Over the past several years, as our girls have left elementary school, my wife and I have become increasingly frustrated with the public education system, even in our happy upper-middle class suburban locale. In short, our public education system in the US is a mess. Sir Ken Robinson has some fascinating ideas about education. Its … Continue reading Schools Kill Creativity

A couple of weeks ago, something wonderful happened in downtown Los Angeles. Two of my favorite people, and living legends, John Wooden and Vin Scully, sat down together to talk about sports, life, love, and their remarkable experiences in life.I had no idea this was happening, or I would have done my best to be … Continue reading Wooden & Scully, A Match Made in Heaven

"John, Michael, wake up.There is a boy here who is toteach us to fly and take us tothe Never, Never Land.He says there arepirates and mermaids and redskins." - Peter Pan, by Sir James Matthew BarrieHave you ever dreamt that you could fly? I have lots of times, mostly when I was younger. My dreams … Continue reading Fighting Gravity, Reaching 50, Flying, Joy

Two years ago, Matt produced a video that has spread around the world. Matt is at it again, and this time, there is no possible way you can watch this without smiling, and then laughing and wondering again about this amazing, beautiful, troubling, fantastic world we live in.Observation: Last time, Matt did a lot of … Continue reading Matt is at it Again!

The other day I turned 50 years old. For what happened on the momentous day I was born, go here. Friday morning I awoke to find that the clock (at least at our house) had been turned back about 35 years. My yard had been "TP'ed", or in the south also known as "rolled". This … Continue reading Turning 50 – Part 1

They all lined up. About 300 8th graders stood in line to receive their promotion handshakes, certificates, and photographs. Suits and ties, new shoes, new dresses. A Big and Special Day. I was reminded of the James Taylor song, "Line 'em Up". All those amazing lives, all clumped together in one place. If we had … Continue reading Lining Up, Promotion, The Future

Its Father's Day.Albert Einstein once said:"The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."I have thought often of this idea, this "illusion", over the past two years, as I have faced the death of both of my parents, and a bit more again in the past couple of weeks, as … Continue reading Time, Cleaning the Panels, and My Future Self

Now, y'all listen up. I don't know much, but I do know me some good banjo pickin' when I hears it. I want to go to a show where everybody gets a seat suspended on a giant elastic band. Oh my!http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=49235Can we not all just dance when we hear the music?

When I was a kid, the three of us, me, Mom, and Dad used to sit at the little dinner table in our kitchen each night for dinner. Tater tots, pork chops, and reconstituted frozen lima beans. Dad would hold forth on events of business, politics, and culture, in his own modified suburban white Archie … Continue reading Tricky Dick, MTV, and Being a Parent

Parenting is not for cowards. Chalk one up for MTV.We have been recently dealing with a teenager in our house who is telling us our values are bogus, and those of the MTV generation are more fitting. We have been told, essentially, that we can go pound sand.The specific issue we, as parents, are dealing … Continue reading The Merchants of Cool