Finding the upside to a change I’ve been dreading for years — You got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive E-lim-i-nate the negative And latch on to the affirmative Don’t mess with Mr. In-between - Lyrics by Johnny Mercer The message of that song — released by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters in 1944 — rings true for me loud and clear today…

The continued quest for a universal guidebook on parenting — one with more answers than questions. — Parenting keeps you on your toes. Just when you think you’ve figured something out, life throws you another curveball. Like when your six-month-old son is finally sleeping through the night and then he cuts his first tooth. …

Thank You Notes #52 — Not all anniversaries call for a greeting card, a flower delivery, or a candlelight dinner. And just because you might be the only person who remembers a particular anniversary date doesn’t mean it’s insignificant. …

As a memory keeper, an educator, a motivator, and a community-builder. — “Music can change the world because it can change people.”— Bono Last weekend, I went to a small club to see a Santana tribute band. Everything about it was awesome! The vocals. The bass. The guy on the keyboard. Both drummers were exceptionally talented and fun to watch, and when…

Celebrating National Library Week — I graduated from law school 25 years ago. For three long years, I spent countless hours at the law library, yet the details of its sights and smells are fuzzy in my mind. I remember its vastness. …and how intimidated I frequently felt in having to take a trip to the six-story building centered…

Know yourself and your motivations. — Sometimes you have to admit that you’re wrong — not necessarily about your opinions, but about the way you presented them. I just learned a valuable lesson here on Medium. I lost sight of my priorities and strayed from why I joined this platform to begin with. When I joined…

Can becoming their parents be avoided? — There’s a lot of truth to the Progressive Insurance commercials about becoming your parents. And fictional life coach Dr. Rick is spot-on with so much of his advice. …

Thank You Notes #48 — Like most people, I’ve endured my share of adversity. Healing hasn’t always been easy and identifying something specific that I appreciated to help me through the process had me stumped at first. That’s what I love most about Trista Signe Ainsworth and her publication Thank You Notes. Trista has a…

Counting down the days ’til the shenanigans are over. — It’s Spring Break time. My son, a college student, is headed to a beach in Florida tomorrow, and I’m a nervous wreck! I actually encouraged him to go when he was debating on whether to take the trip, especially after his girlfriend asked him not to. Be your own person…