life lessons

  • Paranormal Tightrope

    Paranormal Tightrope

    I spend some time every day reading paranormal pages and following the conversations people are having. Like many of you, I enjoy seeing what people are experiencing, photographing, questioning, and discussing. There are a lot of thoughtful people in this community, and I appreciate that. Lately, though, I have noticed something that concerns me. For…

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  • The Mourning After

    The Mourning After

    Today is the first day of Pride Month, and I have complicated feelings about it. The truth is, I wish we did not need it. I wish we had reached the point where nobody cared who someone loved. I wish we had reached the point where a month dedicated to Pride was no longer necessary…

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  • The Man Behind the Microphone

    I’ve spent most of my life behind microphones and in front of cameras. In many ways, it is where I feel most comfortable because it was what I was trained to do. Broadcasting. Debate. Theater. Public speaking. Years of learning timing, rhythm, presence, and how to hold the attention of a room. I actually prefer…

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  • Hard Choices

    Hard Choices

    I’ve noticed a lot of people my age going through major life changes with their parents. Usually it begins when one parent passes away, leaving the other behind, sometimes no longer able to live on their own. In my case, after my dad died, my mother was left with dementia and unable to live alone.…

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  • Walk Away

    Walk Away

    I haven’t had too much luck with godparents. In fact, there is only one I still talk to. I remember introducing Rick to one of them shortly after we were married. The response was not “Hello, nice to meet you.” It was a cold, very pointed: “You must be Rick.” The homophobia became apparent very…

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  • The Rules to the Game

    The Rules to the Game

    Right after my sister died, I went down a spiral questioning absolutely everything about life. I became angry and bitter. My mind was filled with questions, but one kept circling louder than the others: are we really in control of our lives, or is everything already decided and fate simply set into motion? Fate. There…

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  • I’m Fucking Furious

    I’m Fucking Furious

    I’m fucking furious. I’m fucking furious because in this day and age we still need days like this. I’m fucking furious that the LGBTQ+ community is once again dealing with escalating hatred, rhetoric, violence, and fear. I’m fucking furious because some people still have to measure safety before honesty. Today is not about performance or…

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  • Coordinating the Impossible

    You know what aggravates me? I mean, can I talk openly with you all without someone going off the deep end because they accidentally recognize themselves in what I’m about to say? I hope so because you know me. I’m going to say it anyway, and preferably before my coffee gets cold. I’m tired of…

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  • Every Life Has Value

    Every Life Has Value

    Every human life should matter equally, but if we are honest with ourselves, that is not the world we have created. What unsettles me is that most people already know this is true, but somewhere along the way we trained ourselves to accept it as normal. A wealthy or famous person is murdered and the…

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  • Mother’s Day

    Mother’s Day

    Life with my mother comes back in flashes now. It is funny how differently you see things as an adult than you did as a child. I see her more human now than I ever did before. I see the other side of the story that children are often too young to understand. I understand…

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