Commentary
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Author visits library
Mike Mullin, author of the critically acclaimed Ashfall and Ashen Winter, met with the ZCHS Book Club on Nov. 13. Mike shared insights into his books, his writing process, the Yellowstone supervolcano and even demonstrated his Taekwondo skills.
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Christmas lights for eyes only; keep teeth away
I realize it is the day before Thanksgiving, but the time has come to discuss Christmas lights.
Friday is the day a lot of families put up their Christmas trees. I have always waited until the first weekend in December but do understand the desire to get the tree up while everyone is at home. At my house, the most important part of tree trimming is the lights. -
Green eggs and turkey for Thanksgiving?
While Sam-I-am would not eat green eggs and ham, (the rest of us should consider a green turkey for Thanksgiving. Not colored green, but with as much sustainability as we can find.
Thanksgiving begins a holiday season that persists through New Year’s. Consumerism has bypassed the original meanings of family, gratitude and giving. -
Boot camps: Not just for the military anymore
Group exercise is not like it used to be.
While the traditional aerobic classes are still around, the concept has morphed from ladies in spandex and leg warmers getting “physical” to coed groups tossing around Olympic weights, tugging ropes and swinging kettle-bells. (FYI, they still wear spandex, they just call it something more scientific).
Call these groups boot camps, or cross-fit, or some other clever spin on a masochistic word, just never call them easy because they will offer you all you can handle. So as you prepare for the winter and consider moving some of your exercise indoors, let’s learn a little about these workout groups and see if it’s a good fit for you. -
Build cooperation through getting close
When I talk with parents, one frustration tops the list — getting children to cooperate. Why is it so hard to get children to simply do what a parent asks?
Many parents throw up their hands in defeat assuming “that’s just the way kids are.” The truth — children have tremendous capacity to cooperate and participate well in family life. That cooperation can come even as parents make a few relatively easy changes in their own patterns. A first step — get close when giving instructions. -
Anyway you spell it, it's a tasty treat
When I was about 10 or 11, I came across a word scramble in one of my coloring books. The puzzle had a picnic theme, and the answer to the scramble tatpoo phics was potato chips. For some reason, that scramble stayed with me. Even today, at least 30 years after that puzzle, when I think of potato chips my mind always goes back to tatpoo phics. It is a little bit alarming how often I think about potato chips.
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Flirtin’ with disasters
Last week when all of the news was about hurricane Sandy, Youngest asked, as one would expect from a 7-year-old, if we ever get hurricanes in Indiana.
I assured her that we do not, yet the questions continued. It finally occurred to me, because I am about half brain dead, that she fears weather patterns just like I did when I was her age. -
Sports vs. exercise: Let's take an in-depth look
Youth sports have never been more prevalent than right now, and parents have done an excellent job providing their children with opportunities for physical activity. But, if the goal of youth sports is to instill an appreciation for exercise and physical fitness in our children, then I’ve observed two trends developing which concern me.
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A different mask
National bologna day passed last week with no media frenzy or fanfare, so don’t feel badly if you missed it. I didn’t partake in bologna eating festivities, but did do a little poking around the Internet to see what kind of bologna information I could find. Punchbowl.com states that “Americans eat 800 million pounds of bologna annually.” That is a lot of bologna, which is not to be confused with a lot of baloney (also known as lies)
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Laughing the night away
I have never seen a Church Basement Ladies show at Beef and Boards, but have heard good things. So naturally, when I decided to go see “Away in the Basement, a Church Basement Ladies Christmas,” I had high expectations.
And this show didn’t let them down. - More Commentary Headlines
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