While I’ve never thought of myself anything special. but I think one thing distinguishes me from most people. It is I’ve lived my whole life through radio. Of course that was a given when I was a kid, since when it came to electronic home entertainment, radio was the only game in town. In ...

“Santa’s Watching” was a dead-stop phrase thrown down year-round with the power to stop nefarious marshmallow-hoarding of Lucky Charms. The Naughty List was real, and I wanted toys. Compliance was a struggle for me; I was hardwired to push back and ask why. By December, though, it was ...

For like the zillionth time, I left my bags in the car when I shopped. I was out of town, making an unplanned stop at a big-box store that I normally avoid. Sometimes, though, there’s just no way around it. So, there I was, with a cart full of party necessities, sprinkled with a few ...

As an elementary teacher, my mother could string together colorful phrases using the names of fourth-grade art supplies, just to avoid a “swear word.” She had strict rules on what was allowed to be said and what was considered poor manners. I would write them all here, but the list is ...