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.

I was told that the average human’s life expectancy is about 27,327 days – hardly enough!According to my calculations, my “best by…” date has already passed. But hey, I’m not milk or sushi, so expiration dates don’t apply. I’m still here and as fresh as ever. Thus far, I’ve crammed four careers, wild adventures, kids, grandkids and just about every emotion except boredom into my years on this side of the garden. It has sped by like a skateboarding kid on a sugar high.

I can’t take credit for this, but I really liked it.I heard an interview about new habits to start in 2026.  One commentator was recommending a gratitude journal.  I liked that.  Every day, you write down one thing (at least) for which you felt grateful.Offering a twist on the theme, another commentator suggested a contribution journal.  His theory was that the gratitude journal was passive – but making a daily goal to contribute something positive to the world required active engagement towards the common good.

I know the holiday season is about so much more than giving gifts. But sometimes, when you give the perfect gift, it just warms your heart. Giving the perfect gift isn’t about the price tag, but about how well you understand the person receiving it. The most meaningful gifts reflect shared memories, inside jokes, or something the person would never buy for themselves.