I need your help. But first I have an ugly confession to make: I chew on pens. I don’t mean nibble, mind you. I gnaw.

I buy pens based on chewability…nice soft-plastic pens. At the end of the day it looks like a cocker spaniel has been sitting at my desk. I’ve had them explode in my mouth, spurt ink all over my shirt. Once I got ink in my eye. It is not pleasant, as if you need me to tell you that. 

I'm up here in the Berkshires for a few days writing this from my favorite Great Barrington coffee place, Uncommon Grounds. I had to get away from the house for a little while because I'm writing a book and needed to come up for a little air.

I am blogging to you from O’Hare airport in Chicago. Again. Last time, I think, I was marooned at the gate waiting endlessly for my delayed flight back to New York to board. 

This time they boarded us and we are now waiting endlessly on the tarmac. We’re not going anywhere soon because they have allowed—and tacitly encouraged, I believe—us to use our electronic devices as a way to distract us from the interminable waiting. So here I am with my device. 

I’m having trouble writing this blog. That’s because I’m still thinking about Lori Schneider, the American climber who is attempting to be the first person with MS to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain. I’m checking her progress through various web sites, blogs and alerts.

Lori Schneider of Janesville, Wisconsin, is my newest hero. Let me explain.

“I am a change optimist,” Ariane de Bonvoisin told me during a long conversation we had the other day in my office at GUIDEPOSTS. I believe her, too.

Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two out, full count. From the pitcher’s mound I stare in for the catcher’s signs. I give the clean-up batter a coldblooded glance. He waggles his bat above his head menacingly. The crowd is howling. I’m holding on to a one-run lead. The entire season is on the line. Everything comes down to this one pitch. I nod to my catcher and go into my wind-up. I let the pitch fly. Thwack!  

Spring has sprung in New York, or more accurately pounced, with temperatures predicted to reach the 80s today and 90s tomorrow. Debates about global warming aside, that’s more like summer.

Just last week the temps were dipping into the 30s at night and folks were bemoaning what a cold spring we were having. Julee left me a note on the fridge this morning reminding me, “Clean the air conditioner filters!” Absolutely, soon as I finish this blog.

Hey there.

It's Sunday and I'm writing this from the Atlanta airport hoping to beat the storms out of here and get back to New York. But even if I get stuck the trip will have been worth it. I've spent the weekend at Stone Mountain helping with a GUIDEPOSTS writers workshop. Do you know about the GUIDEPOSTS workshoppers? They are the editorial eyes and ears of the magazine. Without the workshoppers we would have a hard time finding all the material for GUIDEPOSTS, ANGELS ON EARTH, DAILY GUIDEPOSTS and Guideposts.com. So how do you get to be a workshopper?

A few days ago on April 1 Millie turned two. She’s a teenager in Golden Retriever years. By the way, I’m about 300 in dog years.