Being Positive

Living in the Sweet Spot

In most athletic endeavors, there is a point of activity often known as “the sweet spot.” In tennis, it is when the ball strikes the most effective part of the racket. In baseball, it is when the ball connects to the strongest part of the bat. The phenomena are similar in golf as well as fly-casting.   Being in ......... more »

The 3rd Annual FoodAbout

One of the aspects of positive aging is to be less constrained by convention. It was a few weeks ago that my wife and I, as well as another couple,  participated in what I call The 3rd Annual FoodAbout. I highly recommend at least some variation of this for all who are interested in positive aging. This is the thir......... more »

The Unexpected

I wasn’t feeling well. Something was off. I noticed my distance vision was blurring, and my last exam was just five months ago. I was waking up all night to pee. And I had the strangest craving for grapefruit and grapefruit juice. I Googled the symptoms and found nothing for the last one – but was alarmed at what I......... more »

Building Bridges

A story from my college days. I came back from lunch with some friends one day in January 1981 and found a note from the dean of men in my dormitory mailbox. He was giving me a new roommate, an English as a Second Language student from Egypt. He was a Muslim. The dean considered the options and thought I might be a goo......... more »

Retirement after nine months

The editor of ‘finewiner’ has again asked me to write about how my process of retiring is going. Again, I don’t think I will write anything that is groundbreaking or new as this is a common process for most of us that have retired.  Four months ago, I wrote how it was five months after closing my practice. I ......... more »

So What Is There to Be Grateful For?

Yes we have all heard how helpful it is for us to be grateful for what we have. Well I disagree. I disagree because the statement is SO understated. In fact it is just completely STUPID for us not to be experiencing gratitude on a daily basis! Granted this is coming from a guy who often takes things from granted. I ......... more »

Fast Cars and Freedom

It sat there, big and red, and I could almost hear the 375 horses under the hood stamping their hooves and snorting. It was a new Dodge Challenger, and it sat in the President's Circle section of the Hertz lot at the Burbank Airport between Nissans and Toyotas. My wife and son were some yards behind me, but I didn't st......... more »

Where Are We Going ….?

"Ah, give me the good old days when we didn't have all this stress and worry". OK, let's go back to the thirties. "No! Then we had the depression, men couldn't find work, women couldn't feed their babies, families were splitting up because they couldn't afford to stay together. This is better than the thirties." ......... more »

Cloud Gazing

So, how long has it been since you took time to gaze at the clouds? No, I don’t mean sticking your head out the door to check the weather. I mean really taking time to lie down on your back and spend time watching the cloud formations. Frankly, for me it had been quite a long time since I had done that. Sure I hav......... more »

Paperwork for Peace of Mind

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and think about those hard things that you know you should get around to but haven’t quite made time for? You know, reevaluating your homeowners’ policy? Cleaning out the tool shelf in the basement? Having end-of-life paperwork in place? I can’t help you with the ......... more »

Two Sides Of The Coin

Being 70, I expect to have some body parts wear out, but yesterday was another story. Please note, this is not simply some old guy’s “organ recital” (aka, whining about health issues). Some how I ended up with 4 medical appointments yesterday. Somehow…well I guess we all know how… I made four appointments in ......... more »

On “Going to Hell in a Hand Basket”

Three of my friends suffered much in the last year: one woman grieved the unexpected loss of a spouse of several decades; another suffered permanent disability in a bicycle accident; and a physically active, heath-conscious man was hit with a severe medical diagnosis. Although very painful and life changing, these e......... more »

The Elwha River Restoration: A Story of Hope and Inspiration

Bill Bradley was an All-American basketball player from Princeton, a Rhodes Scholar, an NBA star and a Senator from New Jersey. He was also a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2000. Senator Bradley was chairman of the Senate Energy and Water Committee and sponsored the Elwha Restoration Bill in......... more »

Mindfulness:  Two Main Branches of Meditation

  #1       Concentration Practice (sometimes called Samadhi) This is where most people begin their meditation practice. Here we practice focusing our attention on something neutral (i.e., our breath, sound/mantra, candle flame, etc.) We assume the so-called “regal posture” meaning not slouching or......... more »

What Is This Mindfulness Stuff?

