Clik here to view.
Not a Nut
In January of 1942, Pennsylvania dental surgeon and amateur inventor Lytle S. Adams had a big idea to share with the United States government. Like many Americans, I’m sure, in the weeks following the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not for a Million Years: An Encouragement
On December 8, 1903, then director of the Smithsonian Institute Samuel Langley attempted to send a piloted heavier-than-air flying contraption into the sky. It failed, and prompted a New York Times...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Irrelevant to Mental Development
On December 21, 1913, a journalist by the name of Arthur Wynne started a fad and angered a lot of librarians. Wynne worked for the New York World where he served as editor of the “Fun” section of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Abbott of the Stanley Cup
It has come to my attention recently that there is a trend in the world of drinking vessels. It’s all the rage and has frankly gotten a little out of hand, this bizarre obsession that has captured the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
If Not for a Boatload of Pirates
It’s been a long, cold week or so in my corner of the world as temperatures plunged to the kind of face-freezing levels that cause businesses to delay opening, schools to cancel classes, and mamas of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
0p3N SE$@me!
Once upon a time in a Persian town, there were two brothers. One was a much better hacker than the other. The first brother stumbled on a password, carelessly scribbled on a sticky note and stuck to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Challenge Accepted
There’s a rumor running around out there on the Internet where, as everyone knows, all things are true, that William Shakespeare invented more than 1,700 words of the English language. If one...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Chocolate, Vinegar, and Ashes
And another hint! As we slide down the backside of February we draw ever closer to a new historical mystery. Ten more weeks until publication! Public Domain, via the Missouri History Museum. We’ve...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Back Soon
Some days are for blogging. Other days, like this one, are for editing and formatting. I’ll be back next week. But if I’m not, just read this post again.
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Nice New Pair of Gloves
It was in the 5th century when St. Brigid of Kildare brought a problem of inequality to the attention of St. Patrick, who may not have particularly cared. Brigid’s complaint was on behalf of all the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Malapropos of Nothing
I admit to being a little bit of a language snob. Of course I recognize that language evolves and a misspoken word today may be perfectly acceptable tomorrow, at least for some, but know that if you...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Yielding the Circumference Day
In honor of Pi Day, I have dusted off a post from the early days of the blog. Enjoy! Today is March 14 (3/14 in the US), which means that millions of nerds are spending the day happily celebrating...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Seven More Years of Wrinkles and Gray Hair
Today marks exactly four weeks until my fifth book launches into the world. It’s been nearly seven years since I published my first, a collection developed from the first five years of this blog. That...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hollow Inside
On December 5, 1942 the Easter Bunny went to war, That’s when the United States War Production Board issued Conservation Order M-145, banning the production of novelty chocolate, including those...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Shooting for the Moon with A Lot of Help
Even astronauts need a little help from 400,000 friends. NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons On July 16 of 1969, at 9:32 AM approximately one million people gathered on Florida beaches to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Avoiding Traffic
August 15, 1969 was a mild, warm day near the small town of Bethel, New York. It was the perfect day for a leisurely drive down State Highway 17B. By leisurely of course, I mean about an eight hour...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Meet Me at the Fair
On November 22, 1944 after schedule delays, numerous script rewrites, budget woes, and a leading lady still unhappy with her role, a new Christmas musical debuted on the big screen in St. Louis, the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Making a Big Splash
In 1882, owner of the Rock Island and Milan Steam and Horse Railway Company, Bailey Davenport took on a new business venture to drive more business. What he created was Watchtower Park, a leisure...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Literary Daydream and Introvert Nightmare
In 1936, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her nationally syndicated news column, My Day: “I wonder if anyone else glories in cold and snow without, an open fire within, and the luxury of a tray of food all...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Eggs, Months, Disciples, and Blog Years
Earlier this week I received a congratulatory notice from WordPress that I had been at this blogging thing for twelve years, which feels like a pretty significant milestone. As I reflected back on the...
View Article