Something told me to call. When he answered, he said he would call me back. Before he could hang up, I asked him if he was okay.He called back ..... he told me what was wrong.“But you heard it in my voice when you asked if I was okay.”“Heard it in my voice.” I thought about that for a while.We hear lots of things when we listen. And it’s not only words.So much is lost in texting and emails. It’s a price we pay.But is it worth it?

Last week my family and I were privileged to be able to take a weeklong cruise on Royal Caribbean’s newest and world’s largest cruise ship (as of this writing), the Star of the Seas. This was our first time on such a new and large ship, just 5 months old, 7500 passengers and nearly 3,000 crew. We have neighbors that were on the ship twice In two months and recommended it. All I can say is Wow! 

It is officially January 13.  Most times I am still wishing happy new year throughout the entire month of January.  This year, however, 2026 came in like a lion and in some ways it already feels like we are knee deep in the year.  As a result, I have already stopped offering well wishes for 2026.Oddly, along with that revelation, this year for the first I am actually remembering to write 2026 instead of 2025 when recording a date.If I haven't wished you happy new year yet, my apologies, and please accept my well wishes here.   

On Saturday, January  3, 2026. we became stranded in Barbados. Our flight home was suddenly canceled because of the military action in Venezuela.  While being stranded in Barbados may sound like an ideal situation it was surreal, frightening and unsettling.  

The Football playoffs started yesterday and, with my team (way) out of it (unfortunately as usual), I only paid no attention to see if my pics in a pool won last night (They did!). With my friend Eric, we picked correct on yesterday’s outcome for a pool we’ve been partnering in for three seasons; it’s fun and social. Especially this season it put us in the hated position of picking our team’s opponent even while we rooted for our team to prevail.

I did some reading on the use of force, and I believe that George H.W. Bush had the smartest approach to using our military might. He treated power as insurance, not currency. He built coalitions, exhausted diplomacy, and used force only when the political endgame was already secured.Desert Storm is the proof:The force was overwhelmingObjectives were limitedExit was clearCoalition legitimacy was locked in first

Last Sunday my New York Giants Football team defeated the Dallas Cowboys by the score of 34-17.  I have been a Giant fan since boyhood and am proud to brag that I attended the Giants 1956 47-7 victory over the George Halas Chicago Bears in the (pre Super Bowl) National Football League Championship game and, 2 years later, attended "The Greatest Game Ever Played" when the Baltimore Colts beat the Giants in sudden death overtime in the NFL Championship game.  

       Last Sunday night, it was expected that a routine field goal in the game-ending play would give the Baltimore Ravens a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and a place in the playoffs.       The possibility of a field goal winning the game was the result of a missed extra-point kick by Pittsburgh— a mistake very rarely seen in professional football.       With the opportunity to win the game as a result of the other team’s mistake, Baltimore moved systematically toward victory in the closing minutes of the game.