2012

It is time to once again consider the New Year’s Resolutions.  From my experience most people are very good at making their list of resolutions, but most of us are not quite as good at keeping these well-intentioned resolutions.  I know that is hard to do, so I have decided that I am going to make some suggestions on changes that one might make in lieu of the dreaded resolutions.

My first suggestion is to make a concerted effort to do something for yourself daily, and at the very least, weekly.  Many people are great at giving to others, which I consider a noble and necessary part of being a member of the human race, but when it comes to doing something for themselves they often fall short.  Make a point this year to try and balance what you do for others with doing some nice things for yourself.  You will be surprised how much better you feel about YOU and this is going to positively impact how you feel about and what you do for others. YOU are important, so treat yourself accordingly.

Next, I want to encourage everyone to find a way to exercise the the body and make it a part of your daily routine.  The body has a limited life expectancy, and if we want to live longer and feel better we need to take care of it.  A daily walk, a trip to the gym, a bike ride on one of the local trails, walking nine holes, or doing some gardening can only make your body feel better.  To put movement into your life is amazingly powerful and once again when YOU feel good people around you will be impacted in ways that you never thought possible.  I know you are all busy, so get creative and find some new and different ways to get in shape.  Once you discover a great way to get moving share this with friends and you might be surprised at the ripple effect.

Train the brain is next on my list of suggestions.  The brain is one of the largest muscles in the body and yet a huge percentage of its power goes under utilized.  You would never think to play a sport seriously and not exercising or doing some serious training.  Why is it that we pay so little attention to training our brain?  Read a book, watch the news carefully, have serious conversations with others, argue once in a while with those who disagree with you.....force your brain to gather information and then put it to use in some way each day.  Once you stop learning you may as well be dead.  No joke!!!!  

Find some way to add love into your life.  These are both everywhere and we are so busy with the things that take up most of our day that we do not give as much attention to either of these as we should.  Give compliments often!  Little recognitions of what people do is really powerful and greatly appreciated.....a tremendous expression of love.   Give a bunch of compliments each day and you may even find that the workplace is more pleasant and a whole lot more gets done.  Love is all about seeing the best in others and then finding a way to let them know that you see their best.  Finding passion in your life is all about love. Use your love of art, gardening, wine, great food, or he family pet to incorporate feeling of love into your daily life.  Don’t forget that people love often gets lost, so pay attention to each and every person that crosses your path.  They need you and you need them.

I know this a lot to digest, so pick one, any one, and give it a shot.  You can and will make 2012 an amazing year not only for yourself, but for all the people that make up the fabric of your life.  Ultimately, I think you will find that once you get in touch with those things that make you happier as a person that your happiness will make its way into the lives of the people you come in contact with each day.

As I complete my list, I too can only hope to accomplish these tasks on at least a semi to regular basis.  It is hard sometimes to do the right thing or say the right thing.  As challenging as these all might be, they are worth the effort........you are worth the effort, and the people that you love are worth the effort as well.

I will keep you updated on my progress.

Happy New Year!!!

The Gift of Life

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the entire year.  It seems like people are a little nicer and little more forgiving while they enjoy the giving and receiving that takes place during the Christmas season.  Personally, I would much rather give than receive at this point in my life and doing things for others gives me a great deal more satisfaction than getting a gift for myself.

There are many kinds of gifts that you can give these days that generate food, water, books, schools, medical care, and basic necessities for people all over the world who are needy in one way or another.  You can put money in the Salvation Army kettles, work at a soup kitchen, provide gifts for children in the hospital, or do something special for the elderly or handicapped.  These are meaningful and necessary things that improve the quality of life for others while helping us to appreciate what we have and recognizing the importance of the willingness to share.  

My friend Betsy and I have another idea for a gift that we thing is worthy of your consideration.  It does not cost you a thing and yet the impact that this gift may have on many different people and their families is extraordinary and very far reaching.  

The gift that we would like you to consider is the gift of life.  By becoming a tissue and organ donor you can alter the lives of many people.  Your organs, your tissue, your muscles, and your bones can all be harvested when you die to help those in need.  Organs can be transplanted, your skin can be used to help those people who have suffered in a fire or a chemical accident, eyes can be used to restore sight to those who have lost their vision, and by the miracle of modern medicine you can make the lives of many that much better.  What better gift could you give another human being than this amazing gift of life?  

You can sign up for this at the Motor Vehicle Office and get that little red heart on your license.  There are registries everywhere and by spending just a few minutes on line or calling your own Doctor or hospital you can get all the information that you need to begin the process of becoming an organ/tissue donor.  An easy process but amazingly powerful impact will be the result.  

I know that this is a very personal decision.  With all the decisions that you have made already the choices that you make about how you die might be one of the most important.  Talk to a mortician if you are concerned about the final showing and this may help you to make your decision.  Whatever you do, to do this now takes the pressure off your family when so often time is of crucial importance when you pas and decisions have to be made about what needs to be done.   

