Craig Ruvere

23May 2013 by CJ

It’s good to be home

For the last seven days I’ve been calling a posh hotel in Chicago, IL “home” – though it felt like anything but. The room environment was stark and sterile, lacking the character and warmth I’m used to surrounding myself with at home. Because of this, I spent as little time as possible inside the walls of my hotel room – always feeling uncomfortable, uninspired and even a little depressed. It’s funny how the spaces we inhabit contribute to our overall mood. But beyond that, I think being away from our “homes” can oftentimes change the people we are – especially in mixed company. Frederick W. Robertson said it best. “Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of…

14May 2013 by CJ

Being grateful for what you have at home

Generosity & Kindness

This week I’ll be traveling for business - leaving the up and down temperatures of New Jersey for a 6 night, 7 day stay in the windy city of Chicago. And though this might sound impossible to some, this is only the second time I’ll be traveling alone in 16 years. The first was for a training seminar in the fun-filled city of Las Vegas – I was 22 years old and it was the first time I had ever been on an airplane. What can I tell you – I lead a sheltered life. My jobs rarely ever required me to travel for business. So much of my air travel was for pleasure, with my wife sitting beside me. And if you can believe it, this is only the…

08May 2013 by CJ

There’s a time and place for being funny

Life & Living

Growing up I learned that there’s a time and place for everything. As an insecure adolescent, I tried to be “funny” all the time in order to gain acceptance and attention from my peers. But this continual attempt at trying to ease my insecurities, sometimes blurred the lines between when being “funny” was appropriate, and when it wasn’t. I’m happy to say that as an adult, I’ve grown out of the need to be “funny” for acceptance. While I still consider myself a fairly humorous individual, I understand the importance of always remembering there’s a time and place to be funny. But sadly I still see grown adults who can offer nothing more than a “funny” comment or reference in any situation – almost as though they’re incapable of carrying…

07May 2013 by CJ

There’s nothing wrong with laughing at yourself

Life & Living

Today was one of those mornings when I found myself in a bit of a quandary. I just hopped out of the shower when it dawned on me – I don’t have any deodorant left! Paranoid about the possibility of being “unfresh” in the workplace, and with no time to run to the store, I had to improvise. You may remember a deodorant commercial from years ago stating “strong enough for a man, but made for a woman”. Well I certainly put that to the test today. Beyond smelling like a “girl”, I have to admit that my wife’s deodorant did a pretty damn good job. I guess it was more than just some slick marketing jargon after all – this stuff really does work on a man! Driving to…

06May 2013 by CJ

Grandparents – they hold a special place in our hearts

Love & Relationships, Youth

My wife and I made a regular habit of visiting my grandparents on a weekly basis. Sometimes it was just for cake and coffee, others grandma would go all out preparing a feast, which could easily feed an army. We all had such a good time eating, playing games, talking about our lives and recanting cherished tales from yesterday. It became something we looked forward to from one week to another. But while our regular visits remained unchanged, my grandparent’s health began to deteriorate. My grandfather would battle Alzheimer’s disease for several years before his death. It was heart wrenching to watch his decline, though I’m happy to say that both my wife and I were by his side when he took his last breath. As for my grandmother, she’s…