[May 25, 2026] The days before Memorial Day are full of getting the BBQ grills ready, buying hotdogs and hamburger meat, finding where we put the potato chips, and scurrying about to invite neighbors to a fun day out. We probably considered attending a local Memorial Day parade or ceremony. Many folks traditionally do that, and I’m happy… Read More »
[March 12, 2025] People tell me all the time, “Relax, it’s just a dog.” They tell me to “take it easy” and not to worry myself because my dog is just an dog without a soul or, without us, of little value. But, she’s my dog, Bella Rosa, named by my Italian wife and with me liking the… Read More »
[January 5, 2025] Some folks will find a bit of humor in the fact that I did learn some things growing up. All this knowledge Was gained despite my less-than-stellar school performance. I also had a serious lack of focus on those things that bored me (but were nevertheless important) and I was involved in a few escapades.… Read More »
[December 5, 2024] A crucial skill for any leader to possess is the ability to judge the character of others. Leaders are looking for specific traits that predict successful mission completion or are obstacles to teamwork. Sadly, we often see inexperienced leaders who misjudge character, leading to unforeseen problems. I wrote these words in January 2021 after looking… Read More »
[November 19, 2024] Old dogs leave footprints on our souls. There is nothing better in our lives than your pet dogs, and our time with them are measured not by years on a calendar but by those times we are together. I grew up with pets and continue to have them as companions. Dogs are especially adept at… Read More »
[November 9, 2024] “We’re moving to Little Rock!” our Dad announced off-handedly as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. But in just a few short weeks, the family was pulling up stakes, packing our suitcases, saying our goodbyes, and leaving behind the lives we’d come to love. The Missouri Pacific Railroad kept giving our Dad new… Read More »
[October 25, 2024] As I lay on my back, gazing up at the countless stars in the dark night sky, I searched for the constellations that my Dad had taught me to recognize by name. The easiest constellation to spot was the Big Dipper (Ursa Major), which resembles a large soup ladle. It was late October or November,… Read More »
[October 14, 2024] Our unexpected discovery of an abandoned, old town north of Abilene, Texas, near Lake Fort Phantom-Hill was something special for my friend David and me. We’d heard from others in our neighborhood about lost towns scattered throughout the area and within driving distance of our home. And there she was, sitting pretty and waiting for… Read More »
[September 28, 2024] Dogs are great. It does not matter whether the dog can follow commands, learn tricks, or retrieve a ball. The problem that folks tell me about often is that their dog is just dumb. Maybe they’re hoping for a magical cure, but I have to tell them that, for them, having a dog is good… Read More »
[September 27, 2024] I’m back with another great book telling the stories that need telling about dustoff pilots in the Vietnam War. The first book was “The Helicopter Whisperers, Vol I” by Phil Marshall, which I reviewed here on Monday (see link). Today, I will highlight COL Doug Moore’s book “A Bullet Through the Helmet” and, yes, the… Read More »