• 11.  I Wonder What the Inside of a Chinese Prison Looks Like?

    11. I Wonder What the Inside of a Chinese Prison Looks Like?

    As part of my job over the course of the past couple of decades, I traveled to Hong Kong about twice a year or so.  Hong Kong is home to one of the three regional offices around the world that answered to the global corporate headquarters located in Dallas where I was employed.  These business…

  • 10. My Year as a Mighty Falcon

    10. My Year as a Mighty Falcon

    Once in an interview type situation – not for a job, but maybe something with church? I really can’t recall – I was asked to cite an accomplishment of which I was particularly proud.  Even though I have had prouder moments in my life, I went with the first thing that came to my mind,…

  • 9. I Heart NYC! No, really.

    9. I Heart NYC! No, really.

    In the 90’s, there was a series of television commercials for Pace Picante Sauce that became very popular. In these commercials, several cowboy-types, presumably from Texas, would sit around using Pace Picante Sauce as a means to spice up their local chili, bbq, or TexMex dishes; however, there would always be that one bone head…

  • 7. The Bane of my Gym Existence

    7. The Bane of my Gym Existence

    Just as I was pulling up the first rep of bicep curls, I caught someone in my peripheral vision. I looked up and almost made an audible gasp. This mountain of a man had just walked over to the tricep press that I was using as part of my arm workout. He was about 6…

  • 6. Not My Finest Hour

    6. Not My Finest Hour

    Everyone has their dietary Achilles Heel.  For some, it’s bread, any kind of bread.  For others, it’s Mexican food or pasta.  These foods make us happy, and we are often pained as we muster up the will power to say, “No, thank you,” when the opportunity presents itself to indulge in our favorites.  For me,…

  • 5. The Mysterious Case of the Stolen iPhone

    5. The Mysterious Case of the Stolen iPhone

    My family and I have always been fairly devout regarding church attendance, especially on Sunday mornings.  Usually, the biggest excitement on a Sunday after church is the negotiations and debate concerning where the family will have lunch often resulting in some of us forgetting what we may have just heard about putting others first.  But…

  • 4. Every Armadillo has his Day

    4. Every Armadillo has his Day

    Well, maybe not every armadillo, but the critter-at-large most definitely gets the spotlight each year in May in the small Arkansas town of Hamburg.  Saturday, May 6, marked the 52nd annual celebration of all things Armadillo, and it was serendipity that I was able to be there to witness the occasion.  My folks live in…

  • 3. Just Call Me Baby

    3. Just Call Me Baby

    One of my most favorite things to do on the planet is to go to breakfast.  One might think that something so mundane should not warrant such significance in my life.  But I’m not talking just any breakfast. I have a formula, a very specific set of requirements that need to be met in order…

  • 2. Tales of Humiliation Always Make the Best Stories

    To really get the full impact of this story, you need to have two key pieces of information: 1) First of all, I really do not sing well.  No, really.  I can pretty much stay on the melody, but I have a comfortable range of about five notes and absolutely no vibrata or deviation in…