ve been screwed over before. I was in the market for a Bosu ball – and I’m not sure if you know what that is, but you probably have seen it at your local gym. It’s basically half of a Pilates ball attached ...
Recently while going to the bathroom in an airport, I noticed a wad of chewing gum in the urinal I was using. And it reminded me anew of how much I hate it when guys spit out their gum into any type of toilet. I think it’s one of the most inconsiderate things imaginable. I mean, you’re in a bathroom, there are trash bins everywhere – why not use one ...