I remember John’s phone call on 2017: “Raoul, me and other Rotarians are going to Nigeria to teach the locals about entrepreneurship … would you like to join us?” A week later I found myself alone in the humid Nigerian airport --- the lone foreigner in a sea of dark-skinned natives. Through a series of unforeseen events, I was separated from the rest of my Rotarian teammates and somehow arrived at the airport hours ahead of the others.

My Mom woke us up in the middle of the night: “Wake up! Hurry! There’s a fire!" Half asleep and wearing our pajamas, we walked a few blocks away to our cousin’s house where we watched the flames rise high into the night. We had to close the windows because of the overpowering stench of smoke, burning wood and plastic. I could hear and see people who were like bees bustling about in a beehive --- men were directing the exodus while others carried away their life possessions in boxes and bags. We could hear the sirens of the fire truck and the crackling sparks of the giant bonfire. It was a nightmare.

I’ve never actually been to a trial before. I came close once but I was filtered out on the first day. Maybe I watch too many trial movies but I’d love to watch the drama of the lawyers badgering the witnesses – “You can’t handle the truth!” Will I display wisdom or idiocy during the closed-door huddle among “twelve angry men?”

Our dog Tonka swallowed an avocado seed the size of a ping pong ball. He needed an operation because this silly mistake would block his intestine and lead to a painful death. The procedure would be very expensive. What to do?

I watched a few episodes of the original Star Trek series the other night. Did you grow up watching Star Trek? Like many of you, my siblings and I looked forward to the weekly episode back in the 60s. There were no videotapes then, so we were at the mercy of the TV network’s schedule and had to stay up past our early bedtime. We only had black and white TVs so now, watching it in color, I noticed how gaudy and colorfully horrendous the costumes were. Who let that drag queen costume designer out? Why did I stay up for this crap?

Tonka and Tinker, our two Corgis, were playing outside in their dog pen and they were having so much fun. I decided to let them play while I went inside to do some work on the computer. After some time, I opened the door and they rushed inside. But just before I shut the door, I noticed there was a dog tail laying outside. A dog tail?! It looked like Tonka's dog tail! I looked inside and I noticed Tonka's butt was tailless and his butt bones were sticking out. But wait! His coat was lighter than normal. Tonka was thinner. Hey, that isn't Tonka! That's another dog! Somebody stole Tonka!! Who? What? When?!?!

Fast forward, here I was again with the same woman. Over the years she had learned how to execute a buzz cut well. But, over the years, her price had doubled. It only took about fifteen minutes and it was done. So I was thinking: “Twenty bucks for this? How difficult would it be if I cut my own hair with a proper trimmer?”

Do they appreciate this amazing period of their life? I love their innocence, their joyful exuberance, their respect for elders, their boundless energy. Do you remember those days? In my early teens, I had no clue about the politics around me. I trusted the grownups to take care of the world for me. I trusted the grownups for everything! I trusted my teachers to have my best interest at heart. I believed they taught us Algebra because it was necessary for adulthood. We had to know the origins of species and understand their internal organs because one day we would need to dissect a frog in some strange emergency. We had to appreciate Shakespeare and Charles Dickens because those guys knew how to tell captivating stories which would be useful in campfires and job interviews. Wish I could say something good about Chemistry and Physics but I slept through both of those courses ... although somehow, I survived life without needing to alter the rotation of the planets.

Another year … another grey hair. Another month … another wrinkle. Another workday … another body ache. I decided to write a checklist of what I think about getting old. You know you’re old if: - Social Security is your friend. - Tinnitus follows you wherever you go. - Your back squeaks. - Every word you want to say is at the tip of your tongue.

Welcome to 2026. Pardon the mess. I've been cleaning my office. Going through my pile of documents and my trash can is full. I've got a box full of broken electronic stuff. a box full of art stuff. And piles of other stuff. How about you? Sorting out your closet for your faded wardrobe? How about your email? How many TeraBytes is it now?