Is this called having a fetish?

Dear Joel, In a few hours I'll be on a flight to Connecticut to have an on-site meeting with one of my customers. It's my fourth trip to the same location in the last 12 months. I like traveling, but I've discovered that I don't love it when it's for work. Having said that, I think I'd enjoy traveling for work a little more if I got to visit a different customer...

Read More

Four Eyes

Dear Jake, I have to start by saying that your response to my question from my previous post leaves me wondering if you understood the tongue-in-cheek nature with which I was asking.  I was not-so-subtly hinting that I think it would be wonderful if you, your wife, and my niece moved over my way.  Though it's in all ways selfish I do think...

Read More

I'm Edumacated

Dear Joel, There's an episode of The West Wing in which Sam Seaborn says, "Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should...

Read More

I'm Back

Dear Jake, I know I've been absent from here for awhile.  I'm back and I'm better than ever.  Okay, probably not better than ever. I'm so thrilled that you are having a baby girl.  Actually, I'm thrilled that you are are having a baby.  The fact that it is a girl is exciting in its own right though.  It's true I have experience...

Read More

A Little Girl

This post is a day late because I wanted to write about my daughter and I hadn't told mom and dad yet that I have one. The other day, as you know, Elizabeth and I found out that the baby she's due to deliver at Christmas time is a girl. I've been a little terrified ever since. I don't have a lot of experience with raising girls. I've never actually...

Read More

The Fundamentals

Dear Joel, I play on a city rec league softball team with some co-workers, and it's a lot of fun. Our last regular season games are this evening, so softball is on my mind. I said that it's fun to play on this team, and it is. However, it's also extremely frustrating to me. You and I grew up with a great baseball coach, who happened to be our father....

Read More