by Mark O'Brien | Oct 31, 2016
A confession: As a late-blooming college student (I was 28 when I hit the hallowed halls of higher education), I became a Literature major because I didn’t have the vaguest notion of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I still don’t. I still haven’t...
by Mark O'Brien | Jun 6, 2016
Sometimes, we measure our gains by taking the measure of our losses. In the span of two-and-a-half years, three hugely influential men have passed from my life — my father, B.B. King, and now Muhammad Ali. There was a point at which I couldn’t imagine my life...
by Mark O'Brien | Nov 25, 2015
We’re going to step away for a few days to be with our families, to rest, to reflect, to recall all of the things by which we’re blessed, and to be thankful for every one of them. Here are two short lists: At home, we’re thankful for: The love and...
by Mark O'Brien | Nov 16, 2015
If you read my ramblings with any regularity, you know I don’t believe in accidents: Everything that’s supposed to happen does happen. Everything that’s supposed to happen happens in its own time. And everything that happens happens for a reason....
by Mark O'Brien | Nov 4, 2015
I don’t know Steven J. Thompson. But I admire the man. All I know of him, so far, is that he published this post: “Leadership without Arson”. But because of that post, I know and admire these things about Mr. Thompson: He’s a realist. He...
by Mark O'Brien | Sep 30, 2015
I visited New York City this past weekend, stopping at Ground Zero before taking the ferries to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. The experience reminded me of things I was in danger of forgetting. Here’s what I learned (again): The Freedom Tower at Ground Zero...