Observations on people and life and the lessons we learn along the journey...
Comedian Karen Mills knows a thing or two about challenges. But her grit has served her well. At 5-2″, she played basketball at UT-Chattanooga, leading the nation in assists (“the tall people need somebody to pass the ball to ’em”) and becoming the first UTC Athlete (male or female, in any sport) to receive the …
I met George Cassidy at a James Bond costume party in 2008. Our mutual friend Jennifer Puryear of the wonderful blog Bacon on the Bookshelf (you should follow it if you’re not already) introduced us and suggested we try co-writing together (thanks, Jennifer!). George and I did start songwriting together, and over the years I …
Don’t underestimate Kelly King. She may fool you with her easy-going demeanor, her sunny nature, her down-to-earth attitude. But she’s sneaky- smart, and she’s used her brains along with her go-getter spunk to rise up the ranks of Nashville’s music industry, heading up her own successful publishing company, King Pen Music. King Pen’s roster includes …
Growing up, we loved our pets: a sweet long-haired Chihuahua named Samantha and a temperamental white cat named Guinevere (her brother, Lancelot, had found another home) whom we nicknamed “kitty.” We had our share of hiccups as pet-owners. Kitty was a hunter and one day ran into the house with a pet parakeet stuffed in …
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a common phrase these days, but the phenomenon has been around way before Instagram pictures could incite envy in those left out. Even being separated into a group can lead to FOMO. Comedian John Mulaney has a great joke about his elementary school dividing the kids into two different …
There’s a magical place in northern Tanzania straight out of a National Geographic special. Here, the waters of Mt. Kilimanjaro flow through a hidden village. People can well this water and have it in their homes. Every plant and flower is medicinal. There are 35 different kinds of bananas. The villagers make your Arabica coffee from scratch, …
I’m late to the party, but I just watched The Notebook. I’m not sure how this Nicholas Sparks classic evaded me. (Spoiler alert: you can skip this paragraph if you don’t want me to ruin the plot of the movie for you). I love a good tearjerker. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling are electric as young …
You are at a charity gala with your husband. You are in a ballgown and he’s wearing tails. It’s the end of a lovely spring evening, and the two of you decide it’s time to head home. You wait for the car at the valet stand when some other couples (who are unmarried friends and acquaintances of yours) …
I walked up the steps of the brownish-brick ranch house and rang the doorbell. A mom with a short haircut answered. “I’m here to see…” I hesitated, realizing I didn’t know Miss Kentucky’s name. “I’m here to see your daughter.” She got a bemused expression on her face as she looked me up and down. The baggies …
O.C. tip-toed as quietly as he could through the muggy Alabama night. Or at least as quietly as one can while carrying a ladder. He was at the home of his beloved: sweet, shy, bright-eyed Willie. His mission was to steal her away and make her his wife. Wille’s stepfather was an overbearing man who made many …