Golden Graduation Time flies when you are having fun! I must have had a lot of it, because this caught me completely by surprise. 50 years already? It was great seeing people that I had not seen for years. The best-looking people back in the day were showing a bit of age around the edges, …
Recently the world learned that a 20 year old person with a history of mental illness entered Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy, an elementary school in Decatur, Georgia, with an AK-47 and 500 rounds of ammunition. At risk were the many students of the school. Gunshots were fired at the police and the young …
I am fortunate to have traveled the width and breadth of this great country and have visited all 50 states. I have stood on the one spot that is unique in that it is THE only spot where it is possible to stand in 4 states simultaneously. During my travels, I have observed the …
Today my heart bleeds for the people of Oklahoma, they have been ravaged by the forces of a major hurricane. The lives of the fortunate have been disrupted, their homes completely destroyed, loved ones missing, injured or lost. Parents and children are no longer the coercive unit that they were before the event since a …
It was the celebration of my 35th anniversary that saw me in Paris for the first time. We had taken a tour or two but this does not get you up and personal with the people. I don’t speak French, but knew a few words and phrases that were touted as being sufficient enough to …
My first experience with beer was not a tasty one My parents did not drink alcohol, so I was not raised up with it. College was my first experience trying it. One of my classmates was going to the store and for a nickel would purchase a can for you. Really a nickel, like in …
Wine has been around for thousands of years, but it can be often misunderstood both in the making and consumption aspects. My earliest experiences were with some of the cheapest wines on the planet. Sweet, strong and not very good, often consumed and remembered with less than stellar visions. Wine does not have to be …
Politics can be a difficult subject to discuss! I hate the labels of political parties because they have the tendency to lock people into a mold and in my opinion make them inflexible. The inflexibility prevents people from true and meaningful discussion. Nothing is gained when the supporting philosophy is that the other side is …
Food is better when the experience is shared and such was the case when my friend Tom and his wife Barbara invited me to his 70th birthday party. It was being held in a local restaurant that was a favorite of mine. Nothing fancy, but good food, friendly staff, and customers. That in itself is …
World Famous Butchart Gardens I had the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful places in the world. It was for me, a place of serenity, peace, and beauty. Located in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, and located near Victoria on Vancouver Island is a magnificent collection of the most beautiful plants on the …