The martial arts school called judo allows its users to redirect their opponent’s attacks and get them to defeat themselves. The word “judo” is Japanese for “gentle way.” By forcing the aggression of your opponent back at them, you negate whatever harm that attack could have caused you. This will surprise the opponent and create …
Tag Archives: family
My Top Ten Blog Posts of 2020
2020 has been quite the year. It’s been full of hardships and hurdles for all of us, and I have the feeling that it’s made us all a little crazy as a result. But one of the highlights of this year was my weekly blog. I like to think that my whimsical words brought something …
Christmas Memories
My oh my, how the time flies! In one week, Christmas will be upon us! Where did the days go? Is it me, or are the days going faster? I must be getting old. As our happy Advent comes to a close, I’ve become nostalgic for all the Christmases that I’ve celebrated over the years. …
The War on Advent
Some people talk about the War on Christmas. Supposedly, people aren’t allowed to say “Merry Christmas” anymore because it’s offensive to do so. But outside of the odd attention-seeker, the War on Christmas seems to be a relic of the past. A passing Jew saying to me “Happy Hannukah” isn’t offensive to me, so why …
The History of Santa Claus
Ah, Santa Claus. Is there a single person in the world who doesn’t know the generous, plump, and jolly old elf? But who is he, anyway? And why is he synonymous with Christmas? The history of Santa Claus is one that’s fascinated me for a long time. His history shows how a legend forms over …
Man’s Best Friend
This week, I celebrated Biscuit’s fifth birthday. Who is Biscuit? Why, he’s only the family dog. He’s an adorable, playful, and rambunctious bundle of fur that I really enjoy hanging out with. Like all of my family members, he supports me and inspires me to be a better person. For that, I’m always grateful for …
Happy Grandparents’ Day!
About a month ago, I talked about my father’s mother, Nanny. In honor of Grandparents’ day, I’m going to talk about Grandma and Grandpa, my mother’s parents. They have both been positive rays of light in my life. From an early age, I grew to adore them, and that feeling has only gotten stronger. Here’s …
Dangerous Distractions
Bad habits are hard to break. We all know this from experience because everyone has one or two bad habits that bite them in the rear. They take away valuable time and they are harmful to your overall health and success in life. My bad habit is no different. My worst bad habit is my …
Why I Love My Brother
Of all the things I like to talk about on this blog, I think family is one of my most favorite things. I’ve written before about my mom, my dad, and my dad’s mom. But it just occurred to me this week that I never got around to talking about my brother, Braden. Today, I …
The Power of Piano
My mother is, in many ways, the Platonic ideal of the modern suburban housewife. For years, she was the “stay-at-home” mom that participated in PTA meetings and whose life revolved around her children. To call her a “helicopter mom” would only be a slight exaggeration. Like most modern parents, she kept herself busy taking care …