Betsy is one of my best friends and it took her a while to come to this decision.  I have known for quite a while that this is what I wanted to do.  We both value life, yet we have both decided that even in death that we can make a long lasting difference.  Paying it forward is important and necessary.  We encourage all of you to consider this amazing gift of life, and if you are undecided, at the very least give it some thought.  If you need help in deciding just let us know and we will be glad to offer support and guidance.

Have an amazing holiday season!  

A Wonderful Life....For Real!

I turned 60 today and begin my 6th decade on the planet.  I am amazed by how quickly the time has flown by.  The future looks bright as well as interesting and I am hopeful that I can survive another 4 decades at least.  It would be cool to be recognized on one of those morning talk shows as being someone who has reached the magical age of 100!!!  On a more serious note, birthdays are a great time to reflect back on the year(s) gone by and to count my blessings.

I have seen a lot, done a lot, met tons and tons of amazing people, laughed until my sides hurt, and cried more times that I care to admit.  I have milked a cow, driven a tractor, replaced a transmission in my car,  worked at a summer camp for 12 summers, mowed lawns and painted houses in the summer, sold home theater equipment,   watched both my boys be born, coached lots of folks in many different sports, and spent 33 years as a high school teacher......and this does not even scratch the surface.  I have been married twice, divorced once, had a heart attack, made a lot or mistakes, helped people as often as I could, and did my best to pay attention to the news, politics, and the latest and greatest authors and books.  It has been a great adventure for sure, and even as I look back today I can smile at the things that made life better, and cringe a lot at the things that hurt others.  For this I can do nothing but deeply apologize and chalk it up to making bad choices.  I can hope for forgiveness and pray for strength to not make the same mistake again.  


This past year has been amazing.  My boys and a few friends travelled to Bethpage to play golf and I broke 100 on all three days.....in spite of enjoying a good many of the available sand traps.  I continue to travel all over the place with my friend Armando with some very talented basketball playing girls.  We put a new roof on the house.  I painted the front deck and cleaned out the basement......AKA the Great Divide.  I bought a snow blower and we had an amazing garden.  My diet is heart healthy and I have gone to the gym six days a week for two hours each day religiously.  My son's new house is painted and looks fantastic and they are now settled in like an old married couple.  I worked with my dear friends at Camp Hope.  And as I write our new kitchen is two weeks into a complete makeover.  It has been a great year and the year ahead looks like it might turn out to be another amazing 365 days!

I am a lucky man!!  I had my dream job for 33 years!  Teaching was a blast and I can honestly say that each and every day was enlightening for me.  I am reasonably sure that I learned at least as much from my students as they learned from me.  They were fun to be around and I have many powerful memories that still have a special spot in my memory banks.  I loved my students and enjoyed our time together greatly.  I pray that as I continue to get older that I will be able to draw upon these memories until my last breath.  As I complete my 6th decade I want to thank all my students....you made my life so very gratifying. I am also grateful for teaching colleagues, administrators and fellow coaches for putting up with me and helping me grow and get better at my chosen craft.  You all helped me to make my dream become a reality.  I taught for more than half my life and would do it all over again!

When you have at least one dream job you are fortunate.  When you have two you are blessed.  For 12 summers I worked at CSM and those summers have helped me to see the world differently.  The summer staffs, the people that worked directly with me, and the hundreds of campers who dominated my life for 108 weeks were amazing.  They helped me to become a better man while at the same time supporting me and my family in our times of trials and troubles.  I remember the smell of the lake, the coolness of the chapel early in the morning, the multitude of stars that shown down upon us at night, the sounds of laughter of the young people, and the warmth of the many hugs that we all shared.  I have  made many lifetime friends that I know care about me and would do what they could to help me if I needed it.  My time at dream job number 2 was extraordinary and well as necessary for my growth as a person. 

My family is happy and healthy. My boys both work hard at their jobs.  They are kind to others and make me very proud.  I have added a daughter in law that i adore.  New houses and apartments are part of my life, and each day I thank God for helping my family find its way to serenity and happiness.  My wife is terrific and she helps to make me aware of the importance of second chances.  We are all doing well and for this I am thankful. 

As a look forward to the end of my 6th decade as proceed at warp speed to my 7th I can but smile and make sure that jump out of bed each and every day ready to hit the gym and then do the things that I need or want to do.  The peak of my life has long since passed and I am on the downward slope of the mountain of life.  This is not a bad thing, but a part of God’s plan.  I have never been afraid to die, but by the same token I want nothing more to live for a good many more years.  I want to be sure to utilize the downward portion of the slope.....simply because I remember how difficult climbing UP the slope was.  I loved the challenges that going up required butI would be lying if I said I was not going to enjoy that ride down the hill.  

My adventure continues and I want to thank each and every person who has helped me this far along my journey.  I love you all and hope that our paths will cross again some time soon......at least before Al Roker mentions my name while he does the morning weather on television.