Lessons after 50

February 14, 2021

Paying for your daughter’s wedding is both sexist and silly—so don’t do it.

Daughters, Kids, Lessons after 50, Marriage, Parenting

I was having a drink with a friend—an executive in my former company—who makes a lot of money. He was complaining about the fact that his daughter’s wedding was going to cost him around $50,000. I almost fell off my chair. And with my usual tact asked; “What-the-hell-are-you-thinking?” “What do you mean? What am I supposed to do? Nickel and dime her? Put her on a tight budget?” “Nope” I…

May 28, 2016

10 things we learned when we gave away (almost) everything we owned

Lessons after 50, Money

In the spring of 2015 my partner and I sold the family home and gave away—quite literally—95% of our possessions. It was among the most powerful and meaningful moments of our lives. We learned a great deal in that process and its immediate aftermath. First a little context. We moved to Charlotte, North Carolina after spending almost all of our adult lives in Western Michigan. We quickly embraced Charlotte with…

March 31, 2016

The three most important questions I asked when I was diagnosed with Cancer

Cancer, Lessons after 50

Two days after Labor Day, 2015 I stepped out of a meeting with the CEO of our company to take a call from my urologist. His news was not unexpected, but still startling; “Jack, we have the results back from your biopsy—and I’m sorry to say that you have prostate cancer. Seven of the twelve samples are cancerous.” The rest of the call was about referral to a surgeon and…