Power makes people uncomfortable, yet it shapes nearly every part of life. In government, power decides who sets the rules and who follows them. It isn’t the existence of power that causes problems, but the lack of accountability around it. When leaders stop being questioned, power shifts from serving people to protecting itself, and that’s when trust breaks down.

In this ever more complicated age of computers, passwords, automated telephone banks, AI, Internet, text codes, phone apps, Zooms, credit cards, WiFi, clock violations, iPhones, false positives, cash machines, credit ratings, tax increases, trackers, local discounts, self driving cars, Ubers, home court advantage, fluctuating interest rates, inflation, gender bias, cognitive overload, spiraling healthcare costs and ever increasing insurance rates it's such a luxury to have someone knowledgeable and caring to hold your hand, understand and explain the rules of the game and guide you. 

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