On a recent family vacation to New York City over the holidays, I brought home exactly one souvenir (I ate the others). While we were freezing our philtrums at the Bryant Park Winter Village Holiday Market in Midtown Manhattan, I was teen-pressured by my three daughters into purchasing a “manly beaded bracelet.” (I’m pretty sure that’s an oxymoron.) more

My adult life has been full of transitions—from single to married, from childlessness to fatherhood, and from virile coolness to cringey blobfish. I now find myself in the midst of a change from occupying a nest literally bursting with hatchlings frantically pecking at my wallet to now watching one last teenage fledgling perched on the edge of a limb and hoping I don’t do anything embarrassing. more

I used to love the first weekend of autumn. Now I loathe it. more

I grew up believing that you judge a man by the size of his Christmas tree. more

My dog Thurber has been lying to me. more

Middle-class philanthropy may be dying. more

It’s one of the best days of the year and we owe our gratitude to the remarkable man who made it possible. more

Who needs forensics and gunfire? more

There are no small number of accusations lately that—shocking as it may be—some of our politicians are lying to us. more

Honest, I’m going to write a book chockful of random thoughts someday (my more serious book about religion is already available on Amazon), but deadline pressures keep forcing me to cannibalize my ideas for this column instead. more

After all these years, my dad inspires me still. more

On my first trip to India, I visited a remote village outside of Allahabad. There I met a school principal who showed me his “school.” I use the term “school,” because in reality it was nothing more than an abandoned rectangular horse barn with four stalls. Most of the roof was gone and portions of the walls were crumbling down. Despite sitting on dirt floors and sharing books, the students were excited to learn. more

East Texas is hot, and not in the way you compliment your wife when she’s mad at you for performing an epic cannonball while she’s lounging by the pool with her laptop. more

Over the past two years, extremists have been working to ban books in Katy ISD. Many of them don’t even have children who attend Katy ISD schools. Now some of them are running for seats on our school board. more

I bought my first lottery ticket recently. It was a $20 scratch-off that paid me a $40 prize. Winning produced a nice little thrill, so I bought another $20 ticket right away. And lost. I … more

Folks, “last one in is a rotten egg” applies to more than swimming pools. more

Tax returns were due April 18 and many Americans are surely stressed out as they scramble to get their financial records in order. more

So, having earned an associate’s degree from our local community college, my son Gideon is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechatronic engineering from my old alma mater. more

This week half the country will be upset by the midterm election results and half will be elated. more

“No problem.” more