I am familiar with the prefix telephone number ‘555’ being used as a fictional number in many movies and TV shows, at least in North America. Exploring its origins is a rabbit hole of complications- something that hasn’t stopped me before, so why start now? But let’s not get lost in the details. Instead, let’s…

I like bumper sticker-type phrases, as my regular readers already know. But they can mislead me if I don’t stop and think it through. I can be guilty of reading and concluding too quickly. Take this Blog title as an example. It can inspire me not to resign myself to the obstacles before me. I…

I came across this quote from Bernard Shaw – “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” It almost resonated with me, but it grated a little. It assumes that progress must be forever different, and it takes courage to sometimes stay the same to move ahead. Let’s…

I have been curious about the various ways we can store energy. Batteries are the most obvious way, but there are other ways. One is called storing potential energy. Power dams are an example. Build the dam. Let the water fill in behind the dam. Do a controlled release, and you can turn turbines to…

I have had a few things in my life lately that sent me to the dark side, a habit I work hard to break. I’m usually successful, but I needed to focus these past few weeks to get back on my preferred track. I believe I have a choice despite a default tendency. Let me…

I thought it was time to have some fun. The saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder, has comforted me when I was separated from those I love. I wanted to believe the message as it supported my confidence that my tough time would end. I’d be stronger for it. I was aware of another…

I read this phrasing in a Facebook post. It caught my eye, but I didn’t understand what it meant at first glance. The past has value. I can learn from it, but I can’t change it. At some point in human history, things changed very slowly. The past, the present, and the future were pretty…

As a young lad about 10 years old, I remember taking a shortcut across a dirt parking lot. Something caught my eye, and I went over for a closer look. It was a skeleton key. I brushed off the dirt and held it for a few moments in the palm of my hand. I knew…

I dove into my list of Blog topics I keep adding to for this week’s Blog. I came across the topics of ageism, age discrimination, and implicit bias, which led me to an Implicit Association Test online at Harvard University. What could possibly go wrong? I’ll paraphrase one of the warnings: If you don’t like…

I was chatting with a new friend recently. We discussed a variety of topics, looking for common ground. Fortunately, we found it quickly in the details and the big-picture themes. She has a son starting his first year of university, which is a huge milestone for him and the family. My children are in their…