Matthew Dicks's Blog, page 26

I found my kindergarten teacher

Something kind of amazing happened last week.After years of telling stories about my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Dubois, I received an email from her.My former elementary school principal, Fred Hartnett, and I reconnected years ago after I told a story about him on the stage, and someone heard it and connected us. We’ve been exchanging messages ever since, and last week, he reconnected me with Mrs. Dubois, whom I remember well but could not locate.Not knowing her first name made it especially difficult.It’s Cora.Among other things, Mrs. Dubois wrote:“I can see you standing in line as we were ready to leave the room. You had a head full of darker-colored hair, and it was disheveled. You were quiet and well-behaved.”My students and my own children couldn’t believe it.“Quiet? Well behaved? A full head of hair? She must be remembering the wrong person!” my cruelest student spat.Being remembered at all by someone so important to me both then and now means the world to me.And I remember her and my kindergarten year so well, too.I wrote to Mrs. Dubois about my love of the Letter People — inflatable personifications of each letter of the alphabet. On one of the most exciting days of my life, she gave me Mr. R — with rubber bands for hair — when he needed to be replaced.I kept Mr. R for years.She wrote:“The Letter People! The children loved them, and I did, too, but they frequently had holes and deflated. I do remember giving them to the children who wanted them, and I’m glad that you enjoyed Mr. R with his Ripping Rubberbands.”I also wrote her about my love for recess and center time on the sun-dappled linoleum. I reminded her about the time she sent me to the corner for failing to clean up at the end of recess, determined to use every block to make my tower as high as possible,She apologized for punishing me in her email, but that moment changed my life. Before she sent me to the corner, I was terrified of being punished. I saw it as the worst possible thing that could ever happen to me. But while standing in that corner, beside the pencil sharpener and below the American flag, I came to realize that punishment is little more than an exchange of choice for time:I do what I want. In return, an authority figure might punish me by stealing some of my time.From that point on, my life became a constant balancing of that equation:Choice for time.I was suddenly able to do things I’d never done before:Break rules.
Push through barriers.
Bend norms.
Disregard authority.It was a defining moment of my life.I continue to operate by a similar equation today.I wrote to Mrs. Dubois about learning to tie my shoes — especially difficult being left-handed.I wrote about learning to read and acquiring a copy of my kindergarten basal reader last year.I wrote about the day math finally made sense to me. I was trying to solve problems in a math workbook that I can still see as clear as day in my mind’s eye. Ten turtles were on the page, and I was asked to draw a ring around them to make two equal groups.I remember being so confused. How could ten turtles be divided into two equal groups? Then Mrs. Dubois came over, drew a ring around five of them, and asked me to draw a ring around the other five.That was it. I suddenly understood. Ten is made of two fives. It sounds crazy, but I had never seen numbers as fungible in that way. It was the moment I understood that ten isn’t a singular, immutable number but a number comprised of other numbers.That was the moment math started making sense to me.Mrs. Dubois was surprised by how much I remembered from kindergarten—everything I wrote to her and so much more.I think she had a lot to do with it. Every morning, I entered a classroom where a teacher opened the world to me and made me feel safe and loved.How lucky I was to start my educational career at John F. Kennedy Elementary under the wise and gentle wing of Cora Dubois.

Nashville, baby!

When I took the Moth stage for the first time in July of 2011 to tell my first story, I thought it would be my one and only.

Tell a story. Create a memory. Move on.

I never expected that moment to change my life.

Since then, I’ve told stories in 110 Moth StorySLAMs and 37 GrandSLAMs, winning 61 and 9, respectively. I’ve performed on stages all over the country and around the world and delivered speeches at a dozen TEDx events.

But that was just the beginning.

Today, I work with Fortune 100 companies, nonprofits, Olympic athletes, venture capital firms, attorneys, banks, hospitals, clergy members, politicians, the FBI, and more. I help them tell better stories, communicate more effectively, sell more stuff, build more trust, motivate actions, and forge connections.

I also perform stand-up. I serve as a substitute minister for several Universalist Unitarian Churches. I officiate weddings. I’ve helped the Mowak nation of Canada to tell better stories.  Taught storytelling classes for dating. Worked with wildlife photographers to tell better stories in the photos they shoot. Taught storytelling at yoga retreat centers and universities like Yale, Harvard, MIT, and many more.

It’s so weird how a simple decision can redirect your life forever.

