Items of local interest to the four-state area (Western Md, Southern PA, Northern VA, and Eastern WV).
As many of you may know, in addition to the writing I do here on the blog, I also enjoy writing novels, short stories, and other freelance articles. Years ago I started writing a collection of scary short stories that I’m hoping to eventually publish in book form. My theme is water – all of the stories have water in them as sort of story element. The anthology (called “Dark Water Tales”) is still a work in progress, but since…
Halloween is barely a month away. A night where children get the chance to dress up as their favorite cartoon character or superhero and go door-to-door to experience a full-on sugar rush of candy and fully road test both their manners and their ability to interact with strangers. Hooray! It also seems like these days, it’s also an excuse for adults to relive their childhood memories and dress up themselves, attending Halloween-themed parties and events all throughout the fall season. …
Let me just start by saying I love fall. It is by far my favorite season of the year, and October is my favorite month (and not just because it happens to have my birthday as part of it). When I lived in Florida, I longed for autumn – those crisp and frosty mornings, the changing colors, and the promise of a change in the weather (and not just from 95 degrees to 87 degrees). There was nothing more depressing…
This past wet weekend has once again strengthened my love and admiration for what I would consider a lost pleasure in today’s busy society and world of hectic daily routines. The afternoon nap. Picture if you will a rainy day, with cool temperatures and a dreary sky. I’ve got a sweatshirt on, my socks are keeping my toes warm, and a light blanket is snugly wrapped around me as I settle into the recliner in my office (or better yet,…
By federal decree (and officially established in 1894), the first Monday in September shall be recognized as Labor Day, a day to honor the American Labor Movement and to recognize the contributions made by workers towards the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the United States.[1] Some people view Labor Day weekend as the “unofficial” end of summer (although officially, summer still has three weeks left in the season). School starts back up in Maryland on Tuesday, and the weekend will…
The new “Sunday School Edition” of the Oriental Trading Company’s fall catalog just arrived at my doorstep, and boy-oh-boy – it’s a doozy. Now don’t get me wrong. I completely understand the importance of keeping kids interested and motivated in a faith journey (no matter what faith you may practice), but the weird trinkets and thing-a-ma-bobs that this company puts out as toys and crafts make me scratch my onion with perplexity, confusion, and downright laughter. While nothing will ever…
If you’re a loyal reader of this blog, then perhaps you’ll remember a few months ago I spoke about Brooke’s House, a community resource and sober living facility for women being built right now off of the Downsville Pike on the east end of Hagerstown (click here for a link to the past article). The groundbreaking for this facility was just a few months ago, and progress on the building has been swift. I had the pleasure of volunteering some…
This Wednesday marks the 242nd birthday of our beloved United States. 242 years. That may seem like a long time, but in historical terms, our country is really just a baby. The Ancient Greeks lasted 350 years, the Roman Empire made it past 500 years, and the Egyptians flourished for over 550. Still, it’s a long time for this grand experiment in self-government. Our founding fathers were wise enough to build a framework that allowed for future change, and that…
If you’re familiar with my columns, then you know I live in Clear Spring, MD – a very small town in Western Maryland. How small, you ask? Well, as of 2016, we were at a whopping 350 residents (for those of you keeping score, that’s pretty small). As a matter of fact, we’re the smallest incorporated town in the county. It’s a quaint little village, with a main street, two stop lights, three schools (elementary, middle, and high) at the…
It’s been a soul crushing week at work. As many of you may know, I’m currently employed as an RTM (Return to Manufacturer) Clerk at one of those big-box home improvement stores (the blue one). My days are spent working with various vendors, trying to get credit for returned and/or damaged items from customers. Yes, that’s right – whenever you return those broken light bulbs, extra screws, or that can of paint you didn’t want (but conveniently used half of),…