Be remembered for being kind. — A question was asked on Facebook recently. “Who was the most famous person you ever met and spoke to?” It was an easy question for me. I gave my answer on the post. Here, I will add some context. With the help of Google, I was able to discern the…

An open letter to my friends on the other side — My Dear Friends, I hope this letter finds you well. I mean that. I am writing because I care a great deal for you — I hope you believe me. I have known some of you since we were kids. Others, not as long — regardless, we all have a history. I am…

Hindsight is not 20/20 — Congratulations, baby boomers, you have done it. You have taken a rite of passage to a whole new level. Our “back in the day” laments have become an art form. Well done! With the help of memes and social media, we have spun tales about our childhoods that put us…

Social media comes a-knockin — Nextdoor is a social media site that focuses on the micro-community. Unlike Facebook and Twitter’s global reach, it is a neighbor-to-neighbor forum. A Nextdoor post is not likely to spread more than a few miles. The site is a good source for recommendations — folks are more than happy to…

Sensationalism is insidious — Every word has consequences. Every silence, too. Jean-Paul Sartre Medium is a microcosm of American society. What seemed a noble concept at birth has morphed into a “look at me,” free for all. I can’t imagine the Medium of today is what the founders of the platform envisioned. But then…

It has been 58 years. — “You remember exactly where you were and what you were doing.” People say that — it’s true. At school I remember that day well. It was a Friday afternoon — that time in the week when both students and teachers had had enough. …

Simple first steps to success — The most important piece of writing I ever produced was an essay on the Vietnam War. It was about young American men coming home in body bags and their children who faced life without their father. …

Reunion, should I stay, or should I go, go? — My classmates have begun plans for our fiftieth high school reunion. As reunions go, it’s the grand-daddy of them all. Fifty years! That is a lot of water under the metaphorical bridge. I hope as many as possible attend. It will be good to see them. …

“Keep it simple stupid,” less is more — Superfluous prose is the ego at large, keep it in check. Make your point in a simple, clear, concise manner, then move on. For those of us trying to make it as writers, that should be a cardinal rule. Readers want us to get to the point. They have been gracious to give us their time — respect that. …