In this horribly sad time of COVID, with so many families experiencing illness and the death of loved ones, by complete coincidence I just finished reading a book about death and dying. Many years ago, I read Complications by Atul Gawande. Gawande is a surgeon and his writing about his…
This past Friday, I “attended” a funeral. My dear friend’s mom passed away from COVID a couple of weeks ago. From many miles away, my friend coordinated the funeral her mother would have wanted, with a full Catholic Mass. Observing safe social distancing practices, a very small number of people…
Among the many e-mails, articles, blog posts, and other attempts at inspiration I have received during the COVID-19 crisis, two have stood out. One came to me from the Lodge at Woodloch, an outrageously wonderful, high-end spa resort where I’ve had the good fortune of being the guest speaker a…
On March 19, just under a week after I began working from home, I wrote this note to my work colleagues: I am a long-time exerciser, and I am a long-time fan of the outdoors. But until the past week I don't think I have ever taken a walk near…
I've been writing COVID-19-related articles for the last few weeks, and I likely will continue to do so in the coming weeks. I don't write about weight loss, other than to say if you want to lose weight, eat less and exercise more. My focus is on healthy eating, and…
I always wash my hands at the kitchen sink before eating. For as long as I can remember, I would grab a paper towel (or two) and dry my hands. About a year ago, my wife and I had the long-overdue realization that we were using far too many paper…
I keep hearing, reading, and using the word crazy (as in, these crazy times). The word crazy feels right because almost nothing feels normal. Like many of the people who are fortunate to have a job that can be done remotely, I have been working at home for nearly two…
Just about three weeks ago, we all started hearing about the critical importance of washing our hands and not touching our face. This article has tricks to help you stop touching your face. As we all know, things have changed tremendously in those three weeks (and are changing every day).…
When my kids were in high school, I wrote a five-part series of "Teenproofing" posts about teens and drinking. The posts include many of my opinions and suggestions including not letting your kids drink in your house. My kids are all in their mid-twenties now, so I haven’t given a…
Eating well and exercise are fundamental to our health. Unlike genetics, we can make choices regarding what (and how much) we eat and how (and how much) we exercise. There are three types of people when it comes to exercise. Those who do an amount they are happy with, those…
We can detest someone's actions without detesting the person. We can hate the sin without hating the sinner. When I think of these words, it reminds me of what Arthur Brooks said about loving your enemies in his book and when I heard him speak, which I wrote about here.…
When I was a teen, I did not read a lot of books. I resented the reading requirements in high school and do not recall enjoying more than the handful of novels I read for pleasure. The reading load in college was overwhelming. I didn’t love most of it, but…