Blog Articles

Calluses on the Feet? Not on the Heart!

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."Leo Tolstoy If you ever had calluses on the bottom of your feet, you will know how painful that can be. Caused by walking unevenly, the thickness grows, layer over layer, until the core of the growth painfully penetrates the nerves.  Likewise, our … Continue reading Calluses on the Feet? Not on the Heart! →

Life: A Dash Between Dates?

“The dash between dates holds the essence and spirit of the deceased. It doesn't take long for memories to fade. Precisely why every family needs a historian to capture and relate stories of each member.” Sharon Mosier, Educator* It was my last visit in the hospital before Dad had surgery for throat cancer, a result … Continue reading Life: A Dash Between Dates? →

Doctor’s Orders: Don’t Play Basketball Right After Surgery!

"Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives."William Dement Ordinarily, doctors wouldn’t need to tell a 75-year old guy that he shouldn’t play a game 6-months after back surgery. But the guy did it anyway and nearly wrecked any recovery and rehab. He had … Continue reading Doctor’s Orders: Don’t Play Basketball Right After Surgery! →

Party Labels: We Never Cared

"However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines … Continue reading Party Labels: We Never Cared →

Why Write a Journal? Why Let Everyone Read It?

“All writers are vain, selfish, and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery.” George Orwell Because I have written continuously over the past 50 years, I recently asked myself, “Why do I write.”  “Who is my audience?” “What is my purpose in jotting things down?” At first, I assumed that … Continue reading Why Write a Journal? Why Let Everyone Read It? →

TJ Kennedy: Family and Union Mattered

“The only effective answer to organized greed is organized labor.” Thomas Donahue Dad was always proud of us kids.  As an independent truck driver working in construction, he had his own way of doing things. He handled his operation by purchasing and maintaining equipment, estimating jobs, billing, marketing, and advertising.  Customer feedback was immediate upon the completion … Continue reading TJ Kennedy: Family and Union Mattered →

Ireland with Sullie, Son John, and John Boles: We had No Choice

"Tá dul go hÉirinn cosúil le dul abhaile."  (Going to Ireland is like going home.) And so it happened that just a few times in Ireland proved to be insufficient for the likes of John Kennedy, Tom Kennedy, and Patrick Sullivan. After all, Pat had been to the island before but left before he had … Continue reading Ireland with Sullie, Son John, and John Boles: We had No Choice →

Obituary Addiction: More Popular Each Day

Yes, I read the Joliet Herald-News every day. Not for the sports, the local politics, or the news in brief since they are not as interesting as the obituaries. As Carl Reiner stated, "If you're not in the obit, eat breakfast." The habit of "obit checking" accelerates with each passing year for the "superannuated" generations. … Continue reading Obituary Addiction: More Popular Each Day →