Today Is ...

From husband Bill, Oct. 20, 2026

Although I am originally a northerner, I do like chicken and waffles.

From husband Bill, Oct. 20, 2026

As a journalist, I have definitely had a fun, interesting, and challenging series of gigs over the years (September 1982 to April 2017).

My positions include reporter, writer, rewriter, reviewer, proofreader, page designer, photographer, researcher, and many types of editors for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, statistical reports, white papers, news websites, and a wire service. I have also edited three books: a paperback on bankruptcy law; and two paperback biographies on Johnny Cash and on Whitney Houston.

I am (still) in the preliminary stages of compiling a book of 75 of the more than 300 self-penned poems that I have written since 1986 for self-publication as a soft-cover book. (Many of my poems have already been published in national anthologies.)

Also, I am (still) in the process of writing an autobiographical novel loosely based on my four years (1992 to 1996) as a reporter, writer, editor, and researcher for an international weekly magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry based in the Financial District of New York City (Manhattan). I am including and elaborating on various aspects of my entire life so far that did NOT happen during those years. I hope to have it self-published.

From husband Bill, Oct. 20, 2026

I don't think that I have ever eaten brandied fruit. However, I have eaten homemade rum fruitcake.

From husband Bill, Oct. 20, 2026

I am pro-life. On this day, participants, primarily students, voluntarily take a vow of silence to bring attention to the pro-life perspective.

From husband Bill, Oct. 20, 2026

I recently created and uploaded a video onto my YouTube channel, urging people to STOP going to WNBA games and instead attend the basketball games of high school girls and boys in an effort to boost their confidences in themselves. Here is the link:

Opinion: The WNBA (Sept. 1, 2026) 

https://youtube.com/shorts/1l3F_ghegOI?is=-X_O9-mzhaL3WEFg

From husband Bill, Oct. 20, 2026

Roasted Chicken & ...

From husband Bill, Oct. 19, 2026

This early evening, my wonderful wife made roasted chicken with onions, apples, and butternut squash. She added olive oil; maple syrup; butter; and herbs.

From husband Bill, Oct. 19, 2026

Bisque & Desktop

From husband Bill, Oct. 19, 2026

I particularly like lobster bisque.

From husband Bill, Oct. 19, 2026

Today Is ...

From husband Bill, Oct. 18, 2026

I don't particularly like cake, but I do like chocolate buttercream frosting.

From husband Bill, Oct. 18, 2026

You mean, like celebrating? No. I'm not doing anything special today. 🙂 ... Actually, what WOULD anyone do to celebrate?

From husband Bill, Oct. 18, 2026

Today Is ...

From husband Bill, Oct. 17, 2026

My favorite pasta is Bucatini. What is your favorite pasta?

From husband Bill, Oct. 17, 2026

"In golf, a mulligan happens when a player gets a second chance to perform a specific move or action. The day offers an opportunity for giving yourself a second chance or, as some people call it, a 'do-over.'" - daycalendar.com ... I never take mulligans.

Personal Trivia: During the summer of 1981 at age 20, I was a golf instructor at a golf school in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

From husband Bill, Oct. 17, 2026

This is an annual global observance for the straight edge hardcore punk subculture, championing a clean lifestyle: free from alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs. It was inaugurated on October 17, 1999, during the final Ten Yard Fight show at the Karma nightclub in Boston. The term traces back to the 1981 song "Straight Edge" by the hardcore band Minor Threat.

From husband Bill, Oct. 17, 2026

Today Is ...

From husband Bill, Oct. 16, 2026

My absolute favorite liqueur is Campari when it's mixed with orange juice (my alcoholic drink of choice), but I no longer drink due to medical issues. My other favorite liqueurs are Anisette, Amaretto, and Frangelico. Back in the 1980s, I occasionally liked a splash of Sambuca, sometimes Kahlúa, in my coffee. I liked Galliano during my Harvey Wallbanger phase; Triple Sec during my Kamikaze phase; and Baileys Irish Cream during my White Baron phase. I also like Austrian schnaps, especially Marille, Williams, Subirer, Obstler, and Kirsch, but that's a different category. One of my many Austrian cousin's wife's family owns and operates the famous Freihof Distillery in Lustenau, Austria, and yes, long ago, I was given a personal tour. I know far too much about this subject for someone who barely ever drank. Hey, I guess I really DID indulge somewhat in my younger days. However, at university, I was typically the designated driver. At the start of parties, I would take two shots of whiskey, drink one beer quickly, and then drink another beer slowly for the remainder of the party. That way, I would be basically sober by the end of the party, so I could drive some of my fraternity brothers home.

