In this special episode, I present an essay about my feelings about leaving the home I’ve lived in since I was three years old. Normally, a podcast like this would include lots of nostalgic photos of my home and neighborhood. Unfortunately, I don’t have time or energy to create the kind of video masterpiece I would normally create for such an episode. This time, it’s just me talking. Here is my nostalgic essay “It’s Just a Building.”

Links of Interest

Eagledale neighborhood, Indianapolis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagledale,_Indianapolis

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq

In this episode, I fast-forward through events after my dad died in February 2019 up until July 2025, after I made the decision to actively pursue placement in a skilled nursing facility. It includes a video of a speech I gave at my 70th birthday.

This is part four of my continuing series recounting my efforts to maintain my benefits and live in a safe, comfortable environment.

Links of Interest

Episode 66 “I Was Nearly Murdered” https://contemplating-life.com/?p=331

Wellbrooke of Avon: https://trilogyhs.com/senior-living/in/indianapolis/wellbrooke-of-avon/

Father Paul Landwerlen obituary: https://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2025/06-13/landwerlen.html

Episode 12 in which I discuss my fear of death: https://contemplating-life.com/?p=69

Episode 14 in which I discuss how I got past my fears: https://contemplating-life.com/?p=76

Street view of mile marker 20.1 on I-465 where we had a flat tire: https://maps.app.goo.gl/KdU9GtU4UMkSnGaQ8

Hoosier Helpers from IDOT: https://www.in.gov/indot/current-programs/hoosier-helpers/

Wellbrooke of Avon: https://trilogyhs.com/senior-living/in/indianapolis/wellbrooke-of-avon/

Greenwood Healthcare Center: https://communicarehealth.com/location/greenwood-healthcare-center/

Private Room at Wellbrooke: https://share.icloud.com/photos/010P48zzQC-vwzoSBLcuL-Ouw

Video from my 60th birthday party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhJT0-3KFcM

Video from my 70th birthday party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2EIBq4vxr8

Episode 78 about my friend Buz: https://contemplating-life.com/?p=424

Episode 45 about my friend Mike Gregory: https://contemplating-life.com/?p=256

World record donation for SMA treatment: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/663805-largest-donation-for-a-patients-medical-treatment

Most expensive drugs: https://www.drugs.com/article/top-10-most-expensive-drugs.html

Evrysdi (Risdiplam) the SMA drug I take. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risdiplam

Zolgensma and Itvisma gene therapies for people with SMA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onasemnogene_abeparvovec

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq

In this episode, I cover the events surrounding my dad’s funeral. The episode includes the audio of the eulogy I gave. I highly recommend you watch the YouTube version, as it includes a slideshow of photos of my dad to accompany the eulogy.

This is part three of my continuing series recounting my efforts to maintain my benefits and live in a safe, comfortable environment.

Links of Interest

• Stevens Mortuary

• Calgary Catholic Cemetery

• Obituary for my Dad. Includes the slideshow shown at the mortuary

• Standalone audio with slideshow of my dad’s eulogy:

• Prayer of St. Francis

• Sheet Metal Workers Local 20

• Sheet Metal Workers Credit Union

• Tarpenning-Lafollette Co., where dad worked:

• Google Street view of cathedral doors

• Fleming and Associates

• Matthew 25:31-46 (NABRE)

• Matthew 7:20 (NABRE)

• Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument

• Ultimate Remote Control

For more episodes

Support us on Patreon

Where to listen to this podcast

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes:

In this next chapter in my ongoing series recounting my efforts to live in a safe, comfortable environment, it is finally time to talk about my dad’s death. To put it in context, we take a deep dive into his life and go down some side routes, talking about my family in general. These times were also complicated because my sister Carol was battling throat cancer. This is a very long episode, but there is no good place to split it in the middle. The YouTube version has many photos, videos, and illustrations. So, you might want to watch this one rather than just listen.

