I hate snakes, not because they are not beautiful creatures but because you never see them before you are standing right on top of them. That just creeps the heck out of me! It’s the only thing that makes me pause when I think about why I took up hiking as a hobby. But I do admire one great thing about snakes: their evolved ability to shed their skin.

One day I was sitting in a gourmet diner in Delta, Wisconsin, awaiting my order of Hotcakes, a Norwegian-style thin pancake with diced jalapenos.

Before you proceed, just know that if you are pro-Trump you probably are going to hate this blog, and if you are anti-Trump, you also, are going to hate this blog.

Having a so-called spirit animal is a fun, cool thing to think about. It’s fascinating to think about having the characteristics of the bald eagle, a dolphin, a grizzly bear, or a blue-jay.  The problem with this is the fact that we are continually co-opting, exploiting, and, flat out stealing from the Native Americans.

It might have been when we were on the beach of Lake Superior at the National Pictured Rock Shoreline. Or, it might have been when we were overlooking Ausable River in the Huron National Park. But, a calming feeling of earned happiness washed over me. It was a feeling everyone deserves to achieve, the feeling that life is freaking great.

Done! Finished! End of the line! End of the Road! Friday at noon it was all over. My graduate school journey was put in the rearview mirror. My research and the defense of my research was the final rung on the ladder to reach the mountaintop. It’s official. I have letters behind my name

"The Blueberry,"--the nickname my 2006 Chevy HHR received from my wife--will soon be exiting my life. It’s time. It's been a good run. And, while the car never really worked that great, it holds a special place in my heart.

 I asked what had happened. Where did it all go wrong? Why did you write to me? He answered the first two questions with half answers and half truths. He could sense my disappointment and held back the truth to spare me.