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Conversations & Everyday Stories
Human moments, funny encounters, friendships, life lessons.
The Slow Thinning of Shared Life
We recently had dinner with some friends.
Having dinner with friends is certainly not a new occurrence, but also not what it used to be either.
Although we live fairly close to each other, our schedules rarely seem to align.
The conversation was lively, food was great, the evening was filled with laughter and the usual talk about getting together again soon.
High-level plans of "we should", but nothing concrete.
Later, I found myself reflecting on this all too familiar sc
gmaylone
5 hours ago4 min read
Finding Joy Amidst Materialism: Lessons from Our Cruising Adventures
Cruising has given us unforgettable memories — but it has also shown us something deeper. Beyond the luxury and entertainment lies a powerful contrast: poverty, resilience, and a kind of joy rooted in family and connection. This is a reflection on what really matters, what we’ve lost along the way, and how slowing down helps us see life more clearly.
gmaylone
Jan 226 min read
New Year, Same Zoo!
Some people go through life with some semblance of silence in their heads. Or at least if there is noise, it is the noise of daily life.
I am not one of those people.
When the world gets loud, chaotic, or just slightly unhinged, my brain doesn’t panic — there is always a soundtrack instantly at the ready.
gmaylone
Jan 55 min read
Listening to the Unknown: Embracing the Journey of Uncertainty
Today is Tuesday.
Christmas has passed, and 2025 is rapidly slipping into the rearview mirror the way years do, even if you think you are paying attention.
2026 is already close, just outside, beating on the door, and the sense that time just keeps accelerating feels more pronounced than ever.
This morning, I did something I almost never do.
I rolled over and went back to sleep.
I woke up much later than usual— 8:00 a.m. — and the time startled me.
It shouldn’t have; But it
gmaylone
Dec 30, 20255 min read
The Coffee Cup Prophet at Christmas
This morning, before the day decided what it wanted from me, I noticed a half-filled coffee cup on the table. It was still warm enough to matter.
gmaylone
Dec 22, 20255 min read
Holiday Gratitude — A Midwestern Reflection
The holidays have a way of pulling us backward and forward at the same time. Growing up in the Midwest of the ’70s and ’80s gave many of us a simple, grounded view of life — one that feels worlds away from today. This season, I’m finding gratitude in the memories, the miles, and the people who shaped both.
gmaylone
Dec 17, 20254 min read
The World Is Strange, and We Live in It, a grocery store misunderstanding.
A quick grocery run turns into a tiny comedy of errors when a simple word like “absolve” sends a cashier into suspicion and a stranger steps in to save the moment. Just another day in checkout lane seven.
gmaylone
Dec 12, 20253 min read
When the Christmas Gift List Becomes a Hostage Situation and Stops Feeling Like Giving
At some point in adulthood, you wake up one morning, look at your bank account, look at your Amazon cart, and realize something profound:
You are buying Christmas gifts for people you might not have had a real conversation with since pay phones were a thing.
gmaylone
Dec 10, 20254 min read
Living at the Crossroads of History, My life of Movement and Momentum!
Living at the Crossroads of History: In the 1980s, I served as a soldier stationed in Germany.
It was a world living in the shadow of the Cold War.
The Berlin Wall was still a scar on the landscape — a reminder of what fear can build and what war can leave behind. I witnessed history firsthand: the wall’s collapse in 1989, the tense days leading into Desert Storm, and the complicated human realities that are never captured in textbooks.
I remember that night the wall came d
gmaylone
Dec 3, 20254 min read
We are never really ready for a final Goodbye.
I had lunch with a friend a few months ago.
Nothing dramatic. No big occasion. Just one of those “hey, it’s been too long, let’s get together” kind of lunches.
One of many more to come, I was sure.
We sat outside. The weather was beautiful. We talked, laughed, traded a few war stories from work, and did that thing we all do:
“We’ve got to do this again soon.”
And then life did what life always does—rolled forward.
Work, appointments, errands, projects. Then, out of nowhere
gmaylone
Nov 29, 20256 min read
Rediscovering the True Spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas
My loving wife has quietly—strategically—turned me into a Hallmark officiant.
The sheer volume of Christmas movies they produce is astonishing.
If the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever collapses, Hallmark can pick up the franchise and keep generating 30 new plots a year without breaking a sweat.
And that’s what got me thinking this morning. "Hallmark is cashing in on the holidays." Because here I am in my family’s hometown, talking with relatives about the way things used to b
gmaylone
Nov 27, 20255 min read
The strange evolution of friendship
A heartfelt reflection on why some friendships uplifts us, others drain us, and how age reveals the difference.
gmaylone
Nov 25, 20254 min read
When You Finally Exit the Machine
That’s the part nobody prepares you for — the speed of irrelevance.
You reach out to check in, and people are busy. You were once on speed dial — now you’re on the “get back when I can” list. It’s not personal, but it feels personal.
You see how fast you’re replaced, and it stings. All those years, all that effort, and the second you turn in your laptop and ID card, that door doesn’t close softly — it slams.
gmaylone
Nov 7, 20255 min read
Resilience, Relevance, and Reinvention: Thriving When Life Hits Pause
Shutdowns, layoffs, realignments — they all feel the same when your world suddenly stops spinning. But the truth is, you can’t control the storm; you can control your posture in it. Here’s how to use disruption as a catalyst for reflection, reinvention, and resilience.
gmaylone
Nov 1, 20254 min read
Cleansing your life with Sage! The things we do for love!
When a friend’s girlfriend insists on cleansing your house with sage and salt, manners meet madness—and Mr. Peabody the cat bears silent witness.
gmaylone
Oct 30, 20255 min read
Memories: Ghosts We Hammer on the Anvil of life.
A reflective walk through time and memory — where an unexpected reunion sparks deeper thoughts about how life and time forge us all. “Forged by Time” explores friendship, change, and the heat that shapes who we become.
gmaylone
Oct 16, 20255 min read
Recharging in Cabo: The Trip That Reminded Me What Matters
We went to Cabo chasing a concert and sunshine. We came home carrying something better — gratitude, peace, and two umbrellas we never needed.
gmaylone
Oct 10, 20256 min read
Planning Your Career Around Your Life (Before It Plans Life for You)
If you don’t plan your career around your life, your career will plan your life for you. Here’s a practical early-career framework: five-year bites, honest trade-offs, and skills that keep pace with the market.
gmaylone
Oct 2, 20255 min read
Retirements bittersweet closure.
From soldier to machinist to Deputy Assistant Secretary — today I close out a 40-year journey of service. My career has taken me from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the halls of Congress, but the real story has always been about the people I served alongside.
gmaylone
Oct 1, 20254 min read
The Acorn Ambush, Nature Fights Back!
After a long ride on the Indian Head Rail Trail, a routine cool-down turned into a squirrel-led acorn ambush. What started as falling nuts quickly became a showdown with a vindictive gray squirrel armed with Olympic aim. Another chapter in the absurdly normal saga of my life.
gmaylone
Sep 28, 20253 min read
🦅 Welcome to Fed to Freedom
This is where my next chapter begins—and maybe yours, too.
✍️ Writing My Story
After years in federal service, I’m building something new. Fed to Freedom is part journal, part resource hub, part blueprint for reinvention. Whether you're a retiree, still in the grind, or dreaming of what's next—you’re in the right place.
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