Back in the 70s and 80s I was a huge KISS fan. I mean, who didn’t like to play air guitar to “Rock and Roll All Night” or slow dance to “Beth?” Not only did I love their music, but their vibe and costumes were awesome! When I was a freshman at a small Lutheran school in Northern Minnesota where nothing unsavory was allowed, my besties and I dressed […]
I have long been an animal advocate. At Sunny Hollow Elementary school back in the 60s, my friend Carrie and I performed our own rendition of “Born Free” at the annual talent show, she playing the piano and me positioned on top of said piano. The introduction was especially moving. While she tinkled the ivories, I pled my case to the audience: There are animals living in zoos and they […]
We adopted our little Fitzgerald a few months ago from Underdog Rescue, a nonprofit pet rescue, rehabilitation, and placement organization. He is one of the best things that ever happened to me (more on that in a subsequent post). We are together pretty much 24×7. I don’t know what it is about him, but he is a real tick magnet – even with preventative meds from our vet. Maybe it has […]
The human voice is the organ of the soul~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow On my six-hour drive down to visit my daughter and her family, I listened to a wonderful documentary on Minnesota Public Radio: The Vietnam Tapes: Letters from a Willmar Soldier (http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/04/30/mpr_news_presents). Dan Kleven and his family from Willmar, Minnesota sent cassette tapes back and forth while he was deployed during the war. He drew vivid word pictures about […]
Nope, I’m not kidding. the Kindle version of Facing the Dragon: How a Desperate Act Pulled One Addict out of Methamphetamine Hell is FREE from May 28 – June 3. (If you don’t have a Kindle, you can still take advantage of this offer. There is a free Kindle app available for smartphones, tablets, and PCs.) In Facing the Dragon, you will witness the slow, agonizing metamorphosis of a good-looking […]
Every spring I innocently recite a little ditty upon the first sign of winter’s departure: Spring is sprung, the grass is ris. I wonders where the birdies is. They say the birds is on the wing. Ain’t that absurd? I always thought the wing was on the bird.* I say innocently, because it is always wishful thinking. I live in Minnesota, after all, and the third week in March is […]
After looking at my freshly minted, totally redesigned website you might be thinking: What’s up with this new look? Why did you change everything? Well, I’m going to tell you. A website is a little like a hairstyle; it must evolve over time or risk being out of it, uncool, passe, even dweebish (good luck with that one, spell check). My old site was absolutely gorgeous, thanks to webmaster extraordinaire, Sandy Juettner, but […]
I thought of my mother often yesterday. It wasn’t a very productive day; it’s hard to get much done when you have a lump in your throat. Exactly one year ago, February 25, 2013, my sister and I looked on helplessly as our mom struggled to take her final breaths. It was if she embraced the words of poet Dylan Thomas: Do not go gentle into that good night, Old […]
At the risk of sounding like a grinch, I freely admit I am not a big fan of halloween. No, I don’t have a phobia about costumes or children trick-or-treating (especially if they get extra chocolate for me). There is nothing more adorable than seeing little ones on my doorstep holding out a pumpkin asking for candy. My views on halloween have changed since becoming a Christian. I am both […]
My dear friend Kris Munoz once told me that grief is like the waves of the ocean. Sometimes the sea is calm and tranquil; other times the waves crash angrily on the shore. I now know what she means. Terry and Kristine Munoz experienced a parent’s worst nightmare six years ago today. On October 9, 2007, Kris and their three children were involved in a horrific car accident. […]