Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Michael Connelly wrote, “A newspaper is the center of a community, it’s one of the tent poles of the community, and that’s not going to be replaced by websites and blogs.” The best-selling author and I are on the same page. A printed paper will be archived and preserved for future use. A website, well, that’s not always a permanent form of history. Neither is social media, which I have written about previously. I’ve had multiple conversations lately, with friends and colleagues, about prese...
Emily Dickinson wrote, “Hold dear to your parents for it is a scary and confusing world without them.” So true. I’ve been sentimental lately, tears have flowed fairly steadily, as Father’s Day nears. I cannot count the number of times, since the new year started, I would be watching a Husker basketball or baseball game and think, “I need to call Dad and remind him the Huskers are playing.” I cannot count the number of times I hear some song pop on the radio and I am transported to Clay Center...
“Someone is going to die.” Naturally, this sentence piqued my attention. I wasn’t eavesdropping on the conversation where the above-mentioned line was uttered. Oh, contrare. It was said during a public gathering, by an individual sitting next to Scott and me. In fact, several comments from this person and the group he/she was with caught my attention. I was making a mental note to speak with them privately about their concerns, when one of the group members told about an incident they witne...
Wow, what a weekend in Ewing. One hundred fifty years, plus one, definitely looks good on you. It took a lot of planning and quite a number of people were involved in pulling off a weekend filled with family, friends and fun. Cool temperatures and threatening rain could have slowed Friday evening activities, but that didn’t deter those wanting to kick off summer. Our staff, along with Josh Napier, had a great time overseeing the road rally. Some questions stumped participants; others were a b...
I’m not sure who first said this, but it’s true: You can’t have a million-dollar dream on a minimum wage work ethic. I know it’s true. Teaching and freelancing both required a high level of energy, with long and unpredictable hours. The news cycle, along with business owner responsibilities, exist 24/7, and like my father-in-law told me, “You work twice as hard when you’re responsible to earn your own living.” P.S. I’m not a millionaire … not yet (wink, wink) … and my million-dollar drea...
The best laid plans don’t always work out. Last week, the graduation section kept me busy, but a great column was brewing and I began penning it Wednesday. I added a bit more over the next few days. It was a doozy. Trust me. And then, Monday happened. My Mac desktop decided not to cooperate, even after attempting to install the new operating system. Five completed pages of the paper were lost. This is one of the pages currently inaccessible until Apple Support and I work through the issue. I’ve...
I’m taking a break this week, trying to catch my breath and recoup energy. This week’s edition of the Advocate-Messenger includes eight pages of graduation coverage, including senior photos and future plans, valedictorian and salutatorian speeches and a collage of memorable moments captured on my SD card. I also hope all the mothers who read this had a special day. Scott whisked me away from work for a few hours and took me to one of my favorite spots for a lazy Sunday afternoon drive. Spo...
Oh, to be on the edge of 17 again, ready to explore the world, ready to turn the page and start a new chapter of life. One of my parents told me, at the time, I thought I knew everything, that my worldly experiences offered a depth of knowledge unrivaled by my peers. So wait, Mom and Dad. Sarcasm noted. I didn’t know everything? Wow. Admit it, you, too, thought you knew it all when you graduated and couldn’t wait to leave the nest to fly on your own. Life at 17 doesn’t offer the same conce...
What is enough? It's a deeply personal question, so I will give you a couple minutes to consider your answer. As Maria Shriver ponders in this week's edition of the Sunday Paper, "When do you know you've had enough? When do you finally feel that you are enough? When is enough, enough?" All are good questions worth consideration. Our responses will depend on our perceptions and experiences. The word we use to follow "enough" may tend to define who we are and our core system of beliefs. When my...
Allen Ginsberg wrote, “Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It’s that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that’s what the poet does.” Poetry gives universal meaning to a singular effect, offers visual storytelling, complete with twists and turns. It is uniquely personal and open to the reader’s interpretation. I think that’s why I liked putting together poetry programs with my speech students. Finding the perfect blend of rh...
Willpower, by Merriam-Webster’s definition, is the ability to control oneself, a strong determination that allows you to do something difficult. It’s a word I hear tossed about often, dripping with saccharine sweetness, like the dark chocolate or scrumptious Twin Bing bars I know I should avoid. “I’d like to stop ...,” fill in the blank with whatever vice ails you ... “but I just don’t have the willpower.” I get it. I really do. I’d like to reduce my craving for sweets, quit wasting time watc...
A couple topics are brewing in my mind and, since it’s Tuesday, and I’ve been attempting to construct on outline for this week’s column, I’ll probably split it into two sections. See, this is what happens when I procrastinate, -er, utilize my collegiate debate skills to fine-tune a creative argument. *** A recent National Public Radio segment got me thinking. I want to break up with Facebook, personally and professionally. The segment talked about tensions between the social network and Austral...