Charlie and I will be in Nashville on Saturday night for my latest adventure:

Music Night: Live from Nashville:

Songwriters of some of the music industry’s biggest hits will take the stage to perform their songs and tell stories about their creations.

I had the honor of offering the songwriters some advice on the stories they will be telling.

The show will be streaming live to select AMC Theaters on Saturday night— tonight! — if you’re reading this on the day it was published. If you see the show (and you should), you might see Charlie and me in the audience. I’ve been told that as in-studio audience members, we will likely be seen on screen as part of the show.

Charlie is very excited. Me, too.

A description of the show is thus:
______________________________

Discover the unknown songwriters behind radio’s biggest hits in this exclusive LIVE broadcast from Nashville!

Join host Bobby Bones (Radio, Podcast & TV Personality) as he takes you inside the Analog—one of Music City’s most intimate and sought-after listening rooms, for a special night of stories and songs in a rare performance by three of Nashville’s hottest songwriters who collectively have written more than 40 number-one songs recorded by 20 different artists, including some of the biggest names in country music and beyond: Carrie Underwood, Jellyroll, Reba McEntire, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, Old Dominion, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, Trisha Yearwood, and many more!

Experience the magic of a Nashville Writer’s Round as you hear the inspiration and creative process from CMA and Grammy® award-winning hit songwriters whose work spans genres and generations in this incredible one-of-a-kind LIVE broadcast event.

Presented by the Nashville Music Network.
______________________________

Another unexpected, unforeseen, unbelievable turn of events led from a single night on a single stage 14 years ago.

A reminder to me and perhaps to you:

Get out. Say yes. Try new things. Do hard, scary things. Give the universe a chance to work its magic on your behalf.

“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

I love this quote.

It’s also not something Lincoln said, though it is constantly attributed to him. It was likely first expressed in a newspaper article about New Year’s resolutions in 1914, which credited Lincoln for reasons we will never know.

Regardless of who said it, it’s an excellent idea, smartly stated and deeply nuanced.

First, “Not Lincoln” says, “Most folks…”

This represents an acknowledgment that life sometimes punches you too damn hard to allow you to be happy, at least at the moment and perhaps for a while.

But most of the time, for most people, happiness is within our reach.

“Not Lincoln” also says that people are as happy “as they make up their minds to be.”

In other words, happiness is not easy or automatic. It’s not simple or uncomplicated.

Making up your mind to do something means taking action to make it happen.

You must make up your mind to be happy.

You must seek perspective. Strive for positivity. Engage in strategies like positive self-talk and meditation.

Exercise.
Set goals.
Prioritize sleep.
Embrace optimism.
Engage in altruism.
Eat a healthier diet.
Avoid gossip and gossipers.
Practice forgiveness when deserved.
Find and pursue hobbies and passions.
Limit your interactions with social media.
Spend quality time with friends and family members who don’t suck.

“Not Lincoln” doesn’t claim that happiness is simply a matter of choosing to be happy, though sometimes that may be true.

I suspect that, in many cases, happiness is simply a choice to see things through a more expansive, more transparent lens.

But other times, you must do the things to secure and guarantee your happiness.

Make up your mind to be happy, and most of the time, you will be happy.

I think Abraham Lincoln would agree.

The bad news and the very bad news about measles

The measles outbreak in Texas has now reached more than  150 cases, and for the first time in more than a decade, a child — unvaccinated — has died.

Almost all of the infected are children.

But the news is even worse.

Over the past decade, immunologists’ research has revealed that measles also destroys immune cells. As a result, even people who recover from the virus lose much of their immune memory and, therefore, the protection they had acquired from prior infections or vaccines against all the other childhood illnesses.

This leaves measles survivors more vulnerable to many other diseases for years afterward.

These victims may now face those childhood diseases, to which they lost immune protection, as older children, which puts them more at risk for complications.

Here’s the most frightening statistic of all:

Before vaccines were introduced, earlier measles infections may have been implicated in as many as half of all childhood deaths from all infectious diseases by destroying the body’s ability to defend against these diseases.

Measles is a Trojan Horse with bite. Not only might it kill you, but even if you survive, it’s going to kill all of your soldiers in the process, making it far more likely for you to lose the next war.

Oh, and in case you forgot:

Measles is one of the most transmissible diseases known to humanity, which makes it incredibly dangerous to unvaccinated children, which amounts to every single American child under the ages of four to six, when immunity from their booster kicks in.

Not only are unvaccinated children at risk, but also every vaccinated child who is waiting for their booster shot and the immunity it eventually confers.

