Articles by Adam Pitluk

Service with a Smile - 11-1-2008 »

Many of us spend more time with our careers than with anything else we do. And that’s fine. In fact, that’s more than fine. That’s capitalism.


A Thanksgiving Feast - 11-15-2008 »

From time to time, I’ll read a passage in a book or a magazine that sticks with me. Always the voracious reader — ever since overcoming dyslexia as a youth — I have a profound fascination with the written word, with the innate power words have when strung together in just the right way.


Surprise Party -- Sort Of - 12-1-2008 »

Sort Of, I'm not good with surprises. Maybe it's because astrologically, I am a border child (I'm a Virgo, but as my birthday is at the end of August, I’m right on the Leo line).


Be Like Rocky: Vote - 10-15-2008 »

Rocky Loessin stood on top of a mountain in Alaska’s Chugach State Park and took a deep breath of clean, crisp air. His eyes were watering from the sting of the atmosphere at altitude, and his heart felt like it was about to jump out of his chest because of the vertical ascent. But his lungs felt good. And his head was clear.


Moon Shadow - 10-1-2008 »

Seven years ago, my girlfriend, Kimberly, and I were walking hand-in-hand along Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and casually gazing at the street vendors’ interesting wares. We approached one vendor’s kiosk and marveled at his hand-painted conch shells as he sat there and worked diligently. As we walked away, I heard the vendor call out.


Just in Case: I Apologize - 12-15-2008 »

I’ve had some interesting jobs over the years. The work wasn’t weird or remarkable like what you see on the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs. Well, some of it was.


The Winds of Change - 1-1-2009 »

Change is in the air. Pick any section of any sector of, well, anything, and you’re bound to notice that the storied way of doing things is yesterday’s news.


Tulsa to Tampa - 1-15-2009 »

Have you ever played this game: Pick any three bands that if you had your way, you could see in concert in present day. It’s the old reliable that my buddies and I like to engage in when we get together.


Opposites Attract - 2-1-2009 »

The memory is a fascinating instrument -- especially when coupled with the elements of time and space.


The Winds of Change - 1-1-2009 »

Change is in the air. Pick any section of any sector of, well, anything, and you’re bound to notice that the storied way of doing things is yesterday’s news.


Ed Note - I Love This Game! - 2-15-2009 »

The Cleveland Cavaliers were among the darlings of the National Basketball Association. They were young. Fast. Talented. And they were the city’s hope for finally winning it all in a professional sport.


Adam Pitluk On American Way's NBA Issue - 2-15-2009 »

Adam Pitluk describes American Way's NBA issue


A Beautiful Life - 3-1-2009 »

Grace Kenitz is a spirited, vivacious young girl. She has a casual demeanor, softly accented by her pretty features. She loves the sorts of activities that most children her age engage in -- the little things like dancing to the radio, playing tag, and splashing in a rain puddle.


History in the Making - 3-15-2009 »

I love a good dynasty. There’s something romantic about a long, extended, lingering stay at the top. A dynasty represents the voice of a certain time and place. Similarly, a time and place can be easily cited in the annals of history vis-à-vis a particular dynasty. Let’s take a look back through time to put some emphasis behind this point.


Lone Star Long Haul - 4-1-2009 »

[image-static:hs-adam-pitluk.jpg,Picture of Adam Pitluk]Kimberly and I were making the high-speed burn down Interstate 35 in a caravan reminiscent of the pioneers of yore. I was in the lead, driving my 1993 Jeep Cherokee, and every inch of space both in the cabin and on the roof was occupied with all my worldly possessions. Kimberly followed in her 1991 Chevy Cavalier, which also was packed to the hilt with all her stuff (and some of mine that I couldn’t strap down). It was 2000, and cell phones weren’t the extension of the hand that they are today. Kimberly and I communicated with each other through walkie-talkies we’d purchased at Target only hours earlier for this, our move together away from her hometown of St. Louis.


Green Grow the Rushes - 4-15-2009 »

Standing in the center of a sprawling lawn in Oelwein, Iowa -- flanked by a white Victorian gazebo and blooming flower beds -- oak, elm, and crab-apple trees are rustled by a light breeze. They’ve stood here for centuries, naturally irrigated by the scores of rivers and tributaries that meander through the heartland as they make their way to their emptying point: the aptly named Father of Waters, to the east. The area has changed over time -- from here all the way to the rolling waters of the Mississippi River in Dubuque, a hamlet of equal beauty and Twainian charm. But here, change has not come at the breakneck pace it has to a lot of the country.


Friends in the Stratosphere - 5-1-2009 »

I’ve noticed that over time, your circle of friends changes. Many of my best buddies from childhood -- guys and gals I grew up with and whom I never thought I could live without -- have moved on to other phases of their lives. So have I, for that matter. Whereas we were inseparable erewhile, we are now strangers.


American Way Cover - 11/15/2009
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