General – Heltsley Home Page

An elderly man sitting comfortably in an armchair by a window, holding a white cane. He is petting a golden retriever lying beside him. The room is cozy, with family photos on the walls and a bookshelf filled with books. A laptop on a table shows a webpage titled "5,000 Steps? Ask Me Next Week." On the wooden side table, there's a photo of the man with the dog, a coffee mug, and a digital step counter displaying "5000 Steps? Ask me next week."

5,000 Steps? Ask Me Next Week

By keith July 21, 2026GeneralNo Comments

Or: A 5,000-Step Reality Check Or: Digital Sidewalk: Reaching Thousands Without Moving an Inch Hit 5000 steps and drop your achievement here. Are you kidding?…

A middle-aged man sitting up in bed at night, working on a laptop. He is dressed in sleepwear and appears focused on the screen. The bedroom is dimly lit by a bedside lamp on a small table, which also holds a few electronic devices including a CPAP machine, a cup, and some accessories. The room has a cozy and calm atmosphere, with dark curtains and shelves in the background.

When Dreamland is Out of Reach: My Battle with Insomnia

By keith July 14, 2026Blindness, GeneralNo Comments

Insomnia. One of those nights where you just can’t sleep, no matter how hard you try or want to drop off into dreamland. Or maybe it’s those times when you…

A nostalgic, warm-toned scene from a 1970s living room where a young boy sits cross-legged on a shag carpet, cupping his hands to shout into a vintage metal electric fan. A dramatic sunbeam cuts through the room from a window, illuminating floating dust flecks in the air. Outside the window, a blurry figure rides a bicycle past a brick house. Next to the boy, a large, wooden console television sets the atmosphere, broadcasting a black-and-white episode of Gilligan's Island featuring Gilligan in the jungle. Scattered on the carpet around the child are wooden alphabet blocks and a toy tricycle.

Shoveling Sand in the Studio

By keith July 7, 2026GeneralNo Comments

Childhood is an ever-changing time where nothing stays the same. The world is a place of wonder, with every new site and sound fully engaging your senses. You notice things…

The image is a conceptual illustration of life as a clock within a forest setting. The clock’s face shows moments representing past and present: a birthday cake labeled "yesterday," two hands holding with "today," a grandpa figure, a house, and children riding bikes labeled "ready to go" and "time?" Outside the clock, a group of children runs, leaving behind shoes, symbolizing fleeting time. A ribbon beneath reads, "relentless, steady time," "Can we cheat time?" and "The Stream of Life," with the phrase "MEMORIES TO ENJOY" in the center.

Memories to Enjoy

By keith July 5, 2026GeneralNo Comments

A clock is such a simple device. It does little more than toggle from one state to another. As it ticks from a zero to a one, a low to…

An intense space battle between two large fleets of futuristic spacecraft. Ships on the left side emit blue energy beams and appear to be attacking ships on the right, which fire back with orange laser blasts. Several ships are exploding, sending fiery debris into space. The backdrop shows distant galaxies and stars, emphasizing the cosmic setting. At the bottom center, glowing green circuit-like patterns and geometric designs are overlaid, adding a technological, digital theme to the scene.

Star Wars Galactic Election

By keith July 4, 2026GeneralNo Comments

Prompt: Emperor Palpatine has called for an election to take over as Emperor of the galaxy and nominates Darth Vader. Who would you nominate to be his chief rival? For…

Keith with short hair and a calm expression, wearing a dark shirt, posing next to a golden retriever. The dog is looking forward with its mouth open, tongue out, appearing happy or relaxed. The background is completely black, which highlights Keith and Mackey in the foreground. The composition suggests a warm, friendly relationship between the man and the dog. The lighting focuses on their faces, making them the central elements of the photo. Keith is the one on the left.

It Has Been a While

By keith July 2, 2026Announcements, GeneralNo Comments

It has been a while since I spent time updating my blog. Clearly my last blog entries were during our previous president. Not that I haven’t made behind-the-scenes updates all…

Five people are standing in front of a large American flag, looking upward. They're wearing white shirts, with a mix of men and women, and one child. The group appears to be solemn or reflective.

Just Call Me the Root Problems Czar

By keith August 19, 2024GeneralNo Comments

There’s a lot of talk going around about setting price limits on groceries, gasoline and other products. It doesn’t take a lot of study in economics to understand this is…

Judges gavel Representing Government, Law, and Court

Truth and Fiction of CRT 4 Wrapping Up

By keith July 20, 2021GeneralNo Comments

The question is whether CRT is being taught in school, and if it is, is it the kind of thing that children should learn? The official response is that it’s…

Truth and Fiction of CRT 3 Social Diversity

By keith July 16, 2021GeneralNo Comments

There are those who claim that CRT is a legal framework and not being taught in schools. As a legal framework, it is not. However, CRT is supercharged with racial…

Truth and Fiction of CRT 2 Systemic Racism

By keith July 12, 2021GeneralNo Comments

Systemic racism. This is one of the top-level tenants in the CRT framework. The idea is to teach that there are racial inequalities built into laws, and how they are…