Journey to Jupiter
I'm bothered that people are struggling to pay their grocery bills and have every reason to worry about whether they can keep a roof over their heads. Many of these people are the ones keeping the lights on in our communities across our country. I sense the fragility of peace in our present moment.
Risk Contagion
One day, I'd like to take a big risk on a dream. Throw myself into it and give it a go. Seize an opportunity to forge a project together that fuzes my passion with my career. My dream is inspiring and hopeful and would make the world a better place. But my dream is a tough one to pull off. It's big enough that I know it could quickly fail.
The Creative Grace
There are a lot of reasons to be afraid these days. We know this because our news feeds don't offer us a variety of stories to consume. The menu of the day seems to be a buffet of war, destruction, violence, and despair.
Scotch Reminder
The sky was cloudy that afternoon in the Scottish Highlands when I visited a scotch distillery about an hour's drive from Glasgow many years ago.
Tables and Walls
With terror and horrific stories coming out of Israel and Gaza these last weeks, I feel the deafening roar of both sides of the conflict in my ears. I find myself feeling angry and sad all at once with no clear direction on what I should believe.
Only Human
I'm not upset because I got sick. I've always known it was bound to happen at some point. I'm upset because I had to take time off work. I've always been proud that I'm rarely ill…And yet, a small rapid antigen test has reminded me of the following:
Be Unreasonable
After nearly two decades of working in hospitality and community, I've learned one thing: motivation is a non-renewable resource. There is often an infinite and unending demand for service. We only have so much energy to give, and it doesn't take long to give the little we have. We're only human.
How Do You Sleep?
If you work in a stressful role, you'll know that sleep is not guaranteed. Your mind can be very good at keeping you awake. You have a stressful job if your work involves elements mainly out of your control.
We Went to Quebec Part II
We have a young family, so we had to be intentional about what we'd like to do and also leave room for rest and spontaneity on our trip to Quebec City.
Pack A Photographer
There is one thing you could include in your travel budget that will enhance your experience at your destination, continue to provide value for you for years to come, and provide a gateway for you to return to the great memories you made on your trip. If you can’t pack a photographer, you should at least budget to hire a professional one.
We Went to Quebec
"Your French is better than my English." said the taxi driver to me as he drove my family to Jean Lesage Airport to catch our flight back to Edmonton. I hadn't put much thought into the quality of my French on our family trip to Quebec City, but I did feel a sense of gratitude for my parents' decision when I was five years old to put me in a French immersion school program.
Never Meet Your Villains?
Meeting someone in person is always different than meeting someone in theory.
He-Man, Barbies, and The Sound of Freedom
I was a classic child of the 1980s, and my Saturday mornings included watching Masters of the Universe, Droids, Ewoks, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, and Pee Wee's Playhouse. This was normal for me and millions of other kids, except for one little caveat. Before church, my mom often said, "So, please don't bring up He-Man and the Masters of the Universe at church."
Instant Faith
We're all smart here. Despite what we're being sold, we all know deep down inside that any worthwhile transformation requires a crucial ingredient—hard work. There is no way around it. I can't change myself for the better unless I do the work. Though TikTok and Instagram advertise otherwise, sustainable success is a long game.
Haters and Creators
Complaining is easy. The road taken by the chronic complainer is broad, and many walk it.
World’s Greatest Street Preacher
I've written about the worst street preacher ever, but would you like to know about the best?
Back to the 80s
Hollywood has a target audience to capture at the box office. The target, for now, seems to be kids from the 1980s. The bait for this particular audience is nostalgia.
Workplace Wounds
Workplace Betrayal.
It's an injury that's very likely to happen. It’s also an injury that doesn’t have a caution sign that we could post in an office to warn people about.