Thanks to the inadvertent generosity of Starbucks, I didn’t have to climb a mountain in my bare feet or learn to speak Tibetan to discover the secret of peace and happiness. It was delivered personally...
The ultimate antidote to long COVID of the soul
By
Gary Tetz
Jun 16, 2022
For a “recovering pessimist” like myself, few things are more annoying than being told that optimism is some sort of magic potion. But that’s exactly what recent research, reported by McKnight’s,...
Scattering seeds
By
Gary Tetz
Nov 15, 2018
It was my birthday yesterday — the same day I found out that Fernald, a World War II veteran and one of the wisest, bravest and most adorable people I’ve ever known, had passed away.
Eye contact or Angry Birds?
By
Gary Tetz
Jan 16, 2013
My wife’s a Realtor. And no, I’m not wondering if you or anyone you know would like to buy or sell a home in Walla Walla, WA. That would be a crass and brazen misuse of this forum. Though if...
Lessons under anesthesia
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 12, 2018
Nothing ever makes me feel more empathy for those we care for than my own occasional reluctant forays into our American healthcare pseudo-system. I just walked a mile in somebody else’s figurative...
The beauty of bad publicity
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 28, 2014
When I saw the New York Times article illuminating the clever ways devious operators could inflate their Medicare star ratings, I had mixed emotions ranging from fury to rage.
There’s no time to cry
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 01, 2021
If you’re close to my aging vintage, you remember those adorable pioneers on the TV show “Little House on the Prairie.” Now we’re living in their world. Menaced by fires, floods, climate change...
When it matters most
By
Gary Tetz
Jun 01, 2013
Pondering difficult end-of-life situations made me think, naturally, of Chevy Chase.
A not-so-joyful noise
By
Gary Tetz
May 01, 2013
I’m sure you remember the old joke: “Why are nursing homes so noisy? Because we forget people actually live there.” Oh sorry, that’s not a joke. My mistake.
Get ready — for me
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 06, 2017
Well, it looks like I’ll be seeing some of you sooner than expected. A new study, reported by McKnight’s, suggests that the average American has a 60% greater risk of someday needing skilled...