The World Played Chess – Book Review

In 1979, Vincent Bianco has just graduated from high school. His only desire: collect a little beer money and enjoy his last summer before college. So he lands a job as a laborer on a construction crew. Working alongside two Vietnam vets, one suffering from PTSD, Vincent gets the education of a lifetime. Now forty years later, with his own son leaving for college, the lessons of that summer—Vincent’s last taste of innocence and first taste of real life—dramatically unfold in a novel about breaking away, shaping a life, and seeking one’s own destiny. Robert Dugoni has always been a superb storyteller, but this coming-of-age story was exceptional. The World […]

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The Toughest Woman I’ve Ever Known… My Mom

I’ve dreaded this day for a long time, the day I would say goodbye to Mom – to both my parents, actually.  Just 15 months ago I said my final farewell to Daddy. I now begin a new chapter in my life; it is going to be very different. My mother was the toughest person I have ever known, probably ever will. I lost count, but over the last year she had a least a dozen surgeries and was hospitalized or in the ER many, many times. You know you are spending too much time at the hospital when the parking attendants know your first name. Mom endured dialysis for her […]

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Aging is no Laughing Matter… Or IS It?

I turned 52 yesterday…yikes. I used to think people in their 50s were lame and already had one foot in the grave. Well, now I’m there and it happened in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, I’m nowhere near a cemetery (she says crossing her fingers) and I’m still pretty cool – in a middle age kind of way, that is. Admittedly, I don’t let my bra straps show, I don’t have any tattoos or piercings on my face, I prefer Aerosmith to Nicki Minaj, and my goblet holds a dry Chardonnay instead of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill, but I do have my contemporary moments. My kids tell me I’m […]

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ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM MARITAL DISCONNECT?

My husband and I have been together for thirty years (wait… what in the world?) and during that time we have experienced many valleys and mountain tops in our relationship. We struggled the most when we didn’t spend time together. Many couples feel like two ships passing in the night… radar might indicate there’s another vessel out there, but they can’t see or hear one another.  In fact, they may be on a collision course without even knowing it. The pace of our lives has become frantic—climbing the corporate ladder, raising overscheduled kids, trying to be the volunteer of the year—it’s no wonder we have precious little time for our spouse. Good […]

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A Slippery Slope

Last night I enjoyed an abbreviated game of Bunco with a group of friends. Unfortunately the aura of an impending migraine came on and I had to pop an Imitrex and leave early. I felt pretty sorry for myself; I had been looking forward to getting together with the ladies for a long time. It was a dismal night of freezing drizzle in rural Minnesota. As I headed out to my car, head pounding and stomach lurching, I steadied myself against the vehicles lining the driveway to prevent myself from taking a flop on the ice. The drive home wasn’t too precarious until I reached our township where the roads are poorly […]

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A Father’s Legacy

My 80-year-old father passed away on November 22nd from aspiration pneumonia due to Alzheimer’s disease. I gave a eulogy at his memorial service as a final tribute to an incredible man. The following are excerpts from my remarks. Over the past few days, my mom, my siblings and I have been sharing special memories of Dad. Walter “Bud” Hammond was a man of integrity and character who loved us all unconditionally. I treasure the faint aroma reminiscent of his pipe tobacco and the sight of his goofy hats, long pants, and sweatshirts as he mowed the lawn. He had a wonderful sense of humor; he even had his own language. […]

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Recession Proof Your Marriage

The economic crisis in this country is affecting more than just our jobs and mortgages; it’s affecting our relationships too. According to mental health counselor, Dr. Gregg Jantz, during times of extreme stress, people often lash out at those closest to them. “Fear is everywhere,” says Jantz “and fear coupled with anxiety is toxic to any relationship.” Join us at noon (CDT) on March 19th as Dr. Jantz offers suggestions on how to nurture your relationship during these nerve-racking days. Gregg Jantz is a certified eating disorder specialist, certified chemical dependency counselor, a nationally certified psychologist, and a licensed mental health counselor. He is the author of seventeen books including […]

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Do Prenuptial Agreements Doom a Marriage?

I recently interviewed a Christian attorney on my show, GOD UNPLUGGED,   who had some amazing things to say about how Christians should view the law.  One of the things we discussed is the prevalence of prenuptial agreements with engaged couples.  Do you think they are a good idea, or do they pave the way for a couple to land in divorce court? I guess I’m old fashioned. When I stood in front of 300 people and before God during our wedding, I was serious about my vows.  Til death do we part isn’t just a trite phrase in a book.  Marriage isn’t a silly, “Go the Viva Las Vegas Wedding […]

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