The Alchemy of Heartache
Once in a while an artist creates something born from absolute heartbreak that opens up old wounds in a vicious fire.
I Believe… [Tell a Better Story]
...that the story you continue to tell about yourself to others becomes your own reality over time. So, tell a better story.
I Got Your Mindfulness
The modern world doesn’t lack mindfulness techniques. It lacks friction.
I Believe… [Dirty Old Man?]
...that the terms ‘dirty old man’ and ‘healthy and experienced elder’ are interchangeable depending on who is doing the describing.
I Believe… [Living Michael Bay]
...that when meteors start crashing through roofs in Texas in bursts maybe we’re finally beginning to live in a Michael Bay world.
Death by Magnifying Glass
If the only tool in your hand is a lens for mistakes, don’t be surprised when courage evaporates and excellence suffocates like a goldfish in a shot glass.
I Believe… [The Fragile Thread]
...that when you spend time helping the truly broken—the ones who require more patience than seems reasonable—you walk away with two revelations: how much of yourself still works, and how vital the fragile thread of kindness is that holds people together.
Choose It or Change It: The Infinite Jest of Your Own Damn Life
Or: Why Complaining About Your Circumstances Is Like Whining That the Tennis Ball Keeps Coming Back After You Hit It
I Believe [Sleep]
...that sleep for a single older man is weird and wonderful. Sometimes you work your ass off and sleep with the fishes, other times you put yourself down, snooze for three hours, wake up, write, then catch another three before jumping into the day.
I Believe… [Deciding Not To]
...that indecision is a decision.
I Believe… [No More Shoeless]
...that it is no tiny thing to be able to fly without having to take your shoes off. You know, the Yin Yang effect of Trump is dizzying… ICE versus easier TSA lines? I dunno…
Why Sentient AI Should Scare the Hell Out of You (Hint: It’s Not Skynet)
The nightmare scenario isn’t violent machines—it’s discovering they learned empathy faster than we ever did.
The Thermostat Is Not a Human Right
If a hot shower doesn’t feel like a minor miracle, you’ve never tested your life outside the soft walls of money and assumption.
I Believe… [Honest Pickup Line]
...that my new, best pickup line is the most honest: “Hi. You seem to be exactly someone who will ruin my life in a spectacular fashion. Wanna go get a drink?”
Year of the Fire Horse [Sixty Years and Counting]
I guess I've been waiting 60 years to come into my own...
I Believe… [The Belt of Longevity]
...that, at a certain age, a birthday is no longer a celebration of your existence but another notch in the ‘Fuck off, Death’ belt.
I Believe… [Good Footwear]
...that, as we age, good footwear is more important than a girlfriend.
I Believe… [The Book]
The third of a series is out and ready to read!
I Believe… [Less Outrage]
...that the real lessons of history are almost always ignored because they require humility instead of outrage.
I Believe… [Good Shoes]
...that a haircut, a good book, and a pair of shoes that really fit are the luxuries of the lower middle class.
If you ever want the Ellis Island experience circa 1907, swing into the Chicago City Clerk’s office in Portage Park. The number of different accents is loads of fun and reminds you of the shared American Experience, which is that city bureaucracy is no fun for any of us.