Posts by Calvert F Cazier, PhD, MPH
Activity or Accomplishment?
Jean-Henry Fabre, a French Naturalist and father of modern of entomology, was nominated twice for the Nobel Prize in literature for his works on insect life. One of his most famous experiments was with Pine Processionary Caterpillars. These caterpillars are named for their instinct to follow each other in processions. These spectacular processions can…
Read MoreLife’s Puzzle
When I was a little boy, I lived in the small town of Afton, Wyoming. In those days it was a place where keys were left in the cars, doors remained unlocked, and it was safe to leave young children home. On this particular day, my mother had to go to town, and she…
Read MoreCracker Jack Special
It was 1969, and I rushed home with four newly purchased boxes of Cracker Jack. Back then the infamous caramel coated popcorn and peanuts still came packaged with a prize, and I had a plan. I figured I needed four boxes to find just the right prize to pull off my plan without a hitch. …
Read MoreLessons Learned from Buzzards
Several years ago, Anne and I were in Rockledge, Florida, visiting one of our sons and his family. One afternoon we went to a local park where we launched rockets, ate a picnic lunch, played soccer, and threw a football around. As I sat on a bench, watching the kids play, and meditating, I looked…
Read MoreGrandpa’s Surprise
The 24th of July is a state holiday in Utah, commemorating the 1847 arrival of the Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake valley. Our pre-COVID family tradition, along with thousands of other families, was to attend the annual parade. My parents lived a couple of miles from the spot we staked out every year…
Read More15 Cent Job
When I was 12 or 13, my friend Gene and I started a lawn mowing business. Our services included: mowing, raking, and trimming lawns. We mowed with a push mower, raked with a real rake, and trimmed the border of the entire lawn, including around the trees and shrubs, on our hands and knees using…
Read MoreRead the First Line Twice, Please
I am embarrassed about my role in this story but share it as part of our learning to fail forward together journey. Did you read that first line twice? I hope so and thank you. I believe it’s important to share stories like the one that follows, especially with our families so…
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