My Obse33ion with Numb3rs Of all the newsletters I’ve written, this one about numbers has been the most difficult. Every time I create a category to help define them, each category spills into the others, thus limiting the value of each one. Nevertheless, I’d like to write about numbers with recognizable uses and then discuss some more esoteric uses of them. First, numbers can be used to create solutions. For example, in the classroom and workplace, fractions and other forms of numbers can be...
3 months ago • 3 min read
The Problem of Deceit Not telling the truth and engaging in deceitful behavior takes many forms. Whether it’s television ads or personal behavior, deceit can often impact our lives and leave us feeling suspicious about others. First, for a few minor examples. Seat belts have been made mandatory for years because they save lives. It’s even become illegal to refuse to wear them. So, if wearing seatbelts is so important, then why don’t school buses have them? Students are constantly bounced up...
4 months ago • 3 min read
My In-laws I was blessed to have great in-laws. My wife’s mom, Gwen, was loving and compassionate, and she was always thinking of others especially family, friends and people in general. Even after being diagnosed with lymphoma, she still was very active in her church and with her family. I still remember the blue jacket she gave me that I wore everywhere until it was in tatters. It is one of my deepest disappointments that she passed on before I really got to know her better. She died after...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Diabetes: When Meals Become Science Projects Several years ago, I received the challenging diagnosis of diabetes type 2. I didn’t even really know what the diagnosis meant or how it would affect my life, but I do now. I naively believed that scrutinizing my diet would suffice, so my doctor allowed me to try. I began eating fat free (low carb) food and monitoring my sugar intake. Nevertheless, my next doctor visit proved that I couldn’t manage my diabetes with diet alone, so I was prescribed a...
4 months ago • 3 min read
The Jagged Edge Anthology My new book, The Jagged Edge Anthology is the twenty third book I’ve published in about forty years. It represents one book published roughly every two years. (The first six books were put together years ago at a print shop, before all the online publishing options were available.) Several others were self-published through Author House. However, most were self-published for free through Draft to Digital with the help of my brother, Bernie. Several of my books were...
4 months ago • 3 min read
It Finally Happened I wrote a play called Behind the Metal Doors: A Satire about twenty years ago. I worked really hard on it, and even had a play reading at my house. But unfortunately, I had no luck getting it published. Finally, I submitted the play to Off the Wall Plays where the submission guidelines stated it could take a up to a year get a response. When, after three months, I hadn’t received an acknowledgement for my submission, I emailed them and they said they hadn’t received it....
5 months ago • 3 min read
Faith and Humility Donna and I enjoy watching television and listening to a T.V. minister. He is upbeat, optimistic and inspirational. We really like his attitude about trusting God and walking in faith. However, the other night, he mentioned a couple of things that disappointed me and even made me angry. First, he mentioned how faith can affect the diagnosis diabetes. There has been a lot of home remedies on the internet put out by celebrities as well that are potentially dangerous. The...
5 months ago • 4 min read
Everything Isn’t Easier Sometimes it seems like things are easier and faster than they used to be. For example, dinner can be cooked in just a few short minutes. Email and texting has largely replaced “snail mail” and it’s possible to buy almost anything online. It’s much easier to use a computer to type rather than using a typewriter, and the remote on television sets allows the viewer to sit and control streaming, gaming and station changing without even leaving the couch. In addition,...
5 months ago • 4 min read
NAMI Presentations A number of years ago, after writing my first book called The Bipolar Challenge; I needed to find a way to market the book. I found the organization called NAMI (The National Alliance on Mental Illness) and asked them if I could sell my book there. One of the staff there asked if I’d like to do be a speaker and do presentations. Before long I was presenting with other NAMI members at a number of places. Here’s a list of some of them: medical schools, nursing schools, high...
5 months ago • 5 min read