She was sent to an institution for troubled girls and became a five dollar a night prostitute at age 13. Billie Holiday had a rough childhood, but she would grow up to become one of the most influential jazz singers of all time. Despite her many ups and downs, Holiday always stayed true to herself […]
He was an adviser to the Roman Emperor Nero. Philosopher Seneca was seen by Nero as brilliant. As the centuries passed, Seneca’s teachings were passed on – and today, his words of wisdom are needed more than ever, as we try to navigate our lives in an ever increasingly complex world. 1. “A person’s fears […]
We have all asked “What is the purpose of Life?” and nobody has yet come up with the definitive answer. I am asking the question again this day in the hope that we can find answers to lift ourselves up from the tedium of existence, making life less of a struggle and more of a […]
In 1975, he was the highest paid entertainer in the world. But Johnny Carson didn’t believe in hording his wealth, choosing to give up to $2 million a year to charity. Carson was the king of late night TV for 30 years and during all that time, he learned a thing or two about what […]
He was born in a one-room shack, lived in a brothel when 4 years old, was kicked out of school for “insufficient clothing,” and spent time in prison. James Brown led a poor and troubled early life. But the world famous entertainer was determined to be a somebody. He would do it with soul. The […]
He remains one of the most popular singers in the world. Nat King Cole, who smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day, left us in 1965, a victim of lung cancer. Cole believed that smoking helped improve his larger-than-life baritone voice. Instead, it killed him at the young age of 45. Today, Nat King Cole’s […]
I was 7 years old and remember him saying, “I’m going out for some cigarettes and will be right back.” He never returned. For years, I was angry about my father disappearing. How could a father do that to his family? Not even saying good bye. There are people who suffer issues of abandonment when […]
She was only 13 years old. Riding a bicycle. Struck by a car and killed. Her name was not revealed. No details on the accident. It was a short blurb in the newspaper. The kind of “tiny” story that papers typically hide in a side column, tucked away from the major headlines of the day. […]
She was homeless through some of her early years and survived by singing on the streets of New York. It was 20 years ago today on June 15, 1996 that jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald passed away. It is not well known, but Ella lived her final years blind and with both legs amputated from diabetes. […]
What is the biggest problem facing the world today? Is it terrorism? Certainly the killing of 50 innocent people at an Orlando nightclub by a sick gunman would indicate this is the case. Homegrown terrorism in the United States is a growing threat. But is it the number one problem? It is not. What about […]
Cory Galbraith 