Random Thoughts Archives

Communicating with the Community

April 24, 2023

I’ve been thinking about our WP community, how important it is; what purpose it serves and extending from that, do we, the more experienced bloggers, have a role in helping and guiding new bloggers so that they stay within the blogging world and become contributing members of the community who, in turn, will then help future bloggers. Do you think about the less experienced bloggers? I suspect for many of us, we think about our own needs. What is required for our own blogs and being in touch with our friends and contacts within the Community. … More Communicating with the Community

THE LAW OF UNRELATED THINGS

March 20, 2023

I wonder. A lot. About a lot. To what extent are coincidences unplanned, uncoordinated and unrelated? To what extent are planned occurrences deliberate, independent and timed? Ramblings much? Perhaps. Onto something? Maybe. The enterprise of writing , after all, has always involved a degree of madness. With more than 7 billion people on the planet, … More THE LAW OF UNRELATED THINGS

body of water with snow under a dramatic sky

Sunday Evening, Long Island, February 2023

February 5, 2023

The laundry is folded (or doing a passable imitation of folded), the dogs are silent and sleeping, and the house is freshly vacuumed, and even though, an hour later, its efforts have already become hard to spot as a fresh battalion of fur easily reclaims its beachheads, the house is still neat and clean (or … More Sunday Evening, Long Island, February 2023

Musings from Flood Warnings

January 10, 2023

Hello all! Good morning from a very rainy California! You might have heard, California has been dealing with severe rain in recent weeks, specifically the past week, and we have been under evacuation warning due to risk of flood a few times in the past week. Some nearby areas have actually been evacuated. The state … More Musings from Flood Warnings

Question of the Day (Inspired by the Red-headed Stranger)

January 5, 2023

I’m currently reading The Tao of Willie: A Guide to the Happiness in Your Heart, with “Willie” being the great Willie Nelson, musician and songwriter extraordinaire. As you might guess from the title, the book, coauthored by Nelson and Turk Pipkin, elucidates the singer’s philosophy of life, which was strongly influenced by Buddhist and Taoist … More Question of the Day (Inspired by the Red-headed Stranger)

Wise & Shine Podcasts in 2023

January 3, 2023

In October of last year, Wise & Shine started a podcast. In the weeks ahead, we’ll be recording new episodes for your listening pleasure. Tuesday will be the day we publish new podcasts to the site. If you haven’t already done so, please have a listen to our recordings from 2022. We are interested in hearing … More Wise & Shine Podcasts in 2023

close up photo of a condenser microphone

New Podcast Today!

November 22, 2022

Hi! We’ve just posted a new episode of the Wise & Shine podcast. Have a listen as I talk with the uber-talented and insightful Art Russell. In this podcast, we attempt to answer the question “What’s Really Important?” Thanks for tuning in!

people on sidewalk selective focal photo

“We Know What We Are, But Know Not What We May Be”

November 16, 2022

Who Am I? Depends Who You Ask Barring a few Zen Masters, all of us spend virtually every waking moment (and every non-waking moment) in our own heads. These accommodations may strike you as lightless prison cells, bright, soft palaces, or something in between, depending on your moods and/or medications. Hamlet claimed, “I could be … More “We Know What We Are, But Know Not What We May Be”

adult frowned male writer working on typewriter at home

A Radical Idea. (I’m Going To Write a Book.)

October 27, 2022

Just imagine, you’re sat fat, dumb and happy when BAM! Your engine shits itself. (And so do you.) Suddenly you’re forced to divert. You need to get on the ground pronto! Before you know it, there you are. Grounded with a bum engine – a million miles from the original destination you had in mind. … More A Radical Idea. (I’m Going To Write a Book.)

Halloween Hall O’ Fame

October 21, 2022

Halloween is an under-rated holiday but it shouldn’t be. These are a few of my favorite Halloween things. … More Halloween Hall O’ Fame

A Singapore Fling

October 20, 2022

It occurs to me that I’ve gone through something of a divorce over the past year or so. Only, it’s not been to a person but a place. Of course, there have been others. York for one. We had a few difficult years together. Then there was Oxford where I went to university. That was … More A Singapore Fling

Autumnal Thoughts About Fall As Autumn Nears

October 1, 2022

As the leaves start to turn, like so many stomachs at the sight of a MAGA hat, one becomes reflective. I’m the one, by the way. I’m not saying I’m Number One or anything, it isn’t an ego thing. I just thought it would sound classier. But reading back over it, it feels maybe a … More Autumnal Thoughts About Fall As Autumn Nears

loving diverse couple having fun in new own home

I’m Back

September 26, 2022

When Micheal Jordan returned from the NBA after an extended hiatus his publicity manager was unsure how they should announce the news. So, he wrote a number of press releases for Micheal to choose from. But Jordan didn’t like any of them. He said, “I’ll do it myself.” before picking up a pen and writing … More I’m Back

yelling formal man watching news on laptop

A Mercifully Brief Post About Knowing Nothing

September 7, 2022

Like most people, I’ve led an unusual life. For me, part of its unorthodoxy is my insistence on trying to make a living as a writer. Let’s just say, it’s been an uphill climb. But occasionally I comfort myself with the knowledge that there are a million reasons why things either gain recognition or fail … More A Mercifully Brief Post About Knowing Nothing

Pardon Me While I Ramble

May 2, 2022

I’m a busy guy. I manage two writing centers at a community college in San Antonio, Texas, USA. That takes fifty hours per week. My wife has a business that I help with. I take care of her purchasing, public relations, and I occasionally assist her with sales. On top of all that, I write, … More Pardon Me While I Ramble

Allow Me To Use This Space To Express My Opinion That I Have Too Many Spaces To Express My Opinions

April 1, 2022

So, as I have mentioned more often than is dignified, I have a theater company. Specifically, an online theater company we started in 2020. We did well critically in our first season, but the opposite of well in terms of making any money. We were also really bad at even breaking even. Frankly, we weren’t … More Allow Me To Use This Space To Express My Opinion That I Have Too Many Spaces To Express My Opinions

photo of woman playing with her children

The Two Paths to Wealth

February 25, 2022

I have two images of wealth in my mind. One looks like what most people envision. A lavish lifestyle, a big plastic mansion, a luxury yacht, 8 sports cars… You get it. Then there is this second image. In this picture, there is a place called home. It’s quaint, rustic. Filled with messy, silly, somewhat annoying … More The Two Paths to Wealth

On Being a Nurse

February 13, 2022

“I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy. I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” Art Williams This anxiety that is my constant companion of late scrapes it’s nails across my chest. It hangs at the corners of my mouth. It paces and wrings its hands over and over and over wearing … More On Being a Nurse

Troy’s Law of Complexification

January 24, 2022

Several days ago, I found myself sitting in a Zoom meeting at work. My mind was wandering, mostly because I wasn’t even for sure why I’d been invited to participate. An idea suddenly came to me, so I reached for the notebook I always keep at hand to capture writing topics when they come. The … More Troy’s Law of Complexification

Why Nostalgia is Important?

January 11, 2022

Why nostalgia is important? Nostalgia is a shield against existential challenges. Evoking positive experiences and feelings from the past can help you cope better with the present and the future. January for me is the month to think about what happened the year before. To make a balance, to see what went well and what … More Why Nostalgia is Important?