So…

Thanks to a coalition of the stupid who refuse to vaccinate their children, outbreaks of one of the most transmittable diseases on the planet  — which we had essentially conquered prior to the rise of vaccine stupidity — are on the rise, threatening the lives of every single American child under the age of four to six with illness, death, and the threat of future disease and death as well.

One child is already dead.

But fear not. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy, is in charge, and he has assured Congress that he is not anti-vaccine.

I know what you’re thinking:

“But Matt! During a November 2019 measles epidemic that killed 80 children in Samoa, Kennedy wrote to the country’s prime minister claiming that the measles vaccine was probably causing the deaths.”

True, but that was six years ago.

He’s probably reformed his thinking since then.

Yes, he believed something nearly every doctor, nurse, scientist, immunologist, and American parent knew was stupid, dangerous, and without factual basis — and was clear if you simply looked at any historical chart of infection — but that was six years ago.

I’m sure he’s more informed now, which makes him perfect for the Secretary of Health and Human Services:

A former idiot just a little while ago who claims to be less of an idiot today.

Trump only hires the best people.

19 things that bother me… and perhaps should not

Watching people play games on their phonesListening to people talk about coffee as if it were somehow an interesting or entertaining subjectColor coding simply for the sake of color codingAdults who run meetings as if the attendees are childrenAdministrators who no longer do the job but pretend like they still know the jobParents who can’t hear their children’s questions because they’re too busy staring at their phonesPresentations that needlessly have more than one presenterThe glorification of alcohol consumptionDrivers who won’t turn right on red when it’s not allowed but clearly okayPeople who find a restroom door locked but knock on the door anywayChildren eating grapesWatching people purchase lottery ticketsLiving as a left-handed person in a world exclusively designed for right-handersListening to adults threaten consequences to children that will never happenShoppers who move through a grocery store as if it’s the place to beAnyone who uses BCCThe inefficiency of a Little League practicePaperwork that is required but clearly unnecessaryComplainers without solutions

The road to Heaven and Hell

Your plan fails.

It’s disappointing and maybe even a little surprising.

When asked about why you failed and what you were thinking, you say, “I meant well. I had the best intentions.”

Then the jerkface to whom you are speaking offers this scintillating quip:

“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

Of course, this is a stupid statement, not only because it’s unoriginal, overused, and therefore boring but also because it makes no sense.

The road to Hell may very well be paved with good intentions, but the road to Heaven is also paved with good intentions. In fact, the road to Heaven is only paved with good intentions. Many, many good intentions. Exclusively good intentions.

The road to Hell may be paved with good intentions, but it’s also definitely paved with bad intentions. Mostly bad intentions. Overwhelmingly bad intentions. The ratio of bad to good on the road to Hell is probably a trillion to one.

Right?

The opposite certainly isn’t true. The road to Heaven is never paved with bad intentions. No one ever gets into Heaven by trying to do wrong.

So it would seem that good intentions are a good thing even when things don’t work out. Good intentions should be everyone’s starting point, regardless of how many times they may lead to disaster.

So when someone says, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions,” what they really should be saying is this:

“The roads to both Hell and Heaven are paved with good intentions—and Heaven’s road is definitely paved with many more good intentions. So it would seem that having good intentions is a good thing no matter the result, so I’ve essentially made no point at all.”

Some aphorisms are stupid and should be avoided at all costs.

This is one of them.

American icons no more

In a strange confluence of events, Party City, Joann’s Fabrics (recently rebranded Joann), and Hooters are all going out of business.

Quite a collection of iconic brands.

Joann’s Fabrics and Party City are closing their doors and disappearing forever, and Hooters has filed for bankruptcy and is likely to close, though they could eventually emerge from bankruptcy to live another day.

Experts, however, see this as unlikely based on its trending sales data.

Three American institutions will soon be wiped off the map forever.

I’ve shopped at Party City several times in my life. The stores were often disorganized, messy, overstocked, and poorly staffed.

I’m not surprised to see it fail.

I visited Joann’s Fabrics once—years ago with Elysha. I found the store fascinating. It was like landing on a different planet and discovering a culture unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I left the store with an idea for a screenplay or novel that I’m still toying with today.

Apparently, I’ll need to find a new location for my book or film.

I’ve never set foot in a Hooters, even though I live about three miles from one of their locations. I’ve never set foot in a strip club before, either, mostly because I’ve always thought it sad, desperate, and purposeless to stare at half-naked strangers in a public setting.

