RETIREMENT PLANNING 101: HOW TO PLAN NOW TO HAVE THE LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS
Retirement planning is something I have thought about since I was a little boy. My dad is the most prepared person I know. He’s so prepared that he put together what he calls his “Dying for Dummies” binder well before the Dummies series was even a thing. We still tease him about it sometimes, like […]
THIS IS WHY MEN HATE FAMILY PORTRAITS
Is there a dad anywhere out there that doesn’t dread Family Picture Day? In the small chance that there is, I present to him the picture shown above. This is one of those portraits that will (unfortunately) forever live in family lore. I can already hear the grandkids…”Remember the time they wore reindeer costumes? Let’s […]
MY LAUNDRY LIST OF WHY I HATE LAUNDRY
Over fifty years ago President John F. Kennedy presented a bold challenge before a joint session of Congress: Send a man to the moon by the end of the decade. While many derided this notion as either madness or merely a political ploy, some of the brightest minds of the nation focused their efforts, and […]
CONSUMER REPORTS: NOT JUST YOUR MOM’S RATINGS AND REVIEWS
I have always loved getting a deeper look at the people and processes that help impact change. Whether it’s going behind the scenes to see how windows are made at a blisteringly hot sheet glass factory in Thailand, learning how volunteers are helping children climb out of poverty at a heroic school near […]
GROCERY SHOPPING FROM A DAD’S PERSPECTIVE
Before reading this post, there’s something you need to know: I am a man, and the thoughts that follow are written from a man’s perspective. I say this to establish my credibility. As with most subjects there may be many points of view but at my house, when it comes to shopping for groceries there’s […]
“HI, THIS IS YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL CALLING…”
Okay, new rule. If you work at a school, hospital, or law enforcement agency and you ever need to call a parent, the FIRST THING out of your mouth should always be “Everything’s alright,” or something to that effect. Unless, of course, everything ISN’T alright, in which case you should skip this step. I just […]
TIME TO MOW THE LAWN (SNIPS AND SNAILS AND PUPPY DOG TAILS)
I ENJOY MOWING MY LAWN. I’m the first one on my block to get the mower out in the spring and the last one to put it away in the fall. I’m not saying I have the best looking lawn in the neighborhood—that honor belongs to Ron—but I am confident that no one relishes this chore […]
A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY AWESOME DAY
I couldn’t find the keys to the car. My wife was out of town. The kids were driving me crazy. I had a headache. My son broke his glasses in a fit of anger. While working in the yard a large thorn pierced my thumb. My football team got clobbered by its in-state rival. The kitchen […]
HELP! MY ANGRY TEEN IS AN 11-YEAR-OLD!
You’ve gotta love kids. Unless they’re teenagers, then it should be optional. My 11 year old son–who considers himself a teenager–is eating us out of house and home. He begins his day with food, and he ends his day with food, with a lot of food in between. The only redeeming aspect is that it’s […]
TODAY I JUST SAID NO TO CHILD SAFETY LOCKS
Before you hit ‘send’ on the hate mail, let me first explain that I am in no way against child safety. In fact, in many instances I am all for it. I believe in swimming lessons and big orange life jackets. My kids are absolutely forbidden to run with scissors, even in an emergency. Helmets […]
