Unrefined Matters

Today I’m grateful for the sun, clouds, trees, birds, and all the greenery trying to pop out. Granted it’s St Patrick’s Day, so I definitely see a lot of Kelly green out there, but I’m also glad to see things like grass and leaf buds and plants (oh my!). It’s not quite Spring, but it […]

Happy #PiDay y’all! In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ll explain.  Many people celebrate March 14th as “Pi Day” because the number date (3/14) corresponds with the first few digits of the rational constant ‘pi’ (3.14159….).  We’re geeks and we’re proud, ok? I’m pretty grateful for Pi AND pie today. How else […]

This morning I woke up (well, our daughter woke us up) and I immediately had a song in my head. I love music: listening to it, making it, discovering new music, all of it. I don’t enjoy all music types (sorry Florida Georgia Line, we just aren’t simpatico), but it’s pretty close. When I want […]

The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.” – C.S. Lewis It’s Day 12 of March of Gratitude and I am grateful for friendships! Ask someone who knows me well to describe me and they will likely use words like “odd” or “a […]

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford Day 11 of March of Gratitude and I am grateful for failure. More importantly, I’m grateful for the opportunities to begin again. Failure is inevitable. What we do about it is what truly defines our lives. My goal in life […]

Day 10 of March of Gratitude and I’m grateful that I am alive today. I’m not trying to be morbid or a downer – this is a joyful statement! This life is not guaranteed and can be snatched away from us in an instant – and not just from death. Tomorrow a serious medical diagnosis, […]

I’m posting later than usual, mostly because of what I’m grateful for today, which is my community. I spent the morning with my family, brunch with a friend, texted another friend in Texas after that, then emailed another friend in Ohio. Later I updated a group that is helping me get established in St Louis […]

Today is International Women’s Day and I’m incredibly grateful for that. I have a baby girl (who is in my arms as I type this) and I will support, empower, contribute to, and champion ANY cause that helps create a better world for her. I have a wife (who is working today – shouldn’t this […]

March of Gratitude Day 7 – I am grateful for the freedom to share my thoughts publicly. Although I don’t always exercise this freedom, I recognize the magnitude of being afforded it. Imagine living in a society where a simple criticism of the government or its leaders could land you in prison or worse. I […]

March of Gratitude Day 6 – I’m grateful for the internet. If you’re reading this, you’re probably grateful too – at least, you should be. Yes, the internet allows for some weird and shady stuff to happen and can make it a little harder to stay focused at times, but overall this an incredible resource […]

March of Gratitude Day 5 – I’m grateful for a roof over our heads. As I write this in Milwaukee, it’s 12° outside with a wind-chill below zero. This winter we have seen much much colder (negative 20!) and more severe weather than today. I can’t help but think of the homeless and displaced families during […]