There’s a song that says, “You’re going to miss me when I’m gone.” I can say that about many people in my life. However, I think I was missing the people so hard that I didn’t know something else has disappeared. I’m friends on social media with an author in California named Chad Grayson, and…
Buy a banned book today before they’re eradicated
It’s Banned Books Week, which means two things. People are going to recommend that certain books be wiped off the face of the earth. Also, other people are going to fall over themselves to find these books, add them to their collections and find out what all the fuss is about. Librarians have been chastised,…
UntitledTown book fair full of surprises
One of the fun things about being an author is being able to interact with people. This is an interesting trait in someone who also enjoys solitude and silence. Still, you have to sell books somehow, and I’m too cheap to hire a secretary (not to mention, not enough money in book sales to afford…
Homecoming can be fun, but don’t take it too far
One of the more beloved school traditions is homecoming, a fall ritual where students past and present come together to celebrate their alma mater. It’s an event I remember fondly from when I was in high school where the football team was more in the spotlight than usual, competitions where each class fought to show…
Homeowner association shows its literacy after banning Little Free Library
In today’s episode of Yucking Someone’s Yum, I present to you the Little Free Library, a concept of literacy being available everywhere, versus the homeowner association, a concept of Karens living down the road thinking they can bully you into doing whatever they want so the neighborhood can look uniform and sterile. For those who…
25 years later, the chasm’s bigger than ever
Certain dates are seared into our memories. More often than not, we can’t remember what we had for breakfast this morning or even what we saw in the 90 minutes driving from one community to another. However, those of us over 25 remember a fateful day in 2001 when our complacency and confidence that we…
Vehicle registration tags may be outdated, and not in the way you think
It’s that time of the year, the time when I need to renew my registration for my old reliable Jeep. It’s something everyone with a vehicle must do, and in Wisconsin, we must do it every year. When I was living in Arizona, we had the option to do it every two years, which I…
Parton one Dolly we’re not ready to give up
Dolly Parton has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Most singers come and go, especially in a world where we’re oversaturated with music, but when it comes to a woman who came from a poor family and turned her life into one of giving, that’s something that endures….
Romance can be found in the grips of mortal terror
We love our love stories. We love reading about someone lonely who finds someone in a tale that usually includes the words “unbridled passion” and “setting fire to my loins.” I’ve written plenty of those tales. However, that’s old hat. Some authors are writing love stories in the midst of dire situations where very few…
Sometimes stepping from the shadows is the only way to be a hero
We all love heartwarming tales. Whether it’s a hero saving the day or someone doing something that’s kind, we want somebody to root for, to give us motivation to keep listening, watching or reading. Of course, we also know that behind every great person, there’s usually someone else working in the shadows, providing support and…
Would you want to be traded for another job?
Trading athletes tends to be big news, especially in states that have professional sports teams. Here in Wisconsin, the world of basketball was rocked when Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokoumpo, who had spent most of his career here, was traded to the Miami Heat recently. It had seemed like Antetokoumpo would be here forever—or at…
Trying to silence a voice only makes it louder
When my sweetheart, Todd, and I were searching for a church years ago, we had some spectacular misses when going to several Shawano churches. It took a couple of years before we found Christ Congregation United Church of Christ in neighboring Clintonville. We passed by the church, and one of the things Todd first noticed…
