1. Don’t try to be my friend – I don’t need you to be my friend. If I want to connect with someone at work, I’ll reach out to someone who is on my level or in a different department. That way we won’t have any conflicts of interest or falling outs that might impact … Continue reading How to be a Great Manager (from a lowly, non-managerial perspective) →

As the man with greasy, black hair took their money Jillian felt the chisel of anxiety drill into her temple. Something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. The man guided them to a large metal door and turned to face them. “Tonight, you’re going to experience the Escape Room called Meltdown. … Continue reading Escape →

Lights blinded me. I swerved out of the way, hoping to avoid a crash when the car flew over the cliff’s edge. I was airborne and then darkness consumed me. I woke, the smell of gasoline; metal pressed against my chest; fire. I struggled to break free. I wanted to live. But when I looked … Continue reading Rear-View Mirror →

It was the right time to leave. The bedroom was mostly empty, the floor cleared enough to see the color of the carpet. From beneath the bed, he could hear the girl packing what she might need in a small duffel bag. She was leaving for Army boot camp and didn’t need much. He’d been … Continue reading Time to Leave →

His sapience was proclaimed by the Oracle at Delphi, yet he claimed ignorance. He said, I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think. The gadfly of Athens, Socrates drank the hemlock willingly because a true philosopher does not fear death. Even today, we mourn the loss. This was written as part of … Continue reading Hemlock →

The ropes set up for the morning’s descent slid across the glass windows of the Kodak Tower as tiny butterflies of anxiety fluttered in Kathy’s stomach. She stepped back, wondering whether this was a good idea, the harness and carabiners making her movements awkward. She’d never rappelled down anything, much less a building in downtown … Continue reading Living Fearlessly →

Attached is a news article written about Trond Hildahl, someone who I feel very fortunate to call friend, co-writer, organizer, encourager, beta reader and supervising editor. Thanks to his coordinating efforts, a group of us pulled together and created the anthology "Writings to Stem Your Existential Dread". Incredibly, he still has the energy and drive … Continue reading Celebrating Success →

I call my mother every day around 9:00 AM whether it's during the week or on the weekend. I often call her, but after my dad passed away, it became more of a routine. In fact, I look forward to it even though we don’t often have a lot to talk about. She lives in … Continue reading Mom →

I waited downstairs in her parent’s empty living room while she went to the bathroom. The fabric on the couch had been worn down in places and was covered with white cat hair. Felix, the cat, rubbed against my legs leaving a swathe of hair as he purred. I slapped my hands against my legs … Continue reading Two Pink Lines →