Posts by Stephen Robbins
Unraveling Historical Conflict: A Personal Journey Of Discovery Of Ukraine
As I have watched the situation in Ukraine since February 2022, I’ve thought about my personal connection to the country and the irony of the country’s current situation. My Personal Ukraine Connection – Teteiv My great-grandparents came from a city in Ukraine called Teteiv. Ukraine in the late 1800s had a nasty history of pogroms,…
Read MoreHow To Become A Cult Leader: Real-Life Stories To Make Us Think
How to Become a Cult Leader When I started writing my novel, one of the things that I worried about was trying to get my point across without offending my readers. My intent was to put my own beliefs, biases, and questions into the story to make the readers think, not to try to convince…
Read MoreBiking Brazil: Explore Brazil’s Rich Culture and Scenic Routes
Biking Brazil As we started our bike trip in the rainforest area outside São Paulo, the guide asked us if there was anything in particular that we wanted to see while we were in Brazil. Being of a “certain age group,” I quickly responded that I wanted to meet The Girl From Ipanema. Our twenty-something…
Read MoreDiscovering the Hidden Treasures of Egypt: A Fascinating Adventure
Visiting Egypt – A Must! C’mon, admit it! Who hasn’t dreamed of visiting Egypt? Cruising down the Nile and walking the land of the Pharaohs, coming face to face with the Sphinx, climbing up to the top of the Great Pyramids of Giza, walking into the depths of the catacombs, roaming Luxor to view the…
Read MoreHow To Find The Career Path That Aligns with Your Passion and Purpose: A Personal Story
The Mystery Of A Career Path Sometimes we choose a career path, and sometimes it chooses us. In my case, it chose me not once, but twice. Career Path Number One: Hospital Administration The first was my path into hospital administration. After I was trained as a medical corpsman in the Army Reserve, I returned…
Read MoreBuilding Bridges, Not Walls Part Two: An Educational Experience
Racial and Religious Prejudice One of the themes of my novel, The Healer’s Miraculous Discovery, deals with racial and religious prejudice and hatred. These were themes that dominated the 1960s when the story takes place. At the time, despite the problems, there was a feeling that things were getting better, and we were dealing with…
Read MoreBuilding Bridges, Not Walls: The Power of Promoting Acceptance and Unity
The Power of Acceptance and Unity My novel, The Healer’s Miraculous Discovery, explores the way our differences can bring us together or drive us apart. Perhaps it’s a bit naive, but from the time I was a kid, I’ve been puzzled over why people can come to hate others who are different from them. Whether…
Read MoreThe Cleveland Sports Scene Part 2: The NFL Championship Game 1964
This is Part Two of a series on Cleveland Sports. Read Part One here. The Cleveland Sports Scene I’ve always been the world’s worst athlete. In basketball, I’m lucky to hit the backboard. In golf, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve broken 100. Name a sport: I’ve tried it and…
Read MoreThe Cleveland Sports Scene Part 1: Jim Brown, The Heart of Cleveland Football
The Cleveland Browns Any kid growing up in Cleveland in the 1960s knew that 32 wasn’t just a random number. It was synonymous with the legendary Cleveland Browns fullback, Jim Brown. He passed away recently, and I thought I would share my own memories of what he meant to every fan in the City. Brown…
Read MoreLife Lessons From My Military Service And Oh, The Irony It Brings
The Viet Nam War The Viet Nam War had a way of shaping lives during the 60s and early 70s. Even for those of us who were lucky enough to avoid the trip, it was ever-present. On the news each night, on campus, and for those of us with low draft numbers and an aversion…
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