Life 2.0

Cellphone Rage

Some of my earlier life experiences have me well acquainted with PTSD. So, when I find myself turning from Bill Bixby into The Incredible Hulk over a new cellphone, I have to remind myself to switch from reacting to responding, all because someone thought 5G was a good idea. Can't we just go back to wall phones?

FULL CIRCLE

I was unprepared for the feeling of overwhelm that awaited me, upon entering my former grammar school for an alumni open house. Rolling back the years, over a half-century later, brought some things to the surface, like a splinter working its way out. It was the perfect lead-in to Father's Day, as I heard from some kids on the tour, about how much they enjoyed my dad aka "Dracula" and the great times we all had on Halloween. Not all memories for me are good, there's some bad and the also the ugly, but above it all, the lessons I learned from my dad, have had a profound effect on me, and continue to do so, decades after he passed.

FIELD OF DREAMS

I often pinch myself, in marvel at the route my life has taken me, and the people who have crossed my path at various times. When I was a kid, I would wait at "The Corner" to get an autograph from my Chicago Cubs heroes, in particular, the ironman catcher-Randy Hundley. As it turned out, my first paid writing assignment in 1993, was to cover the "Fantasy Camp" experience Hundley created after he retired from baseball, and we've been in each other's orbit ever since. Great conversation with one of baseball's most iconic and celebrated catchers.

TEDDY!

An interesting week for your host to say the least. After consuming multiple hours of Teddy Roosevelt on The History Channel, I was able to pinpoint where I grabbed on to the notion of "Do what you can, where you are, with what you have" and how that has played out in my life, and career. That concept has a real life connection to a late friend, and had me a bit bound up emotionally in front of a live audience at my high school, handing out scholarships in his memory. 

LEST WE FORGET

There's nothing "happy" about Memorial Day. It was originally created as "Decoration Day" shortly after the Civil War, to commemorate those who lost their lives. Somehow over the years, its become a three-day weekend, and an excuse from retailers to sell more tires and televisions. But, for two families, memorial day is filled with the memories of their sons, who gave their lives in service to our nation. 

NO EXCEPTIONS

I came across a blog post that I wrote three years ago-that I have zero recollection of writing-and it turned out to be right on time. There are just some universal truths that need to be recognized, and paid attention to, that affect all of us, without exception. Might want to write these down-just in case you need them in three years too-or maybe-today.

Health is Wealth.

I should probably still be in bed, ice pack on my head, hot chicken broth in a cup, ample supply of Kleenex and cough drops, battling whatever has taken up residence in my human carcass. Instead, I'm behind the mic per usual on Saturday mornings, with some thoughts about sticking a nasal swab so far up my nose, my frontal lobe got a cleaning, just to see if I have Cyrus The Virus, and how a few hours with an old friend, is a great reminder that health equals wealth...and that a little sunshine on my shoulders is a good thing.

FAREWELL TO A HERO

Captain Jerry Coffee USN (Ret.) was one of the longest held POW's in Vietnam, and after captivity, used his experience to become better, not bitter. His bestselling book "Beyond Survival" has changed thousands of lives, and he spent the rest of his life lifting others up out of their self-imposed prisons. Jerry passed away in November of 2021, and I had the opportunity to attend his burial at Arlington-to be there when he was laid to rest- was a high honor.

RUNNING OUTTA TIME

When word reached me this past week, that a close cousin had passed, my mind began to look back at the times we had together, and the time he had to live his life. That in turn, had me recalling the Human Math concept, that is a non-linear approach to life expectancy and the importance of days, not years, when it comes to living life as if tomorrow is not promised-because the ultimate truth is- its not. 

EARTH MATTERS 2022

As "Earth Week" concludes, it's my annual deep dive into the unconscious human decisions that contribute to environmental challenges we all deal with in one way, shape or form. Add in a few "Earth Matters with Bill Kurtis" messages, and a couple of songs from John Denver, and you have the needed ingredients to make a world of difference.