Claiming your life as your own and taking the plunge
Taking a plunge you've never taken before is scary. It's a leap of faith that goes like this – JUST JUMP. My bones feel slightly achy and my head is a little light-headed from the braveness that I'm feeling from taking that plunge, yet here we go ready or not. This wheel of life keeps turning faster and faster and I find myself at an age I thought ancient before. Yet, I don't feel ancient. I...
What it means to be a Dewey
My niece – otherwise known as My Favorite Person in the World – is, without question, a real Dewey and for that, I'm grateful. She's smart, slender, brilliant, beautiful, insightful, intelligent, kind and compassionate.Oh … and she's competitive as hell.For example, when she was turning maybe four years old, her parents (my brother and his bride) gave her a wonderful birthday party, one...
Spring migration update: 'Big Days' were a hit with local birders
It's been quite a week. Although I've heard varying reports of how good the songbird migration has been, at least here in the Goshen, Ind. area we had a number of good days for seeing warblers, thrushes, flycatchers, etc. In fact, I thought the numbers were quite good, especially for the first 12 days of May. After the cold winter and early spring, I expected migration to be later than usual. As...
CERCLA makes polluters clean up their own messes
Q: What is CERCLA? A: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act is a federal law passed in 1980 to address contamination cleanup. CERCLA created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that might endanger public health or the environment. This...
How to never work a day in your life
I asked several of my friends the question, What is the best piece of educational advice that you have ever received? Their answers were interesting and all insightful. Their advice will lead to you never having to work a day in your life. If you are thinking about continuing your higher education, then you should begin with an end goal in mind. What type of job or career would you be happy...
Avoid the dream killers and set sail on an adventure
Too many of us throw in the towel too soon; we don't let the dream take root on the inside. Everyone needs to have dreams, because dreams are what keep us from being stagnant in life. We all must have goals, things that we are continually shooting for. Unfortunately we let others take the wind out of our sails with their negative attitudes. Instead of building us up, they constantly tear us...
The day I almost died, and being grateful that I didnt
It happened in a flash, as scary moments often do. I was mere inches from serious injury if not death. My guess is we all have events like this. Im not trying to be overdramatic. The split-second incident helped me further appreciate both what had previously occurred that day and what I was about to encounter. I had already had an illuminating morning. I got to help my Amish neighbors run...
Motherhood is more about being present than bringing the napkins
It all started with napkins. It sounds silly now, but in the moment, it was a big deal. It was one of those moments in time when your life flashes before your eyes, and this flashback was not very good. You see, I failed, yet again. Failed at motherhood. When our oldest, Hannah, was in grade school, I would volunteer to be the room mother, organize the class parties and attend all of the class...