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Author: James Snyder

Valentine’s Day Traditions – How Did We Get Here?

Valentine’s Day Traditions – How Did We Get Here?

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Yes, today is Valentine’s Day (don’t worry, Dollar General probably still has a card and some cheap flowers if you forgot), and while you and your sweetheart (if you have one) are reading cards, going out to dinner, or pounding chocolate squares filled with mysterious ingredients by the fist-full, you may be thinking – “where did all of these traditions come from”? Holiday Origins As with most holidays, the origins of the holiday are a mixed bag.  There were many…

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It’s Tax Season – But Why?

It’s Tax Season – But Why?

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Imagine you’re a pig farmer.  You raise your pigs in hopes of selling them at market for a profit.  You feed them, water them, make sure they have all their vet needs taken care of, and you weigh them once a week to see how they’re progressing. Your scales are electronic, and they also send the weights to your local auction house, so they also know how much your pigs weigh.  This auction house also offers incentives, such as bonuses…

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Regional Foods – An Adventure Awaits

Regional Foods – An Adventure Awaits

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One of the drawbacks of all this readily available connectivity, communication, and technology in our modern era is the loss of regional food and cuisine.  Go anywhere in America these days and if you’re in a decent sized-town or city, you’ll find a ‘Starbucks’, ‘Chick-fil-A’, or  ‘Olive Garden’ – all serving their dishes to exacting standards, so that your dining experience is the same no matter where you visit in the United States (or in some cases, the world). What…

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Household Clutter: What Am I Keeping All of This Stuff For Again?

Household Clutter: What Am I Keeping All of This Stuff For Again?

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Once all of the Christmas stuff starts coming down in January, it always seems like a good idea to start taking a good look at the house and “de-cluttering” it a bit. It’s an overwhelming task.  It’s best to start in one room and just start looking at everything in it.  I’ll start with that “junk drawer” in the kitchen?  Have you ever taken a good look in there?  Yeeessshhhh.  I doubt if I need that dentist appointment reminder card…

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Winter Snowfall: Two Sides of a Coin

Winter Snowfall: Two Sides of a Coin

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Well, if the forecaster’s predictions hold-up, we should be looking out the window at our first significant snowfall of 2022 here locally.  One of the reasons I like living here in Maryland is the seasonality of the weather.  You get a little bit of everything.  The pleasant spring months, hot summers, glorious falls, and of course, cold winters. Winter also means snow, and although we don’t get as much of it here in Maryland as we used to (for a…

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Raising Kids: Do Parents Ever Really Stop “Parenting”?

Raising Kids: Do Parents Ever Really Stop “Parenting”?

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Ahhhh,  the happy dreams of a young (or older) couple that decides to have children.  At first – as infants – they require round-the-clock care.  Mom and Dad look forward to the day when diapers and formula will no longer need to be purchased (it’s like getting a raise to one’s weekly paycheck each time one of these necessities is eliminated from the weekly grocery bill).  Someday, this wiggling, crying human will sleep through the night. What a day that…

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Get Those Steps In: The Benefits of Walking

Get Those Steps In: The Benefits of Walking

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New year, new you, right?  If you’re like me, you hopped on a scale over the weekend and were both shocked and offended.  I looked down and saw numbers that would qualify me for a “Caution: Heavy Object” sticker if someone decided to ship me anywhere. As January unfolds, its time for me to get back to basics, and no – that doesn’t mean I will be shelling out some ridiculous monthly fee to go to a gym and sweat…

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Hello, 2022! What Resolutions Are You Going To Attempt?

Hello, 2022! What Resolutions Are You Going To Attempt?

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Hard to believe, but another year-end is fast approaching.  2021 is almost in the history books, and 2022 will soon be upon us.  That means it’s time to make that annual list of resolutions that we’ll all attempt (and mostly fail) for the new year.  Between crowded gyms (that will be ghost towns by mid-March), a fridge full of fresh vegetables (that you’ll end up throwing away by January 15th), and a pile of books from the library (that will…

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Amazon Delivery: What’s Going On With You Right Now?

Amazon Delivery: What’s Going On With You Right Now?

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Dear Amazon: Let me be the first to say that although your billionaire CEO annoys me on a regular basis, I have to admit you provide a wonderful service.  With the addition of the multiple (and massive) shipping facilities you have recently built in my area, the turnaround time from order to delivery is surprisingly fast (sometimes within an astonishing twenty-four hours). I also have noticed a plethora of Amazon delivery trucks on the highways and byways of my daily…

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The Celebration of Trees: One of the Wonders of the Holiday Season

The Celebration of Trees: One of the Wonders of the Holiday Season

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I absolutely love this festive time of the year.  The decorations, the wrapping paper, the music, the lights – and the gloriously decorated Christmas trees.  If you want to experience a family-friendly way to see all of this and more, then you still have time to go and see the Celebration of Trees, being held at the historic Springfield Barn in Williamsport, MD. The event was started back in 2009, when organizers got the bright idea to try and recycle…

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