...and thanks for dropping by. You will find here a potpourri of opinions ranging from the deadly serious to the inanely humorous. Well, at least that happens to be the author's opinion. Many of these have been written as 'retirement projects' and somehow wound up in weekly newspapers. I do not consider myself a "writer" by any stretch of the imagination, but if you find these amusing, confrontational, or downright irritating, I hope you'll let me know. You can reach me by posting your comments on the new guest book page or by sending an e-mail to bishop@aol.com. I enjoy receiving comments about the articles, particularly if you happen to disagree with my point of view. I promise not to respond with any comments about your lineage or having your mother come out from under the porch to bite you when you get home tonight. Despite what you may have heard, I'm nicer than that...I hope! If you've been to the site before, you'll notice there's a new pix of the old man at the head of this column. Yep, the head's completely shaved (those are sun glasses you fool) and the pose is a lot less formal. I just figured it was time to get out in the world and see the sites for a while. Don't worry, you don't have to look at it long...just go ahead to whatever page you were actually seeking.

As many of you are aware, the first anniversary of Joan's death has come and gone. The section that has been put in place called, "Joan's Page" will remain on this web site for as long as I can maintain it...hopefully, many years. As things occur that are appropriate to be put on the page, it will be done. No more jokes about her being married to an old goat or any of that nonsense. Ours was a good marriage, bearing three children who each bore three of their own. Our 50+ years together had its ups and its downs, many more of the former than the latter. That's what makes a marriage. She is gone; I am here. However, no one can take away the memories, the sneaky kisses, or the practical jokes that we would perform on one another. Please take a little time to check out "Joan's Page," and I hope you like it.

The section about the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is self-explanatory. However, I would be less than candid if I did not say that this is the one section that I hope anyone coming to this site takes the time to visit. While this old body is no longer able to volunteer as it once did, this charity is one of the best. The reasons are simple: It was started by a then young man with no idea of doing it another year; it is social entrepreneurship at its very finest; it's a family event in that both the husband and the wife, Billy and Meredith Beaton-Starr take very hands-on roles; it is a charity that gives more than ninety-five cents of every dollar directly to the charity; and finally, it is, in large measure, responsible for the dollars provided to Boston's Jimmy Fund each year. For you vets, it's time to hit the gym and start to get in shape. For the first-year riders, it's time to find someone who's done it before and learn from them. This year marks the 30th riding of the PMC from its original starting point in Springfield/Sturbridge, Massachusetts. It will also mark the 10th anniversary of the ride from Babson College The event will be held on August first and second.

Over the years, I've collected quotations from a number of sources. They deal with a variety of subjects and if you think I'm going to arrange them in any order, you need to renew your Prozac prescription. If you wish to take the time to search, I'm certain you'll find something of interest. The quote at the bottom of this page will change daily...or so. If you visit the site more than once - ha, what a dreamer I am - and the quote hasn't been changed, let me know. With age comes senility, and sometimes I forget to do what a man's supposed to do...hey, isn't that a line from a movie? Quotations can, if we let them, make us think. We don't do that often enough, so if one of these quotes touches you, I'd like to hear about it. If it appears that the quote hasn't changed for several days, you may also wish to use the 'refresh' button on your tool bar to bring you up to date. Okay, faint to the left, please. I have just added Book II of quotes. It's the last one hundred pages of quotations that I have in a file and there is, to the best of my knowledge, no duplication with anything that appears in Book I.

Case study synopses will be posted that deal, for the most part, with problems encountered in law enforcement. These were prepared for students who were taking a course in creative problem solving (cps).

The workshops section will include information on programs that I've had the pleasure and privilege of teaching. These may include such things as tips on time management, problem solving, team building, goal setting, bullying, school violence, domestic violence, and perhaps even a couple of thoughts on ageism. It's very difficult to know exactly what to put on pages such as these. Too many 'consultants' give canned presentations without regard for the 'real' needs of their audience. For example, teaching time management to a group of college students is a great deal different from teaching a group of middle managers in a small or large company, and teaching problem solving methods to people whose minds are fairly closed to new ideas can be exceedingly challenging...and fun.

As I get older, my sense of humor has become more refined. I no longer find some of the things funny that I used to consider hilarious. Perhaps that's true of all of us; I certainly hope so. I'll leave it to you to determine if what you find in this section or perhaps in some of the other, "more sedate" sections brings a snicker, a belly laugh, or a sneer.