There’s nothing quite as exciting to a nerd like me as the annual Minnesota Newspaper Association Convention. Each year’s convention is an opportunity to take courses throughout the two days that are led by long-time pros in their field. This year, I was only able to stay for one full day, as I had so many things happening all at once, that I would need to miss day two.
A Royal Summary Before I start, I want to clarify that I have no interest in royals. I do not read about royals in the newspapers or books.
There are countless ways the United Way of Southwest Minnesota (UWSWMN) impacts our communities. The program that has made a difference in my family’s life is the Imagination Library program. My two children, Georgia (6) and Boden (3), have been enjoying the program since they were born. Georgia has graduated from the program; however, she still enjoys seeing Boden’s book come in the mail monthly.
Question: My truck was backed into yesterday and the mirror on the driver’s side broke off mirror. It is dangling by the wire now.
As a writing teacher, I encourage my students to take themselves on tiny adventures, but sometimes fail to heed my own advice. Fortunately, every time I try to de-thaw the fairy solstice village from the concrete outside the Makers on the Minnesota Gallery, it is a new experience: I went out on Saturday armed with a hair dryer determined to get it done, but forty-five minutes later, I’d succeeded only in temporarily flooding a tiny living room. The city, thankfully, is graciously allowing us to wait for a warm day (or someone else’s better idea?), and Ryan who snowblows the sidewalk sometimes has assured me that plowing around them isn’t terrible. Stay tuned for further updates, I guess.
I am not a winter enthusiast; to be precise, my favorite winter sport is going back inside where it is warm and comfortable. Having said that, as I traveled about last week, I was struck by the beauty of the hoarfrost trees. They are the same tree we see all year long but somehow covered in this beautiful flocking; they look magical. Seeing these beautiful trees made me think about New Year’s resolutions. We just finished the hustle and bustle of the holidays with the crazy weather that came with it this year. Just as we recover and dig out, the New Year stares us in the face begging us to make significant life-changing resolutions. So many of us take up the challenge and make a “resolution” of big changes in behavior or lifestyle, only to find in a few weeks or months that we haven’t kept them. Why do we put so much stress on ourselves? We should be more like those flocked trees. They are the same tree we see every day of the year… just better! So, this year I am skipping the New Year/ New Me and being the like the flocked trees, the same me, only better! bettermein2023. I will focus on self-care, kindness, decluttering my life, and being more involved with others and our community, even if in small ways. Like the hoarfrost covered trees, the larger the grove, the more magnificent the effect of the hoarfrost. The small branches, like the small things we can do, add to the beauty. Volunteering and giving back to our community are great ways to get involved and will create a ripple effect that helps many people. I encourage everyone to strive to be their best this coming year. At the United Way of Southwest Minnesota, we work with many community partners that can use volunteers to support their efforts. Let’s all take a little time and be open to helping them out. It could be a day, a week, help to deliver meals with Prairie Five Meals or Lutheran Social Service Meals on Wheels. Helping at United Community Partnerships Kitchen Table Food Shelves or Volunt
Lonny & Gerri West’s son Tyler West & family came & helped Gerri celebrate her birthday last Sunday. Jacob & Jennifer Hurst & family & Jim & Cherry Heisner & Philip Schwartz had Sunday dinner at the Boyd Cafe.
Prairie Five’s Senior Nutrition/Meals program has provided valuable services throughout our five-county service area for decades. The services include a delicious, well-balanced, affordable meal, of course, but also the opportunity to connect with friends, socialize, and stay upto- date on all the local happenings at our meal sites.
The year is 1911. Newark, New Jersey. Plucky’s Playhouse – a toy making factory. Clarence, 40, enters the factory. He sees Arthur, 30, waiting patiently in the center of the room, standing beside a table. Passing many different toys, dolls, and games in various stages of development, Clarence crosses to Arthur and shakes his hand.
If you’re reading this column, then you already know that I survived what I’m about to tell you about. In all of the years I’ve owned my downtown building, my “help” with most projects, repairs, etc, has been my oldest child. He helped move many an appliance up and down the apartment stairway, change light bulbs in the large fluorescent overheads in the store level, haul out left behind furniture from tenants, etc.