I have no idea…

“I’ve had some of my best conversations with strangers, she said, because they have no idea who they are dealing with.” —Brian Andreas, American author and Storypeople creator   I enjoy spending time with the children of friends and engaging them in conversation...

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Jazz, Wisdom, and Swing

One of my favorite quotes is from Charlie Bird Parker about playing jazz: “You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.” I don’t play an...

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A story about being remarkable

“Nothing is so ordinary as the desire to be extraordinary.” —Al Capp Some people in life are freaky good. There aren’t many, but they are easy to spot in every discipline. For instance, in the world of rodeo, there are both amazing riders and amazing animals. I...

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Wait for it… wait for it…

Just being in the same room with your kids is often all you need to get a conversation going. You don’t have to ask questions. You don’t have to make comments. Just being present, maybe doing something that doesn’t require your whole attention, creates space for a...

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THERE IS NO PLACE TO GET TO!

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function — F. Scott Fitzgerald I read David Brooks’ column this week in the New York Times and in it, he mentions the idea of...

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Whoa, let’s slow down.

If I’m not happy in this time and place, I’m not paying attention. –Jodi Hills, American author Sometimes I get upset about how life is going. It’s as though life should actually be the way I think it should be, and if it isn’t, I am personally offended and resentful....

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Nineteen Things I Love About You

It is easy to come up with things we like about our kids. And every once in a while, it’s useful and fun to push the boundaries of our awareness by stretching to come up with more than just a few. I love going for 19 when I think about things for which I might...

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