Kirsten Marie Frances Nowak is that girl you noticed when you picked your son up early from middle-school last week for his dentist appointment. You saw her in the playground sitting alone on a bench reading a book...with pages. The other girls … [Read more...]

Mike Ballinger Tells the Story Let me tell you about me. I am modern royalty in a small suburban kingdom. My name is Prince Michael Ballinger IV. I add the “Prince” part as a joke, but it’s more real than not. My father, his father, and his … [Read more...]

They are happy - as later in life lovers usually are. They live gratefully knowing that each day together is a precious gift from God, not to be taken for granted. Seldom do they forget that life before they met was lonely, and life after, is full … [Read more...]

  Boring, Alabama is true to its name. It’s a quiet little town in Brook County with one gas station that serves as general store, currency exchange, and post office. In the center of town there’s a town hall that used to be the … [Read more...]

As all good ideas go, it starts with a problem searching for a solution. Problem: Jamie hates religion. He hates the idea of it, he hates the rules of it, and he hates the phoniness of religious leaders he knows. He hates the money in it. He hates … [Read more...]

Katie is Joe's only daughter. Before she was born, Marilyn and Joe had three boys, then two miscarriages, and finally Katie. She is the undisputed princess of the family. You won't find a more devoted father. Joe is a great dad to all his kids, … [Read more...]

The veterinarian had been called to examine a ten year old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. When he examined Belker, … [Read more...]

Nancy is my mom. She was in Miami Beach celebrating her 40th birthday when she met Ben, the love of her life. It was a weekday - Thursday, at the Fontainebleau hotel and the pool area was a scene out of an 80’s era Austin Power movie. Lots of … [Read more...]

The Rub al-Khali is the largest continuous body of sand on Earth, stretching across the Arabian Desert from Jordan and Iraq to the north and Qatar and Yemen to the south. This is the birthplace of Aldebaran. Aldebaran is a magnificent animal, … [Read more...]