The ride.

Just the other day, my art major middle daughter told me that I’m a snob and should learn to appreciate all degrees of art: the great and the not-so-great. Apparently, I’ve been a little too vocal in my get-off-my-lawn approach to the so-so arts for her taste. I think she just likes supporting her fellow art students. I think they create more bad art than good (not her, of course, she’s a master). But she does have a point; I like to be inspired. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all f

My earliest memories of discovering the world of books trace back to third grade and the school library at Northwest Elementary School in Dodge City, Kansas. Yes, that Dodge City, with Boot Hill and Miss Kitty and the enduring Wild West charm. If you ever find yourself wandering southwestern Kansas (unlikely, but hear me out), the town’s legendary spirit still lingers, a genuine slice of Americana worth a visit.   Even now, if I close my eyes, I see that little library, its s

Holyoke, CO. May 1988. Ben, Mike, Dan, Eric, and Mark (L to R). It was the Wednesday of finals week during the second semester of my freshman year at Colorado State University, and my toughest exam was scheduled for 8:00 AM the following morning. I’d spent weeks preparing, knowing I would still be up late, cramming last-minute facts and theories onto the single 3x5 index card we were permitted to bring into Music Theory. That afternoon, while standing in choir next to my best

Here’s my truth. I love being in a state of inspiration. Part of the reason I consume so many movies, songs, musicals, books, articles, etc. is that I want to be moved to be more than I was yesterday. Or, at least pushed in the right direction. Recently, I’ve found myself reflecting on what seems to be a shortage of truly outstanding leadership among those who manage the global day-to-day. I mean, it all just seems so, well, uninspiring. Giving the benefit of the doubt as I’m

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorns have roses.” ~ Alphonse Karr   Millions of kids have been raised on Sesame Street. My childhood was highly influenced by this fictitious and mysterious thoroughfare of puppet friends, children, and racially diverse adults. Grover (Muppet) and Gordon (adult) were my favorite characters. When I was a kid, I could sing every song, and I enjoyed just about every aspect of the show, but especially the short

I travel quite a bit for work and always have. I’ve spent a lot of time in airports and one thing I never tire of is seeing people embrace upon departure or arrival. There’s just nothing better. Two souls separating for a trip or coming back together from one seem to experience a primal need to embrace, regardless of the length of the trip. I like to believe it’s human nature. Oh, there’s the occasional wave, and, of course, barely a nod from a cabbie or Uber driver, but the

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~ Helen Keller   Based on how it’s often portrayed on television, one might think the profession of advertising and marketing to be glamorous and exciting. My experience the last several decades in the job would not support that premise. Don’t get me wrong, there have been more than a few “wow” moments, and it beats digging ditches (for me, at least… you may love digging ditches, in which case I energetically and happil

“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” ~ Babe Ruth   Some of the fondest memories of my youth are of my brother and me playing catch in our front yard. We lived just three doors down from a minor league baseball park where we spent most of our summer nights chasing foul balls so we could turn them in for 15 cents, which was just enough money for a pack of cheap chewing gum back then. On the days when the team was playing away games, we’d jump the fence with our

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” ~ Carl Bard   Recently, I was reading some information about Henry Ford and the Model T. Though I can’t tell you how the combustible engine works, and am all thumbs when it comes to the mechanics of fixing cars, I like them. I like cars of all makes and models, but the older ones in particular. Much of the success of the automobile industry can be traced back to Ford

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” ~ John Wooden   I wonder how often we stop short of following a path of happiness and success due to being… too short, too tall, not educated in a thing, or not having experience in another. How often do we disqualify ourselves because we don’t meet some conventional set of requirements? I mean, what if we started looking at life through the hopeful lens of what we can do instead of the prohibitive narrative of

Long live great music, from the dives, clubs, arenas… and even the polo grounds.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." ~ Winston Churchill I really love learning. I’m curious about how things work and why things do what they do. Also, I love people. Well, I don’t like mean people, but I generally love being with people – nice people, at least. Combine my love of learning and love of (nice) people with a love of the arts and one can see why I have loved teaching summer theater camp for the last couple of decades. Theater ca