During the war, Opa was stationed on an island near Papua New Guinea; Jefman Island. Used as an air base by the Royal Air Force (RAF), Opa was placed in charge of the island and journaled his experience in his book. An avid swimmer, Opa would make a half-mile swim every afternoon in the clear […]
Early this morning, I walked through the rainy streets of downtown Portland. In the morning hours, the streets begin to come alive with the people who occupied them during the night. The early hours of Portland are some of its most beautiful; the daily hustle and bustle of side-walkers comes to a halt and the air […]
I recently chatted with somebody about the decade-long journey I’ve had as an entrepreneur. The years have been rich with experiences and opportunities I find myself fortunate to have amassed. As an entrepreneur, you see the the world a little differently than those around you. Opportunities tend to present themselves as problems to be solved; […]
There’s a saying in the scriptures about brothers; behold how good and how blessed it is for brothers to dwell together in unity. Brotherhood has been an important part of my life since I was a young boy – growing up with three brothers. They were my friends, enemies, allies, and confidants as a child. […]
In 2009, I stood in the middle of a cold cemetery in Lockbourne, OH. I was soon to leave for a new venture in New York City. I stopped by the cemetery to wish my Dad one last goodbye. Stooping down, I placed a one dollar coin on his marker. “I won’t come back until I have […]
Up until my late 20’s, working out was an important part of my life. That changed pretty dramatically when I moved to San Francisco. The city knows how to throw a party. I exchanged dumbbells for beer bottles, protein powders for white powders, and started smoking. As a result, I all but abandoned my previous workout […]
One of my favorite stories is a short poem, called “The little match girl” by Hans Christian Anderson. The story follows a young girl who sells matches to provide money for her family. On a cold evening, she couldn’t find any buyers for her matches; so, she stayed late in the cold to try and […]
With another birthday in my 30’s coming at the end of the month, I’ve been thinking a lot about my life. The reflections haven’t been easy; often, feeling more like a quarter-life crisis than recollection of joys and accomplishments. When I go back to my inner child and ask them what they wanted to accomplish […]
Our family grew up with a very competitive spirit. From board games to arguments, we siblings enjoyed proving ourselves to each other – or proving ourselves better than each other. To this day, I haven’t seen such lively games of Risk or Monopoly – often requiring the intervention of our Mom to maintain the peace […]
I once had the pleasure of working with a counselor in Dallas, TX. She was a sweet woman who made sure you had a safe place to be yourself. Connie, one of the people I think is an angel on earth, once told me: “Aaron, you can’t grow without community.” At the time, I wasn’t […]