[October 4, 2023] “For the hundredth time, Douglas, stop picking your nose while eating.” Mom was a stickler for good manners because she was interested in civilizing us kids. She knew that well-mannered children who say “please” and “thank you” and know how to shake hands, present a genuine smile, and listen politely to adults, then adults will… Read More »
[October 1, 2023] I’ve occasionally written about the importance of attending funerals, so I won’t go into why except to note that there is a basic human morality that we are obligated to fulfill. Acknowledging those who have passed as an essential part of our life, family, or community requires your presence. In my book 55 Rules for… Read More »
[September 29, 2023] Few things scared me in my years as a kid. Maybe I was too busy doing kid “stuff,” running around with my friends, working at odd jobs around town, playing ball, fishing, swimming, playing in the woods, and just goofing off, to be scared. I did have a fear of getting beat up by the… Read More »
[September 23, 2023] Since before I can even remember growing up, I had a gun, not a toy gun, a real gun. Everyone I knew had at least one gun, usually a shotgun for bird, squirrel, or varmint hunting and maybe a rifle for something bigger. I was anxious to learn how to hit a moving target with… Read More »
[September 20, 2023] Manhood is not a new idea, but it is one that our modern society incorrectly labels toxic. Now, if you know me and read this blog, you will predict with 100% accuracy that I reject the toxicity label because it is simply false, and obviously so. The toxic label is false, and manhood is something… Read More »
[September 15, 2023] I found the bamboo fishing pole sticking out of the water back along a hidden dirt bank. I was really young, maybe seven years old, when my good friend Albert was going to show me a great fishing hole in the Bayou Bonne Idee just east of town. It was Saturday morning as we agreed… Read More »
[September 11, 2023] Ten years ago, USAF Colonel Scott DeThomas, 6th Air Mobility Wing, gave a 9/11 speech that took the nation by storm. His comments went viral and can still be appreciated today. Here is what he said that day. Always, Always remember 9/11. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and veterans from across the area. Webster’s dictionary… Read More »
[September 10, 2023] Long ago, when I was a tween (not a child but also not a teenager), I was probably 12 years old; I was dropped off by Fanny, my school bus driver, at my home. Walking with my books under my arm, I noticed a used cigarette burning in the ditch out in front of my… Read More »
[September 9, 2023] A cursory read of my daily blog will lead you to quickly discover that much of my work is heavily influenced by Dr. Jordan Peterson. His work is most helpful to ordinary people because he has a coherent, positive message on living a meaningful life. You can read his “42 Rules for Life” here and… Read More »
[September 8, 2023] Here’s a newsflash from the New York Times! You should not play with your kids. In an article* by Edan Lepucki, a mother of three children under ten, she suggests that children don’t need parents for play because it stifles their playtime. This paper was once deservedly called The Old Gray Lady, meaning it had… Read More »