About Tom Brechlin

Devoted Catholic, married 39 years, two grown kids and TWO super cool grandson. Former corporate executive that left that world and has since spent the last 15 years working with adolescent males in a residential treatment center. Has 2 dogs, a Golden and something related to a swamp rat, 2 cats, and a parrot named Paco.

The First Year Was HELL

March 27, 2013 By Tom Brechlin 6 Comments

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A marriage to the romantic and dreamy teenaged girl next door.

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: being seventeen, Catholic Church, Catholic family, Catholic wedding, dreamy spouse, elope, elopement, give and take, husband as father figure, International Harvester, marriage based on television, marriage to a mexican girl, pissed off families, romantic plans, romantic visions, seventeen, sunday dinner, teen marriage, teeny wedding, vacations

What Your Child Wears Is Important — And I’m Not Talking About Pink

March 16, 2013 By Tom Brechlin 7 Comments

photo by Phillip Pessar

Tom Brechlin wants to give a persona public service announcement to parents no matter what city they live in.

Filed Under: Ethics & Values Tagged With: Almighty Ambrose Nation, baseball caps, Chcago, Crips, Folk Nation, gang colors, gangs, Gangster Disciples, Georgetown Hoyas, Latin Kings, Lawndale, Los Angeles Dodgers, Money Magazine, Naperville, parenting, Round Lake Park, style, The Bloods, Tom Brechlin, Vice Lords

The Heroes of Aurora

July 23, 2012 By Tom Brechlin 17 Comments

empty movie theater

There were more heroes than villains in that Aurora, Colorado movie theater where 12 were killed.

Filed Under: Ethics & Values, Men and Heroism, The Good Life Tagged With: Alex Teves, Aurora Colorado, Batman Shooting, Boys, gender, heroes, Jon Blunk, manhood, manliness, masculinity, Matt McQuinn, men, news cycle

#48: A Mother’s Answered Prayer

July 10, 2012 By Tom Brechlin 7 Comments

abandoned van

A Mother’s Day Tom Brechlin won’t forget. #48 in a series: 100 Acts of Male Goodness.

Filed Under: 100 Acts of Male Goodness, The Good Life Tagged With: 100 acts of male goodness, charity, Faith, Families, God, homeless children, homelessness, kindness, prayer, single parents, spirit, strangers, The Good Life

Good Feed Blog

zach sobiech, justin baldoni, soul pancake, soulpancake, upworthy, justin baldoni, my last days

Zach Sobiech May Have Died, But His Music and His Love Live On

Justin Baldoni: “It’s not because you’re dying. It’s because of the way you’re living.”

Connecticut gun control, CT gun control passes, Newtown shooting, Newtown gun control,

Gun Rights Group Files Lawsuit Against Officials in Connectucut

The Office of the Connecticut Attorney General asserts that the new legislation is legal and the office is “prepared to vigorously defend the law against any court challenge.”

walmart-father-with-mixed-kids

Walmart Security Accuses Father of Kidnapping His Own Biracial Children

A Virginia man was accused of kidnapping his own children last week because, according to Walmart security, a white man with biracial children just didn’t “match up.”

anti-gay, boy scouts, gay ban

Boy Scouts Vote on Lifting Ban on Gay Members

A controversial debate within the Boy Scouts of America is coming to a head this week as 1,400 of its leaders vote on lifting the ban that doesn’t allow homosexuals or atheists into its ranks.

gay bullying, anti-gay bullying, bullies, bullied, bully, gay teenagers, gay students, anti-bullying, support system, gay teenagers

Students Victimized for Perceived Sexual Orientation

A new study finds that students bullied because they are believed to be gay are much more likely than others to be suicidal and depressed.