I remember my first time like it was yesterday. My two older sisters set me up with my first try. They gave it to me, thinking I would spew it out of mouth. Were they ever wrong? A stream of Coke tickled and burned my throat, coming through my sinus and out my nose all over the back seat of my oldest sister’s butterscotch Chevy Chevelle. more

You know that little voice in your head that says you’ll do a certain thing when you have “more time”? Perhaps you should tell that voice to be careful what they wish for. more

I had to take a foreign language for my bachelor of arts degree. more

School is underway again throughout the Ozarks. Just as when I was a boy, hundreds of kids climb on yellow school buses every morning at country crossroads or the ends of their driveways and lanes. more

According to the National Institutes on Health, Earthing refers to direct skin contact with the surface of the Earth, such as with bare feet or hands, (or with various grounding systems). Subjective reports that walking barefoot on the Earth enhances health and provides feelings of well-being can be found in the literature and practices of diverse cultures around the world. more

I thought empty nesting would be more peaceful. But as soon as the kids moved to college last month, a war broke out on the home front. more

What lady doesn’t like having a manicure or a new set of nails? Nothing is like a little me time painting one’s hands to face the world. more

Forty years ago I might have been planning another trip to the West about now. more

As an art graduate, I’ve found immense joy in experimenting with various art forms. The pure pleasure of creating has been a constant source of inspiration and motivation for me over the years. more

Have you ever been grateful you’re not good at something? This year I decided it’s probably best that I’m terrible at selfies. Truly, absolutely awful. more

Studies show that some benefits of having a pet are companionship, exercise, emotional support and can even boost mental health. It also brings dog or cat hair and time schedules for feeding, exercise and vet bills. So having a pet is not to be taken lightly. I wrote this poem a couple years ago. I think it is worth having a pet. more

A mere 60 years ago I was a 16-year-old boy about to start my senior year of high school. more

In Disney’s Little Mermaid, Ariel has a Secret Grotto where she stores treasures from the human world that she finds on the ocean floor, including gadgets, gizmos, whosits, whatsits, and thingamabobs. Or was she a common thief? more

Dear Empty Nesting Professionals, more

When I was a boy almost all of my heroes were clean-shaven. more

There are many reasons a person might be deficient in B12. One may have a vitamin B12 deficiency due to being vegan, vegetarian or having an autoimmune disease, including type 1 diabetes, Crohn's disease, HIV. Some medicines such as gastric acid inhibitors, anti seizure medicines, and metformin can interfere with B12 absorption as well. Poor diet and chronic inflammation of the stomach lining is also a common cause. As we age stomach acid is reduced and can cause malabsorption. more

Since the world came through the pandemic, we have learned to avoid contaminants more effectively. I spent a few days in the hospital last week. I was amazed by all the protocols and habits the institution has adopted. more

It’s approaching bedtime as I jot down notes for this column, while watching a mystery on television and fighting to stay awake long enough to see it solved. more

I can remember a time when that might have been the case. Now it seems like I am busy from the time I get up until I drag myself to bed. The day goes by in a flash. Each night as I say my prayer and thank the Lord for his goodness and pray for protection over family and friends, I wonder where did the day go? more

I can remember a time when that might have been the case. Now it seems like I am busy from the time I get up until I drag myself to bed. The day goes by in a flash. Each night as I say my prayer and thank the Lord for his goodness and pray for protection over family and friends, I wonder where did the day go? more

Friends, I’m beyond words today. My 20-year-old middle kid just drove out of our driveway heading back to Michigan for his third year of college. And now I’m packing up the last of our youngest daughter’s things so we can move her into a dorm for her first year of college. I’m not good at goodbyes, so it’s a struggle to keep my head above these emotional waters. more

I’ve been doing some light reading this week. I’ve been reading the Mayo Clinic Heart Book, a textbook that teaches the basics of the workings of the human heart. This book has been particularly enlightening for me, given my family’s history of heart problems and my own health journey. more

There are less than 100 days until the election, which means the next three months will be filled with people yelling about politics on television, radio, and podcasts. There’ll be plenty of furious ALL CAPS typing on social media, too. more

I’ve no way to know as I write this who were the winners in the August primary elections. more

According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, more