From husband Bill, Oct. 16, 2026

When I was a young kid in the early 1970s, one of my English teachers got angry with our entire class. As "punishment," he told us to open our dictionaries and start copying it into our notebooks. I asked him on which page to start. He said "Anywhere" and stormed out of the room. He returned about 10 minutes later, apologized to the class, and we were back to normal.

From husband Bill, Oct. 16, 2026

During my time as a journalist (1982-2017), after I moved to Florida in 1998, I was a hardware salesman at Sears; and a haberdasher (men's clothes and accessories) and a textiles salesman at Macy's. For about a couple of weeks at Macy's, I sold maternity clothes and kids' toys. (I was also a candy arranger/cashier at Eckerd Pharmacy, also after I moved to Florida.) I worked these jobs full time until I found a job in my chosen field. After I secured journalistic jobs, I switched to part-time at the stores, but I soon grew weary and had to quit my part-time jobs at the stores.

From husband Bill, Oct. 16, 2026

The only sport that I have been actively following is Major League Baseball. I was a huge fan of Formula 1 auto racing, but I stopped this season because the races had become boring and were no longer free to watch on television. The only sports that I played in my younger days are golf; snow skiing; rowing (9-man skull); and hockey, both ice and roller.

From husband Bill, Oct. 16, 2026

Being in a female-governed profession (Journalism), most of my bosses have been women. All of my female bosses were quite competent, except for one. I won't get into details, but she was going through a bitter divorce with her husband (our publisher), so she was now in charge of our publications. Let's just say that she didn't have much, if any, journalistic background and would come into the office, uh, "heavily medicated." I felt sorry for her, but we did the best we could during that tough transition. During the divorce, she was given the choice of taking the kids or the publications. She picked the publications, but she screwed it up so badly that the publisher took me aside and said, "I'm going to have to lay you off for six weeks, until I can fix things." I said, "OK." You know, in six weeks, he hired me back, (a man of his word), and she ended up with nothing: no kids, no publications. (very sad)

Oh, yeah !!! There was that other boss, who was quite strict, but more than competent. She actually wrote and published a hard-cover book on how to be a boss. (lol ... truth). I liked all of the other bosses, female and male.

PUNCTUATION RULE: When making a word ending in "ss" possessive, the method is based on the first letter of the next word. For example:

the boss's chair

the boss' salary

From husband Bill, Oct. 16, 2026

Throwback Thursday: Cruise

From husband Bill, Oct. 15, 2026

Throwback Thursday (fond professional memory): From March 8 to 31, 2017, I was "Web Content Editor / Proofreader / QA (Quality Assurance)" for a cruise ship called The World. I worked this short-term, freelance gig on weekdays in an office near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Along with another guy, I edited, proofread, and rewrote the ship's Intranet (internal website), as well as checked photos and hyperlinks, for the site's relaunch on April 1, 2017. This particular website is only available to the people on board the ship, so I was not able to see the fruits of my labor.

The vessel (capacity: 150-200 passengers, plus crew members) is described as "the largest, private, residential ship on the planet." There are 165 luxury "residences" (apartments) aboard the ship, with many of them used as timeshares. Residents spend their lives cruising around the world, stopping at various ports along the way.

While I was sad that my brief assignment was over, I left with fond memories of an interesting professional and personal experience. What I miss most are the shots of Cuban coffee made by a staff member in the office break room. She served it every morning from a tray filled with small plastic cups. It was a strong, sweet fuel that definitely propelled me through an enormous amount of work in such a short period of time.

(Due to disability, this was my last job.)

From husband Bill, Oct. 15, 2026

Today Is ...

From husband Bill, Oct. 15, 2026

This is definitely a day for me.

From husband Bill, Oct. 15, 2026

I like cheese curds, especially in poutine. Our nearby Culver's offers breaded cheese curds on their menu. (I first enjoyed cheese curds in Missouri in the mid- to late 1980s, when I was studying for my master's degree in journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.)

From husband Bill, Oct. 15, 2026

On October 15, 1951, the first episode of "I Love Lucy" aired on television in the United States.

From husband Bill, Oct. 15, 2026