Category Archives: Miscellany

Happy Begets Happy

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My “One Moment” this week

A long time ago, on a dare, I gave up swearing and grumbling. I was working in a newsroom at the time. My college education was in journalism, and the first 15 years of my professional life were spent in newsrooms — which is a lot like being raised by sailors. I’ve heard and used almost every kind of foul language, and almost nothing you can say would shock me. Swearing in a newsroom is pretty much second nature.

A reporter came into work one morning, either on or just before Ash Wednesday, and said she didn’t know what she should give up for Lent. Laughing, I dared her to give up swearing. She looked at me and said, “I will if you will.” Continue reading →

You’ve Got Spam!

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I’m a success!

Really. I am. I know this because my blog is starting to be inundated by spam. I’m getting spam comments at a rate of 6-to-1 versus actual comments. I could ask y’all to get more engaged by submitting real comments (wink), but I’d rather celebrate my little successes.

The thing about spam comments, as annoying as they are, is that it means someone outside my usual network has started finding my blog. Continue reading →

Seriously? This is how we celebrate King Day?

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Martin Luther King Jr. has finally achieved the pinnacle of true greatness as an American.

No, I’m not talking about the fact that we celebrate his birthday with a federal holiday; that’s old news. I’m talking about the true gauge of greatness — what really determines whether someone was a great player in this nation’s history, an achievement matched only by the likes of Presidents Lincoln and Washington, our military heroes and the founding fathers who declared this nation’s independence. Yes, not only do we have a holiday marking the anniversary of Dr. King’s birth; now we celebrate it with appliance and electronic ssales.

After all, in the United States, it’s not really a holiday unless we have huge blow-out sales to draw shoppers into stores, right? This year, I discovered that we’ve extended the practice to Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. From consumer electronics superstores to neighborhood thrift stores, everywhere I look I see retail outlets offering sale pricing for King Day.

Am I the only person who finds that more than a bit disgusting?

One Moment: Friendship Matters

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This has been a week full of ups and downs for me — a roller coaster ride in ways. I went to a great professional conference, which I’ve been wanting for some time to attend but have not been able before, and met great people, including social media friends whom I’d never before met in person. I learned some really good stuff (it was a tech conference, and “good stuff” is, of course, a tech term), and I was challenged to think more and differently and better. I finally got to meet in person someone I’ve come to know over the past three years as a vendor/business contact but have grown to consider a friend. All very exciting.

But with the peaks there have been valleys also. Continue reading →

Challenge Yourself!

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Thanksgiving makes me think of pie. Actually, it makes me bake pie. I’m the baker in my family, and Thanksgiving is when I’m really called for duty. This is because I have all of my mother’s pie recipes, plus one that I made up myself with inspiration from my mother’s “Mystery Jelly” recipe (yep, that’s what she called it). Also, I have my mother’s pie crust recipe. I’ll tell you the secret later. In any case, I have become the pie baker. (Right now, the first of at least four Thanksgiving pies is in the oven: pecan. Pumpkin and fruit pies yet to come).

pumpkin pie

The pie I didn't enter (a little too brown on the top)

So I’m thinking about pie. And believe it or not, that is making me think about bravery. Here’s why: Continue reading →