If you want to see things happen, change, improve, and make your community (or your life) more interesting or easier or more fun, you might want to be the one who does something about it. ...

Today’s entry is one of the saddest I’ve ever written and will probably write for a long time, because recently, we made the impossible decision to surrender our puppy Boomer back to the Border Collie Rescue network to be re-homed. It’s getting a little easier, but there will always be a special place in my heart for our Boomer. ...

What was I thinking when my great idea was to bring home a herding puppy? I guess it’s like childbirth; you don’t remember how difficult it was and you do it again. ...

As a kid, didn’t you want a new bike for the holidays? And, how amazing was it when you finally saw that shiny new bicycle? Unfortunately, there are so many children who have never had that experience, and this is where your old bike can make a huge impact. ...

What's really happening in Russia? According to Russian Dmitry Nechaev, more than one million Russian men have left the country in the past several weeks, seeking escape from fighting in the war against Ukraine. Many men are hiding out in the forests and three of Dmitry’s crew were driven to the border by their wives, hopped on their bikes and rode for several days to cross into safe territory. Dmitry believes that Russia is ripe for a civil war and made it clear that he would be jailed for saying such things if he was still in the country. ...

The autumnal equinox signifies the official end of summer and the beginning of the “time of winding down.” There are a couple of practices that are especially well-suited to this time of year and outSPOKEn Cyclist blogger Diane Jenks highly recommends yoga.   ...

Perhaps when you least expect it, something will trigger an ah-ha moment for you. You might be making dinner or walking your dog. You might be reading a book or just listening to the rain outside your window. I think the key to “tuning in” to those moments is to take the time to pause and just listen, follow your intuition, and let the discovery come to you. ...

Failing to get a good night's sleep plagues many of us as we get older. While there are many techniques to combat sleeplessness, don't overlook breath work. It can have a profound effect on relieving anxiety and helping to induce calm, which in turn leads to slower heart rates and the ability to peacefully fall and stay asleep. ...