“There he goes again. Every time I ask him to take the trash out he throws a fit!”                                                        or perhaps “Ok doc so my blood sugar is elevated. That just makes me a sweeter lady doesn’t it…what’s the big deal?” These are just exa......... more »

An Oscillating Fan is Better Than a Roller Coaster

I am a plaintiff’s personal injury lawyer. I sue insurance companies, corporations, individuals, and the government when their reckless, careless, or even intentional, actions harm people. Accusing people of wrongdoing creates tension and discomfort. People (and organizations) don’t like to be held accountable for ......... more »

MY FRIDAY MARTINI: A Play In 3 Acts-Act Three

Act Three – Ingestion, and Postlogue Raise the glass. Inhale. What you smell is cold, with a light scent of lemon, and maybe, maybe, a little sharpness from the alcohol. Your mind, in a conditioned response, sets off on its journey even before the chemistry catches up with it. My soul is past the point of no retur......... more »

MY FRIDAY MARTINI: A Play In 3 Acts-Act Two

Act 2 - The Ritual  5:30, post-meridian. Home, going nowhere. The coat comes off. The shoes come off. The fireplace goes on, or the breezeway door is opened. Settled. A chair. A view. No TV, no phone, no computer. A friend/family/lover. Or not. An empty stomach. More about that in a minute. My Friday martini is ......... more »

The Trip: Remembering Our Strengths

The year was 1998. That was the year that I decided to ride by bicycle partway around the world. I was twenty years old and my best friend and I decided we needed an adventure. My friend Russ had already done a bit of traveling and we had both cycled locally but I had never taken on anything like this before. In fact I......... more »

What is Your “Word for the Year?”

Several years ago, I started picking a word or phrase as a “theme” for the year to motivate my team to focus on what was most important and work toward a mutual goal. One year, the phrase involved “discipline and decisiveness” to help people stay on task and make decisions. Another year, the word was “account......... more »

WELLNESS TIPS: What To Do in the Off Season to Maintain Focus?

I admit it, I struggle to maintain my focus in the off season. I love racing and participating in events during the summer, but more than once last summer, it occurred to me that I could run faster or cycle longer if only I had worked harder in January or February.           Here are a few tips to help you stay m......... more »

Extend Your Life by Enjoying Your Life

An important four-year longitudinal study done by a group of scientists from England, and reported in the esteemed BMJ, found that subjective (perceived) wellbeing and enjoyment has the positive effect of extending our life on an average of 7.3 years. Mortality was inversely associated with the number of occasions on w......... more »

WELLNESS TIPS: A Personal Year End Inventory

Many people focus on New Years’ Resolutions and end up feeling disappointed in themselves and depressed by St. Patrick’s Day (or sooner) because they have fallen short of the lofty goals they set for themselves. Instead of (or before) focusing on New Years’ Resolutions, I think it is helpful to take a look back o......... more »

Thanksgiving: Gratitude Conflict

Without a doubt Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. It has been since childhood. First, I love the Hallmark card family aspect. Next, I love the rugged gift of hard work that the cooks put into culinary their efforts. Finally, I do love the array of wonderful food. However, I have never, that is never.......... more »

Happiness and Heart Attacks

I turn 43 this year, and have caught myself studying the lines on my face in the mirror more than I'd like to admit. It seems that time in front of the mirror is part of the aging process as we watch for the inevitable changes to our skin, hair, and body. Years ago when I worked as a caregiver, I remember vividly th......... more »

Tom Morgan

Tom Morgan is widely regarded as one of the reigning experts in the design and construction of fly fishing rods. He grew up in Montana where he became addicted to fly fishing as a young boy. He began guiding as a teenager and, from the start, took great interest in the casting styles and equipment of his clients. In th......... more »

Looking Forward

A friend recently asked me what I thought of all the dystopian views of our future often portrayed in movies and television shows—and predicted by certain people sure that election of the “other” candidate is going to lead to doom and destruction. Here is my answer to him: Ah, dystopian futures, we certainly d......... more »