Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday. I will be spending the holiday enjoying a delicious feast and lots of laughter with some of my family and friends. Then, after our planned festivities, I will venture out for a little Black Friday shopping. I am sure it will be a fun day. Speaking of Black Friday, have you noticed how many retailers are starting their sales in the late afternoon/early evening this year? I was hoping the Thanksgiving shopping trend would pass quickly, but it seems to be getting worse. Many stores in our area have decided READ MORE
6 Keys to Cultivating a Better Perspective
Recently, I was talking to one of my mentors about a subject, and I started telling him about some limitations related to the topic. He listened for a few minutes, and then he highlighted a couple of areas where my thinking needed to shift. He challenged me to move past my barriers and recognize what I had working in my favor. He was right. I had several things going for me in the situation, but I couldn’t recognize them because I was frustrated. After the conversation, I felt empowered and inspired. I could see my current difficulties through a clear READ MORE
Can I Have a Side of Peace With That Order?
I could use some peace. The last five months, since the guilty plea was entered in my dad’s murder case, have been a whirlwind. My emotions have been unpredictable, my schedule has been crazy, and my focus has been scattered. I spent the first two months trying to process how I felt about the guilty plea. Then, the next month-and-a-half preparing for my interview for a documentary about dad’s murder. In September, I gathered money for my trip to Israel and did the documentary interview. October was supposed to be my month to recover from it all, but it hasn’t READ MORE
Stepping Out on a Limb
I am a thinker. I do not like to make hasty decisions. I enjoy examining situations with a magnifying glass, looking for impending problems and valid alternatives. Eventually, I will make a decision, but often after picking apart every possible issue and scenario. Recently, I had an important decision to make. I was attending a meeting, a few months ago, where a local pastor mentioned he was hosting a trip to Israel in December. For many years, I have dreamed of visiting the Holy Land, but I didn’t believe I would have the opportunity until my children were grown and READ MORE
Lights, Camera, Action!
A couple months ago, WAM Media Group, based out of Canada, approached my family and the Hockensmith family about participating in a documentary series called Broken Trust for the Investigation Discovery Channel. One episode would be about our loved ones’ deaths, and it would explore each victim’s relationship with the murderer. Both families agreed to the project, as well as the prosecutor and lead detective in the criminal case. The production company conducted telephone interviews with several family members of the victims, and 4 family members, including me, agreed to do on-camera interviews. ∗ If you are new to my READ MORE