Humorous and observational stories about dating, work, aging, society, everyday life, and the strange things human beings do.
There is a garter snake that lives under my driveway. At least I think it’s the same snake. Every summer when I mow the lawn, I know roughly where his hiding spot is. Before I get too close with the mower, I walk through the grass and make a little extra noise. Not enough to … More The Snake Under My Driveway
I was thinking recently about playgrounds when I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. Modern playgrounds look like they were designed by attorneys. The playgrounds of my childhood looked like they were designed by people who lost a bet. Back then, playground equipment wasn’t necessarily built to be safe. It was built to … More The Playground Chronicles: We Survived… Mostly
Thank you to the international fans visiting for the World Cup to show Americans… America. And if you think the hospitality is planned for your benefit, most Americans didn’t even know the World Cup was coming here… so what you get is genuine. As the World Cup has brought visitors from around the world to … More The Gratitude Chronicles: Seeing America Through Fresh Eyes
“In Finding Your Transformative Life, I wrote that transformation begins when we become fully present in our own lives. The challenge is that modern technology has given us access to the entire world while simultaneously distracting us from the one place we’re actually standing.“ I was sitting at a traffic light the other day when … More The Cell Phone Chronicles: Living Life 12 Seconds at a Time
I have come to the conclusion that nobody is happy. The person with curly hair wants straight hair. The person with straight hair wants curly hair. The blonde wants to be brunette. The brunette wants to be blonde. The person with blue eyes wants brown eyes. The person with brown eyes wants blue eyes. The … More The Beauty Chronicles
There are many mysteries in life. How were the pyramids built? What happened to Atlantis? Why do socks disappear in the dryer? And perhaps the greatest mystery of all: Why does everyone’s IQ drop 50 points the moment they get behind the wheel of a vehicle? After years of extensive field research, countless miles on … More The Hi-Way Chronicles: Pet Peeves Continued…
A question crossed my mind recently: Is there actually an American culture anymore? At first, the answer seems obvious. Of course there is. America has traditions, holidays, values, customs, food, music, language, and history. Yet the more I thought about it, the more complicated the question became. If you asked someone in 1920 to describe … More Is There an American Culture?
My parents spent years teaching me one very important lesson: Never trust strangers. It was a simple rule. Don’t get into cars with strangers. Don’t give strangers personal information. Don’t follow strangers. Don’t accept things from strangers. Sound advice. Then I became an adult and discovered that modern society is built almost entirely on trusting … More Don’t Trust Strangers…Unless You Want Something
Every room has one. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a business meeting, a church gathering, a social event, or a group discussion among friends. Sooner or later, someone feels the need to let everyone know how much they know. They have an answer for every question. An opinion on every topic. A story that tops … More Every Room Has One…
We all have pet peeves. Some people hate loud chewing. Some people hate when someone leaves thirty seconds on the microwave and walks away. Some people hate when people don’t use their turn signals. I have a different one. Shopping carts. Now before you judge me, hear me out. There are instructions. The store literally … More The Shopping Cart Chronicles: A Completely Reasonable Pet Peeve