I am a Stranger in a Strange Land
I sometimes feel “lost in space” (and time), a sentiment that seems to assault my being on a more frequent basis every year. Perhaps this is the inevitable consequence of growing old. Now that… Read More
Life & Politics Blog
A Beautiful Place to Live, if we Live up to our Potential
It sauntered over at a lackadaisical pace, its head down rooting around for something to eat. When it looked up, we were able to snap several great pictures. It was a black bear strolling… Read More
COVID can’t dampen the Human Spirit
We recently celebrated a significant, and joyous, occasion for our family. My daughter graduated from medical school and is off to start the next phase of her life’s great adventure. With the bestowing of… Read More
Rebuilding the American Dream requires more than conflict
Lieutenant Clark “never hesitates to offer well-reasoned, if sometimes unpopular views.” Those words adorned the comment block of my first Officer Efficiency Report. This column offers both; a “well-reasoned” argument but some in this… Read More
We all must find purpose in our lives
I don’t quite know what I am. I turn 65 next month and just registered for Medicare. Social Security looms on the horizon. I am putting it off and justify it with the notion… Read More
Faith without a Strategy is just Hope
Life seems in flux. There are so many forces acting on us these days: the Pandemic; stresses on the economy; and change of administration after a brutal bloody campaign. These produce points of conflict… Read More
How many “next times” do we have?
When I was young, the world seemed endless. Youth gives you a type of serenity knowing there was always “next time” (another Spring Break, another football game, or another Christmas to celebrate). When an… Read More
It will be a different Christmas this year
I have struggled to find my voice this week, emotions and feelings are mixed. Every time I start to write, I end up down the rabbit hole of COVID. Like some toxic vapor, it… Read More
Life in the time of COVID
“May you live in interesting times.” Today seems the epitome of this Chinese curse. Ours is the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world we live in is partially like the old days and… Read More
We need an alternative approach to regional economic development
Regardless of the name (Tri-Cities, Upper East Tennessee or Appalachian Highlands), we live or die as one region. However, we have been unable to formulate a coherent story that incorporates and mutually benefits the… Read More
