Category Archives: Uncategorized

Five Ordinary Things That Quietly Make Life Better

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some of the best parts of life are small enough to miss: a quiet classroom, an easy conversation, a settled dog, a good sentence, and the first sign that the day is finally exhaling. Continue reading →

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Teaching in the Digital Age

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Technology has made teaching faster, broader, and in many ways more efficient—but it has also introduced distractions, new demands, and challenges that teachers from earlier generations never had to navigate. Continue reading →

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Not Fate, Not Destiny — But a Plan

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Fate feels mechanical — like life is a railroad track already laid down. I don’t believe we’re actors reading lines from a script. But I do believe in a Father who has a plan, who gives us freedom, and who weaves redemption into the choices we make. Continue reading →

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The Phase That Slipped Away

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some goodbyes don’t come with speeches or slammed doors. They arrive quietly — in miles, in distance, in the realization that fatherhood has shifted from daily presence to chosen connection. Gratitude doesn’t erase the grief of what changed, but it steadies it. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: The Pour I’ve Ignored

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The bottle that started it all. Before barrel finishes and 125-proof bruisers, Evan Williams Single Barrel was my “serious bourbon.” Tonight, I revisited the 1998 and 2015 vintages — and discovered that sometimes the value isn’t in the proof… it’s in the memory. Continue reading →

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Rat-a-Tat Patriotism

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Am I patriotic? I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t. We lived outside of Philadelphia in 1976 — which meant my entire fourth-grade year felt like one long, living history lesson. While other kids memorized dates from a textbook, … Continue reading →

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My All-Time Favorite Car: Why the Answer Isn’t So Simple

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

When someone asks about my all-time favorite car, the answer depends on what they mean. Is it the most fun car I ever drove, the car that saved a life, or the one I trust today? For me, favorite cars are defined less by horsepower and more by memories. Continue reading →

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Defining “Cartoon” (And Why Bugs Bunny Still Wins)

Posted on December 9, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

WordPress needs to tighten up its questions — “favorite cartoon” could mean a comic strip, a movie, or Saturday-morning TV. My answers span all three, but one has never changed: Bugs Bunny still rules my Saturday mornings. Continue reading →

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Five Things I’m Actually Pretty Good At

Posted on December 4, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Today’s prompt is a welcome change of pace: instead of asking what I wish I could do better, I get to admit—humbly, but honestly—five things I’m genuinely good at. It’s a nice reminder that we all carry strengths worth celebrating. Continue reading →

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March Forth and Multiply the Puns

Posted on November 3, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

March 4th is already a pun, so let’s make it official: International Pun Day. A full 24 hours to word-wrangle, eye-roll, groan-laugh, and march forth into glorious verbal mischief. Consider this your official notice: pun-ishment is mandatory. Continue reading →

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