The sun is finally here in the beautiful Quad Cities. We've enjoyed a nice week of sunlight that melted all the remaining snow around the neighborhood, so it felt appropriate to feature Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles. I’m sure the whole universe knows The Beatles and that it’s an English rock band that … Continue reading Rockin’ Thursday LII
Author: Edward Ortiz
Miriam Celeste
Today, I’m sharing another poem by my grandfather-in-law, Pedro Rodríguez Miranda. The poem, Miriam Celeste, was dedicated to his only daughter. The name has a divine connotation, as you will see in the poem. Miriam is of Hebrew origin and is believed—among other meanings—to signify “beloved.” Celeste comes from the Latin Caelestis, meaning “heavenly” or "celestial.” Miriam CelesteUn día Cristo me … Continue reading Miriam Celeste
My Military Boots
Last week, I saw an interesting prompt asking: "Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.” I thought, "This is actually a good prompt, and my boots have a story to tell.” As you can see from the title, my favorite pair of shoes is actually my military boots. My … Continue reading My Military Boots
Rockin’ Thursday LI
Today’s Rockin’ Thursday is going to be on the heavy side. I really like this song, and I’ve been thinking about posting it for about a month now. I think the lyrics reflect the current political environment in the United States. Even though I really like the band Megadeth, I decided to go with another … Continue reading Rockin’ Thursday LI
I Will Be Happy
Today, I’m sharing another poem by my grandfather-in-law, Pedro Rodríguez Miranda. The poem, I Will Be Happy, comes from the Love Poems in Old Age section of his book. Seré FelizLa muerte ronda silente entre nosotros,Desde la cuna hasta la hora final.Ella es la amiga que siempre me acompaña.Sea rico o sea pobre mi sitial.No se preocupa … Continue reading I Will Be Happy
Belgium: Life, Travel, and the NATO Experience
I have been thinking about writing a post about our time in Belgium for a while now. With everything we’ve been hearing in the news lately about NATO and the criticisms some people have about the alliance, I figured this would be a good time to describe my three years there and give my community … Continue reading Belgium: Life, Travel, and the NATO Experience
Rockin’ Thursday L – Valentine’s Day Edition
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so I figured I would do something special today and include a love song. I also realized that I started Rockin’ Thursday a year ago—I can’t believe how fast time flies! It’s a great reminder to cherish our loved ones. Today, I’m including one of my favorite love songs, All of Me by … Continue reading Rockin’ Thursday L – Valentine’s Day Edition
Meritocracy
Meritocracy—a word that has been bounced around a lot lately. We’ve heard it frequently during U.S. senate confirmation hearings in the past few weeks. But what actually is meritocracy? Well, my trusty Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as: "A system, organization, or society in which people are chosen and moved into positions of success, power, and influence on … Continue reading Meritocracy
Book Review: Surviving Sue
As I was preparing this post, I considered writing it in two parts: a book review and my commentaries. However, since this is a blog and I appreciate the flexibility it provides, I decided to write a single post that includes some commentary, personal reflections, and concludes with the book review. In my head, it … Continue reading Book Review: Surviving Sue
Rockin’ Thursday XLIX
For today’s Rockin’ Thursday, I’m featuring Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac, a British-American rock band formed in London in 1967. The song, released in 1976, reached the top 10 on the US Billboard chart in 1977. Here’s an interesting fact about the song: "Go Your Own Way was written at a house the band rented … Continue reading Rockin’ Thursday XLIX
Thoughts about leadership, history, and more 