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Writing Your Life Story Blog

Here's where you find out what's new at Your Life is Your Story.

Jul 14, 2019

Narrative Medicine Helps Treat Patients Better

"It makes a difference when they (hospital staff) know you from a a different perspective than just 'you're a patient here, and we're talking care of you." That's a quote from Army veteran Fred Lenzen who is one of a few thousand individuals who have shared some of their life story as part of a program to include 1,000-word life story narratives as part of their medical record.

The My Life, My Story program has been implemented in many VA (Veteran Administration) clinics and facilities around the country.

Continue reading "Narrative Medicine Helps Treat Patients Better"

Jul 02, 2019

40 Years Ago Sony Walkman Made Music More Portable

Back in the 1970's rock n' roll had become an industry and people like me were living their lives to a soundtrack that today could only be described as classic rock. I grew up loving groups like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dylan, Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd and many others.

It was great to crank up the music in the car or on the home stereo. But if you went for a walk or wanted to listen to music without intruding on the personal aural space of others you were kind of limited. At least until the portable music player most popularized by the Sony Walkman came along.

Continue reading "40 Years Ago Sony Walkman Made Music More Portable"

Jun 30, 2019

Taking a Trip that Expands Your Life

It took many years for it to finally become a reality: a trip to Europe that proved to me what I have heard for years. Travel can expand your life in many signifcant ways.

My wife and I just returned from a ten day vacation to Italy and France. We have wanted to go to Europe for a very long time. In fact, I was supposed to fulfill the promise of this trip by our 25th wedding anniversary, but when we achieved that milestone we were not yet able to do the trip. Fortunately nine years later, and better late than never, we were able to do it.

Continue reading "Taking a Trip that Expands Your Life"

Jun 16, 2019

Gifts of Our Fathers

On this Father's Day holiday I find it important to reflect on the gifts of fatherhood. Our dads give us the gift of time, unconditional love, and knowledge passed on to help us with the many things we must do in life.

Doing and being are highly connected and when we are taught both by showing and then doing we learn better.

All our greatest lessons are taught and learned with the heart. Sure, the head is the seat of knowledge, but wisdom comes from the heart.

Continue reading "Gifts of Our Fathers"

Jun 14, 2019

White Water Rafting Builds Father-Son Relationships

It is nearly Fathers Day (this Sunday) and I just returned from an incredible mini-vacation with my brother-in-law and our two sons. It was an adventure we will always remember and a great way to continue to build solid relationships.

My son, Eric, is now 25. Art's son, AJ, just turned 28. So for Art and I this was a great dad and uncle outing. Fathers and sons; uncles and nephews - it was already setup to be a good time. But when we took to the rapids of the Taos Box on the Rio Grande River our Far Flung Adventures went to a new level.

Continue reading "White Water Rafting Builds Father-Son Relationships"

Jun 06, 2019

75th Anniversary of D-Day

I entered the search phrase "75th anniversary of D-Day" in Google and got an amazing 89,900,000 returns. Seventy-five years after the largest amphibious military invasion in history there is a lot to commemorate.

It is probably difficult to visualize this massive invasion that was critical to the Allies' efforts to end World War II. Miles of beaches and thousands of troops. Try to imagine what it must have been like for those who experienced it.

Continue reading "75th Anniversary of D-Day"

Jun 04, 2019

Fur Baby Farewell

Shadow, our awesome fur baby Chow-Labrador mix (I called him a "Chowbrador"), after 15 years of unconditional love, crossed over to the other side a few days ago. He was surrounded with love from family (Annette, Kristen, Eric, Neti and me) as we said our goodbyes. You could see in his eyes that he knew we were saying our farewells. Sad and joy mixed together.

15 years ago at Watermelon Mountain Ranch he picked us. We thought we were choosing from the litter of six, but no, he came running right up and let us know in no uncertain terms that he was the one and to take him home.

Continue reading "Fur Baby Farewell"

Jun 04, 2019

Your-Life-Your-Story - My Life Story Blog Archives, May, 2019

An archive of previous My Life Story blog entries from May, 2019 regarding personal history, life story writing and more.

Continue reading "Your-Life-Your-Story - My Life Story Blog Archives, May, 2019"

May 31, 2019

A Beautiful Parting Gift

My school wrapped up last week. I've been teaching 5th grade there for seven years and it has been some of the best years of my life. I have grown so much as a "second career" teacher. I love learning, I love teaching, and I love seeing kids learn.

One of the things I've been doing the past couple of years is playing guitar in my classroom. I love music (which is why my "first career" was 30 years in radio broadcasting) and I like to sing and play songs. I have a built in audience with my students and I think they enjoy it (most of the time). It's a good way to engage them and for them to see me as more human. More importantly, music as the universal language is an excellent way to teach.

Continue reading "A Beautiful Parting Gift"

May 27, 2019

Lives Impacted by Military Service Deserve Gratitude, Encouragement and Compassion

Memorial Day 2019 has many reflecting on those who served in the military, particularly the ones who went to war and to the many who never returned. The ultimate sacrifice of a life cannot be adequately measured. Nor should we attempt to lump together the various lives in a patriotic salute without taking the time to appreciate each individual's story.

Let's face it - we love our freedom and our country and patriotism stirs in most hearts strong feelings. We want to protect our freedoms and it is naive to believe that can always be done without blood ever being shed, although that would be the ultimate desire and goal.

Continue reading "Lives Impacted by Military Service Deserve Gratitude, Encouragement and Compassion"