All in Columns
I want my first Column of the New Year to be rather lighthearted, starting with humor, then with one of the many examples of those who do so many good things for us on a regular basis, and then an example of the sacredness of wisdom. I believe that some significant events are about to break on the impeachment saga, and I will look forward to commenting on that in next week's column.
Most adults I know are busier than a rented mule, so it was a revelation to feel the ol' brain untense. By the time I get back to work I'm sure I will have forgotten every computer password and quite possibly my own name, but it will have been worth it.
Now the rush of “Christmas” is over, I hope you can take some time to relax and to rest. We can easily lose ourselves in the activity of the season. Ironically, a time of year supposedly focused on family becomes a time when true family ties are often neglected.
Cranberries are often a popular part of Holiday celebrations in the form of cranberry sauce, cranberry drinks and dried cranberries added to stuffing, casseroles or dessert.
Because I spend much of my time these days encouraging constructive engagement across political difference, through such programs as Duke University’s North Carolina Leadership Forum, readers sometimes ask me if I think political differences are more appearance than reality — that if we just tried hard enough, we could reach a broad public consensus on many seemingly contentious issues.
I am so blessed to be spending this Christmas with my precious children and grandchildren. This is one of those special times that will remain clearly in my mind on into eternity.
A flight attendant assured me it was just "pockets of air" that were causing the trouble. I told him I was worried the "pockets of air" might cause the plane to "hurdle to the ground". No one likes a whiner, but what kind of airline chooses The Buddy Holly Story as the Inflight movie?
Before that glorious afternoon this past August, my world had been turned upside down, inside out and flipped backward with the passing of my dad and my mom in 2018. They died 8 1/2 months within each other. This is the second holiday season without them. And the 12th without my only brother, who passed away in 2008.
I stumbled across a column I had written around Christmastime in 1999. “Sometime around Thanksgiving, wives and children begin firing the question that never seems to end until Christmas Day. What do you want for Christmas, Dad?”
The Neuse Regional Library System is committed to opening the door to opportunities for residents in Lenoir, Greene, and Jones Counties by making informational resources and programming freely accessible to them. One of the ways we have recently done this is through the ICE HOUSE Entrepreneurship Program, a free three-week course sponsored by the NC IDEA Foundation designed to inspire and engage participants with the determination and perseverance of an entrepreneurial mindset.
Since we are entering the Christmas Season, I want to revisit some remarks I made several years ago about Kevin Schull's experience during this season.
The first time I was in charge of setting up the tree I had to cram a few dozen issues of Toothpick Collector magazine and a high-heeled shoe under one leg of the stand to keep everything level. One year after removing the tree skirt our oldest daughter thought the dozens of magazines were presents from Santa that we'd missed.
Like most of us, I had seen a short, thin lady walking along the backroads of county. Often, when I was driving in the direction she was walking, I would stop and offer her a ride.
While First Lady, Melania Trump, has spoken out against cyberbullying, President Trump is often a proponent of it. With numerous tweets that attack journalists, fellow politicians, and celebrities that disagree with him, including members of his party.
The Neuse Regional Library won two of twenty 2019 North Carolina Public Library Directors Association (NCPLDA) Awards.
The impeachment charade on Thursday of last week featuring four "so-called "Constitutional Scholars was really painful to watch. These four were unanimous in one thing - they all hate President Trump.
Last week the United States was rattled by a tragedy that sent millions into a panic. It wasn't the humanitarian disasters in Syria, Yemen or Venezuela, nor was it any of the domestic problems involving crime, Wall Street or Kylie Jenner.
What upset, triggered and knotted up so many (to the point that it was covered by all major networks during the evening news) was a commercial about an exercise bike.
Each “night” is a man, woman or child who had no place to go, no food to eat, and no way to keep warm in the winter or keep cool in the summer.
But we all have things happening in our lives TODAY which we should recognize and be thankful for, such as our families and friends. I thank God every day for the steadfast love of my wonderful family here on Earth and for the guidance I receive from Above.
