Every student of American history, even those who did not pay particularly close attention during class has heard the phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These things are the inalienable rights afforded to us by this country’s Declaration of Independence. I am clear on what life is and I am fairly clear on what liberty means. What the heck does “the pursuit of happiness” really mean? If this is a right, guaranteed to all by virtue of being…
I know it looks like I can’t make a plan and stick to it since, despite my promise to write more regularly, it has been so long since I last posted. This time, it really is not my fault. Sometimes the circumstances of life intervene and the plans and ideals that we strive to live by just aren’t what is happening. So it has been the last few weeks. Weber, Erin, And I travelled to the coast of Delaware to…
Today was Mike’s 50th birthday. One might expect a grand and glorious celebration. Not so much around here today. Actually, he just got back from a vacation in South Africa and decided to wait for Erin to return home from her most recent summer adventure on Saturday before having a “real”birthday celebration. However, we did not want this momentous day to pass with no acknowledgement, so we decided to have a period of reminiscence while we shared a gourmet dinner…
Lots of things change after divorce. Though life in the grand scheme is better, some things take a little adjustment, especially when one of you is paying alimony and the other is not getting much because, well, you are dating. Such circumstances send one’s creativity, ingenuity, resourcefulness, and frugality into overdrive. I have to admit there is a bit of a thrill to the whole thing. So here it is Friday night. We are the only ones home and have…
TOP 10 REASONS WHY I HAVE NOT BEEN BLOGGING10. The endless opportunities for TV watching on Dish network have consumed all my free time.9. My computer was overtaken by our Alaskan neighbors and everything appeared in the Cyrillic alphabet. 8. All my fingers were broken while playing in the beach volleyball world championship, thus making it impossible to type. 7. I was on an archaeological dig looking for signs of a lost civilization. 6. I’ve been busy writing the next…
Today was a beautiful day, nearly seventy degrees. It was a vast contrast to the bitter cold days earlier this week that brought with them an ice storm and a day off from school. This past Monday evening, all of the weather forecasters warned us that Tuesday would be a miserably cold day with storms moving in and making travel more and more treacherous as the day progressed. This poor prognosis for the day’s weather caused our local school district…
For seventeen years, every morning of the academic year has involved taking children to school. This time would have been cut short if Brooke had chosen to get her driver’s license when she turned sixteen. She didn’t – and at age nineteen still hasn’t. Fortunately, she lives in Chicago where mass transit negates the need for a car, a license, insurance, snow tires . . .Erin, on the other hand, has been ready to drive since . . .well, Brooke…
Earlier today I was reading a post by another blogger whose work, both writing and photography, I admire. She writes honestly and openly about the joys of raising a family as well as the accompanying trials and tribulations. In this particular post, she says that there are some topics that she chooses not to address on her blog because as she says, “Well, they are mine.” In particular, she mentions her faith and religion in this category of taboo subjects….
Often in the parting of two people, whether it be through divorce, a need for friends to go their separate ways, or even death, there is the potential for the separation to be surrounded, or even engulfed, in anger. Several of those who know the circumstances of my divorce have asked if I am angry at Mike. I can say with absolute certainty that the answer is “No.” First of all, I see no real reason to be angry. And…
The bookstores are filled with stories of those who in times of personal strife suffer a crisis of faith. I must admit that I have never been fond of such stories. My idealistic self has always thought that in our darkest hours faith was the only thread that would hold things together, that when humanity fails us, God’s love will prevail. My suspicions and hopes have been proven true in the last few months. Life has been on the chaotic…