Hi. I'm John.

I created Today250 because I noticed something strange: America's 250th birthday was approaching and almost nobody was talking about it.

I was eight years old during the Bicentennial in 1976. I remember watching fire boats shooting geysers into the sky on TV, fireworks on every network, the whole country buzzing with it. That energy stuck with me. So when I realized the Semiquincentennial was around the corner and the world seemed to be looking the other way, I thought—someone should do something about that.

A moment that changed this project

I asked a friend recently if she considered herself a patriot.

"No!"—instantly, defensively, like I'd accused her of something.

That reaction told me everything. Somewhere along the way, patriotism got tangled up with things it was never supposed to mean. It became a word people flinch at.

But patriotism isn't jingoistic cultism. It isn't blind loyalty or bumper sticker slogans.

Patriotism is standing up for the best things about your country and working to improve the rest. It is the belief that rights are inherent—not granted by any government to be taken away by law or threat. That everyone has the same rights, and the responsibilities that come with them. Patriotism is more than flags and parades. It's action.

Why these stories

Today250 features 329 stories of American values—entrepreneurship, courage, community, justice, innovation. The themes are drawn from the roots of Western Civilization and the American experience: the most powerful forces for freedom, equality, and good on this planet.

These aren't sanitized fairy tales. America's story includes its bruises. But the arc of it—the people, the principles, the stubborn insistence on doing better—that's worth celebrating. That's worth sharing.

About me

My father served in World War II and Korea, then stepped away from the military for private life—honorably, fifteen years before I was born. But what he carried with him shaped everything: love of country, honor, ethics, and the duty to protect those weaker than you. My mother taught me joy, discipline, and empathy. Between the two of them, I got the foundation for everything I've done since.

I've been a newspaper reporter, editor, photographer, and systems manager. I developed real estate in the mountains of northeast Georgia. I ran my own IT consulting company for sixteen years. I've been building things with words and technology my whole career. Today250 is where those two worlds meet.

I should have died five times over in the last fifty-eight years, yet here I am. I'm not rich. I'm not famous. I'm just an American who thinks these stories matter—and that the best of us, bruises and all, is worth putting out into the world.

Who is this for?

Everyone. We can disagree on politics—that's baked into the design of this country. But the themes and stories of America belong to all of us. If you're a business, a teacher, a community group, or just someone who wants to share something meaningful on social media—this is for you.

Questions or feedback?

I'd love to hear from you. Contact me at [email protected] or use the contact form.