I was eight years old when I fell in love with a movie genre, er - maybe it was a crush on Paul Newman. The cause of puppy love: the bicycle scene in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” where Paul Newman pedals across the farm yard, performing acrobatic tricks, while Kathryn Ross’s character sits in the haymow, watching his antics until he crashes a fence, lands on his backside and stares down a bull. Then, he had to pedal like heck to get out of Dodge...or Wyoming. Movies like “The Outlaw...
How do you measure a year? According to “Seasons of Love,” from the Broadway hit “Rent,” in 525,600 minutes, you measure life “in daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee, in inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. You measure life, “In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.” In the past year, many of us have, undoubtedly, measured life in a few of these ways. One day, life is smooth (or perhaps a little bumpy) sailin...
A day off. What’s that? Since starting this business venture, we haven’t been “out of the office” very often. Even when we aren’t there, it seems like one or both of us is constantly working on some project involving the paper, the print shop or the Sidebar. I don’t think either one of us will complain though. Our business continues to grow and we’re excited to see where we’re headed. Yet, it’s a balancing (and sometimes, juggling) act. A smart living piece in the New York Times recently caught...
Author John Di Lemme wrote, “Your results are the product of either personal focus or personal distractions. The choice is yours.” I would argue, if you took a look at our living room, which a friend told me has the “you’re living life” look (what the heck does that mean?), it’s a result of focus and distraction. She also told me if the house was too clean, to the point of appearing picture perfect, it wouldn’t be a true representation of our reality. OK, I’ll buy that. I think she meant it in a...
My favorite sport is thrifting. To borrow from a popular meme: Yes, I shop at thrift stores. No, I am not poor. Would you pass up a $178 Anthropologie dress, new with tags, for $4.25? What about a box filled with a complete set of fine china for $2.50? There’s something about finding a diamond in the rough and giving it new life. I’m not a trash stalker - or stooper, as they’re called on the east coast - but if I saw a perfect good dresser along the side of the road that the hubs could refurbish...
This week, we’re going to play the close your eyes and imagine game. Ready? Close your eyes. No peeking. You need to tune in and think. Your future depends on it. Think of a building in your community you consider prominent. What sets it apart from other structures in town? Now, think about a building that may be a diamond in the rough. You know the type of place I’m talking about. Once upon a time, this building was the centerpiece of the community, a drawing card with a welcome sign, a str...
“If you’re going to talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk.” A superintendent I worked for said this phrase during monthly faculty meetings too many times to count. I’ve been thinking a lot that quote - and how he leveraged the phrase to spur people to action. Since the November election, I’ve listened to grumbling about everything from political candidates’ qualifications to an overabundance of government overreach to a general dissatisfaction with public policy. Most conversatio...
Summerland parents and teachers held mid-term conferences this week. It reminded me of days gone by ... Grandma Larson would give Laurie and me a buck for every “A” we earned on our report cards. I appreciated the extra cash, but I really did not need the incentive. It wasn’t like Grandma was dangling dollars and I was off on a chase to earn “A”s. I’ve told you before, I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to school. I liked it and school - except for algebra - came easy. Now I know there are peo...
I’m guilty ... and I imagine you are, too. I’m guilty of spending dollars outside the community, sharing my wealth with box stores and high-dollar chains, instead of investing in mom and pop establishments. Granted, I don’t do it all the time, but if I happen to be in Norfolk or Lincoln, I’ll stop and pick up items I may need soon. I’ve written it before, but it bears repeating. Spending locally makes dollars and sense. (Yes, that’s a play on words.) Let’s use my shopping example mentioned abo...
Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” I was reminded of the quote during Sunday’s town hall meeting in Orchard. The quote isn’t specific to our local communities. No, it’s a question worth asking no matter where you call home. But, the premise of King’s words - the notion that volunteering and making an impact in another person’s life - is what sticks out. Sunday’s meeting reinforced the meaning. It’s one of the great...
If I asked you to name four movies that define your teenage years, what would be your response? In the past two weeks, I’ve seen social media posts asking individuals to select four films they identify with from their teen years. Naming four would be a snap if I grew up in the 1980s ... “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” “Karate Kid,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” Those ‘80s comedies celebrated teen angst at its best and provided comic relief. Movies from my era, a decade prior, ran t...
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes ... including you.” Anne Lamott’s quote hits home this week. So, I’ll keep this short and sweet. I am taking a week off writing a full column. I’ve written during a whirlwind cross-country road trip from San Diego to Nebraska when my sister moved home. I wrote while both parents were nearing the end of life. I’ve written through sickness and health. After a two-week emotional roller coaster, I’m taking time to unplug for a...
One photo of my parents captures them in their zone. It’s their wedding anniversary and they’re waltzing. Both are looking directly at the camera, still smiling after 40 years of wedded bliss. They’re definitely in their element. They enjoyed dancing. When King’s Ballroom was still operating in Norfolk, the ‘rents were waltzing around the dance floor. Other couples stopped as Dad and Mom sashayed to the strains of big band tunes, offering an ovation to the young couple when the melody slowed to...
