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Author: James Snyder

Do Food Outlets Know What They’re Doing When They Open a Hagerstown Location?

Do Food Outlets Know What They’re Doing When They Open a Hagerstown Location?

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If you’ve read any of my posts, I think you know how I feel about dining in Hagerstown (here’s a link to a previous article to get you started).  It consistently amazes me that locals complain about “better dining” choices in and around the county seat, yet then fail to support them once they arrive. Still, eateries keep trying.  It’s as if the only research that’s been done at Corporate Headquarters is that someone in Marketing has grabbed a map,…

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Theater Etiquette: I Think You Know Where This is Going

Theater Etiquette: I Think You Know Where This is Going

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I recently had the privilege of attending the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (BISFA) spring production of “Seussical: The Musical” at the Maryland Theatre.  Let me say that if you’ve never attended one of their shows – you should (they also do a wonderful “Holiday Spectacular” at Christmas).  These kids are putting out top-quality entertainment and are all extremely talented.  Honestly, you’ll forget they are high school kids in less than five minutes.  Some of them are definitely bound…

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18th Century Market Fair at Fort Frederick: A Taste of Life on the Colonial Frontier

18th Century Market Fair at Fort Frederick: A Taste of Life on the Colonial Frontier

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The morning air is cool and crisp.  It is overcast, and a light fog hangs over the landscape.  Dozens of white canvas tents fill open fields nestled between the tall woodlands, announcing the presence of traders and craftsmen.  Small plumes of smoke lazily rise skyward, signaling that morning campfires have been lit – the smell of fresh coffee and frying bacon wafts pleasantly through the air.  A distant fiddle can be heard playing a cheery morning tune.  Your eye is…

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The World of Retail: There Are All Kinds of People

The World of Retail: There Are All Kinds of People

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So I’m about a month into my seasonal gig as a Customer Service Associate for a major home improvement chain (the blue one, not the orange one).  To put it bluntly, it has been an interesting few weeks.  Now, I have been around a lot of businesses in my time, and I’d like to think I know a thing or two about customer service (no matter what the product).  For many years, I worked for an entertainment giant that epitomizes…

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Paintball: A Sport on the Verge of Extinction Rises Again for a New Era

Paintball: A Sport on the Verge of Extinction Rises Again for a New Era

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It was an overcast and gloomy morning in the mountain woods.  Viewing silently from my elevated position, I could see the enemy moving along the bottom of the ridgeline.  Working slowly from behind trees and ground cover, they were attempting to flank members of my squad who were engaged with other combatants to my left and further downslope.  My team’s attention was focused on the short bursts of rounds being thrown at them from hidden positions to their front, so…

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The Summer Garden: My Big Lie

The Summer Garden: My Big Lie

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As the weather begins to turn warmer, I am again dreaming of a beautiful summer garden.  In my mind, there are several raised beds, neatly arranged with lettuces, spinach, spring onions, and radishes.  Trellises support the young, sweet peas, cucumbers, and beans.  Ordered hoops support the peppers and tomatoes.  There’s a small section of herbs, so I can dash out and snip fresh sprigs of thyme, basil, or chives.  All that glorious bounty will be at my fingertips, just waiting…

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A Front Porch Love Affair

A Front Porch Love Affair

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As the weather continues to warm up, I realize that I’ve been missing something over the winter that will soon be back in season – the front porch. Front porches are traditional, very “old school” Americana, and are one of things that I think makes a house a home.  If you don’t have one, you’re really missing out.  Sure, you can have a fantastic back patio with a pool, fire-pit, and even a canopy with lots of twinkling lights, but…

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Returning to the World of Work: A New Chapter

Returning to the World of Work: A New Chapter

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First off, my apologies for not keeping to my regular schedule of two posts a week over the past fortnight.  Truth be told, I have re-entered the workforce and have been trying to adjust to the new schedule. For those of you who may not have known, I spent over 23 years in the IT field.  Last June, my former employer (whose three letter company is also known as “Big Blue”) decided that my services were no longer required and…

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Daylight Savings Time: Why Are We Still Doing This?

Daylight Savings Time: Why Are We Still Doing This?

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I case you didn’t know it yet (and by now you do, seeing as you’ve been an hour late to all your appointments for the past 24 hours), this past Sunday morning marked the beginning of yet another season of Daylight Savings Time.  You now have until November 5th, 2017 to fool yourself into believing you have an “extra” hour of daylight every day from now until then. Daylight Savings Time (DST) is a practice that was suggested as early…

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HAGERSTOWN NOSTALGIA: LANDMARKS STILL WITH US

HAGERSTOWN NOSTALGIA: LANDMARKS STILL WITH US

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As I get older, I find I’m looking back with nostalgia at things I used to do when I was a kid.  Places I used to go, things I used to see and do – buildings and landmarks I remember from childhood.  If I had a time machine, I would love to travel back to the 40’s and 50’s – a time when it seems as if Hagerstown and the surrounding areas were in their heyday and “golden” years.   Sadly,…

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