Since Friday (Dec. 14, 2012), it’s been the elephant in the room of our minds. It won’t go away. It’s too horrible to look at directly, and it’s too big to ignore. It is an foul, obnoxious, unwelcome houseguest that is draining the joy out of our most joyous season. Some can only discuss the […]
After winning the 4-H Public Speaking competition in her school club, my 10-year-old daughter, Ava, competed Thursday night (12/13) in the Rutherford County competition. Much to my surprise and delight, she chose Louis Zamperini as her topic. If you’ve been following me this year, you know I’ve written about Louie, both in my monthly publication […]
I grumble as much as the next person — I admit it. I often grumble about my job. I don’t like office politics. I’m not particularly fond of planting my butt in a swivel chair for eight or 10 hours at a time. No matter how much I try to disguise them behind paintings and […]
OK, I’m gonna come right out with it. I believe in Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Yeti. There you go. I said it. Hello, my name is Mark, and I believe in Bigfoot. (All together: Hello, Mark!) From the infamous evening back in 1972 when my ill-advised parents took my 6-year-old self, along with my brother and sister, to […]
Tuesday night, I wrote a post about how America indoctrinates our children into the Sugar Culture from the word go. I really didn’t expect the post to generate much interest. Boy, was I off. Now granted, my blog page is still in its infancy and doesn’t see spectacular numbers, but in numbers of views, last […]
I know you’re just trying to be nice. I know you’re just trying to be neighborly. But please keep the candy to yourself. Don’t put me in the position of saying no to my kids after they’ve displayed good manners at the hair place or the bank. Tell them “thank you,” or “great job,” or […]
Today is Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving — but despite the mad rush on shopping and advertising, I’m not ready to move on to Christmas just yet. I posted something silly yesterday, but not today. This is something hopeful. But it’s also a humbling wake-up call. I’m writing this to me as much […]
Today is Thanksgiving, and here are some things for which I am thankful: I’m thankful that the Titans are so bad this year. Time normally devoted to watching games is now directed to more educational programming, like “Breaking Amish,” “Long Island Medium,” or “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.” I’m thankful for vehicles that don’t break down. Let […]
I think it’s hard to overestimate the emotional power of music. Not all music, mind you. And not all the time. But given the right circumstance and frame of mind, a particular song or recording can really do a number on us. It’s been on my mind since this morning. I was driving to work […]
I like this article. I especially dig No. 3: “Capture snippets of overheard conversations to use as prompts for working on writing.” What a great idea in this world of the coffee-shop workplace. How to Journal: 6 Tips to Boost Creativity and Polish Your Writing. (Cheryl Craigie is the Contributing Editor at Write to Done. Cheryl […]