Every year, my family places wagers on how late I’ll serve dinner — This will be my 7th (or 8th?) year hosting Thanksgiving Dinner, and I’ve yet to bellow “Dinner’s ready!” within two hours of my scheduled time. I still don’t know how my grandmothers performed the insane feat of serving delicious, piping-hot meals to a dozen or more guests on time. Okay…

Join me in the annual Writer’s Digest Poetry-a-Day Challenge — Writing prompts intimidate me. Maybe it’s the inevitable brain blank or my hidden desire to create a masterpiece. I’m not sure, but it’s a fear I’m conquering. Last year, I discovered the Writer’s Digest Poetry-a-Day (PAD) Chapbook Challenge. How it works: Each day in November, Robert Lee Brewer posts a…

Homemade artifacts are portals to the past — Our Halloween storage bin acts like a time capsule. As I unpack several canvasses splattered in orange and brown, I remember my excited toddler stripping down to his Spiderman undies and spreading paint all over his body.

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the cheesy decorations. I love busting out holiday-themed cups, glasses, and dishes. Usually, I buy them at the end of the season when they’re marked down and, then, enjoy them the following year. Since I tend to forget about my purchases…

I pack boring snacks. I stopped feeling guilty and accepted that my oldest only eats Cheez-Its, tortilla chips, and the occasional apple for his snack. There’s only so much I can do with those menu items to excite his palate. Instead, I focus on making him (and his brother) smile…

I deserve an Emmy or maybe even an Oscar — Feet pounding on the hardwood floor interrupts my writing session. A blur of pink scurries behind me and reappears to my right. The kid-sized Jigglypuff slows his gait and, with each step, whispers, “Nothing to see here, nothing to see here.” As if these words could cast an invisible cloak…

Writer’s Digest Poetry Contest Early Bird Deadline 10/2/23 Last year, I challenged myself to take more risks with my writing. Specifically, I have started to submit pieces to large publications, and I’m opening myself up to the inevitable rejection process. Poetry scares me…or at least “highbrow poetry” intimidates me. But…

It begins and ends with one magical word — If you want to complete a thorough root-cause analysis at work or home, there’s no need to read a fancy Harvard Business Review article. Instead, act like a 5-year-old. Ask why. Over and over. Five times should do the trick. That’s what I learned years ago in a process improvement…

You learn a lot from people who get things done the wrong way — Bosses are like boyfriends (or girlfriends) — everyone should experience a bad one. During my 20+ years in the corporate world, most of my managers were great — they took me under their wing, mentored me, and provided me with growth opportunities. Surprisingly, bad bosses also taught me a lot…