I've read books. I've written books. I love books, but I haven't always. I grew up in a family of readers, in a house where if you trip, often enough, it was a paperback underfoot. My ma read many subjects while mainly focusing on crime. If there’s any piece of literature that has a ...
The track team in high school practiced daily on an oval cinder track. As usual, the runners paced themselves and the same ones would place first, second and third each time with the same stragglers lagging. At one of the meets, the competing team was highly favored to win. As the starting ...
It's gonna be here real soon! Real Soon! Sheda's annual "Pet Peeve'' column. Once a year, I get all those nerve-racking little disturbances off my chest, and the older I get, the more pet peeves I seem to have. It just bothers me that the world just can't get along with me better. I'm ...
Some ads live on in infamy. On Feb. 21, 1931, the famous Alka-Seltzer advertisement emerged to miraculously claim relieve from no less than aching heads, feverish aches, a cold, upset gut, stomach jumps, discomforts, muscular aches, acid indigestion and heartburn! Simply a mixture of ...
I amazingly received many calls, emails and even a few texts about my comments on our Iowa Hawkeye Basketball Coach, Fran McCaffery. I mentioned that (to me), he is an embarrassment to the University of Iowa and should be fired from coaching the Hawkeyes. But, hey, that's just my opinion. ...
Turning the world upside down - one two-ply at a time There are some things in life that you just take for granted - no question asked. The beauty of a sunset. Syrup on pancakes. Turkey on Thanksgiving. Taco Tuesday. The yummy factor of pizza leftovers. Tighty righty, lefty loosey. The ...
First is the best! I remember the first time I learned to tie my shoes. After my dad showed me how I kept untying them and retying those (what my grandmother called) “clodhoppers.” Or there’s the first time I saw a movie in a theater (The Ten Commandments). I had no idea Moses was so ...
Do you remember the movie, "Good Will Hunting?" Towards the end of the movie, the psychiatrist, played by Robin Williams, repeats to his patient, Matt Damon, "It's not your fault; it's not your fault; it's not your fault." Notice to all referees and umpires from Little League, Junior High, ...
In the last two years I’ve had step out of my comfort zone. Then again, I’ve stepped right into it. There’s both, and it’s all mostly good. In stepping out, I’ve sold and bought houses and cars. I’ve negotiated with air conditioner technicians and auto mechanics. I’ve tackled ...
Someone once said, “Farming is an addiction!” I believe they’re right. There’s nothing like watching something you planted sprout or feeding an animal and watching it grow! Growing up on a farm early in life, I had chores to do every day. As soon as I got off the school bus, I had ...