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‘Riding along in my automobile’
The view from Mount Mitchell, N.C., the tallest peak east of the Mississippi (accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway). I recently took Augie, my 2006 Acura TL, on a road trip to the Great Smoky...
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Small Business Week, taxes and being ‘independent’
Image from kbkcommunications.com I meant to post this at the beginning of Small Business Week (June 16-22), but I was too busy being a small business. I suspect most of the nation’s 28 million small...
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Jefferson, revolution and independence
I had the good fortune of attending the University of Virginia, a school with many traditions associated with its celebrated founder Thomas Jefferson. It’s “Mr. Jefferson’s University,” and his...
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‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself’
Ever since eighth-grade history class, when I first encountered those famous words by FDR, I’ve wondered about their meaning. How could you fear fear? I just didn’t make sense to me. FDR tried to calm...
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Spaces, places and where we live
Good old Gaston Bachelard, the French philosopher who wrote about houses having souls. I was thinking about him recently as I prepared to rent my house to Gordon and Teca, a missionary couple from...
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‘Your current circumstance is not your conclusion’
Image from dailyoffice.org. I have written before about my involvement in the Kairos prison ministry program. This past weekend, our team from Northern Virginia spent two days at Greensville...
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Give up trying to find your passion and just do it
I was reading Daniel Pink the other day and reflecting on one of his counterintuitive pieces of advice: “Give up trying to find your passion.” Pink, a top-selling author on career, motivation and...
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Signs we’re going to have a harsh winter
This week I had a meeting downtown, which meant I had to dress up for a change. As I peered into the closet, I spied two nearly identical dark-blue slacks—one size 34 and the other size 36. I’m an...
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The bald truth about power and leadership potential
In the mornings lately, when I take a shower and dry my hair, I’ve noticed a little thinning on top. Uh-oh. My hair has always been what shampoo makers call “fine,” but nowadays it seems to be even...
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Giving thanks for the things I don’t have
Walking through my house after being gone for four months, I was struck by what I hadn’t missed while I was away. I didn’t miss my belongings or the furniture or even the neighborhood. Within a day,...
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Ut prosim, Virginia Tech and fall commencement
“That I may serve.” Image from virginiatech.tumblr.com. There I was, a U.Va. graduate, in the heart of the Hokie Nation, watching my son receive his undergraduate degree in construction engineering...
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Green socks, Hess trucks and the cocoon room
The first Hess toy truck was released in 1964 and included a fillable tank. Image from HessToyTruck.com. Over the past week I’ve been collecting nuggets of wisdom to impart to you, dear...
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Why the Beatles were so good: They practiced!
The Beatles arrive in America in 1964. From left to right: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Photo from Library of Congress and Wikimedia Commons. Last week, Washington...
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Just 30 minutes a day
Still Life of Tennis Shoes Today I pushed myself further than ever before in my exercise regimen. I turned on the treadmill. Actually, I’m getting better about exercising. I won’t go so far as to say...
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Keep your head in the clouds and your feet on the ground
Are you a dreamer or a doer? Hopefully you are a little of both. Years ago, when I was working at a DC trade association, the CEO stopped by my office one night before heading out the door. “Why do...
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Writer’s block? Try tying yourself to a chair
John McPhee, Victor Hugo and Friedrich Schiller conquered writer’s block in unique ways. What’s keeping you from achieving your goals? (Photo of McPhee from Princeton University’s Office of...
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Five things you need to know about encore careers
Are you ready for an encore career? Make sure you are financially and mentally prepared to fly solo. Baby Boomers are reinventing retirement. Instead of fading into the sunset to enjoy piña coladas by...
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Never send to know for whom the bell tolls
My brother Craig died 13 years ago at the end of August, two weeks before 9/11. It was a season of grief and sorrow as one fateful event spilled into another. All those feelings jumbled...
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Breathing life into the Valley of Dry Bones
“Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” – Ezekiel 37:5 My visits to Greensville Correctional Center, Virginia’s largest prison, remind me of one of Ezekiel’s visions. It’s the...
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10 ways to step out of your comfort zone
What steps are you taking to get out of your comfort zone? I read a LinkedIn post recently by Paul Lanigan on why it’s important to step out of your comfort zone if you want to be successful (“Are you...
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