About a year ago, I wrote a post on my plans for an extended 50th birthday celebration. The plan I outlined was to set out on a series of adventures designed to take me out of my comfort zone. I would undertake these adventures, accompanied by friends who proposed the various treks. Today, I leave for Shanghai…

One of my favorite birthday card greetings reads, “Youth is fleeting but immaturity lasts forever!”. This really resonates with me. Although I turn fifty next year, to some extent, I still feel like a kid. Every once in a while, I catch myself thinking about something that I’d like to do in the future and…

Several years ago, my daughter, Danielle, asked me if I’d be upset if she got a “code” violation at her school (the rough equivalent of a “detention”). I told her that I would but that, on the other hand, I’d also be concerned if she went through 13 years of schooling without ever getting one. My point to…