Fear of my mom killed party instincts
One of the great moments in a teen’s life is when your parents decide to go out of town for the weekend and leave you home. Alone. OK, maybe with a brother or sister or multiples of both, but it is a great moment.... more
I will use my powers for good
That was fast. On the day that my column came out – July 13 – the Washington professional football team announced that it will be changing its name. Coincidence? I don’t think so!... more
More bad answers to your questions
This has been a strange time, that is certain. We are stuck with our family members way more than any sane person should be, so conflicts are sure to arise. That means there are question. I can tell, because my “Ask Brad” inbox has been overflowing. So, I think I should dig into them and dish out some advice that only a crazy person would follow.... more
Hitting a milestone I never expected
People used to get a job and stay there for life. Great pension, good benefits and the comfortable feeling of a familiar job. That has changed over the years, of course. An actual pension is hard to find these days, as most companies offer a 401K retirement fund that you fill with your money. Yes, the good companies also offer a match, but that is also not as common as it was even a handful of years ago. Benefits are also not quite as good as they were at many companies, and the pay gulf between the boss and workers has grown to Grand Canyon proportions.... more
Often, the best thing to do is keep quiet
Sometimes, the best thing we can do is shut our mouths. It seems like a simple thing, but it is getting harder and harder these days. And by shut our mouths, I also mean don’t post your opinions on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter. I mean radio silence. ... more
The annual battle with the bugs has begun
There I was, sitting in my garage and minding my own business when it happened. We were finally relaxing on a beautiful evening and having an adult beverage when what was probably a large bug, but felt like a 747, took a run at my face. Now, I am not going to say I screamed like 12-year-old girl at a horror movie, but it was close. I tried to dodge that sucker so hard I pulled a muscle I didn’t know I had.... more
Let's focus on the positives
This has certainly been a year that no one will forget, even if many of us would like to. The bad news seems to be piling up as we hold on and try to make it through one horrible event after another. It is hard, as many continue to social distance and try to stay safe, to remember the good things in our lives.... more
Voting by mail is safe and makes sense
I remember the first time I voted in a presidential election. It felt like a very big deal to me, and I was proud to do it. Because I was in the military, I voted by mail. The military has voted by mail for decades. So I was surprised recently when voting by mail was suddenly under attack. It honestly made no sense to me. Voting by mail is easy, and voting by paper ballot is more secure than using a voting machine.... more
Here are some notes from my lockdown diary
I have been keeping a “lockdown diary” of sorts just as a reminder of this time and thought I would share some of it with you. I’ll skip around a bit so it doesn’t get too boring, although I will warn you – it might get boring anyway.... more
Glad I made the right choice back in 1986
I remember the moment that I had to make the choice very well. I had been out of the Air Force for less than two years, and I was 24. I was working a menial job in San Diego, Calif., and playing in a band that was good but doing nothing.... more
I am having a full on COVID-19 hair crisis
I have seen you at the grocery store. I saw you in the local drug store. And there you were, driving around in your car trying to avoid detection. But I saw you, sporting that COVID-19 hair. Look, I get it. We are all suffering in many ways right now. And that includes in the hair department. A lot of people look like they just got out of bed. Now, while that may be true of some, I refuse to believe this many people simply don’t care about how they look during the pandemic.... more
The time for spring yard work has finally sprung
Well, my luck ran out. I had been able to spend much of the time during this shelter at home period without having to do too much work around the house. There was my job, of course, which keeps me busy. But when you are home almost all the time, there is also some downtime.... more
'Live PD' shows the best, and the worst
I love the TV show “Cops.” It is an adrenaline rush of a show, and one that highlights some of the best police officers and some of the dumbest criminals on the planet.... more