“All good things must come to an end” or so the saying goes. With my introduction to this paper not being so long ago (less than a year), that phrase isn’t one I thought I would be applying to this column quite so soon. Though at times I may not have been exactly certain on what topic I should write, I have enjoyed penning this feature. more

Once upon a time, I had a regular bedtime and awoke each morning at a reasonable hour. I spent my quiet early mornings reading or enjoying a glass of orange juice and admiring the way the sun peeks through the window and casts a glow over the room. I worked long afternoon and evening hours, after which I would arrive home from my day’s labor and briefly wind down before going through my evening rituals. I would brush my teeth, remove my make-up and crawl into bed for the night. I would often lie in bed, blissfully reading a book or turning the pages of a magazine as I drifted off to sleep. more

Rodney Daingerfield took great delight in self-deprecation, striving always to be regarded as the least respected guy on the planet. The late comedian played it to the hilt, laughing all the way to the bank. There’s a new guy on the “poor me” stage, and I’m talkin’ real life. The nameless guy is insistent that his investment portfolio is limited to only two stocks--Facebook and plastic straws. more

Just last week I heard a radio personality opening a discussion on libraries. Something had been posted online about libraries being obsolete and the radio host wanted to hear opinions from listeners. My children practically grew up in libraries and were there so often librarians knew them each by name. I’m sure it will come as no surprise then that I believe libraries are absolutely essential. more

“He ‘takes after’ his dad,” old-timers used to say about young boys in their formative years. I didn’t hear the expression often, because much of whom the late T. J. Newbury was, I wasn’t. more

It seems like school just let out for summer and school supplies are already back on store shelves. With my youngest now in college, we no longer need glue sticks, crayons or pencil boxes though there are a few items my son can still use. I haven’t attended school at any level for quite some time, though I won’t reveal exactly how long. I do, however still use spiral notebooks, pens and highlighters so the back-to-school aisles are convenient. more

When I was a child, I had a certain bedtime. As I became a teenager, I was allowed to stay up later. By the time I got my driver’s license, I was told I could stay up as late as I liked so long as … more

Many years ago when my kids were young elementary-aged babies, I’d sit down with them at the beginning of each summer and create a poster where we listed all the things we wanted to do before … more

Wayne West has been “old school” for decades, long before Mary’s lamb thought about following her to school. He’s “old school” for many reasons. The son of a sharecropper who grew up … more

Differences of opinion and perspective make life interesting. As my father used to tell me, “If two people completely agree on all things, then one of them is redundant.” If two people are … more