Jonathan J. O'Konek

Proud Father/Husband. Author/Lawyer. Army Veteran. Advocating Respectful Treatment & Rare Disease Awareness #hirschsprungsdisease #MEN2A. Views are my own

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

Thank you so much Morton Mandan Public Library and Shawna Marion for inviting me to read “To the Tent: A Hide and Seek Story” today at the MMPL!

It was great for my daughter, Reece, and I to be able to share our story to smiling faces, and it was fun to watch the amazing build your own tent event.

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

@StateBarofWI Thank you for organizing everything!

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

Thank you @StateBarofWI for including my essay as part of your Wisconsin Lawyer edition:

“USA@250: Perspectives on the Declaration of Independence on the Semiquincentennial
Essays from State Bar of Wisconsin members form a rich and varied conversation – one that underscores the enduring relevance of the Declaration of Independence and the continuing responsibility of the legal profession to help bring its ideals closer to reality.”

See the attached photos for my two cents, and view all the great perspectives from Wisconsin lawyers here:

https://t.co/DOHNVPV6hc

#America250
#IndependenceDay
#America250Year
#lawyers

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

This morning, as Sheamus and our family left the Ronald McDonald House for Central Ohio to head back to Bismarck, North Dakota, there was a magnificent rainbow 🌈 creating a hallow around the building.

It was an amazing example of God’s beauty and metaphorically highlighted the amazing and charitable work that the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio does for children, and their families, who are undergoing hospitalizations or medical treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Sheamus did great during his surgery procedure and his many medical appointments and our family could not do this journey without either the RMH or Nationwide. Thank you for all you do for my son and for all you do for the children in your care 🙏.

@nationwidekids
@RMHCofCentralOH

#godswork
#charity
#rainbow
#love

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

“As we draw closer to America’s semiquincentennial (250th anniversary), I often wonder what the Founding Fathers would think of the United States. Alexander Hamilton famously predicted that America was a “Hercules in the cradle,” and history proved him right. The United States is a world superpower, boasts one of the world’s highest living standards, and offers freedoms which are absent in many other countries.

Yet, notwithstanding these achievements, I cannot help but ponder what would happen if you had a time machine and took Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin from 1776 and dropped them into a car in 2026. Would they enjoy driving through the American interior? And how would they react to being stuck in city traffic? Well, recently, I did a fair bit of driving, which gave me some time to muse over these questions.
. . .
[d]rivers entering Mandan have endured the Memorial Highway reconstruction project, which has caused traffic jams, frequent stops and less-than-ideal interactions with other drivers. And the recent Main Street subproject requires drivers entering Main Street from Interstate 94, near Culver’s, to merge from two lanes into one. Although there are signs informing drivers about the upcoming construction and that the right lane ends, there are people who still drive all the way down the right lane just to cut off everyone who merged properly.
. . .
If you were Franklin’s passenger, and complained about being stuck in traffic, he would likely remind you -- in his time of 1776 -- they only had horse-drawn carriages that could never travel as fast as a motor vehicle. Moreover, he would probably silence any displeasure by making you look inward, perhaps by another Poor Richard’s Almanack quote, “Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.”
. . .
And as each of us reflect on America’s 250th birthday this Fourth of July, we should likewise appreciate our country’s exquisite beauty and find ways to promote the grown of our country so our descendants can enjoy an equally memorable quincentennial (500th anniversary). Because, as a timeless Greek proverb states, "A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.”

#America250
#250thanniversary
#fourthofjuly
#independenceday

https://t.co/2Kb0g545M8

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

June is Election Day in Bismarck. And, I like to wear red when I vote. Plus, it matches the “You Betcha I Voted” sticker 🙂

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

Children with Down Syndrome are not defined by their extra chromosome. They are amazing kids who bring joy, happiness, and hope to this world. I pray that, as a society, we can educate ourselves and correct the misconceptions about Trisomy 21. These children (and other children living with disabilities like my son) have a right to live a full life.

(A photo of my 2022 shirt from the Designer Genes Walk for Down Syndrome in Bismarck, North Dakota)

https://t.co/shyGz648Nf

#downsyndrome
#DisabilityAwareness
#disabilityrights
#childrenareablessing

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

@TheResoluteLife @McJuggerNuggets That child was a both a human being and a blessing and not a “thing” to be discarded. It pains me greatly to see people make the choice to end a child’s life simply because it is not the child they wanted.

[Andrew Daub @TheResoluteLife]

@McJuggerNuggets Actually, I don’t understand…

And neither does Iron Will.

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

*This was originally posted on the Friends of the Morton Mandan Library Facebook page*

Head to Dykshoorn Park now, from 430-630pm to celebrate the Morton Mandan Public Library’s Summer Reading Kickoff! There are so many great organizations, awesome food, and fun activities!

