It Wasn’t Because of Football

by | | Uncategorized

Two hours before kickoff, I’m getting amped up for the game.  Back in Black by AC/DC is playing, and I can feel the rush of adrenaline and a little rage. This is the first game of the season.  But it’s not my season.  It’s my son’s.  He’s sleeping soundly in the back...
Just a Little Encouragement

Just a Little Encouragement

by | | Growth, Story

I’m sorting through a plastic bag filled with old papers, booklets, brochures, newspaper clippings, and photos.  My eyes are watering, not because anything is sentimental, but because it’s so dusty. This is a bag of Malcolm’s Greatest Hits according to my mom.  She...
I Can Do This

I Can Do This

by | | Growth

It’s 4:00 in the afternoon and I’m standing in a long line of people waiting for a ride.  It’s noisy and chaotic.  I’m just excited to be heading home. My driver’s name is Shirley and she’s picking me up in a green Ford truck. Everyone around me is finding their ride...
My Own Kind of Hat

My Own Kind of Hat

by | | Growth

I’m writing this on an early Sunday morning on a plane heading over to Albuquerque, NM.   I’ll be speaking at the state HR conference there this week. This was the other drawing I did while waiting out the storm in Houston on Sunday.   You might be familiar with...
There’s More Than Enough for All of Us

There’s More Than Enough for All of Us

by | | Growth

For some reason, this year I’ve rediscovered a passion for Jujyfruit.  Maybe it’s those fond memories of sneaking a box into movie theaters as a kid.  Maybe it’s how they make you drool like a dog when you get a mouthful in.  It’s my new guilty pleasure. Except that...
The Live Experience

The Live Experience

by | | Blog, Growth

Don’t you hate it when one of your favorite songs on your Spotify playlist is magically replaced by a live version of it? I like live albums.  There also some songs that only work in their live version.  Think Peter Frampton’s Do You Feel Like We Do. What doesn’t work...
The False Clarity of Hindsight

The False Clarity of Hindsight

by | Aug 29, 2024 | Blog

I recently finished a three-volume account of the war in the Pacific theater during WWII.  The books, Pacific Crucible, The Conquering Tide, and Twilights of the Gods, by Ian W. Toll were a deep dive, with each book being nearly 30 hours in length (I chose to use...
The Armadillos Strike Back

The Armadillos Strike Back

by | | Growth

We began experiencing the Great Armadillo Invasion on our property in 2018.  Before then, I’d seen a few squashed on the back roads leading to our property. But then we noticed trenches dug into our grass each morning.  Armadillos feed at night, burrowing through the...
Lead with Your Best Shot

Lead with Your Best Shot

by | | Growth

I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to make fun of Shawn Davolt. It was the summer of 1976, between sixth and seventh grade and my best friend at the time, Brian Griset decided to antagonize a big eight grader, Shawn Davolt.  Davolt was big, quiet, and a...
Worth the Wait?

Worth the Wait?

by | | Uncategorized

It was 1981 and my first car, the one that was really all mine, was a 1974 Chevy LUV mini pickup.  I wanted a truck, a Toyota 4×4, but there was no way I could afford one.  A used Chevy LUV would have to suffice. Chevy LUVs were manufactured in Japan under the brand...