I can’t swim

Wait, let me rephrase that. I can’t swim… yet.  I’m standing in the dark in a full wetsuit at 6:00am, staring down at my outdoor pool. It’s a chilly November morning and my bare toes are curled over the edge of the cold concrete. I’m shaking out my arms nervously and asking myself “Am I…

What you can do

In his speech to the fundraising volunteers the night before the Chicago marathon, my brother Jeff offered this bit of wisdom that really stuck with me. He said “The best thing you can do for a friend or family member who is struggling with their health is to ask them what they miss being able…

Gearing up for 2013

I’m sitting here with a steamy cup of coffee, carefully contemplating my personal goals for 2013. I’m getting a head start now so I can literally hit the ground running on January 1.  It took me almost the entire 2012 to check off last year’s goals, which stretched me beyond my comfort zone and hopefully…

A reason to be optimistic

It’s so easy to criticize today’s teenagers. They have it SO much better than we did, right? They’re so spoiled with their cell phones and cool clothes and prom limousines. You might think they’re so self-centered that they don’t care about their community. And you would be wrong. The Stein High School Key club in…

The next four years

Another peaceful election is in the books for one of the greatest nations on Earth. The question is no longer what Republicans or Democrats will do. The question is now what will Americans do? In the next four years, we have the freedom and the opportunity to: Stop name calling, listen to differing opinions and…

When the road is long

My brother Jeff is living with cancer and kicking its butt. Last Sunday he ran the Chicago marathon to prove to himself and to everyone that he could do it. He gave me permission to publish this personal thank you letter he sent to donors below (still time to give here). It’s a reminder about the teamwork…

The power of yet

It was the morning after the book signing, and I got a message from a high school friend saying he was sorry he had to miss the event. He had already ordered “Getting to the Point” online and wanted to get it signed. He added, “Oh, one more thing… my wife was diagnosed with Multiple…