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THE BEST NEIGHBOR OF ALL

My best neighbor of all time was also a king-pin. He owned a construction company and hired convicts. The idea was getting people out of prison and onto a better life. To get started, and early release, they needed a job and place to live.

MARRIED LIFE GOING LONG, LONGER, KEEP GOING

Married life seems long when you think how long you’ve been married. Then someone else says they’ve been married longer and calls you newly weds. Newly weds after thirty-seven years? That’s it? I keep it more basic: Every day has a first date feel. You remember first dates?

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN THREE PARTS

Civil disobedience arrived the night I was standing in front of an Army barracks listening to an order from a captain. “First Platoon report.” I was the leader of the fourth platoon during a middle of the night fire drill where things didn’t go well. “Fourth platoon, report.”

DILUTED MEANING STILL MEANS SOMETHING

Too often, doubt creates diluted meaning. If something seems unbelievable, and someone says it’s unbelievable, do you believe it? Even when there’s a shred of reasonable doubt? Whose gut instinct do you trust, yours or some stranger with a loud voice?

WIFE TONE? WHAT IT MEANS, WHAT IT DOESN’T MEAN

A wife tone is the only note a husband needs to memorize. One tone, one wife, no others need acknowledging. Not a Mom Tone, a Boss Tone, Neighbor Tone, Friend Tone, or Kid Tone. It’s usually delivered in the key of A, the holy A, the first letter in the alphabet. Can you hear me? […]

BETTER MAN FOR WHO, FOR WHAT?

If someone asks you to be a better man, not their Best Man, what do you say? What do you do? You could agree to make a better effort. Or you could let it go. Either way, you’ve got a problem. Then what?

GAME CLOCK FUN? IT’S ALWAYS RUNNING

The game clock of life runs and runs, and it’s running fast. We still like to think we all start the same. No one notices the difference since we’re so busy doing other things. Maybe you’re heard that life happens when you’re doing other things? What other things?

MATCH MAKER: BEST EFFORT vs GOOD ENOUGH

Being a match maker in 2023 means finding new matches. If you’ve been trying to introduce people because ‘they’d be perfect together,’ it’s time to adjust expectations for the new year. 2022: Why aren’t you married? 2023: Marriage isn’t for everyone.

MARRIAGE TRAP, STARRING BEN AFFLECK

Does a ‘marriage trap’ sound different than a marriage between two movie stars? Edward Hopper painted what looks like a marriage trap. A couple in a room ignoring each other, trying to find anything to do besides talk. He reads bad news, she taps a sad note. Looks like a trap to me. But, what’s […]

GET UNSTUCK IN LIFE SOONER THAN LATER

If you pay attention to your feelings you may find yourself stuck, then the goal is trying to get unstuck. Can’t sleep, worried half to death, snacks in the middle of the night kind of stuck need attention. Here’s what I do, and you can too: