CivMix Recap – January ‘22 edition

There’s nothing like looking back on a couple of months of writing to remind me of the active life I lead. Check out the links below for ideas and inspiration for your own recreational activities. Winter would be a wonderful season to hike up Overlook Mountain - no rattlesnakes and views for miles. Successfully navigating … Continue reading CivMix Recap – January ‘22 edition

I’ll be home for Christmas 

If things had gone as planned, I’d be boarding my flight at this exact moment instead of curling up for a nap. With complete honesty, I can say that either way, it feels like I’m winning. I had been looking forward to my trip west for months. You know how I love the desert, and … Continue reading I’ll be home for Christmas 

The joys of parenting 

Often, it seems, at least in dysfunctional families, that folks approach parenting with the goal of being the antithesis of their own parents. The less similar to the preceding generation we are, the better things are for all involved. Trust me. My parenting goals were few, beyond raising good humans. Of course, I hoped my … Continue reading The joys of parenting 

Je me souviens 

Last week’s trip to Montreal with my sons was, I think, the 7th or 8th time I’ve been there. It’s been quite some time, though, since I’ve gone to Montreal without an agenda in place. The most recent occasions have been to make use of the airport, see a concert, and chaperone a middle school … Continue reading Je me souviens 

Giving thanks for simple pleasures

It seems that Thanksgiving has changed in so many ways since I was a child and taught about Pilgrims and “Indians.” Knowing what I know now about the atrocities perpetrated by whites against Native Americans has certainly diminished the joy of the holiday for many, including myself. How does one celebrate the colonialization of the … Continue reading Giving thanks for simple pleasures

Buying happiness

I’ve got news for you...despite what you may have heard, money can, in fact, buy happiness. At least for me it can when it comes in the form of travel reservations. In the last couple of months I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what makes me happy and what I’ve concluded is this … Continue reading Buying happiness

Things to do before the end of the year

So, friends, we’re down to the last 12 weeks of 2021. It’s been a year, hasn’t it? I’m not much for resolutions at the beginning of the year, but I do feel compelled to reflect on a year as it draws to an end. There have been some wonderful memories made this year, but I’m … Continue reading Things to do before the end of the year