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STUMBLING STONES OF HARSH HISTORY

Last night I learned about Stumbling Stones, or Stolpersteine. They are memorial bricks laid for Holocaust victims at the last place they voluntarily lived before being deported for execution. Our friends told the story of the journey to their family’s former home in Germany, once known as East Prussia. They found the Stolpersteines outside the […]

GROWN MEN WITH EMOTIONS IN CHECK

Grown men are expected to keep their emotions in check. They need to keep calm and carry on. Add grown women in there, too. We have expectations of emotional maturity. I know I do, but there are times. For example:

SOLDIER ADVICE: WHEN TO STAY, WHEN TO GO

Soldier advice usually comes from one place in the beginning. Can you guess where? If you said “recruiter,” you are correct. First they make an alluring argument for signing up. College money, healthcare, clothing, living expenses, food allowance. It’s all right here for a military career. If that hook isn’t sunk deep enough, Drill Sergeants […]

WORLD STAGE: PLAYING MANY PARTS AT HOME

The world stage for Shakespeare was a different world than we live in today. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts. . .” Is the Shaker talking about multiple personality disorder? No, but he […]

ARMY MEDIC: JOB TWO OF FIVE

Army medic was the job I signed up for when I joined after freshman year in 1974. Army medic was my dad’s idea. The old Marine also advised against joining the Navy, but that’s expected. I went in on the Buddy Plan with a high school buddy. We lasted three days together in receiving, then […]