When I was about 14 years old, I entered a contest sponsored by some teen magazine to win a date with Sandra Dee. I didn’t tell my Mom about this since I knew she’d want to come along on my time with Sandra. I planned this all very carefully. It took hours for me to craft the perfect letter of introduction and a bio of my life to date, which is all too brief. Reflecting on the memoir, I was sure that my message (and the killer headshot of myself) would win the day.

I envisioned bags of mail waiting to be opened by Sandra. Since I knew most of the entries weren’t up to the quality of mine, it was only a matter of time before she called me to set up our date. This was certain to happen, and thousands of other 14-year-old boys would be weeping from rejection. Man, I felt great.

I wasn’t sure how Sandra and I would get to the location of our date; however, I was confident that it was a minor detail. Hey, I lived in San Francisco – we could take a Cable Car. Days, weeks, months, and years passed, and I didn’t hear from her. I was sure she was busy making movies, so I didn’t worry too much at the time. Then one day, I read she was marrying Bobby Darin. Say what? How could she do this to me? At that point, I threw in the towel. What fun we could’ve had, Sandra. Your loss, to be sure.

I believe every front yard could use a 70’ cedar tree. It’s grown quite tall since I moved in, and luckily, I don’t need to water or trim it. A few years back, I wrapped a long strand of colorful LED lights around it, and it quickly became a local favorite, glowing beautifully each evening for a few hours. I wish I had solar-powered lights, but oh well, you can’t have everything!

One spectacular benefit of having this tree in my yard is my very own Bird Condo is steps away from the front door. All year birds come and go; one pair of cardinals has staked their patch under the tree. Even my ever-present squirrel family doesn’t dislodge them. A few hummingbirds are back for the season; I was worried when I didn’t see them earlier; however, all is well. They zoom into the feeder and disappear into the tree branches.

When and if I ever sell my home, I’ll run an ad with this headline: “Seventy-foot high Cedar tree for sale, house included at no additional cost.”

Recently, I had the great fortune to visit the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St Augustine, Florida. I hadn’t planned this visit; suddenly, I saw a beautiful garden, a statue and a cross, and this fantastic historical museum while walking along the street.

For over 450 years, this beautiful shrine with the shining silhouette of the Great Cross has graced what is called the’ sacred acre. ‘ It’s the site of the very first Mass – a heartfelt thanksgiving – held on North American soil on September 1565, 1565. Father Francisco Lopez de Gajales, who traveled with Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, celebrated this special event as they settled what we now know as the historic city of St. Augustine.

I was completely unaware of what was happening. As we stepped into the shrine right when the doors opened, I noticed a friendly docent nearby, preparing for the day’s first tour. For nearly 30 minutes, I felt truly captivated by the story of the Spanish explorers who settled here, their history and power unfolding before me.

Having been on many docent tours, I can say that some are just okay, but this one was truly exceptional—led by someone who was passionate, knowledgeable, and brought history to life in a way that really resonated. Sometimes, unexpected moments like this come along when you least anticipate them. This was definitely one of those special times in my life, and I am incredibly grateful for the experience.

Having worked from a virtual office at home for many years, I’m quite familiar with the “work from home” experience. When I first began working remotely, companies often felt cautious; their primary concern was ensuring I remained productive throughout the day. They also had worries about things like home safety and equipment, but over time, trust and understanding grew.

Now, with zillions of folks working from home (home office or not), they only need a laptop, strong internet signals, and a video chat application. Even with this advanced technology, video chatters spend an inordinate amount of time fussing and fiddling with connections, audio, video, and who can’t sign in. Not long ago, I was on a call with people in 3 cities in the US and 2 cities in France (our US team didn’t speak French). We didn’t accomplish a single thing on that call.

In my first home office, I had everything anyone would need to work efficiently. Early on, I didn’t have computers or laptops. However, the three Kings of Communication were my fax machine, HP printer, and trusty IBM typewriter. I’ll hold out on video calls for as long as I can since Zooming is here to stay.; I guess I’ll have to look for a new fax machine to be competitive.

I watched the hummingbirds at the feeder a little while ago and thought it won’t be long before they head to their winter home. Right now, they are eating more and more to get ready for their long journey. It’s rare for more than one to eat at a time; however, at one point, three of them were divebombing each other for a place at the feeder.

It’s hard to imagine their trip; they lift off in the East Tennessee sky and head to Mexico and Central America. I read it takes about 40 hours of flying, at an average of 30 MPH, for them to reach the Mexican border, some 1,178 miles away.

Some of them fly 500 miles non-stop in about 20 hours. Even more incredibly, in their spring migration, they’ll remember exactly where my feeder is when they return, and I’ll most likely see them again. I’ll leave the welcome mat out for you.

As a kid, watching the movie “The World of Suzy Wong” in San Francisco was a magical experience for me. It took me to a place I had never dreamed of—Hong Kong. Just hearing the name of the city made me smile One of the most unforgettable moments in the film was when the scene was set on the famous Star Ferry called “Twinkling Star.” I loved that name and often daydreamed about what it would be like to be riding that ferry.

Fast forward many years, and what do you know?

One day I was standing at the Star Ferry Terminal in Hong Kong, waiting to board that ferry for the first time. The ride offers up one of the great bargains in the world, especially if you opt to ride in second class, which is on the main deck. Occasionally I’d splurge and go first class on the top deck, but that wasn’t where Suzy (and Bill Holden) rode, so neither would I.

I lived in Hong Kong with my family for four years and, over that time, had ample opportunity to ride the many Star Ferries back and forth. I’d often wait for the next one if it happened to be “Twinkling Star.” My daughters thought I was nuts, but in time, they also understood my quirks (one of many, I assure you.) Who knew how much that movie would affect my life?