I once had a friend who was very overweight and had diabetes. We were hanging out and he ordered a double sugar, extra fat, triple whipped cream something or other from the coffee chain. When I expressed surprise that he was able to drink that, he showed me his insulin pump attached to his hip …
Several years ago, the school community I was a part of suffered a terrible tragedy! A mom and three of her kids died in a highway accident. The dad was not on this trip and survived. Two of the kids were in the same class that I taught. It was a small class of about …
There are three types of people in the world: The Sheep, The Sheepdogs and The Wolves. Most people are sheep. They live a somewhat normal life…they go to work, do what they’re told, pay their taxes, raise their families, watch tv, hang out on weekends. For the most part not creating any waves. Most of …
Read more “The Sheep, The Sheepdogs and the Wolves. Which one are you?”
Many people set their aim on becoming famous, thinking that’s the path to earning money as a musician. It’s not. There are famous people who make money, but there are many musicians you probably have never heard of who make $75,000 a year or more plugging away in their local community. I have a friend …
Did you know that the ancient Hebrew language does not have a word for coincidence? I “found” my first teaching job by “coincidence”. (in quotes because I don’t believe in that word) I was performing full time and wanted to give teaching a try. I would not have sought out a full time teaching job, …
Education is in an upheaval. Teachers have been forced to learn how to teach online practically overnight. Parents were forced to suddenly become their child’s coach, teacher, and counselor. All this while we are at record unemployment rates, with many working from home while still supervising their kids. What if we took advantage of this …
The summers of 2010-2012 I was driving every week to Weatherford, Oklahoma to work on a master’s degree in music education. The trip took me through the Texas panhandle. The panhandle gets its name because when you view Texas on a map, there’s a thin stretch of land in the northwest corner that – when …
In 2016, my mom suffered a debilitating stroke. I was the one tasked with handling her affairs. I sold her condo, packed away many of her things and found a place where she would live after her rehab. It was a daunting and exhausting task! Little tasks that should have been simple and easy to …
We received the news of all of our kids arrivals with joy and anticipation. Children are a gift from God. With one of our children, the doctor was a little concerned with some things he saw on our required test results. We were told that there was a good chance the baby would be born …
Read more “It was recommended that we abort one of our kids”
Throughout my childhood, I was often picked on and bullied. I was somewhat of a momma’s boy. I was not close to my father. I had a high emotional IQ and cried easily…the men in my life pounded into me (sometimes literally) that men don’t cry. One day in 7th grade things turned around… Red …
Read more “I Became A Bully. I Felt Powerful. I Felt Strong. It Was Wrong.”
The first (and only) time i picked up a prostitute It was October of 2000, one of those rare, grey drizzly days we sometimes get in Colorado. I was on Nevada Avenue – the main drag through downtown Colorado Springs – when I saw her. I pulled my van to the side of the road …
Read more “The First (and only) Time I Picked up a Prostitute”
When I first started teaching band in 1998, I was VERY isolated. I didn’t even know very many band directors in my local area. I was only part time, showing up on campus right before my 1st class and leaving right after my 2nd class…I had kids to pick up from daycare. Most of my …
Read more “5 Great Band Directors and How They Influenced Me”
ENROLL HERE I think that EVERYONE has a book inside of them, but maybe they just don’t know how to get started writing it. In this course, I teach you the steps I used to create my own six books. You won’t become a millionaire, but you can get your message out there and sell …
Read more “Everything You Need To Know to Write and Self-Publish a Book”
Dear Fellow Title I Teacher: Don’t compare yourself to other teachers. You are amazing. You work hard. Even if they don’t tell you, your students appreciate and love you! You may be one of the few stable things in their life! When you look at where your students are “on the charts”, often they fall …
Man’s Best Friend. Faithful. Loyal. These are just some of the ways dogs have been described. Not many dogs have undertaken the task of writing about life. It’s important for you – the human – to understand what it is we see in life as dogs. Dogs were designed by God to be special, to …
In 1996, I was in the Army Band stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. After ten years in the Army, I was planning on getting out when I suddenly found myself with orders for Heidelberg, Germany! It was so tempting to stay in so we could go. There were many reasons why I decided to turn down …