At the age of 34 and with precious little supervisory experience, I became a manager. It was 1989, and I was selected to fill the third-ranking slot in an organization of almost 200 people. In my naiveté, I thought I was ready for the position,… Read More »Building A Powerful Team
Shortly before my fiftieth birthday in 2005, a long tube-shaped package was delivered to my home. It was about four feet in length and was completely encased in clear wrapping tape. My thought was that it could hold a rolled-up poster or other piece of… Read More »The Halfies Incident of 1969
Now that I am in the last year of my seventh decade on earth, I notice that my memory can sometimes fail me. What did I have for dinner two nights ago? I might not remember. Where did I use to park my car every… Read More »Barry Manilow, Please Leave My Brain
For many years, I tried my best to raise a productive vegetable garden. The idea of growing, picking, then eating vegetables that did not come from the grocery store held a powerful allure. There were some victories – lots of cherry tomatoes and bell peppers… Read More »There’s My Problem
A few years back, I scattered a bunch of seeds next to a fence in my backyard. My backyard is in Maryland. Black-eyed Susans are the state flower of Maryland. So, it is unsurprising that I was rewarded that summer with a beautiful display of… Read More »Just Give It a Chance
Is it possible that I am an old-timer? Let’s start with the definition of the word. I have a trusted longtime reference companion in red binding, Webster’s New World Dictionary (Third College Edition). It defines the word as, “a person who has been a resident,… Read More »Am I an Old-timer?
(Note – My lovely wife Barbara has given her permission for me to relate this tale.) Barbara is the safest driver I know. She takes great care when behind the wheel, doesn’t give in to distractions and follows all road rules and speed limits. She… Read More »My Wife was a Flasher
(A slightly revised version of this post was published in the June 2024 issue of Against the Grain) I first stepped inside the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress in April 1983. I was fresh out of library school and nervous, having flown… Read More »Forty Years at the Big Library
We have a maintenance contract with an HVAC company to service our air conditioning unit and furnace twice a year – in the spring and fall. During each of those visits, the technician removes the old system filter and replaces it with a clean one.… Read More »How is Your Filter?
I had just transferred from a managerial position to one in which I served as a special assistant to the head of a large directorate. My boss, Molly we’ll call her, was charismatic and mission-driven. My job was to support her in whatever way she… Read More »Listen Up