My friends and I once went to a strip club for a buddy’s bachelor party. When we arrived, everyone piled out of the car except for me. When my friend asked what I was doing, I told him I’d wait for them in the car. I had a good book — Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” — that I would happily read while they were inside.

“Drink as much as you want,” I told him. “I’ll drive for the rest of the night.”

When he asked why I wouldn’t come inside, I told him I’d never set foot in a strip club before. “No judgment,” I said. “But I can’t see why staring at naked women who have no interest in me and possibly becoming aroused while sitting beside my buddies has any appeal.”

My friends laughed and teased me about that moment for a long time, but the groom-to-be leaned his head through the car window and whispered, “You’re not wrong!” before heading inside.

Hooters is certainly not a strip club, but it’s known for its revealing uniforms. Choosing a restaurant specifically to watch women in revealing outfits also strikes me as a little sad, desperate, and purposeless.

It’s kind of like going to the beach to enjoy the ocean but mostly to stare at people in their bathing suits.

And for anyone who claims that Hooters’ wings are the best, I could always DoorDash an order of wings before they close forever. However, Elysha and I eat at a restaurant down the road that local media have repeatedly recognized for having the best wings in Connecticut, so I think I’m good.

Even though I care little about any of these dying brands, the closings of these stores also represent the loss of jobs, which is never good. Real people will no longer be collecting paychecks from these businesses, so I hope these employees land on their feet and fund fulfilling work as soon as possible.

The curious thing for me is what happens now?

When Joann’s Fabric closes, where will people get their yarn, thread, and sewing machines?

Online, of course, but is there a brick-and-mortar to replace it? I feel like yarn is something you need to hold and feel before buying.

When Party City closes, is there another location where you can purchase helium balloons, party streamers, and those awful party favors?

And when Hooters closes, where will people go to be served wings and beer while simultaneously objectifying women?

Cooked!

On Friday night, while I was trying to get a table at a local restaurant, Charlie watched a child — maybe three or four years old — screaming in the waiting area.

Demanding to leave. Expressing outrage for not being at home. Thoroughly upset.

The parents attempted to convince the child to stop screaming, then after a moment or two, they gave the kid a dollar bill.

The kid stopped screaming almost instantly.

At the table, as Charlie was describing this scene to me, he said. “Dude, this generation is cooked!”

By “generation,” he meant Generation Alpha, which he missed being a member of by a year. Generation Z ended in 2012 — the year Charlie was born — placing him on the cusp of Gen Z and Gen Alpha but firmly rejecting any notion that he is in the same generation as that child in the waiting area.

I’m not so sure. He’s pretty cuspy.

Either way, why does Charlie see the hazards of placating children with cash but not those parents?

He also often criticizes kids who are staring at phones and iPads at dinner tables, knowing how foolish it looks and how detrimental it is to a person’s ability to communicate like regular people. He hates hearing parents threaten their children with punishments that he knows will never happen. And he can’t stand watching kids misbehaving in public in front of parents who do nothing to respond.

Clara feels similarly, but she doesn’t see some of these things because her head is often in a book. She also tries to be more empathetic towards people.

Charlie has no patience for them.

And don’t get me wrong. The boy isn’t perfect by any means. He makes his share of mistakes, too. But he sees these bad decisions and wonders why parents can’t see the same.

He’s not wrong.

I explained to Charlie that not only is the kid with the dollar bill being set up for failure but his parents and future teachers are also being set up to suffer.

As my former principal was fond of saying to parents who were not actively engaged in their children’s learning and making excuses for their poor behavior:

“You pay now, or you pay later.”

I’d argue that paying later has a far steeper cost.

But who knows? Maybe that child is a future entrepreneur and will someday launch a company that will change the world in some positive way while employing thousands in the process. Maybe that wealth extraction from his parents was a first step to economic independence, long-term cash flow, and a well-capitalized enterprise.

I hope so.

I don’t think so.

Resolution update: February 2025

Every month, I record my progress on my yearly goals to hold myself accountable and occasionally seek help and advice from readers willing to offer insight, ideas, and solutions.

Here are my results from February.

PERSONAL FITNESS/ATHLETICS

1. Don’t die.

One of my students accidentally kicked her shoe off into my head, but I survived.

2. Lose 10 pounds.

I gained nine pounds in 2025, primarily due to a lot of excellent eating while on vacation in Palm Beach and a lack of exercise during that time. Then, I promptly lost those nine pounds and one more.