Morton Mandan Public Library

#libraries
#reading
#summerreadingkickoff

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

"Last week, my son and I went to the Copper Dog Café, a chic Mandan establishment that serves great coffee and delicious waffles. And for parents of young children, it has the added benefit of offering a small corner children’s play area, which features amusing toys like a school bus and a rocking horse. It’s a neat idea that allows parents to savor a cup of coffee while their children enjoy some fun pretend play.

Yet, with parents and children all congregating in one area, it can get a little crowded. So, while my son was playing with a toy combine harvester, I accidentally bumped into a nice lady who, very politely, turned to me and said, “Oh, excuse me, dad.” And after I likewise apologized, I sat back down, took a sip of my coffee, and smiled because she referred to me by my favorite title -- dad.
. . .
With that in mind, in a few Sundays (June 21), it will be Father’s Day.
. . .
And the older I get, the more I appreciate the time my father spent with me -- and the wisdom he imparted -- growing up. Even though he died almost nine years ago, I still think about his many witty aphorisms. And since I cannot spend this upcoming Father’s Day with him, I wanted to at least give him a belated Father’s Day gift that I now understand he, and other fathers, would want. So, without further ado, I present to you, as a tribute, five aphorisms from my father, Richard O’Konek Jr.

On resilience. “Treat it like water off a duck’s back, nothing sticks.”

On completing the hardest task first. “It’s like eating a live toad first thing in the morning; nothing worse can happen to you for the rest of the day.”

On priorities. “When you��re up to your neck in alligators, remember your job is to drain the swamp.”

On perseverance. “It’s not about being better than others, it’s about being better than where you were yesterday.”

On purpose. “Life isn’t a vocation, it’s an avocation.”

So, this Father’s Day, skip the lines at the hardware store, avoid the novelty shirts and mugs, and instead treat dad to something that he really wants -- your time . . . Because for dads it is less about “presents” and more about “presence,” and being present with him on June 21 will make him proud to wear the best title of all -- dad.”

#fathersday
#fathersday2026
#thankyoudad
#dad

https://t.co/sJ7iNhlJzU

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

Cracking open a geode to find quartz crystals inside! Thank you Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library for offering this prize as part of their summer reading challenge, “Unearth a Story at Your Library!” It was extremely fun to learn about geodes with my daughter once she read enough minutes to earn it. And it was fun cracking it open with a hammer (see below video 🙂)

Geodes look like normal rocks from the inside, but over hundreds of millions of years, the space inside becomes filled with crystals—although it is still partially hollow. Some geodes contain quartz and others contain amethyst, calcite, or pyrite.

These rocks form in hollow areas of soil or in bubbles of volcanic rock.

#geode
#northdakota
#geology
#librariesrock

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

Ever wonder how to respond to someone who tells you, in the near future, AI will replace lawyers? Well, just tell them, "under the law, tomatoes can be both a fruit and a vegetable."

Thank you to @StateBarND for publishing my article, "In a World of Catchy AI Lawyers, It Pays to Be the Trusted Discussion Group Leader," in the Spring 2026 edition of the Gavel (located online here):

https://t.co/KUSnL5ZXSQ

And, if AI does take over, I stand by my prediction it will be like the 1999 Outer Limits Episode "The Haven."

#AI
#artificialintelligence
#discussion
#lawyers

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

https://t.co/76FwjP6v1W

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

On Memorial Day, we honor those service members who died for their country. And on Monday, we celebrate their sacrifices by remembering them and the family members they left behind.

So, on Monday, please take time to remember our fallen heroes, to pray for their families, and to pay tribute to the sacrifices they made.

And, if you have young children, during this three day weekend, teach them about the meaning of Memorial Day so that they are able to understand the sacrifices that others made so that they could live in peace.

#MemorialDay
#memorialdayweekend
#MemorialDay2026
#somegaveall

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

Thank you to the Bismarck Tribune for allowing me to write about the importance of Memorial Day. You see, Monday is not about veterans, but instead about the service members who gave their lives in faraway places. Listed below are the names of the twenty-one Soldiers from the 1-25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team who died during our 2011-2012 Afghanistan deployment. Please read their names out loud to keep their memories alive:

Specialist James R. Burnett, Jr.,

Private Danny Chen,

Private First Class Matthew C. Colin,

Specialist Ryan J. Cook,

Private First Class Douglas L. Cordo

First Sergeant Kenneth B. Elwell,

Specialist Douglas J. Green,

Private First Class Ryan J. Larson,

Specialist Christophe Jean Claude Marquis,

Sergeant First Class Johnathan B. McCain,

Specialist Bradley L. Melton,

Private First Class Brandon S. Mullins,

Private First Class Dustin P. Napier,

Specialist Calvin M. Pereda,

Private First Class Cheizray Pressley, Sergeant Rodolfo Rodriguez, Jr., Sergeant Timothy D. Sayne,

