Something woke me from a deep slumber. Startled, I sat upright in my bed. And then I saw him. Max looked healthy and that made me happy. He came toward me, carrying a glowing ball in his mouth. He had a slightly sad look on his face. But, then again, that was his normal look. …
Diving Deeper
I’ve written before in my blog about going through a parent’s things, deciding what to keep and what to part with. Much of the process is tedious. My folks grew up during the Great Depression. They kept stuff. Just in case. A lot of that stuff was still there, decades later, for me to toss …
Nickels
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring The above line is from Gandalf of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I know he’s a fictional character but Gandalf always seemed like a pretty …
Fishing Around
Some anglers always fish for panfish. Others are dedicated bass chasers. There are those who only fish trout and only with a fly rod. In Minnesota, walleye are the state fish and some folks try exclusively for them whether they are biting or not. God bless them all. I'm an equal opportunity fisherman. If I …
Stubborn
I believe that just about every personality trait is inherently neutral. Most traits serve us well up to a point. Almost any aspect of our personalities can get us in trouble if taken too far. For instance, industrious can lead to getting a lot done and feeding a family. However, it can also lead to …
Of Grouse and Me
The flush of a ruffed grouse can be a rare occurrence much of the time. It's been said that a grouse hunter would starve if grouse were the only food consumed by said hunter because the number and size of the birds reduced to bag falls far short of the calories burned walking through the …
Still Flawed
I named this blog "Reflections of a Flawed Man" because I truly do believe that I'm flawed. In fact, I know I'm flawed in two general ways. First, I've had two major strokes and cancer. All three were flukes in that none were caused by lifestyle issues, none were predictable and none were preventable. They …
Life After 50
40 was supposed to be the new 30, at least according to Sheryl Crow. I'm not sure if that was true because I can't compare my 40s to any other 40s I've ever had because I think I only get to live each decade once. I know that I tried to live my 40s as …
reflections of a flawed man 