They say John Wilkes Booth killed Abraham Lincoln, but I don’t think so. I think it was my father, the old one, who is actually to blame. I think after 70 years of pinching pennies, the old one’s vice-like grip on the president’s face has retroactively smothered Lincoln. So, It was my ...

Life is busy. So busy, in fact, that I am now the proud owner of a planner! An excellent tool for a student, athlete, journalist, future teacher, college student to use. I’ve unquestionably mastered the art of scheduling, so here’s a few “tips and tricks” that I think the world deserves ...

Over the years, I've enjoyed reading about different people and listening to various philosophies about life. The clever wit of Will Rogers has always captivated me and one of my favorites of all time, Yogi Berra, often had a most perfect way of putting things into their proper perspective. ...

In the words of Darth Vader, “If you only knew the power of the dark side.” In the last week, I’ve felt a bit of my own dark side, believe it or not. Through some practical jokes, witty humor, and a bit of deceit, I’ve stayed entertained in my college social circle. Take Grace, for ...

When my sister was learning to drive, my dad would have her drive out of town. She was behind the wheel every time we went somewhere because she was learning how to drive. When I started learning how to drive, my sister was still the one behind the wheel. I’ve thought of this a lot recently, ...

Happy Labor Day and start of the school year! I cannot believe August is over already. The summer months seem to go by so fast, but the cooler air is refreshing and finally a slow down on lawn mowing. One of the main topics discussed by the Board of Supervisors in August was the Salt Creek ...

I’m writing this from cross country camp—our annual tradition of running too many miles, eating too much pasta, and pretending sleeping in bunk beds is somehow good for “team bonding.” Two years ago, I was here in the exact same camp in who knows where Illinois, but I was a very ...

Finally, we're the "top of the class." Eighth graders at St Joseph's School in Chelsea, Iowa. Top dogs! No more being second-class runts! We're the Cats! Numero Uno! Our 8th grade class of 1963/64 included Lindi, Becky, Jeanne, Connie, Susie, Marlene, Kathy, Tom, Tom, the twins, Jim ...

I believe memory is sometimes a collective thing. Occasionally, a person will have a memory which will cause another to remember something else which will then in turn cause another to remember something entirely different. However, if all this sparks from your Ma remembering something from ...

There’s nothing quite like the Iowa State Fair to remind you what “Iowan culture” really means. Naturally, I went with my friend Tommy to do some deep anthropological research, because what better way to study culture than by watching a group of women holler “Haaaarrrr-old!” at the ...