Rebuilding Rob

  • When “Fine” Isn’t Fine: Armor, Bullshit, and the Strategic Lie

    When “Fine” Isn’t Fine: Armor, Bullshit, and the Strategic Lie

    “I’m fine” is often the greatest lie we tell. From the “office armor” we wear for survival to the emotional shutdown that happens when vulnerability is used as ammunition, this post explores the academic difference between bullshit and lies—and why finding a partner who values your truth is the ultimate…

  • The 60 Minute Myth

    The 60 Minute Myth

    Did you spend your childhood waiting exactly 60 minutes after eating before touching the water? In “The 60-Minute Myth,” we dive into the “great parental lie” of the swimming-after-eating rule. Explore the transition from childhood betrayal to parental empathy as we realize that some of the world’s “hard rules” were…

  • Rob reviews Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, episode 4 “Vox in Excelso”

    Rob reviews Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, episode 4 “Vox in Excelso”

    Is “Vox in Excelso” the best episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy yet? Rob reviews episode 4, exploring the long-awaited return of the Klingons in the 32nd century and how Cadet Jay-Den embodies the “Audacity of Potential” by choosing the path of a healer over a warrior. A must-watch for…

  • My Baseball Kryptonite

    My Baseball Kryptonite

    I understand a 6-4-3 double play, but you won’t find me writing it down. Exploring the reasons behind my “baseball kryptonite” and the beauty of being a fan who chooses flavor over data.

  • The Boy Who Looked at His Feet

    The Boy Who Looked at His Feet

    What would your younger self be shocked you tolerate—or achieve—today? From overcoming a lack of self-esteem in high school to finding “teacher armor” in the classroom, this post explores the radical evolution of identity. Discover how moving past the need for external validation led to “Option C” and a life…

  • Even White People Get Ashy

    Even White People Get Ashy

    Between Michigan winters and psoriasis, I’ve become a ‘dehydrated lizard.’ A look at the reality of skin maintenance, student jokes, and choosing your health battles.

  • The Tricorder in My Pocket

    The Tricorder in My Pocket

    Is a smartphone a convenience or a necessity? I explore the “Tricorder” in my pocket—from the “off the grid” fantasy to the vital FaceTime bridge to my kids.

  • Challenger 40: The Generational Echo

    Challenger 40: The Generational Echo

    Reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the Challenger explosion, Rob explores the “generational echo” of time, personal memory, and the realization of mortality.

  • Take Kid 2 to Work Day: An Unexpected Win

    Take Kid 2 to Work Day: An Unexpected Win

    When a “polar vortex” and a scheduling crunch forced a 180-minute round trip and a “Take Kid 2 to Work Day,” I was bracing for a disaster. Instead, I found an unexpected win. Read how a day in my “Sanctuary Classroom” offered a fresh perspective on the parenting grind, the…

  • Strong Enough to Sob

    Strong Enough to Sob

    Can a superhero movie or a 90s tear-jerker actually define your philosophy on life? From the heroic end of Tony Stark to a ‘George Costanza’ moment during Home Alone, I’m looking at the father-son dynamics that shaped me. At 51, I’ve realized that being ‘strong enough to sob’ isn’t a…