Because words matter; sometimes actions speak louder than words, and sometimes they don’t. Because men (and women) are of God, and borders are of man. Because people are people, no matter what they look like or where they are from. Because being louder doesn’t make one righter. Because, historically, 25 percent of Kansas are responsible for making decisions that affect […]

I typically become unhappy when parents take students out of school for family vacations. Why can’t they travel during the summer or Christmas break or spring break? I have been heard to ask. Well, last week, I basically did the same thing. My wife and I packed up the camper and headed for the hills. Technically, it was the mountains, […]

A person never knows what can be found at a second-hand store. I was perusing the bookshelves at a local charity shop recently and came across an interesting paperback, “The Band Name Book.” Its pages contained just what one would expect in a volume with that title, a list of thousands of rock music group names. The original retail price […]

rSome people mistakenly believe that spending money on travel is a waste of funds. I certainly disagree. There is much to learn when one mounts a car, boat, plane, motorcycle or even a bicycle for a long-distance journey. A June trip to the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom was most assuredly a learning experience. Allow me to share […]

I own books. I also own a Kindle electronic reader. Each has its particular strengths, and each has obvious weaknesses. I believe they can coexist in the modern world. Obviously, books were here first. Once Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type, the printed word took off. From the Bible to “Fifty Shades of Grey,” books have affected human lives in profound […]

The recent arrival of our twin grandchildren has started my thinking about what sage advice I can give them as they grow. I remember hearing plenty of interesting, though often inaccurate, maxims. Here are some of my favorites. Wait an hour after eating to go swimming. I was told I might get cramps as blood moves from my extremities to […]

I have been announcing sporting events for, well, more years than I care to admit. I started while I was still in my 20s. And, I like to think I have learned a thing or two because, as the TV ad goes, I have seen a thing or two. So, as another basketball season has come to a close, by […]

Winter is a time to muse about the mysteries of life. Here are some unanswered questions I have been thinking about lately. Why does the lip balm I keep in my pocket always seem to be screwed to the top of the lid whenever I open it? Does the action of walking turn the knob at the bottom? If so, […]

If I’m not mistaken, I have put my disdain for Donald Trump in words only a couple of times since the 2016 election. The last time I attacked the POTUS was in June. I admit I have made a few disparaging comments about his style of governing and perhaps even his hair from time to time, but I have tried […]

Rosaline Evelia and Dylan Jordan, brand-new twin grandbabies, born Dec. 6. As we study William Shake­speare’s classic “Romeo and Juliet,” I often ask my English I students if they believe in love at first sight. The responses are mixed. Some point out it takes a while for people to get to know each other before they can fall head over […]