Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers

When I was a little boy, Mister Rogers encouraged me to be creative and curious and patient and kind. That encouragement was a wonderful gift to give a sensitive little boy. But of course, it wasn't for me alone; it was a gift he gave to many millions of people over the thirty-five year run of his PBS TV show.

Those of us who watched him every day when we were four or five or six are unquestionably better off for his influence; for his absence, the world is unquestionably poorer.

Had he lived, he would have turned eighty-five years old today. I'll be wearing a red sweater in his honor.

Reminders of the Corporate Life

More than 15 years ago, when I still worked in the corporate world, I was given this business card holder/clock as an "Attaboy!" for some work I did on a project:

Now that I've been out of the corporate world for almost a decade, and haven't worked full time in that long, too, these little reminders of my former life mean a lot more to me than I thought they would. Much to my own surprise, I find I miss my working life more than I expected.

When the girls are both in school I plan to go back to work doing something at least somewhat like what I used to do; I find myself looking forward to that. (However, I wouldn't trade my time as a stay-at-home dad for anything. It has been the most wonderful, the most sacred--and yes, the most frustrating and challenging--experience I can imagine.)

Monticello, GA

I went on a little drive today to take some pictures, and ended up in Monticello, about fifty miles from where I live. I found some wonderful colors and shapes and textures to capture.