I open my eyes uncertain of where I am. For a moment, or maybe several minutes, my mind floats across my life. My past screw ups (i.e., sins) fade and drop from my consciousness. Only my goodness comes through, not in specific detail, more like a warm blanket wrapped softly …
It’s October 11th, 2013, and I wait in the lobby of a small hotel near Love Field in Dallas, Texas. I’m headed home to Nevada after a week of work. I feel discomfort in my chest. In the next moment, I am sprawled out on the carpet in the lobby. My chest explodes in ripples …
As I age, I think I grow smarter about who I choose to spend time with. If I could go back in time, I believe I would chase after folks who could mentor me on getting wiser and kinder each day. Those people were all around me, but I think they scared me off. I …
I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to have been a child star in movies or in the music business and then age…and age some more. Imagine getting such a famous start early in life and having a huge fan base following you around not wanting you to get wrinkles or have …
One thing aging has taught me for sure: When people share a piece of themselves with me, they don’t want me to offer my take on their lives. Most often, they want me to shut up and listen and, at best, nod in an affirmative fashion. I’m not good at this, because I always …
For most of my life I had a notion I needed to look busy. I know that sounds silly, but whether I was on the job or just playing my way through the weekend, there was this inner voice telling me to act as if I was doing a whole bunch of stuff. When I …
My wife, Sherry, is asleep the moment her head hits the pillow, and she hops out of bed full of vitality early the next morning. It’s irritating for me to witness. When I’m in a combative mood, I do subtle moves to break her of this habit. I have a bedroom reading lamp with …
My best friend and mentor of all time was Frank Tate, a professor I had in college. I worked for him for years after struggling my way through college, and later in his life, he worked for me. When you know a great man or woman, it’s good to ask yourself why this person is …
I’ve gotten out of bed on my own over 26,000 times. It’s only recently that I’ve been wondering whether I do it right. I instituted a new wake-up system recently. I’m not at the point of personally recommending it to anyone, but I believe it’s made a difference in my …
One of the tough things about getting old is that some of my best friends and family have died off, many times giving me no advance notice. It’s not as if my brother, Eddie, who died on Christmas day of 2010, passed on to someone else our early boyhood adventures. When I was …
