I spent a lot of my formative years in Texas. So, I still use (and always will use) some of those friendly southern, colloquial expressions in my everyday language. And many of those southern memories are some of my fondest childhood recollections. Like the sounds of croaking bullfrogs. And the chatter of bugs just as dusky coolness sweeps away the heat of the day. … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: life is beautiful
In college I had a roommate, Rick. And he was a nice guy. We got along fine. But I think he could sleep through a tornado. And an example of what I mean is also one of the biggest reasons I hate the song, Free Bird, by Lynrd Skynrd. If you haven’t heard it, do yourself a favor, and don’t. Unless you’ve got 5 … The rest of the story…
Ponies are like puppies. Too darn cute. And there are so many breeds, colors, shapes, and sizes. Elgielene found some websites on Friesian horses. If you haven’t seen them, do yourself a favor and check ’em out. They’re sort of the long-haired composers of the equine world. The pony Creator sure knew what He was doing when He made horses. And that reminds me … The rest of the story…
Did you ever watch The Waltons? Either when it was a new show or in reruns? Either way, do you remember how the kids would run out the front door and the screen door would smack shut? That’s because those old screen doors were lightweight and had long snakey springs. And I remember both sets of my grandparents had screen doors like that. And … The rest of the story…
I watched a well-made movie, starring Robert Duvall, the other night. And he’s a very good actor who can keep you engaged. I wish he’d learn how stupid he sounds as he takes God’s name in vain in just about every character he plays. But I’m not sure Mr. Duvall understands how that relationship is key. In the movie Mr. Duvall’s character, Felix Bush, … The rest of the story…
Empty the ocean with a spoon? Yeah, that was a thought that rushed into my head one day back in the 1970’s. Because I was thinking about all the people in the world who give up too easily. And, at the same time, I thought about all the people in the world who would never give up. And I wanted to make sure I’d … The rest of the story…
Back when I was about 12 or 13, in the mezzaluna phase of the twentieth century, my Mom forced me to endure unfathomable torture. She drove me to a quiet hillside, out on the backroads of Eastern Kansas. And she turned off the ignition to the ’48 Chevy pickup, opened the driver’s door, stepped outside, and said, “OK, slide over behind the wheel.” (for … The rest of the story…
Here’s a little something from nineteen ninety nine in nineteen eighty two. “Cuz they say two thousand zero zero party over, Oops out of time – So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999.” Just in case you forgot, or something, I’m quoting from that famous philosopher, Prince. Or is it the artist formerly known as Prince? Or is it Skipper? Hey, I’m not makin’ fun. … The rest of the story…
Back in the day (as they say) there was a short expression to describe somebody who could run fast. It went like this, “Man, he can really move it.” Do they still say that? I don’t know. But I probably do once in a while. Because when something works, you keep it. Despite the so-called trends and fads. And sometimes when something doesn’t work … The rest of the story…
I’ve mentioned before how I spent summers in Kansas after my parents split up. And I’ve shared how I worked hard, long hours bucking bales of hay. But my recent trip there, for my Mom’s memorial, reminded me how Kansas is awesome in the springtime. Elgielene and I drove through the countryside a few times while we were there. And she must’ve commented a … The rest of the story…
Life is full of up’s and down’s. But that’s part of what makes it so interesting. Because it’s not the easy stuff that makes you stronger. It’s the tough stuff. And if you’ve lived longer than a couple of decades, you’re at least starting to see what I mean. Right? Tough stuff is available everywhere. I remember way, way back in the 1980’s, I … The rest of the story…
It’s been a weird April this year. And I’m in a particularly contemplative way as I think about what the past 7 days included. A second drive to Kansas, in the past couple of months. But not for fun. Because on April 17 a group of family and friends memorialized my Mom. And just two days later was the anniversary of my Dad’s birthday. … The rest of the story…
In case you don’t already know…I’m gonna show you how to be happy where you are right now. How’s that for a pitch? Maybe where you are right now is a place full of anger, bitterness, and turmoil. There’s a way to be happy instead. Or maybe your life is going great, but you think something is missing, and you can’t quite put your … The rest of the story…
When I was a little kid, not even in school yet, I lived with my grandparents for a while. And they didn’t have a box or bucket or even a bag of toys for my brother and me to play with. But I remember my Grandmother would bring out her bag of wooden clothespins, some empty thread spools, and showed us how to “make … The rest of the story…