During my career I learned the importance of the 11 Principles of Leadership: know yourself, seek self-improvement, be technically and tactically proficient, take responsibility, set the example, care for your people, keep them informed, ensure tasks are understood and accomplished, develop responsibility, build teamwork, make timely decisions, and employ your unit according to its capabilities. … Continue reading No Feedback, No Growth→| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
According to the American Psychological Association, reciprocity is “the quality of an act, process, or relationship in which one person receives benefits from another and, in return, provides an equivalent benefit.” This week’s question is: Do you expect reciprocity in most relationships? This is definitely an interesting question posed by Dr. Stein in his post … Continue reading The Questions We Don’t Ask — And Why They Matter, Part 8→| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
The book Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here by Jonathan Blitzer is a well-written work that feels more like a history book rather than a work on social science or government policy. It describes in detail the horrendous situations forcing the people of Central America to leave their countries and embark on the difficult journey … Continue reading Book Review: Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here→| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
To answer today’s question, I need to go back to 12 October 2022, the day I sat down with a doctor for my final medical exam before retirement. Until that point, I thought I was indestructible. Sure, there was always a pain here or there, but like we say in the Army, we just need … Continue reading The Questions We Don’t Ask — And Why They Matter, Part 7→| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Photo by Edward Ortiz It really gives me a lot of joy when I start reading a book to learn about a particular subject and discover something I wasn’t expecting. That is exactly what happened with t…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
In her book Quiet, Susan Cain wrote the following in the introduction: “Extroverts are the people who will add life to your dinner party and laugh generously at your jokes. They tend to be assertive, dominant, and in great need of company. Extroverts think out loud and on their feet; they prefer talking to listening, … Continue reading The Questions We Don’t Ask – And Why They Matter, Part 6→| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
As I was reviewing today’s post, I realized that today marks my 2nd year of blogging. I can’t believe it’s already been two years. I guess my trip to the Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago, Illinois,…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
When Dr. Stein suggested the following question: Do you travel much? Why? Why not? I don’t think he was looking for a quick answer like, “Yes, I travel a lot because I love to visit new places,” or…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Posts about Ed’s Notes written by Edward Ortiz| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
This week’s question was difficult to answer because I don’t think there’s an easy response: How do you determine what is right and good in a moral sense? To what degree do you depend on sacred texts or clerics? The question is a heavy one, and I know most people will say they base their … Continue reading The Questions We Don’t Ask – And Why They Matter, Part 4→| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
This is not the first time I’ve commented on book banning in this country and my frustration with this insanity. Trying to change history or pretending that current events are not occurring by bann…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Posts about The Questions We Don’t Ask—And Why They Matter written by Edward Ortiz| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
In my ongoing series about The Questions We Don’t Ask – And Why They Matter, I decided to answer this question: If you conclude that the afterlife you believe in isn’t real, how would you alter the…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Posts about History written by Edward Ortiz| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
5 posts published by Edward Ortiz during August 2025| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Why people want to refute historical events that have been validated by eyewitness accounts and studied deeply by reputable historians and scholars is beyond comprehension. It is either an attempt …| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Posts about Book Reviews written by Edward Ortiz| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
9 posts published by Edward Ortiz during July 2025| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Today, I’m tackling the second question from the many suggested by Dr. Gerald Stein in his post titled “The Questions We Don’t Ask.” I knew the answer right away as soon as I read it. But then I th…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Last Thursday, I mentioned a little project I’ve taken on, inspired by a post from Dr. Gerald Stein titled “The Questions We Don’t Ask.” Sometimes we’re quick to judge others, or place expectations…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville was a heavy read, to put it mildly. Tocqueville visited the United States in 1831 to study the country. Initially, his focus was the prison syste…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
The Questions We Don’t Ask—And Why They Matter, Part 2| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
The book “Writing and Being – Embracing Your Life Through Creative Journaling” by G. Lynn Nelson was recommended to me back in 2019 while I was attending a leadership seminar in Fort Leavenwo…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Today, as part of our series featuring poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law, we turn our attention to the third poem, The Old Tree, from the book section titled Love Poems in Old…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Continuing our series featuring poems by Pedro (Pellín) Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law. Today, I’m sharing his eleventh poem titled “Letter to My Wife,” written on July 15, 1952, while st…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
In our ongoing series spotlighting poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law. Today, I’m sharing his eighth poem titled “Sad Christmas”. Triste NavidadNavidad…Noche blanca cual …| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Today, in our ongoing series of poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law, we feature his thirteenth poem, “Legend of the Flamboyant.” This will be the last poem from his “…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Today, in our ongoing series of poems by Pedro (Pellín) Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law, we feature his twelfth poem, “To the Colón Park of Aguadilla,” written in December 1947…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Posts about El Amor en Dos Tiempos written by Edward Ortiz| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Continuing with our series featuring poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law. Today, I’m sharing his seventh poem titled “Nostalgia”. NostalgiaEn mis sueños yo veo tierras extrañas,…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
I’m thrilled to continue our series featuring poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law. Today, I’m excited to share his sixth poem titled “That is Love”. Eso …| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
As part of the ongoing series showcasing poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law, I am delighted to share his fifth poem today, titled “Viaje En Luna De Miel”. Viaje En …| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Today, I’m sharing the fourth poem from Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law, titled “Sueño Sutil”. Sueño Sutil¡Oh que sueño aquél de la noche aquella,te apreté en mis b…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
In the ongoing series featuring poems from the book presented to me by my grandfather-in-law, Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, I am delighted to share his third poem titled ‘Mensaje De Amor’. M…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
On January 26th, I shared the first poem from a book gifted to me by my grandfather-in-law, Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, titled “Poema del Amor Joven”. Today, I’m delighted to present…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
I’m not a poet, but I like poems. I have a poetry book that I’ve kept over the years, and I treasure it very much. It was given to me on 16 March 2002 by a great man. Even though he is no lon…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
In our series featuring the poetry of Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law, today I’m presenting his tenth poem, “You Arrived.” LlegasteHe vagado por el mundo, miserableVíctima del …| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Continuing with our series featuring poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law. Today, I’m sharing his ninth poem titled “A Verse for You”. Un Verso Para TiPedí a Minerva, diosa de la…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more