Welcome to the X.

If I’ve learned anything in the more than 240 episodes of the Chapter X podcast, it’s that sharing stories is an important part of life. I see this from several perspectives. First, and maybe most importantly, we are giving a part of ourselves to others…

I think it’s fair to say that one of the struggles many men experience is connecting with others and making new acquaintances and friends. As a dedicated introvert, it can be a painful and anxiety-filled experience. With that in mind, it pushes me to think…

I have been focusing on listening more closely to my inner voice. You know, the one that keeps getting drowned out by distractions. As you might know, if you’ve been following and reading my pieces, I am not a “meditator.” I don’t sit on a…

For those of you who have come through the crucible of the transition from a full-time career to the next part of your journey, the good news is: you’ve done it! You’ve walked the path and are still breathing. Yay! You’ve proven to yourself that…

I have probably been remiss in not expressing my thanks to you all for your continued support. I’m grateful to those who occasionally drop me a note in response to my blogs and to those who show up at our monthly Zoom get-togethers. I appreciate…

The PERFECT retirement...that’s the dream, right?  Can you even picture what that looks like? There are several flaws in the idea. First, if you can conceive of it, is it fantasy or is it realistic? Is it endless days on the beach under cloudless skies?…

My daughter warned me that my 5-year-old granddaughter was asking questions about death. She let me know in advance of me driving her to school so I was “prepared.” Later that morning, when we were on our way, we talked about her sleep the night…

Walt Kelly said it best in the thought balloon above Pogo’s head: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Really, how many times have we said or thought that we, or someone we know, are our own worst enemy? Yup, we are often…