When you were a kid, did your parents tell you what they wanted you to be when you grew up?

My Catholic mother used to tell everyone that she wanted me to be a priest.

In fact, just to please her, when I was about ten or eleven years old, I took a greyhound bus for several hours, all by myself, to East St. Louis, to attend a week-long, summer program that was supposed to teach me a little bit about the priesthood.

I don’t remember much about it, other than [more...]

I worked as a photographer a couple of times, a few decades ago.

And, later, as a television producer/director for 3-4 years.

So I have a really good eye for quality photography and videography.

I’ve used both cheap and expensive cameras.

But I understand a fact that all artists know from experience: [more...]

Tonight, as I type this, it has been exactly five months since I rescued Bud.

He happily lived in our garage for more than two months, sleeping in a large greyhound-sized dog crate that we borrowed from our next-door neighbors — along with their window air-conditioner, which kept him comfortable during the hot, humid Sunshine State summer.

But, on this past Labor Day weekend, we gave the crate back. [more...]

Michael Israel is a man who understands pain.

And loss.

And fear.

But he also understands hope.

Michael Israel is a passionate man who [more...]

Here’s a video that holds a few surprises.

I’m sure that you’ll recognize its melody right away.

But you’ll probably be surprised to see it being played on such an unusual instrument.

A hand-made wooden instrument. [more...]

We all know that, for decades, doctors have injected millions of patients with modified, harmless versions of disease viruses, to enable those patients’ bodies to develop their own defenses against the real versions of those same viruses.

Smallpox, measles and various strains of the flu are just a few examples.

So should we be surprised that a modified, harmless version of a virus appears to be incredibly successful at fighting leukemia? [more...]

A good friend and coworker of mine up north often used to say, “Perfect is the enemy of good enough.”

At least, he often used to say it to me.

Because I’m a perfectionist.

Being a perfectionist doesn’t mean that [more...]

Bud, the abandoned dog that I rescued almost four weeks ago, is doing great.

Anyone who’s been following my Bud Updates knows that he’s very happy, very healthy, very loved, and very loving.

And, for the past few days, they’ve also known that he may be the first abandoned dog to ever have his own music video.

I hope that you enjoy watching [more...]