Reconnecting with old college friends visiting from Idaho

| July 2, 2024

Where have the years gone? My college friend and all 4 years roommate (the absolute best) from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio were back from Idaho Falls, Idaho to visit with family … and this trip they decided to drive down to see us (the last time was in 1986 when we were living […]

Music Monday: Daryl Hall and John Oates – “Private Eyes”

| December 4, 2023

The music I listened to in the early 1980s was in my opinion still leftover from the 1970s. I was still finishing up college and grad school … but growing up since Brenda and I were married in 1982 (although “grown up” would be a stretch)! So for me, Hall and Oates and their hit […]

Student loan forgiveness, the Supreme Court and an old post

| March 1, 2023

With student loan forgiveness in the news again as the U.S. Supreme Court looks at the Constitutionality of  President Biden’s authority with a stroke of  his pen to be able to forgive student loans. Common sense would question the question of this extraordinary power, but past presidents have paused payments due to emergencies … so […]

Our granddaughters’ First Ohio State Buckeyes football game

| October 25, 2022

This content is restricted.

In all of God’s magnificent creation, mankind is unique #TBT

| June 9, 2022

There are days we humans need to be reminded that we are small in relation to the universe, but unique (Genesis 1:27) and loved (John 3:16) in relation to God’s magnificent creation. TIDBITS: Voyager 1 continues into heading into our outer solar system as the space probe continues to communicate with the Deep Space Network […]

My old bowling ball: A memory-triggering time capsule #TBT

| June 2, 2022

The “bowling” comment I made a couple weeks ago triggered me thinking about what “junk” to put back in my office storage closet and what to toss. There are “functional” but OLD computers (with hard drives and too much CPP customer data), boxes of magazines … and more to the point … my old bowling […]

Books: The Coddling of the American Mind and Roland Fryer

| April 2, 2022

The longer I live, the more I ask the question: “What is wrong with people?” While reading “The Coddling of the American Mind” last week, just before chatting with my son Taylor, the synopsis of the book came to mind. We were discussing a variety of current issues and ties to history (behavior, greed, crime, […]

John Steele Gordon and Milton Friedman on Inflation

| March 23, 2022

From a John Steele Gordon lecture at Hillsdale College … “money is just another commodity, no different from petroleum, pork bellies, or pig iron. So money, like all commodities, can rise and fall in price, depending on supply and demand. But because money is, by definition, the one commodity that is universally accepted in exchange […]

Music Monday: Boston – “Rock and Road Band” released in 1976

| February 21, 2022

This content is restricted.

A practical lesson for students who insist that socialism works

| November 27, 2021

Music Monday: An Ohio State Football win and the Sloopy Girl

| November 22, 2021

This content is restricted.

Music Monday: More Than a Feeling – Boston 1976

| March 22, 2021

This content is restricted.

Music Monday: Gerry Rafferty and working on cars memory

| November 9, 2020

The music of the late Gerry Rafferty hasn’t appeared on Music Monday and I’m disappointed not to have yet included him in my heavily 70’s mix of musicians. Having to pick one song out for today’s listening is a challenge, but “Days Gone Down” (Night Owl) is a good one since it triggers a memory […]

Obituary: Doris Eggleston. An educator than made a difference.

| April 26, 2020

Some of us are fortunate in life to have had a few teachers take enough interest to make a difference. I suspect they inherently knew the positive influence a good teacher can make long after a student leaves their classroom. One such teacher, really an extra curricular advisor for me, was Doris Eggleston. Last week […]

The “Stay-at-Home” plan for COVID19 will continue for a while

| March 22, 2020

We are definitely not the only ones praying a little bit more that usual nowadays while listening to those who are trying to help the country and world manage and get through the Coronavirus threat. I reluctantly worry about the elderly and less capable of fending for themselves especially if they have underlying health issue […]

This sound rings a bell and student loan memories #TBT

| March 12, 2020

Question: How old do you have to be to identify this widely recognized sound from our automotive past?   What is this sound? My first “real job” was as a Shell gas station attendant when I turned 16 years old (although cut lawns, did odd jobs and worked as “boy” labor for a commercial fishing […]

Music Monday: Jackson and Buffett – It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere

| January 27, 2020

This content is restricted.

Music Monday: Cool Change – Little River Band 1979

| November 18, 2019

This content is restricted.

