When our three oldest sons were young, I gave them a set of colorful bandannas. They wore these in various ways, depending on that day’s particular imaginary adventure. When wearing them loosely around the front and tied behind the neck, the brothers became cowboys. Pulling the bandannas up to cover their mouths and noses (as …
In his early elementary school years, my husband lived in Belgium due to his father’s job. JB played with Belgian children and easily picked up the French language, along with a perfect accent. In college he majored in French and computer science. Years later he drew on those years of language study while interpreting for …
About four years before my elderly dad died, a young woman approached him after church. With no job and no home other than a motel room, she needed money. True to his kindhearted nature, my dad gladly gave her some cash. Over time their “friendship” continued, with this pitiful woman creating one crisis story after …
Years ago I heard about a man who experimented by posting a sign in his garden reading, “DON’T SPIT ON THE FLOWERS!” He wanted to see how the neighboring kids would respond. As he watched out his window, sure enough, some children gathered around his garden, secretly spitting on his flowers, quickly looking around to …
JB (the fifth of five kids) and I (an only child) met in a high school Spanish class the second semester of our senior year. We went on one date before graduation. Then my family moved from Pensacola, Florida to Minnesota. I attended college there (at St. Olaf) and JB went to Dartmouth College in …
Last summer, almost on a whim, I applied for a summer internship at a tech company. My previous job consisted of two parts. The first involved a bit of SalesForce research before uploading documents I digitized. The second required me to call customers month after month, requesting completed paperwork. We’re talking very little brain strain. …
At work, I attend multiple meetings focused on internet security and the many precautions necessary these days to protect ourselves and our data. Beyond that, I regularly take short, employee-focused security courses to keep myself informed and alert. After hearing a number of stories involving social engineering, spear phishing, and scams, I began suspecting just …
Our youngest daughter has worked at Honey Baked Ham for the past few years. And while they serve sandwiches and cater events year-round, their highest volume of business occurs over the holidays. In late November, people line up outside before the shop even opens, and customers stream in for days, eager to buy the perfect …
I like the movie, “Joe vs. the Volcano.” The plot involves Joe, a former firefighting hero turned sullen factory worker, relegated to a dark and dingy back office. Life has beaten him down and he’s lost sight of his true identity. One dismal day a wealthy stranger shows up, unannounced, at Joe’s shabby apartment and offers …
Our oldest son and his wife called us on FaceTime recently. Among other things, we discussed work. I mentioned I can hardly believe someone pays me to do my job! I get to learn so much, regularly face new challenges, and exercise my creativity in multiple ways. And I feel blessed to have work I enjoy. …
