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A Roaring Good Time

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve dressed up for a Halloween party or any other costume event. But I was recently reminded of how much fun it can be. Georgia Writers Museum holds a “Meet the Author” event every month, when we invite a Georgia author to do a presentation, usually based on his or her most recent book. We select a theme for the event—also based on the book—and design the décor, food, and drinks around that. [...]

By |December 10th, 2024|Columns, Gifts and Talents, Writing|

Time and Time Again

Well, it’s that time of year again, when we turn over the last page of the calendar—those of us who still use paper calendars, that is—and shake our heads as we wonder out loud: “Where did the year go?” Even though Christmas sales and decorations now start showing up around July, the Christmas season still unofficially starts on the day after Thanksgiving. And since Thanksgiving this year was November 28, the last date it’s possible to be, the time between [...]

By |December 3rd, 2024|Columns, Holidays, Quotes and Sayings|

Gobble, Gobble!

I first saw it in an email ad from Kroger about a week ago. The email featured coupons, menus, recipes, tips, and even a timetable for preparing Thanksgiving dinner, including appetizers, side dishes, and desserts. I was drawn first to the recipes, of course, and that’s where I saw the photo of a turkey-shaped cheeseball, complete with pretzel feet, cracker face, and a colorful bell-pepper tail. It made me laugh just to look at it, and I could tell it [...]

By |November 23rd, 2024|Columns, Family, Holidays, Values|

Life Lessons from Stan the Man

There are times—like right now, on election day—when I worry about the state of our country and the world. I’m concerned about all the angry rhetoric, the threats of violence, and the explosive tempers that seem to be the norm these days. It makes me wonder what kind of example we’re setting for our children, and what kind of lessons we’re teaching them. Then I come across someone like Stanley Tucker. And I’m comforted and relieved to know that because [...]

By |November 5th, 2024|Accountability, Columns, Making a Difference, Respect, Values|

Lighten Up!

My book club meets once a month, and each of our twelve members takes a turn hosting the meeting—serving snacks and lunch before we sit down to discuss the book. I always try to work the menu around the theme or environment of the book we’re discussing. Book Club was at my house this month, and the book we read was A Shadow in Moscow, by Katherine Reay. I highly recommend it, by the way—and since it’s a spy novel [...]

By |October 27th, 2024|Columns, Health and Well-being, Holidays, Organizing, Values|

Name Blame

“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Maybe, but I’ve got some new thoughts about names. I have a cousin named Katrina. I’ve always loved that name—and my cousin. But today, if you say “Katrina,” it’s not my cousin that comes to mind first. It’s the devastating hurricane that killed more than a thousand people in 2005. The city of New Orleans was one of the hardest [...]

By |October 21st, 2024|Columns, Quotes and Sayings, Values|