I’ve lived a pretty decent life. I get to put my writing and photography talents to work almost daily with my job at a newspaper, and I use them for other purposes, too, such as writing books and taking photos at random times. I might not be rich, but I’m doing what I enjoy. Of…

The U.S. Supreme Court decided that just under 50 years was enough time to give women the choice of what to do with their bodies, overturning the Roe v. Wade decision that permitted women to get abortions anywhere in the United States. The court’s decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case did…

I’ve never been much for censorship, in spite of the fact that I disagree with some of the more despicable statements out there. I’ve also been in favor of private businesses determining what looks best on their personal property. However, Facebook has finally crossed the line with its censorship with a measure that is not…

The story of a dog found tied to a fire hydrant and abandoned in Green Bay captivated the television news for days recently, with people expressing shock that such a thing happened. The dog was found with a note and a backpack filled with food, treats and toys. The dog, named Baby Girl, was left…

When marriage equality became the law of the land in 2015 in the United States, there was great jubilation. It meant that I could marry my sweetheart, Todd, if I wanted to, and now we’re within reach of the “I do” stage, as I wear an engagement ring on my hand. Unfortunately, while the Supreme…

In order to form a new country in the 1770s, a country free from the tyranny of the king of England, good people were willing to fight for their freedom and to keep that country. When this country was threatened on Dec. 7, 1941, by the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor, we fought back and joined…

The American Red Cross has declared that we are in a blood crisis right now, with more blood going out to helping patients who need it than there is coming in to replenish the supply. While there has always been a need for blood donors, drives to get donations have been hampered over the last…

(Note to readers: I recently found out that the teddy bears I’d hoped to buy were no longer for sale, so I wrote a letter in the hopes of salvaging my dreams of a “fuzzy” wedding, and it honestly states my point of view better than any separate blog post can, so I’m sharing it…

Many of us have a candy or sweet that we enjoy, something that’s considered a treat for achieving something, surviving something or something to munch on to pass the time. I’m particularly fond of M&Ms, clinging onto the slogan that the milk chocolate will melt in your mouth and not in your hand. The little…

Books have always been amazing gateways to new worlds, valuable resources for information and wonderful ways to pass the time without commercial interruptions. They can also, when necessary, serve as a valuable tool to smack ignorant people upside the head, and believe me when I say that they provide a satisfying thump. To further that…

On New Year’s Eve, we lost a television icon as Betty White passed from this world, less than three weeks before she would have celebrated her 100th birthday. People magazine had published a cover photo of White beforehand and proudly proclaimed that the celebration was going to be amazing. Upon hearing of her passing, tons…