by Mike Carlon | May 11, 2025 | Open Mike
This is my first Mother’s Day without my mom. And I’ll be honest—I wasn’t sure how it would feel. I knew it would be quiet. No phone call. No reminder to go to Mass. No “Michael, you are full of soup” when I tried to pull one over on her like the wise ass that I am...
by Mike Carlon | Apr 16, 2025 | Open Mike
Dear Grace, Patrick, and Maggie, Today marks your 23rd birthday—which means I’ve now spent 24 years as a father. How that’s possible, I’m not quite sure, because in my head I’m still 25. But it’s true: 23 years ago, you came into the world nine weeks early and have...
by Mike Carlon | Mar 13, 2025 | Open Mike
Moving your father into a nursing home is a lot like sending a kid off to college. You set up their bed with fresh sheets, show them where the dining hall is, and pray they don’t come down with a sexually transmitted infection. Thankfully, my father doesn’t have a...
by Mike Carlon | Mar 9, 2025 | Open Mike
Murphy let out a big yawn and closed his eyes. He hadn’t felt like himself these past few weeks and thought a morning nap might do him some good. Daylight savings time had just begun, and he felt that losing an hour of sleep got harder every year. Why not make up for...
by Mike Carlon | Feb 14, 2025 | Open Mike
I don’t think there’s anyone who has ever regretted waking up early to watch the sunrise. I’ve spent the past week in Florida taking care of my father, and the early mornings are pretty much the only time I have to myself. The rest of the day (and night) is divided...
by Mike Carlon | Aug 31, 2024 | Open Mike
Yesterday, I reached a significant milestone in my life—I turned fifty. While I enjoyed spending time with family and friends, there was one person noticeably absent from this momentous occasion: my mother. And so begin the firsts of the firsts. Yesterday actually...
