With energy, humor and steadfastness that are a powerful force, Pat is truly a volunteer extraordinaire.
23
Jun
Jun
Before President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa this past Saturday evening, I predicted that 2 percent of those in attendance would be wearing masks as a precaution against catching the COVID-19 coronavirus. (You can find my forecast here, on my “Go Figure: Making Numbers Count” page.) Having heard that the capacity was 20,000 at the […]
For over a decade, I have had the honor of interviewing some of the most fascinating, accomplished, all-around cool people who hail from Oak Park, Illinois, the community that has been my home for over 25 years. Some guests I had the pleasure of knowing already; others–thanks to the show–I have been fortunate to get […]
On this day, 20 years ago: my story on baseball Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies appeared on the front page of The Philadelphia Inquirer sports section. Having just begun my journalism freelancing career the year before, it was a thrill to have scored such a prominent placement. At that […]
You are passionate about an issue. You inspire and organize others who are likewise passionate. To spark change, you need to persuade someone else—an individual or a group of people—to see things your way. What do you next? If you confuse “like-minded” with “carbon copy,” you may make the mistake of committing cut-and-paste activism. That’s […]
The question: “What is the most surreal experience I have ever experienced?” The answer: Competing in May 2015 on Sports Jeopardy!, an offshoot of the immensely successful Jeopardy! television game show. Of course, in the inside-out world of the program, the art is coming up with the question to an answer that is already, if […]
During this COVID-19 era, any trip through the commercial corridors of Oak Park, Illinois—my community along the western border of Chicago—has revealed its potential as a post-apocalyptic movie set. But here in my town—and wherever you are, within your community—there is a simple mathematical principle that empowers us to revise the script: shop locally, as […]
How do you respond when someone is unaccountable or otherwise fails to meet expectations? Many years ago, a mentor offered me wise words on how to handle these situations. His counsel went something like this: “If you want to yell at them, or give them a piece of your mind, or tell them how they […]
When it comes to mindless journalistic blunders, there are brain cramps and then there are lobotomies. Example of a brain cramp: the time in the late-1990s when, as a newspaper reporter, I referred to a high school student as “Dustin Hoffman.” He shared a first name with the famous actor, but not the last name, […]
To honor a life, it is essential to get the details right–and to do it well. And, you only get one crack at it.