Published in Crow’s Feet·PinnedHow to Tell You’re Over 70Without looking at your birth certificate — Maybe you’ve accepted your septuagenarian status or maybe you’re in denial about your advancing years. Either way, here are a few undeniable clues you’re getting old: As a kid, you’ll bend down to pick up a penny. As you get older, your pick-it-off-the-ground threshold changes. By early adulthood, you’ll probably…Aging3 min read
Published in Crow’s Feet·14 hours agoWelcome to Your Second ChildhoodTime to get back to basics — The older I get, the more childlike I become. Check out these subtle signs that you, too, might be entering your second childhood: You regularly buy chocolate milk just for yourself. Ice cream goes with just about anything. You like to hang out with your friends. You watch way too…Childhood2 min read
Published in Politically Speaking·1 day agoQuiz: American Politics 101Are you ready for the midterm elections? — Hey, American Voter, it’s summertime and you’ve likely been having lots of fun partying and going to keggers. But before you know it, it’ll be time for the midterm elections on November 8th and chances are you’re not prepared. Try these sample test questions to see if you’re ready: 1…Midterms3 min read
Published in MuddyUm·4 days agoCapitolstockThe true story of the January 6th festival of peace and love — From the people who brought you Trump Steaks and Trump University, get ready for a celebration of all things January 6th. …January 6 20213 min read
Published in The Haven·6 days agoFamily Camp 17It turns out that you can have too much fun — Back in the previous century, I tried a new form of torture called family camping. For a modest fee, my wife and I and our three-and-a-half-year-old daughter spent three days in a rustic camp located on a small mountain lake. It sounded like an idyllic getaway. …Camping3 min read
Published in Crow’s Feet·Jun 26Ways Not to DieAt least avoid embarrassment in death — It’s not a pleasant thought but we’re all going to die. With any luck, we’ll die peacefully in our sleep or quickly from a stroke or heart attack. But, sadly, there are lots of ways to die that are not so nice and, in some cases, downright embarrassing. As a…Death3 min read
Published in Politically Speaking·Jun 24Ted Cruz, the Canadian CandidateHe may not be what you think he is — An open letter to my American friends: As a proud Canadian and good friend of the United States, I feel I must bring to your attention a salient fact about a likely candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2024: Ted Cruz was born in Canada. That’s right; Senator…Canadian4 min read
Published in MuddyUm·Jun 23Earpiece GuyWho is that crazy man talking to himself? — The older I get, the more often I run into Earpiece Guy. For those of you who haven’t met him, Earpiece Guy is that non-institutionalized fellow walking down the street talking to himself. He’s the one with the barely visible earpiece which is actually a miniature telephone. Try as I…Wireless Headphone4 min read
Published in The Narrative Collective·Jun 22There is no “I” in CottageAnd there’s no “me” either — With every passing year, I find that I am less and less enamored of living a rustic life. There was a time when the call of a loon at a lakeside cottage or the nighttime serenade of crickets and bullfrogs would be worth a three-hour drive over back roads. …Cottage4 min read
Published in The Haven·Jun 20Education You Can UseLearning the real office-survival skills — There seems to be a broad consensus that our education system needs a serious overhaul. I agree but I’m not sure including more math, science, and computer classes is the answer. Rather, based on my thirty-five years in the workforce, I believe practical courses will help deal with the actual…Memo4 min read