Western communities, many from their earliest beginnings, celebrated our nation’s Independence Day in their own way, with picnics, music, foot races, buckin’ horses and horse races and food. The annual celebration has always been about flying the flag proudly when they exhibited it both indoor and outdoors. The main modes[Read More…]
Tag: Loose Ends
LOOSE ENDS: Making a difference
The Meeker’s July 4th celebration is almost upon us, so it might appear to be a tad bit late to step up and volunteer to help at one or two community events that are part of this fast approaching holiday. It is never too late. Helpers are always needed, even[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Summertime, and the livin’ is easy
The song “Summertime” by Gershwin in the musical Porgy and Bess (1935) remains one of the most favorite songs written for a musical for the past 100 years.”Summertime and the living is easy” is the line repeated in popular culture to apply to the feelings experienced when the trials of[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Making space for each other
The only time one hears about “space makers” is when it refers to countertop appliances, small efficient pieces of furniture, or closet dividers. Glancing at an online article about building better relationships, it was easy to spot the new meaning of the two words. It referred to people rather than[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Is the era of cooperation gone?
I was with a friend recently and we ran into a small group of friends. Casual, light conversation was the name of the game until it wasn’t. The tension kept building before someone inadvertently inserted a remark that was on the edge of politics and religion. Discussing those subjects reasonably have[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Facing future pandemics
The re-emergence of various bouts of post-pandemic viruses has gotten people questioning what we will be facing in the future. Are we stuck with a few different strains of the original Covid-19 virus? What does it mean for our children’s and grandchildren’s health in the future? Some among us are[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: FOMO, FOMI and FOUTWN
I could place the face, but not the name. It’s a condition of aging, according to experts studying gerontology. There is a condition that also affects my fellow retired teachers’ abilities to recognize the faces of former students. It could be called FOUTWN – Fear of Using the Wrong Name in[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Topsy-turvy spring weather comes as no surprise
This early winter-spring weather we are all experiencing this month and most likely next month, produces a lot of anxiety for some residents. It is surprising that two segments of our year-round community members, who have spent the majority of their lives here are, the seniors in high school and[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Show up, don’t gossip
Gossip is definitely a big problem in any small town, but hearing about a sudden change in someone else’s life from a close friend or family about another friend doesn’t feel like gossip. After all, the questions about what actually happened are to be expected. Unfortunately, the vicious rumors based[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: When dogs talk
That is all we need-increasing the family dog’s communication skills, so that his/her point of view will be fully considered in making family decisions. The advent of AI and the increase of its use in technology over the past few years has affected so many aspects of our daily lives.[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: A free-for-all
So many of my conversations lately have involved the word freedom and how all of us come to different understandings of the word. Our individual right to “live free” is debated daily on the news. No matter if you get news from social media, television, or radio, it is someone[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: The weather used to be a safe subject for small talk
There was a time that talking about the weather was sure to break the conversational ice at a get-together. Now it might be wise to avoid this subject, as well as the usual uncomfortable topics, such as politics and religion. Just try it and see. Someone you may have counted[Read More…]