04Dec 2013 by CJ

Though the experience is over, memories are a window into the past

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
The other day I was rummaging through a drawer for something-or-other and came across the enclosed photograph. Within seconds I was transported back to being a teenager for a pleasant trip down memory lane. Throughout high school, I always worked behind-the-scenes on the school plays. [caption id="attachment_2010" align="alignright" width="283"] Craig's moment in drag[/caption] Fascinated by the workings of theatrical productions as a kid, this became one of the highlights of my high school years whether it was working on sets, organizing props and furnishings or pulling open the curtain at show time.My drama teacher Mr. Richard Snyder, who also directed and produced all of our main stage productions, was an incredible influence on me. A friend and mentor, he made a shy and insecure teenager feel appreciated and accepted and…
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26Nov 2013 by CJ

The gifts you GIVE are what help you make a life

Love & Relationships
“Many of us tend to believe that our lives are the only ones burdened with the trials and tribulations of life. Some of us are so caught up in a world of materials and social popularity that we forget about what’s truly important, and how grateful we should be every morning we’re able to start a new day with few obstructions.” C. Ruvere, The View from Here In January of 2013, I wrote a post about an inspiring woman named Jeannine Walston – the daughter of a former co-worker I had the great pleasure of working with for the better part of a year. https://craigruvere.com/a-wonderful-resource-for-cancer-patients-and-caregivers/ Sadly, her life has been anything but void of obstructions. Her personal cancer story beginning back in 1998, and continuing today - having recently undergone…
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08Nov 2013 by CJ

In marriage, you won’t agree all the time and that’s okay!

Love & Relationships
My grandparents were married for over 60 years – an amazing length of time when you think about how many marriages today come to an end after only a few years of giving it a try. But this is reality and I’m not going to sit here and tell you that their marriage was not without its share of hardships and challenges along the way - that they never argued or disagreed about one thing or another. That my grandfather didn’t often refer to my grandmother as “fart-face” – a pet name I later learned he meant with no malice. I don’t think you could be with the same person for that long and not bicker here and there – even butt heads from time to time. I mean 60…
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29Oct 2013 by CJ

Adultery shows just how little we care about each other

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
It’s incredibly frustrating and utterly disrespectful that nothing in life is truly “private” any more. Spam email is one of my biggest annoyances – for on any given day my inbox is littered with dozens of unsolicited emails that require my personal time to unsubscribe to. Doesn’t seem fair, but then again who ever said that life was. Lately I’ve noticed countless emails for Medicare enrollment and motorized scooters (come on – I’m only 38 years old!); travel deals and concert tickets; and most recently dating sites for all races, genders, ages and fetishes. Frightening really. But today I received spam mail with a subject line I recognized immediately from a column I wrote back in July of 2009. AshleyMadison.com is a dating site geared towards those men and women…
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11Oct 2013 by CJ

Memories – a way of holding on to the ones we love

Love & Relationships, Youth
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss As the morning sun poured through my bedroom window, I fully expected it to be any ordinary Tuesday. I went downstairs, waved goodbye to my wife as she drove off to work, and started my weekday morning rituals with no trepidation for the future. I poured myself a cup of coffee and placed two slices of bread into the toaster when suddenly the phone began to ring. Truthfully it surprised me, startled me even, for I rarely if ever receive calls at that hour of the day. I knew immediately something was wrong. It was my aunt, and I instantly froze where I stood. I didn’t have to pick up the phone to know that my beloved grandmother was…
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