So I’m down one pound so far in 2025, but it feels like a lot more.

3. Do a targeted push-up workout at least four times per week. 

Done.

4. Complete 100 sit-ups four times per week. 

Done.

5. Complete three one-minute planks four times a week.

Done.

6. Cycle for at least five days every week. 

I completed 22 rides in February — another lower-than-usual number for me. Traveling to Florida for four days and performing in New York City and Boston following work kept me off the bike as much as I’d like.

Still, I managed five rides per week except for the week of vacation.

7. Try at least three new vegetables I have never eaten before or do not like. 

No progress. Does anyone want to suggest a vegetable?

8. Get a DEXA Scan and VO2 Max test at least once in 2025.

Local facility identified. Appointment will likely happen in the summer.

9. Lower my handicap to 19.9. 

I took three golf lessons in February, and my progress is excellent. We are breaking down my swing quite a bit, but yesterday’s lesson showed exceedingly positive results.

Snow and ice on the ground kept me from playing the game.

WRITING CAREER

10. Complete my eighth novel.

No progress.

11. Write, edit, and revise my golf memoir.

No progress.

12. Write my “Advice for Kids” book.

Solid progress.

13. Write/complete at least three new picture books, including one with a female, non-white protagonist.

No progress.

14. Write about my childhood in partnership with my sister, Kelli, at least once per month. 

No progress.

15. Write a new solo show.

Work continues. I have an outline of the show and am now working on the actual stories, jokes, and transitions.

16. Submit at least three Op-Ed pieces to The New York Times for consideration.

No progress.

17. Write at least four letters to my father.

No progress.

18. Write 150 letters.

A total of 20 letters were written in February to students, the parents of students, museum staff, and clients,

A total of 58 letters have been written in 2025 so far.

19. Write to at least six authors about a book I love. 

No progress.

STORYTELLING/SPEAKING CAREER

20. Launch a new Homework for Life app.

Excellent progress, thanks mainly to my digital wizard partner in this project. We worked on final design decisions in February, and the building of the thing has begun.

I can’t wait.

21. Record and publish at least 25 videos to my YouTube channel.

Three new videos were posted to my newly re-branded YouTube challenge in February.

Subscribe here.

22. Perform a new solo show.

Dates have been locked in: May 4 and 5 at TheaterWorks in Hartford.

Save the date! Tickets on sale soon!

23. Revise my free Storyworthy Academy.  

Done. Thanks primarily to the work of my partner and production manager, we have an outstanding free academy for anyone who wants to learn more about storytelling.

Check it out at storyworthy.com.

24. Record and produce at least three new Storyworthy courses.

Courses have been determined. Recording begins soon.

25. Produce a total of six Speak Up storytelling events in 2025.

I produced a Speak Up show in collaboration with Yale Univerity at District in New Haven on February 7.

We have now produced two shows in 2025:

January 11 at the Connecticut Museum for History and Culture.February 7 at District in New Haven.

Our next show is slated for May.

26. Submit pitches to at least three upcoming TEDx events, hoping to be accepted by one.

No progress.

27. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.

I did not attend a Moth event in February. Travel kept me from one of my favorite places in the world last month.

So far, I’ve attended one Moth event in 2025.

28. Win at least one Moth StorySLAM.

No progress. I have yet to take the stage at The Moth this year.

29. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.

I had to pass on February’s GrandSLAM invite. I will be on a plane during the show.

No progress thus far.

30. Pitch “You’re a Monster, Matthew Dicks” or my new show to six theaters in 2025. 

No progress.

31. Produce at least 24 episodes of our podcast Speak Up Storytelling.

No progress.

32. Perform stand-up at least six times. 

No progress in Feburary,.

I’ve performed stand-up once in 2025.

33. Pitch three stories to This American Life.

No progress.

34. Submit at least three pitches to Marc Maron’s WTF podcast.

No progress.

35. Send a newsletter to readers at least 50 times. 

Eight newsletters were sent in February — to my Storyworthy community.

I’ve sent 16 newsletters in 2025.

HOME

36. Organize the basement.

A smidgen of progress. Some additional items have been thrown away.

36. Clear the garage of unwanted items.

Negative progress was made as my family managed to add items to the garage that don’t belong.

37. Replace our backyard shed.

No progress.

38. Get the hardwood floors refinished.

No progress.

