Willful disobedience or discrimination? — His drawers are filled with shirts that have holes he made in them with the dozens of pencils he’s chewed up afterward. Our couch is filled with wrappers, apple cores, and other items he’s hidden or pack-ratted away. He says and does things none of his older brothers would ever…

The Free Rental Calculator — The best tool in my side hustle belt! — Rental property analysis is a must-have skill for a new investor. Back of the napkin math will work, but probably not until you’ve looked at dozens or hundreds of deals. If you don't know how to do it, you can easily make mistakes. Before I get into the numbers, a…

These elements of mindset can help you be anything you want. — Ever feel like you try and try and can never reach your goals? It’s not like you’re lazy or unwilling, but things just don’t seem to materialize as easily for you as they do for those around you. Success is hard to come by. Does it sometimes feel like you’re…

Navigating race as a white parent of both black and white kids — I was looking at photos that came up in my social media memories when I commented aloud. My youngest son asked, “Which one is Colin?” I said sarcastically, “Well, silly, he’s not the white one.” Then, right after I said it, I heard Colin say something I was not prepared…

And why I always play against the old guys… — I went to a gym with a friend as a kid and I was immediately in awe of the glass-walled courts. The sound of the squeaking sneakers and the smell of rubber balls were new to me. The action and the split-second decision-making were striking. The way the players ran…

If you’re a sufferer in the winter, you may have to work at it. For me, it’s key to have solutions planned in advance. — Based on recommended readings, Medium is beginning to figure me out, I guess. I was reminded that, as a sufferer of an annual depression, there are things I can do to embrace the winter here in upstate NY. I recently read an article by Sara Frost about what Nordic people…

Paddling out into the storm and riding the waves together. — ADHD is real and my seven-year-old has it. It can be severe and it’s been ruining our days for almost two years now. His symptoms include the inability to sit still, to focus, and quite often, to follow any directions. …

You may be looking at this thing all wrong. — I couldn’t see it at the end of my bout with drinking. Selfishness, inseparably fused with my love of alcohol became a parasitic and symbiotic relationship that ruled my life. The two were so tightly and inseparably linked that I couldn’t tell which was which. The disgust I felt when…

Get onboard with web-based property management — If you’re a landlord, real estate investor, or property manager, like many of the rest of us, you probably started off managing your business using spreadsheets. …