Joe Battista
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Who Do You Worship?
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On Dec. 27, I visited the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. with my wife and our youngest son Ryan. We had passed it numerous times on our way to see our son Jonathon, who lives in the Navy Yard area of D/C. So, after spending the Christmas holidays with our families in Pittsburgh and…
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Tales (and Tails) from the Dog Park
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During our years in State College, we made regular trips to Tudek Dog Park with our dogs Sportster and Barkley. It was especially fun when I met up with longtime friend Jamey Perry, an academic advisor extraordinaire at Penn State, and we would catch up on family, work and Penn State sports. We’d laugh out…
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Former Penn State Icer ‘Crushing It’
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I traveled to Alta, Iowa by way of Omaha, Nebraska last week to do a half-day training session on personal and professional development for Platinum Crush, LLC., a soybean processing company. During my three-day trip, I learned more about soybeans and the multi-billion-dollar industry than I ever thought possible. Let’s just say it impacts all of…
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Still Thankful and Counting the Blessings
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone — with an emphasis on “thanks.” I hope that today’s column will inspire you to take intentional quiet time to do an accounting of all the blessings in your life. I know some of you already do this on a daily basis, so keep up the good work. I also know that…
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Thank a Veteran Today
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I am asking you for a favor. It’s actually a pretty simple one and it will be more appreciated than you may realize: Reach out to a veteran today and say a heartfelt “thank you.” Give them a hug, a high-five or a fist bump. If you can’t thank them in person, call them, Facetime…
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The World Needs a Lot More Kumbaya
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I have such a hard time watching the news these days. It just seems like the world is coming apart at the seams in real time. I wrote my last column about a recent visit to the Flight 93 Memorial with a message to “Never Forget” and for us to be on guard. Well, with…
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The Flight 93 Memorial: A Reminder to Never Forget
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Many Americans, me included, can tell you what the final score was and specific details of their favorite sports team’s competition from this past weekend, whether it was pro or college football, the Major League Baseball playoffs, college or professional soccer, volleyball, etc. But I wonder how many of us are paying attention to what’s…
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The White Out Is Special, Even When It’s a Wet Out
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September 23 was circled on our calendar for a long time. Our 10-day trip north to Happy Valley would allow us to see our two oldest children in the D.C. area, many old friends in State College and family in Danville and Pittsburgh, and to attend our good friends’ (Wendy and Ken Bachman) son’s wedding.…
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It’s All About the Core (Values)
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Anyone who has ever worked out with a personal trainer or strength coach will tell you that the key to healthy physical movement is to focus on your core muscles. Without a strong core, nothing else is sustainable. In fact, according to a Harvard Medical School blog post, “Whether you’re hitting a tennis ball or…
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Let’s Get It Started
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It’s back to school time, whether it’s K-12, trade school, community college or a university. To me, it’s one of the most energizing and exciting times of the year and it brings back a flood of memories. Whether you are a student, parent, teacher, professor, coach or staff, it’s a brand-new academic year. It is…