Last week I pulled up to the familiar talking box at McDonald’s for my mid-afternoon pick-me-up, a medium latte with skim milk. It’s a dollar and a half cheaper than Starbucks and it’s light enough that my taste buds don’t question the decision for coffee. “Welcome back”, the box said, startling me out of a daze. I’ve always thought that … Read More
You Sometimes Always Never Know
“Why did I think this was OK?” Some ideas that sound perfect in the beginning can turn into head scratchers asking you that question. One such incredible thought was breeding our Labrador Retriever so the kids could experience birth and learn how to be caregivers. What that means in layman’s terms is Mom learns how to take care of one … Read More
Just One Thing
Not long ago I saw my friend who manages about one hundred employees. We ended up in a discussion about the frustrations of being in charge and the challenges of getting everyone on the same page when it comes to customer service. He said something that made me smile, then instantly frown. “Beyond the “Give it all you’ve got!” and … Read More
Celebrate
There is something so humbling about learning a valuable lesson from your kids. When mine say simple yet profound things, I tend to nod knowingly while happy dancing in my mind. Jason took Alison on an hour drive to a fun restaurant recently. I asked what the occasion was. And his answer made me smile … big. He explained they … Read More
The Obvious
I had been struggling for weeks over a yes or no decision and it had just about worn me out. It was one of those all-consuming things that takes up too much brain space. I finally broke down and called a friend. For those of us who think we can handle life because we are strong and know the answers, … Read More
A Beautiful View
A couple of weeks ago my friend Kathy sent me a funny and sad at the same time picture. Two women were having lunch at a nice restaurant totally captivated by their phone screens instead of each other’s company and conversation. Her text read, “Let’s meet for lunch so we can sit and stare at our phones.” I was having … Read More
Don’t Hit The Curb
Of the top most challenging tasks learning to perform, I put driving second only to parenting. Both are scary and unpredictable and force you to deal with unreasonable people. It really gets complicated when you ride with one of those you parent as they practice driving. There weren’t many Brawner school requirements when our kids were teenagers, but study hall … Read More
Little Things
There are two reasons I asked my friend, Jack, about the ring on his pinky finger. It’s not made of a material rings are usually made from and, quite honestly, Jack isn’t really a pinky finger ring kind of guy. In my mind, pinky finger ring guys probably play croquet and have a brandy by the fire in their ascots. … Read More
Oh Well
A couple of years ago in California a woman shook my hand and said, “Thanks for flying all the way out here to speak for our annual banquet. It all sounds so romantic … flying around, meeting people, seeing new places.” I smiled, laughing in my head. The meeting people and seeing new places is amazing. The flying part, not … Read More
It’s All Good
Do you know people who are so abnormally happy all the time you wonder about their mental stability? Everything is wonderful and constantly getting better for them. I read once that a positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. That’s probably why always positive people make me … Read More