And So She Goes

My daughter starts her freshman year in college next week. I’ll move her into her residence hall on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., on Saturday.
Major milestone.
No cliche in the world sums up the transition of your first born going off to college. Minds broaden; lives change – both [...]

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The Graduate

It’s official: My oldest child has graduated from high school. Her commencement address was remarkable (see short clip below). I’ve included a couple photos of her as seen on the Target Center jumbotron talking to 600 of her peers and an audience of 3,000 parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends.
Here’s the introduction and first couple minutes [...]

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E tan e epi tas

My 18-year-old daughter, a senior at Maple Grove Senior High School, graduates on June 7. In a few weeks, wings will spread and she’ll transition from a child student to an adult preparing for the start of her college experience. Wow. Where did THAT time go?
Several years ago, in her Freshman year, she spoke to [...]

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Ride Of A Lifetime

Those of us with young children will appreciate this video from Fatty at fatcyclist.com.
I made my kids ride on their own when they were small – refusing the trail-a-bike method for fear they would be lazy and refuse to let go of their training wheels. After seeing this video, however, I wish I’d given them [...]

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The Ugly Face of Elitism

Elitists feel they have outstanding personal abilities, intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or some other distinctive attributes, and therefore their views and ideas must be taken more seriously or carry more weight. In addition, they may assume special privileges and responsibilities and feel they have earned certain rights that others do not or should [...]

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Lesson on Loving

Not long ago, a friend asked if I truly knew what love felt like.  Of course I do, I blurted. I have children – two beautiful children who I love with all of me and who I would do anything to please. It’s this unconditional love that so many of my generation seem to be [...]

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Day 5 of 30 Days – R. Kelly

Is there any reason why this guy (who, years ago, married a 15-year-old whose parents then had to have the marriage annulled) gets the courtesy of a court trial to resolve a case first brought against him more than five years ago? He allegedly made a video of himself engaging in sex acts with another [...]

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Day 3 of 30 Days – Respect

Somewhere in a small town in Minnesota, recently, three eight-grade nose pickers decided it’s be fun to piss off their teacher by staying seated during the Pledge of Allegiance. You see, even in junior high schools around the country, kids stand once a week and recite the Pledge. They don’t HAVE to say the words, [...]

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In The Land of Divorced Parents

Here’s a truth: Kids will be kids.
They learn to play the situation to their advantage. It’s human nature to play to the strengths and weaknesses of those we have relationships with and kids are the experts – because, in many cases, they want the “normal” that they lost in the divorce back in their lives.
Who [...]

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Hating Hate

I’ve stared at a topic within the last 24 hours that I haven’t given much thought to for years and years.
Hate.
We’re a hateful society. Admit it and agree with me. How many times a day do you literally let the word “hate” spill out of your mouth? As kids, we grew up learning to hate [...]

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