Happy Birthday Brenda, with a couple photos from the archives

| August 12, 2019

As hinted at last week, today is the day I want to wish my wonderful wife Brenda a Happy Birthday. We are looking forward to our slowly closing the chapter of “career” (no hurry yet) … and are starting to plan the new chapter called “retirement. Anxious? Who me? Although we may have changed a […]

An old newspaper clipping and a great summer job #TBT

| July 25, 2019

When talking about the wide spread damage in the Dayton area by a tornado earlier this year with the guys putting on our new gutters (Raspberry Pi cam picked up one of the guys’ legs and tweeted it to me) …  I mentioned that I once did some tornado repairs in my hometown. I couldn’t […]

Preparing for Memorial Day: Sacred Duty: A Soldier’s Tour at Arlington National Cemetery – Sen Tom Cotton #Imprimis

| May 26, 2019

Earlier this week I posted something frivolous for a Music Monday, which happens to be Memorial Day, so I’m going to include is post a day early on Sunday thinking others might read it as a way to learn a little more about those who make the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country. If […]

Do you really think free college, wage/price controls, a green new deal, open borders and socialism will fix America’s problems?

| March 24, 2019

Maybe it is my age … or just the latest swing to the radical left by Democrats staging themselves for a presidential primary to challenge President Trump in 2020 … but this whole anti-free market socialist tilt has me concerned for the direction of our country. It is no longer the political quarrel over the […]

Good times and memories with a great friend for #TBT

| March 21, 2019

My friend Jeff Pitts has been my closest friend ever since our college years at Ohio Northern University (also the only guest blogger so far). Besides college, he was on my bachelor party trip, years and years of hiking and camping … including a great trip to the Canadian Rockies with my son Taylor, who has […]

In Big Ten football, The Ohio State Buckeyes dominated Michigan

| November 25, 2018

After an uncomfortable win against Maryland where Ohio State’s defense failed to show up … this week in the big 10th ranked OSU vs 4th ranked Michigan rivalry, both the defense and offense performed for the Buckeyes and their fans at the Shoe. Besides a few mistakes and penalties costing the Buckeyes points (fortunately they […]

Make someone’s day, give them a compliment, plus some advice

| September 17, 2018

None of us likely compliment others enough, but being on the receiving end of an unexpected compliment feels pretty good. It is past due that I do the same for someone else. Last week I connected with a friend that I don’t see as often as I use to, but he mentioned he keeps up […]

Music Monday: “Rumours” was the best album of 1977

| July 9, 2018

This content is restricted.

Thousands Apply to U.S. to Forgive Their Student Loans

| January 20, 2016

Americans are flooding the government with appeals to have their student loans forgiven on the grounds that schools deceived them with false promises of a well-paying career. Source: Thousands Apply to U.S. to Forgive Their Student Loans, Saying Schools Defrauded Them

Alabama over Clemson to become National Champions

| January 12, 2016

College fooball doesn’t get any better than Monday night’s National Championship game between Alabama and unbeaten Clemson. The game came down to the 4th quarter where both team gave it their all. The playing was almost unbelievable on both sides of the ball. The game eventually turned on an Alabama score and surprise short on-sides kickoff […]

Seeing life through the prism of our own world

| September 2, 2015

Let me start off that I have been abundantly blessed and thankfully to this point I haven’t faced the need for “therapy,” as the many versions of the below tee-shirt make light of. In my case was fortunate to be born to loving parents who emulated what it was to be a great mother and […]

How about putting ALL that health care savings into a 529 plan?

| January 28, 2015

After 6-years of saving $2,500 each year on our “unchanged plan” or greatly improved “21st century” Obamacare health care plan, Democrats in congress and President Obama have made it possible for average Americans to have now amassed $15,000 (6 yrs x $2500) … no thanks to those Republicans voting against it (#sarcasm). And since getting […]

The Big Game: The Bucks vs The Ducks in Arlington, Texas

| January 13, 2015

The first ever College Football Playoff Championship game will determine this season’s best college team as the National Championship game starts in about and hour. The game with see the Pac-12 champion Oregon Ducks against “our” Big Ten champion Ohio State Buckeyes. Odds makers favor the Ducks by 7. Both teams have have had an […]

Oregon Ohio will make a name change for a day

| January 4, 2015

This story hits home on two accounts … 1) Oregon, Ohio is a suburb of Toledo, Ohio where I went to school until moving to Sidney, Ohio in high school. 2) As an Ohio State fan and resident of Ohio my entire life, I’m excited to see my Buckeyes play the College Football National Championship […]

Do you know what your student loan repayments are used for?

| December 14, 2014

A discussion between the host and guest on CNBC this week concluded that instead of saving college students money on their student loans that the government was using the repayments in other areas amounting to BILLIONS of dollars – ie. $19 billion for deficit reduction and Obamacare!  It seems the take-over by the Federal Direct […]