Sergeant Jeffrey C. S. Sherer,

Private First Class Tyler M. Springmann,

Private Lamarol J. Tucker, and

Private First Class Brett E. Wood
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"For many people, Monday will be the capstone of a three-day holiday weekend, a welcome day off from work, and an opportunity to spend leisure time with friends and family. However, for military veterans and family members of fallen service members, Monday represents something entirely different. Instead of a welcome holiday blessing, it will remind them of the overwhelming loss of friends and family who deployed to faraway places that many Americans cannot even spell (like Afghanistan) and never returned. That is because Monday is Memorial Day. And unlike November’s Veterans Day, which celebrates living military veterans, May’s Memorial Day does something far more solemn and important -- it honors service members who died while serving in the military. Importantly, it keeps their memory alive, and it acknowledges the true meaning of selfless service.
. . .
On May 14, I attended the Bismarck Diocese’s annual Blue Mass, which honors law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency personnel who lost their lives serving their communities. During this Mass, Bishop David Kagan gave a poignant homily about selfless service that fittingly applied to both the Blue Mass and Memorial Day. He described how selfless service meant being willingly obedient, giving oneself with no expectation of reward, and -- most importantly -- showing love. When Bishop Kagan explained the importance of love, he quoted the Gospel of John, Chapter 15, Verse 13, where Jesus tells his disciples, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” and this quote equally applies to the meaning of selfless service intrinsic in Memorial Day.

You see, the fallen service members whom we honor during Memorial Day did not simply give their lives for their country. They gave it because they loved their brothers and sisters who served next to them; they loved their parents, spouses and children and wanted to protect them; and they loved the freedom that America represents. It was this love that drove them to enter military service and sign a contract agreeing to pay any price, including their lives. And each Memorial Day it is important to honor their love and sacrifice."

The Bismarck Tribune

#memorialday
#memorialday2026
#somegaveall
#neverforget

https://t.co/abivgz91OX

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

Happy start of summer break!

I can’t believe my daughter is now a rising fourth grader and that she was thoughtful enough to draw an amazing portrat of me (notice the striking resemblance to yours truly 🙂)

Reece has grown up so much since we started our “Silent Slumber Parties,” and I couldn’t be prouder of her. Even though the eventful nights of Reece and the Silent Slumber Party have mostly passed, each night we still say our prayers together before bed, just like we did when I wrote this book for her. And, every time that we do, it takes me back to my little girl and our special moments together 🥹.

Sometimes you just wish you could slow down time for a little while . . .

#EndofSchoolYear
#endofschool
#fatherhood

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

If you have a North Dakota student in grades 6-12, listed below is information about a great opportunity to participate in an essay contest about America's 250th birthday where they can learn about the federal court system, have a chance at winning $250, and the opportunity to have their essay published in the The State Bar Association of North Dakota magazine, "The Gavel."

A big thank you to Amber, Jeff, and everyone at Studio 701 for giving us an opportunity to make a last push to get the word out to North Dakota students!

#america250year
#America250

The deadline for submissions is this Thursday, May 21st. See below for the flyer that contains information about the essay criteria and submission guidelines 👇

https://t.co/l2ZdmWj21d

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

@DrewWrigley 100% agree. Love Bismarck. Love North Dakota. And love the United States. I would be remiss if I didn’t also give some love to Mandan (which always organizes great Main Street events). 🙂

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

I did promise there would be a dragon at Mandan’s Touch a Truck event, didn’t I?

A big thank you to Friend Nancy for dressing up as Puff the Magic Dragon to show off Morti, the Morton Mandan Public Library bookmobile and to Friend Randi for the support today!

The MMPL offers library services throughout Morton County via Morti and we are proud that we can be part of an event that promotes such a feel good experience!

Mandan Progress Organization

#touchatruck
#mandan
#libraries

[Jonathan J. O'Konek @JonathanOkonek]

*This Post Is originally from the Friends of the Morton Mandan Public Library’s Facebook Page*

Happy Saturday Friends!

Come out and support Mandan’s exciting “Touch a Truck” event from 10am to 2pm today. This yearly spectacle is a great opportunity to see amazing, one of a kind, vehicles. And you may even see yours truly by Morti, the Morton Mandan Public Library’s, very own “truck”/bookmobile. I also heard there may be a dragon guarding Morti who may (or may not) be giving out treats 🙂.

So come out and support both Mandan and the MMPL and enjoy this amazing event!

See the link below for more information:

https://t.co/1alEKAQh9l

#touchatruck
#mandan
#librariesrock