A Beacon of Light

“A city that outdistances man’s walking powers is a trap for man.” Arnold J. Toynbee If you live in San Francisco, or anywhere in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, you are most certainly aware of the Bay-to-Breakers race, which takes place in The City on the third Sunday in May each year. The event…

“Few things in life are more delightful than grandchildren fighting over your lap.” Doug Larson Love. Love. Love. This is what our grandchildren bring into our home each time they visit us. When I was a child, I never gave a thought to being a grandparent myself. Even when our own kids were born, the…

“Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.” Eleanor Roosevelt It’s a truth that cannot be denied. Kathy and I are getting older. I don’t think we’ve reached the age when the term “old people” applies to us yet, but with each passing year, we are getting closer…

Happy Birthday to my granddaughter, Penelope! Birthdays are special occasions for all of us. We gather to acknowledge the growth of someone we love dearly. Today is a day for such a celebration. Kathy and I are grateful that Penny, along with her Dad (Steve), Mom (Morgan), sister (Scarlett), and brother (Henry) live just two…

“San Francisco has only one drawback — ’tis hard to leave.”  Rudyard Kipling Those who know me are well aware that I enjoy spending days in San Francisco. I was born and raised there. The City will always be “home” to me.  I’ve lived in the South Bay since 1972 — for five years in…

“It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.”  Grantland Rice A popular saying displayed on T-shirts and bumper stickers in the 1980s promoted a hedonistic, yet popular mindset. “He who dies with the most toys wins.” These words were originally attributed to American businessman Malcolm Forbes. Another perspective on life…

“There is no normal life that is free of pain.”  Fred Rogers It seems to sneak up on me when I’m least expecting it. Life can be going along smoothly and everything is great. Striving to be positive in everything I do, and promoting positivity in my writing, seems to be an effective way for…

“Silicon Valley is a mindset, not a location.”  Reid Hoffman If you look at a map of Northern California, you will not see an area designated as “Silicon Valley.” This is because, as LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman so astutely pointed out, “Silicon Valley is a mindset, not a location.” The term Silicon Valley is often…

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe Six weeks ago today, on the morning of June 5th, Brendan was completing the first of his three workouts per day at 24 Hour Fitness in San José. Just a few months earlier, he had launched his new business — True…

“In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.”  Leo Tolstoy This moment, this very moment as you read these words, will never happen again. In fact, it’s gone already. It is a part of your history. You may not retrieve it, nor may you re-live it. This is the…