Weigh the cost of college and your field of study carefully

| September 6, 2014

A very telling graph discloses three things (see story in Fortune) : A college graduate will on average make $1 million more than a worker with a high school degree over the course of his lifetime … even though the cost of education has gone higher. Wages across the board, adjusted for inflation to 2013 […]

Big government policies = slow economy and no jobs

| July 7, 2013

Having a recent college graduated living at home and looking to start his career gives me intimate insight on what young adults and their parents are facing. The frustration exacerbates the strong opinions regarding the new health care law and the economic policies put in place by the federal government under the leadership of President […]

A Miami University graduation milestone for Taylor

| May 12, 2013

We proudly celebrated my son Taylor’s Miami University’s college graduation this weekend at Yager Stadium in Oxford Ohio and later with more family downtown Cincinnati for dinner. Brenda and I enjoyed seeing our son and his fellow college graduates in their caps and gowns enter the stadium, even if the weather was on the cooler […]

Taylor and a couple friends made a spontaneous trip to the boat

| May 11, 2012

A couple of Taylor’s friends were over after their college graduations and while pondering life’s next big moment, decided within and hour to hop in the car and drive 16 hours down to the boat. I hope this isn’t the happiest you’ll see them as the marine forecast is for a bit more wind and […]

Archive: Vintage 1978 memories from “the good ol’ days”

| January 19, 2012

My college friend Dallas on Marco Island BEFORE it was developed – 12/1978  Who doesn’t enjoy reminiscing a little bit about “the good ol’ days” after looking through a couple of old photos? Here are a few from a trip to Florida over Christmas break back in 1978 … whoa, we were young.   This […]

Miami Redhawks equipment manager warms up with the team

| December 20, 2011

Brenda and I are enjoying the evenings with our son Taylor who is home from college for Christmas break. He shared a few stories and a cute video from the Miami University (OH) football field that was shown on Sportscenter. The somewhat viral YouTube video (at least on campus) made by the student film team […]

Home for Christmas and making his parent dinner

| December 18, 2011

It doesn’t get much better than this … our son Taylor is home from college for Christmas break and after living off campus decided to make dinner for his parents. What a treat to know that he can cook well enough to take care of himself and enjoys making dinner for us. In appreciation I […]

Is student loan debt the next home mortgage meltdown?

| August 23, 2011

Hopefully this will be the last year we’ll be paying for college expenses. This may make me a bit more in-tune to the high cost of college. Unfortunately for many students planning or going to college, the continual rise in tuition and living expenses has made it impossible without taking on significant debt. Some financial […]

What College Graduates shold know about finances and careers

| July 5, 2011

I saw some good advice from TheSimpleDollar.com blog that is worth reading. If you are advising someone who will soon be moving on as a college graduate, some of these points may be worth passing along. On Facebook, Brittaney asked “what should every soon to be college graduate know about finances before entering the real […]

Speaking of apartments (yesterday’s post), my son has one too

| June 2, 2011

I felt a little guilty talking about my daughter’s new ‘digs’ yesterday since my son has settled into his new shared house (3 guys) while taking summer classes Miami University in Oxford Ohio as well. In fact, he had us over and grilled brats, dogs and burgers – quite the host! Thanks, Taylor! We had […]

Enjoyed the Reds/Rockies game with two great guys

| July 18, 2010

Although the Cincinnati Reds came up short in Sunday’s Ohio Northern University alumni baseball outing against the Colorado Rockies (final 0-1), I enjoyed spending the day at the Great American Ballpark with my my son and my close friend Jeff from ONU dorm days. Jeff Pitts is someone who has been there through thick and […]

Facebook is making social networking inroads in my life

| January 20, 2010

After years of resisting the thought of using ‘my kids’ preferred social networking site Facebook, I’m starting get the urge to check my “wall” (or “walls” plural – explained below) once in a while. Usually this occurs after being send a link, or receiving an email invite from someone I might, or might not, know. […]

My thoughts on an accelerated Medical School Programs

| February 5, 2009

My daughter emailed me an article (also below) in the February 6th issue of  The Chronicle of Higher Education which debates accelerated medical school programs. It caught her attention because one of the medical schools mention is Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine — NEOUCOM, her school. For the most part,  the article does a […]

A Roo, the Zips and the University of Akron

| May 23, 2008

This past weekend my son and I went to freshman orientation at the University of Akron in preparation for his fall semester. The The full day started at 7:45 and ended at 4:30, but the time was well spent in that he’s registered for fall classes and nearly ready to start … and high school […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog