Author Archives: ltrainlane

Some days there are things that trigger me….it can be a good trigger (usually tied to something musical), or a bad trigger. I had something that triggered me the other day, and I’ve been really trying not to let it consume me, but I’m struggling. This is what I refer to as “going down theContinue reading “the rabbit hole.”

“Don’t let the past remind us of what we are not now.” – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young I’ve started watching Cobra Kai on Netflix. I won’t be a spoiler, but I can tell you that this gives a completely different spin to the original Karate Kid movies. There’s a common perception that people neverContinue reading “the redemption of johnny lawrence.”

Otto took a leak on the downstairs carpet last night. Yes, my initial reaction was anger, but less than 30 minutes later, we were out on our evening walk, and I truly enjoyed being out in the crisp air walking Otto around the block. This afternoon, it dawned on me – why was it soContinue reading “forgiveness……believe the hype.”

The Ford Company meant well. They spent a pretty penny reuniting the main characters from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation to introduce their new hybrid Mustang. I’m sure it will have some nice bells and whistles, but I can’t help but wonder if this car will be the Edsel of the new millennium. Gone are theContinue reading “steroid cars, the unnecessary “u”, and a poem from my nightmare.”

This horrendous year is almost over. We’ve seen so much negativity and sadness this year, and there seems to be a level of exhaustion that our society has not seen for quite some time. I know that Christmas still is the most wonderful day of the year for a lot of people. I used toContinue reading “christmas 2020 – the “duct tape” holiday.”

Boy, have our lives changed over the past month. It’s had its ups and downs, but it’s 30 days that we’d do again in a heartbeat. Otto has brought a lot of joy into our lives, and each day is a new and fun adventure. As with most dogs, Otto has tried to test theContinue reading “30 days with the ottomeister.”

OK, so I “survived” my first week with Otto….my fears of taking care of a dog (especially the cleanup) have faded. As Jenn has been out of town the last few days, it’s just been the two of us….and I have enjoyed this in a way I couldn’t even fathom 10 days ago. Being aContinue reading “my best friend is floofy.”

Sometimes, it’s the little things that make us happy….a smile from a stranger, a call from a friend, or hearing a favorite song on the radio. I have a new addition to the list – the joy of my puppy pooping after walking him for almost 90 minutes. I can only compare this to howContinue reading “proud puppy papa.”

We got a puppy. We got a very happy puppy. We got a very BIG puppy. We adopted Otto from a rescue shelter in Williamsburg VA yesterday, and it truly has been one of the happiest things that I’ve ever done. People tell you that when it’s your own pet, you instantly feel this levelContinue reading “ottopalooza. (aka it’s definitely not about me anymore.)”

A “guest writer” for this blog post. These are the words of my older brother Lee Stowe, a pastor and teacher in Upstate New York. His words perfectly describe how many of us are feeling right now. Hi, everyone— I’ve been giving this some thought, and this may go for awhile. I invite you toContinue reading “big brother.”