Resilient Wednesday Weekly Memo

Last week’s IT outage caused global chaos, including for my wife Sheila, who was stuck at the airport with a five-hour delay. The cause was a flawed software update released by the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which primarily impacted Microsoft’s operating systems, leading to failures across companies and individuals using Microsoft applications. Despite the horrific, widespread […]

Last week, I arranged for a house gutter cleaning. When the worker climbed up the ladder, he quickly came back down, alarmed. He informed me that a large wasp nest was lodged under my shingles, making cleaning a portion of the drain impossible. Seeking a solution, I contacted a friend of mine who is a

Last week’s Resilient Wednesday, on July 4th, sparked much conversation about the state of America. Many readers shared their hopes for a positive future while expressing fears that a darker reality might unfold. Two insightful items came across my desk this week, furthering this conversation. One was a story in Friday’s Nice News about “protopias”—a

*I feel a bit torn this July 4th about hope for the future and hopelessness for the future, so this week’s Resilient Wednesday has two versions. One of hope and one of despair.You choose your own. I know which one I believe.* America is facing one of the most challenging periods in its history, and

*I feel a bit torn this July 4th about hope for the future and hopelessness for the future, so this week’s Resilient Wednesday has two versions. One of hope and one of despair.You choose your own. I know which one I believe.* It is a challenging time for America and Americans, but I can’t think

The other day at the pool, I watched a friend encouraging his three-year-old daughter to jump off the diving board. He was in the water, his arms wide open, ready to catch her. She hesitated and walked back, but he reassured her, suggesting they do it together. Reluctantly, she agreed, and they jumped, looking like

This past weekend was thrilling for golf enthusiasts as the United States Open came down to the wire with an unforgettable finish. Traditionally played on Father’s Day, the final round occurred at Pinehurst in North Carolina, often called the Cathedral of American Golf. My favorite, Rory McIlroy, missed a four-foot putt in a nailbiter finish,

Father’s Day is a time to honor the incredible role fathers play in our lives. This day is uniquely significant for stepfathers, marking a journey of resilience, love, and dedication. My experiences as a stepdad are another element of my resilience learning, one filled with challenges and triumphs, tears and joy, that have shaped my

A few weeks ago, I stopped by the library and found Erik Larson’s newest book about the period between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the beginning of the Civil War. This discovery was a delightful reminder of my childhood when I frequently visited the library to immerse myself in biographies of great people. Lincoln has always

Many of us watched with delight and excitement as Caitlin Clark and Angel Resse battled on the hardwood for a national women’s basketball championship, eventually won by Reese’s Louisiana State Tigers. They’ve both moved onto professional basketball with Clark going to Indiana and Reese playing for the Chicago Sky. Last Sunday, Angel Reese made her