from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
Today is National Sorry Charlie Day. It is a day to think about the times we have been rejected. The day also gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we survived those rejections and to think about what we have learned from them.
I think about my rejections (almost) every single day, so I would like to take this opportunity to expound a little inspiration and possible advice on how to succeed.
For decades, rejection and I have been in an intimate, tumultuous relationship.
Personally, I have been rejected more than one thousand (1,000) times throughout my slightly more than sixty-five (65) years on Earth. When you put yourself out there to be considered for anything, rejections should definitely be expected. Actually, I proudly wear all of my rejections (from women and from potential employers) as shiny badges of honor.
Romance: I have been rejected by hundreds and hundreds of women, including four hundred fourteen (414) rejections by women in eighteen (18) months, yes 18 months, with a video dating service in the mid-1990s, when I was in my mid-30s. While I have been able to go on several dates during almost all of my unmarried decades, I was truly without female companionship between age twenty (20) and age forty (40), and not by choice. I am proud to say that I was able to survive during those two long, lonely decades. It was one heck of an incredibly long "dry spell."
I have experienced success romantically only once: with my wife. I was finally able to get married for the first and only time on February 4, 2006, which was twenty-two (22) days before my forty-fifth (45th) birthday. I dated my wife for about five (5) years. Why so long? I was awaiting a rejection from her that never arrived.
We recently celebrated our twentieth (20th) wedding anniversary. November 10, 2026, is the twenty-sixth (26th) anniversary of our first date.
Employment: I have been rejected hundreds of times by hundreds of potential employers. In fact, I used to save all of my rejection letters. I had stacks and stacks of them. I would often read them for inspiration during my many job searches.
Throughout the years, I have mailed/emailed my résumé/CV hundreds of times to many companies all over the United States in search of jobs in my profession (journalism), even to companies where I knew I would never, ever have a chance of being hired. My dad had told me to always aim high. He told me to apply for jobs anywhere and everywhere, even if I thought that I wasn't qualified, because somebody somewhere may see some small, specific aspect in my résumé/CV that could possibly generate a job offer.
While I have been on many job interviews at many amazing and diverse companies with almost all of them culminating in rejections, I have had a fair amount of professional success. I have had many interesting jobs at a diverse variety of media companies (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, websites, and a wire service).
Conclusion: My point is that you can ultimately experience success beyond all of your rejections. Achieving success just takes longer for some of us. Continue your quest for success.
If you have already achieved success, be diligent. Enjoy it while you got it because it could all be gone in the blink of an eye.
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
I love Carbonara. Warning: If it contains heavy cream, it is NOT authentically Italian. Again, real Italian Carbonara does NOT include heavy cream as an ingredient.
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
Both of my grandfathers grew tomatoes. My paternal grandfather had a tomato patch in his yard. When I was very young, I would eat tomatoes with him among the plants. He would put sugar on the slices. My maternal grandfather had an extensive garden, including tomatoes, green bell peppers, basil, and more, with a huge fig tree right in the middle. I must mention that while I like tomato sauce, I really don't like raw tomatoes.
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
I somewhat like to eat caramel popcorn.
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
non-stick
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
The Bay City Rollers, the 1970s pop group, used the Tartan look.
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
***
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
Today is National Sorry Charlie Day. It is a day to think about the times we have been rejected. The day also gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we survived those rejections and to think about what we have learned from them.
I think about my rejections (almost) every single day, so I would like to take this opportunity to expound a little inspiration and possible advice on how to succeed.
For decades, rejection and I have been in an intimate, tumultuous relationship. When you put yourself out there to be considered for anything, rejections should definitely be expected. Personally, I have been rejected more than 1,000 times throughout my slightly more than 65 years on Earth. I proudly wear all of my rejections (from women and from potential employers) as shiny badges of honor.
Romance: I have been rejected by hundreds and hundreds of women, including 414 rejections by women in 18 months with a video dating service in the mid-1990s, when I was in my mid-30s. While I have been able to go on several dates during my unmarried decades, I was truly without female companionship between ages 20 and 40, and not by choice.
I was finally able to get married for the first and only time on February 4, 2006, which was 22 days before my 45th birthday.
Employment: I have been rejected hundreds of times by hundreds of potential employers. I would often read my many rejection letters for inspiration during my many job searches.
Throughout the years, I have sent my résumé to hundreds of companies all over the United States in search of jobs in my profession (journalism), even to companies where I knew I would never have a chance of being hired. My dad had told me to apply for jobs everywhere, even if I thought that I wasn't qualified, because somebody somewhere may see some small aspect in my résumé that could possibly generate a job offer.
I have had many interesting jobs at a variety of media companies (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, websites, and a wire service).
Conclusion: My point is that you can ultimately experience success beyond all of your rejections. Continue your quest for success.
from husband Bill, April 6, 2026