FAMILY/FRIENDS

39. Travel to Europe.

Waiting on possible tour dates to Australia and Portugal before we finalize European dates.

We’re also traveling to Canada in April, so we must finalize those vacations first.

40. Text or call my brother or sister once per month. 

Done. The texts were short and pathetic, but they happened!

41. Bring my brother, sister, and me together at least twice in 2025.

No progress.

42. Take at least one photo of my children every day.

Except for days when I was away and unable to take the photograph, done.

43. Take at least one photo with Elysha and me each week.

Done! Two months in a row! Real progress for me.

44. Plan a reunion of the Heavy Metal Playhouse.

No progress.

45. I will not comment positively or negatively on the physical appearance of anyone except my wife and children to reduce the focus on physical appearance in our culture overall.

Done.

46. Surprise Elysha at least 12 times.

I surprised Elysha twice in 2025:

I sent flowers to Elysha six days after Valentine’s Day. We were flying to Florida on February 14, so I didn’t want to send flowers that she could not enjoy, so I sent them after we had returned to work the following week.

I also gave her a gift of some clever and amusing office supplies — including clear Post-it notes and an eraser in the image of a man who goes bald as you use the eraser — that I held back for a day when I thought she could use a tiny boost.

Surprises in 2025 thus far:

A surprise birthday party on January 4Post Valentine’s Day flowersClever and amusing office supplies

47. Play poker at least six times.

No progress.

48. Spend at least six days with my best friend of more than 30 years.

No progress.

MUSIC

49. Memorize the lyrics to at least five favorite songs. 

No progress.

50. Practice the flute at least four times per week.

No progress. I’m an idiot.

MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS

51. Host at least three dinner parties where I cook.

No progress.

52. Develop a course on self-confidence. 

Progress continues. Strategies are being collected, an instructional outline is being developed, and I’m interviewing people for thoughts and ideas.

53. Develop a list of strategies to help people deal with loneliness and produce it in some form.

Progress continues. I am collecting strategies and talking to many people about their possible efficacy and any additional ideas.

54. Read at least 12 books.

I read one book in February:

“Simply Said” by Jay Sullivan

I’m currently reading:

”Miracle and Wonder” by Bruce Headlam and Malcolm Gladwell
“Revenge of the Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell

Books read so far in 2025:

“Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara
“Schtick to Business” by Pete McGraw
”The Humor Code” by Pete McGraw
“Catching the Big Fish” by David Lynch
“Simply Said” by Jay Sullivan

55. Finish reading TIME’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time. 

No progress in February.

I’ve read five additional books in 2025, bringing my total to 44 total books read off the list.

56. Edit our wedding footage into a movie of the day.

No progress. 

57. Digitize a pile of DVDs that contain dance recitals, plays, and other assorted moments from the past.

I’ve assembled the material. It’s still sitting in an annoying pile on my desk.

58. Memorize three new poems.

I’m currently memorizing “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost.

I’ve memorized “This is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams.

59. Post my progress regarding these resolutions on this blog and social media on the first day of every month.

Done.

I agree with Pedro Pascal

When it comes to the transgender community:

If you want to discuss transgender participation in sports, I’m willing to listen to all sides with an open mind.

It’s a complex issue.

If you want to discuss the appropriate age to allow for hormone treatments, gender reassignment surgery, or gender education in the schools, I’m willing to listen with an open mind.

It’s also a complex issue. Also, since I’m not a medical professional, I will likely defer to medical experts and parents.

Why should I have any say in the healthcare of another human being?

Still, I’ll listen. Perhaps I can learn something.

If you want to discuss restroom use for transgender people, I’m willing to listen with an open mind, even though I routinely use gender-neutral restrooms with my female friends when we perform and attend performances in places like Boston, New Haven, and New York City and think nothing of it.

Still, I’m willing to listen. It seems a little less complex, but perhaps I can be educated on issues I don’t yet understand.

But when it comes to the words spoken by bigots regarding transgender people and Donald Trump’s recent change in passport policy as it related to transgender people, I think actor and activist Pedro Pascal said it best this week:

“I can’t think of anything more vile and small and pathetic than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you except the right to exist.”

This sounds just right to me.

Pedro Pascal – whose sister is transgender — received a lot of positive and negative feedback about his statement, but to his credit, he doesn’t give a damn. He knows what is right and is willing to say it, even if it means a bunch of ignoramuses and hate-mongers might not watch his films and television shows.

We need more people like this in the world.