A couple of days ago -- at 8:17 PM on 01-04-14, to be exact -- my Dad died. He was surrounded by people he loved and who loved him. My brother, Mom, and I tried to make his transition to spirit peaceful. As he took his final breath, we shared with him our personal sentiments against the backdrop of Johnny Cash singing "Danny Boy" (one of Dad's favorite songs) from my iPhone1. Though I personally believe we are eternal, it's still a heavy loss. "And grieving will take longer than you think," ... Read On >
Family Reunion
Getting started with a family reunion auction
This (somewhat) lighthearted post was written in 2009 for readers of my e-zine, Benefit Auction Ideas. Subscribe here. Every two years, I am under contract to conduct an auction in a tiny rural Kansas town. It's terribly unorganized - by far, the worst I conduct. The items have values ranging from $3 to ~$55, no items are marketed in advance, and the displays are plain. Most guests bring their donations directly to the event, throwing them on a table for others to see. Frankly, many of the ... Read On >