Links of Interest

• Indiana School for the Deaf

• Delirium tremens a.k.a. “The DTs”

• Arsenal Technical High School

• Mission Impossible (1966 TV series)

• Peter Lupus

• Sydenham's chorea a.k.a. Saint Vitus' dance:

• Old Indianapolis City Hall

• Defense Finance and Accounting Service:

• Emmett J. Bean Finance Center

• Fort Benjamin Harrison

• Gallaudet University

• Sheet Metal Workers Union:

• Indiana Bell Telephone

• HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer

• My video about the NFL “Crucial Catch” ceremony 10/21/2018:

• Central Indiana Council on Aging (CICOA

• Greenwood Healthcare Center:

For more episodes

Support us on Patreon

Where to listen to this podcast

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes:

In this episode, I continue my series by recounting my efforts to maintain my Medicare and Medicaid benefits and live in a safe, comfortable environment.

Links of Interest

Special Needs Trust: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_needs_trust

Employer Identification Number (EIN): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employer_Identification_Number

Central Indiana Council on Aging (CICOA): https://cicoa.org/

2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup

Surname “Adewale” 218th most common in Nigeria: https://forebears.io/surnames/adewale

Larue Carter Mental Hospital: https://indyencyclopedia.org/larue-carter-hospital/

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq

In this episode, I am beginning a series that could possibly be the last of this podcast. It might not be. But it’s a series I need to get finished in case this is the last.

Unless I pull off a minor logistical miracle sometime in the foreseeable future, I will be leaving the house that I have lived in since I was a few weeks shy of my fourth birthday. I will be moving into a skilled nursing facility where I hope to live out my days in comfort.

This series will chronicle my battles to receive the benefits I need to live a safe and fulfilling life. It will lead up to my current situation, which has led me to conclude that it’s time to move on to a different setting. I have no idea how long this series will take. It’s a long story.

Links of Interest

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_muscular_atrophy

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchenne_muscular_dystrophy

Indiana Department of Vocational Rehabilitation: https://www.in.gov/fssa/ddars/brs/vocational-rehabilitation-employment/

Indiana Aged and Disabled Waiver: https://www.in.gov/medicaid/members/home-and-community-based-services/aged-and-disabled-waiver/

Indiana Development Disability Waivers: https://www.in.gov/medicaid/members/home-and-community-based-services/family-supports-waiver/

Developmental Disability Defined: https://www.in.gov/gcpd/developmental-disability/

An older document defining DD: https://www.in.gov/fssa/ddars/files/Eligibility_and_ICF_ID_DD_LOC_Determination_signed.pdf

Mensa International: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensa_International

Types of trusts: https://blogs.iu.edu/sharedsolutions/2023/08/21/planning-for-the-future-special-needs-and-miller-trusts-explained/

Newspaper article about Special Needs Integrity agency: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/11/16/nonprofit-accused-taking-millions/75886746/

Interview with Greg Fehribach: https://www.ibj.com/videos/interview-issue-2015-greg-fehribach

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq

In this episode, we review the last four films in this year’s survey of the Oscar-nominated Best Pictures. We will recap all of the winners versus my picks.

Links of Interest

“What Dreams May Come” (Act III, Scene I) “Hamlet”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Dreams_May_Come

“Train Dreams” (2025 film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_Dreams_(film)

“Marty Supreme” (2025 film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_Supreme

“F1” (2025 film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F1_(film)

“Winning” (1969 film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winning_(film)

“Hamnet” (2025 film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamnet_(film)

“Hamlet” (play c1600 William Shakespeare): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet

Movie awards for 2025 releases

98th Academy Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/98th_Academy_Awards

82nd Golden Globe Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/82nd_Golden_Globes

32nd SAG Actor.Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32nd_Actor_Awards

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq

In this episode, we continue our look at Oscar-nominated films. In this episode, I explore four films so bizarre that they left me asking, “What the hell was that?”

Links of Interest

SNL sketch from 1979 “What the hell is that?” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU_Gd623HJo

“The Secret Agent” (2025): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Agent_(2025_film)

“One Battle After Another” (2025): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Battle_After_Another

“Nuremberg” (2025): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_(2025_film)

“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” (2025): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Had_Legs_I%27d_Kick_You

“Bugonia” (2025): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugonia_(film)

“Poor Things” (2023): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_Things_(film)

Episode 80a, which discusses “On the Line”: https://contemplating-life.com/?p=437

“On the Line” (2022): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Line_(2022_film)

Movie awards for 2025 releases

98th Academy Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/98th_Academy_Awards

82nd Golden Globe Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/82nd_Golden_Globes

32nd SAG Actor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32nd_Actor_Awards

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq