Mighty Monsters All

Bergen, a beautiful coastal city, is ringed by seven magnificent mountains and is the gateway to Norway’s famous fjords, including a narrow inlet with steep cliffs on both sides into which whales often wander. For hundreds of years, this inlet was a major source of livelihood for the people living along this unique coastline. Men…

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And The Winner Is…

Take a look at this picture of Cal and me sitting on our front patio. Imagine you are walking by and stop to chat. Which one of us looks like we’ve had a head injury this week? Would it surprise you to know that both of us hit our heads this week? Or that Cal’s…

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3 A.M.

I didn’t open my eyes, just listened. The rushing sound of the river mingled with the quaking of aspen leaves, one of my all-time favorite sounds, one I have relished since earliest childhood and my first memories of being in this high mountain valley where my great-grandfather built a ranch to pasture his sheep. My…

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Quarantine, 1960 style

January 1960 had a major impact on me and my family. I was twelve years old and in the seventh grade. The first of two momentous events occurred on January 7 when my youngest sister, Sydnie, was born. What a wonderful and happy experience for my family! Each of us was excited for the arrival…

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A Parent’s Love

On July 4, 1885 in Alsace, France, nine-year-old Joseph Meister was doing an errand for his father. It was early morning and the day was beautiful. As he walked through the peaceful village, a rabid dog knocked him to the ground and then severely bit him 14 times on the arms, legs, and thigh. The…

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Resiliency in the time of COVID-19

Sometime around 2:00 in the AM on Saturday my good wife, Anne, had an epiphany and couldn’t wait for me to wake up so she could share it. I could feel her restlessness and kind of knew she wanted to talk, so, being courageous, I pretended to be sleeping. And that’s how she ended up…

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Not Smart Enough For College

On February 28, 2008 I recorded the following experience in my Précis (journal) that I had written as a requirement for my qualitative research professor. As she and I were discussing the introduction to my first chapter of my dissertation I told her about the high school counselor who told me I wasn’t smart enough…

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