As it turns out, this is a sequel to my previous perspective. Before Bluella, my VW Golf, delivered me back home, I was already contemplating Road Trip part two to spend more time with my family before the holidays and the onset of winter road conditions. My soundtrack this time was a collection of essays by a favorite writer, Tim Winton. In one he describes how we begin a journey -- setting our GPS and expecting to arrive intact and on time, and when we don’t, it’s like a blow to the head. Well

The numbers on the blood pressure gauge said it all -- 200 over 95. It was April 1st, 2002, but this was no April Fool's joke.

The numbers on the blood pressure gauge said it all -- 200 over 95. It was April 1st, 2002, but this was no April Fool's joke. Earlier that day, I had learned that my teaching contract in a suburban school district would not be renewed. For a number of reasons, I realized that this would, effectively, end a career. But it wasn't the final day of school. There would be two full months of classes to teach, homework to grade, and administrative paperwork to complete. Most importantly, I told my

Perspectives are determined by where we have come from, dictate where we want to go moving forward, and can create or destroy our own empathy towards others.

Perspectives are determined by where we have come from, dictate where we want to go moving forward, and can create or destroy our own empathy towards others. Recently, a near lifelong friend of mine rallied himself and a group of his closest friends to road trip to the deep south for a golf week. For the prior 27 months my good friend has fought the battle of his life having been struck with a sudden stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Many nights have passed that have I tried to understand his remaining

The holidays can be brutal. The stress, the expectations. The loneliness. The cold, and the lack of sunshine.

The holidays can be brutal. The stress, the expectations. The loneliness. The cold, and the lack of sunshine. And that’s without a pandemic raging and common sense telling us to hunker down. As an advocate for recovering addicts and mental illness survivors, I’ve cried a lot this year. Sure, sometimes I’ve cried for myself and my family. For my little girls. I wish they were experiencing the things 7-year-olds should be experiencing during the holidays. But most of my tears have been reserved

What do you even do for fun with your kids in COVID times?

What do you even do for fun with your kids in COVID times? A new fall activity in our family is to visit playgrounds. In Wisconsin, our fall playgrounds are now windswept and empty -- the best qualities of a playground these days. My daughter Iris, now nine, still loves a playground, even a desolate one. We usually choose one somewhere along the Rock River. Some of the playgrounds are barricaded shut. Others are open, but all the children have gone. Just a few underdressed teens huddle by the

The basketball game is set to start. Team B’s coach has his players on the floor, as well as the coach of Team R. The game will be officiated by three veteran, well-qualified and well-respected referees.