Boys are complicated creatures and boys can greatly benefit from male figures to help nurture them into being gentleman. As we reach Father’s Day, I am so deeply grateful for the trip of a lifetime I took with my...
10 Lessons I’ve Learned From 10 Years Of Marriage
10 years ago, I married my wife Heidi in a castle chapel in Stuttgart with friends and family looking on. The last decade has been quite a roller coaster, but we stand together today stronger than ever and more...
In-N-Out LAX: The Great Melting Pot
I revived a dormant post-flight custom and stopped by In-N-Out Burger near Los Angeles International Airport after my last trip. Looking around the dining room reminded me of what a great nation the United States is. Yes, I’m being...
Armenian Remembrance Day In Los Angeles
It is a quiet day in Los Angeles today, as we remember the Armenian Genocide across the sprawling county. Yet it is an important day to reflect on the capacity for human depravity and how overcoming that starts by...
The Glorious Baby. My 2023 Christmas Reflection
Although I am not a theologian or pastor, I like to offer an annual Christmas reflection. This year, death takes a central role in my reflection, both for events thousands of miles away and one tragic event in my...
Sandra Day O’Connor’s Life Of Travel And Public Service
“The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned by each new generation.” – Sandra Day O’Connor Sandra Day O’Connor was honored yesterday during a funeral at the Washington National...
On Empathy And Compassion, Concerning Passengers Of Size
My Southwest Airlines post earlier this week concerning passengers of size triggered some interesting reactions so I want to take a moment to discuss the matter further, with a focus on what empathy and compassion actually look like. How...
Schumer Delivers “Fellow Travelers” Speech
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D – NY) recently delivered a powerful speech on the Senate floor condemning antisemitism and invoking “fellow travelers” in a historical and poignant way. As we end the week, I want to highlight key...
JFK’s Last Flight
This week marks the 60th anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Did you know that JFK’s final flight occurred less than an hour before his assassination and...
A Turbulent Thanksgiving Is An Opportunity For All Of Us
Today I am setting aside the “sides” of conflict to simply reflect upon blessings and direct our attention toward a prayer for peace and deliberate pursuit of reconciliation. A Turbulent Thanksgiving, A Gentle Reminder We lived in a messed-up...
105 Years Later: My Reflections On World War I
In a turbulent world, today marks the 105th anniversary of the end of World War I. The wars currently in progress brought to mind a piece I wrote five ago on the Great War and what followed. My original...
Pathetic: Twentysomethings Bark Orders At Their Mother In Hotel Dining Room
I cannot resist commenting on this…and do so as an admonition to parents everywhere–myself included–that we must take the time to raise our children well from a very early age. A foundation of consistency and accountability at an early age...
Facing The Reality Of Evil: The Essence Of Travel
Some of the most poignant moments of my travels over the years have been facing the reality of evil. A new Israeli website invites us to do the same in the context of the Hamas massacre against Israel. Travel...
I’m Homeless And Living In Hotels…
As we reach the end of the week, I thought I’d take some time today to share what is going on in my life and explain some of the drama I have recently hinted about in other posts. In...
I Stand With Israel. There Is No Other Option.
The geopolitical situation in Israel is complex. It always has been and likely always will be. But there is no moral complexity in condemning terrorists who deliberately target civilians or the repugnant creatures around the world who believe that...
Flooded Subways Of New York City Are A Sad Reflection Of Our Priorities
A fierce storm dumped massive amounts of water in New York City, overwhelming much of the city’s infrastructure, particularly the subway system. It’s a sad reflection of our priorities and an embarrassment to the richest nation in the world....
Depressing: Attending Church In Malta
I attended church in Malta at the beautiful St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral in Valletta, an Anglican house of worship. It was a sad reminder of the future of Christianity in our postmodern world…or at least mainline Protestantism. Going To Church...
Hurricane Klint: My Horrible Week In La La Land
Folks, it has been one heck of a week here in Los Angeles. I’m not looking for your pity, but let me tell you about Hurricane Klint. Hurricane Klint, A Rough Week In Los Angeles I already mentioned the...
Independence Day 1863: A Reflection on Gettysburg
I ran the story below on July 4, 2013 on the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Another decade has passed and I find it all the more timely that we reflect upon the US Civil War and...
Why People Risk Their Lives For Adventure Travel
The sad demise of the five men exploring the Titanic wreckage in a submersible two miles below the Atlantic also brings out another interesting dimension of travel: there is reason to believe that each person onboard would have weighed...
