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Hello All, Move over just a little bit Dr. Fauci! I have two new 2020 crushes – Steve Kornacki and Dr. Elvis Francois! Steve is MSNBC’s election guru and political correspondent. I don’t know who you watched during all of this election excitement, but Steve was it for me! With his tousled hair, glasses, khakis and tie – with his calculator so he could provide immediate information – and his wonderful smile – he was a delight to watch and learn from. I am not the only one! There are whole websites now devoted to his khakis and him! It was wonderful to find a bright spot during some very stressful days! And Dr. Elvis…

Hello All, The King of the Blog strikes again! (What would I do without Ashish?) There have been multiple requests for a “Like” button – and he has made it happen! Now at the end of each blog, right above the “Share this Post” section, there is a thumbs up button for you to click. WOOHOO! NFL history was made this past Monday night at the Rams vs. the Buccaneers game. For the first time ever in league history, an all Black officiating crew worked an NFL game! The seven members of the crew – Jerome Boger, Barry Anderson, Carl Johnson, Dale Shaw, Anthony Jefferies, Greg Steed – have a combined…

Hello All, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, so I couldn’t let the day pass without saying “Hello!” and “Thank you!” (I will bother you again tomorrow with the regular edition of PhylPhacts!) Amy Leigh Mercree, author of The Compassion Revolution,  said “Thanksgiving is a joyous invitation to shower the world with love and gratitude.” I know this year has been incredibly tough. We have faced events that are unprecedented – we have faced immense changes personally, professionally, culturally – we have sacrificed to keep everyone as healthy as possible. And even with all of that, we have rediscovered the importance of family and friends, of faith, of service to others,…

Hello All, 2020 continues to excel, not always in a good way! I will be glad when November ends, and thus the end of hurricane season! (Though I am not sure 2020 doesn’t have more tricks up her sleeves!) We have surpassed 2005’s 28 named storms,  with 2020’s 30th storm named Iota. Many prayers for all of the people and places impacted by these storms. There were so many stories this week that warmed my heart. I especially loved the one about the ICU patient – intubated and on the ventilator – playing the violin to thank the ICU staff that was caring for him! Grover Wilhelmsen is a retired…

Hello All, This whole week has been so bittersweet. I think I have written before that Bob and I are addicted to our daily Alexa Question of the Day and Jeopardy. So when Alex Trebek’s voice introduced the start of the Jeopardy “J 6” on Monday, my tears fell. He was the ultimate game show host – a consummate professional – a genuinely nice man – and a true role model and champion. He fought hard with a disease that is so devastating. He worked until 10 days before his death, ensuring that we would have shows up until Christmas Day – a true gift for all of us. One…

Hello All, Well, the 2020 election is just as crazy as the rest of 2020 has been! Perhaps we will know an outcome of the presidential race by the end of Friday, or maybe it will be next week. No matter who wins, the next four years will be important and influential – and I hope and actually pray in a positive way. Our country is incredibly divided. We have to find a way to bridge this divide. We have to find ways to talk to each other, to set examples of collaboration and cooperation, to reach out and make changes. We have to find the way to be Americans versus Independents,…

Hello All, Happy Halloween Eve! Ghosts and goblins will be here tomorrow night. Exactly one year ago on October 30, 2019, the very first PhylPhacts was published! It is hard for me to believe that it has been an entire year! In some ways it feels like it was just yesterday when I was sure I would break the internet – and in other ways, it has been a long 2020! I am actually still convinced that I am going to make some incredibly stupid mistake to break the internet…..and I do say a prayer (or two) every time I hit the publish button. Thank you! Thank you for subscribing.…

Hello All, This pandemic has been and continues to be a time of great challenge and uncertainty – not just here, around the world. Food insecurity is more prevalent than ever before. Housing concerns are growing. Unemployment has impacted so many. The weather has been a challenge. The tone of the political campaigns has been a challenge – unless you live in Utah! Have you seen the incredible political ad for the governor’s race in Utah? The gubernatorial candidates Spencer Cox (Republican) and Chris Peterson (Democrat) appear together in the ad! (To be fair, I listed them in alphabetical order by their last names.) Their joint message – a call for…

Hello All, Well, I was going to give you a break from heavy subjects this week, but it is not to be. October is a month with special significance to me. It is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am a breast cancer survivor. A breast cancer victor! Three weeks from today is my birthday……and 25 years ago, on my 39th birthday, I learned I had breast cancer. (It definitely made turning 40 not a big deal!) I learned my “informal” diagnosis from the radiologist at the hospital where I worked at the time. He came out to see me immediately after reviewing my screening mammogram – which was unheard of…

Hello All, I actually woke up at a decent time the other morning. George decided it was acceptable to wake me up closer to 6:00 a.m. vs. his usual timeframe of 4:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.! My furry alarm clock gets right up to whichever ear best catches his interest and meows rather loudly…..and repeatedly. My cue to start the day by feeding him and his brothers! But I was still tired. So I checked my temperature – yep, normal. I could still taste my very hot English breakfast tea. I could still smell. I didn’t feel any worse than any other day with my aging body. So I figured physically I was good to…