Tone of voice is to words what a visual impression is to sight. It’s an underestimated aspect of communication. Whether written or spoken, tone of voice reveals itself. A message can take on a very different meaning depending on the tone of the delivery. Emotions are conveyed, and moods are influenced by how something is…
On Thursday, as you sit around the dinner table and dish up more food than your appetite calls for, think about applying that mentality another way. Go heavy on the gravy for the day and heavier on the gratitude every day. Thanksgiving is a sentimental holiday that reinforces the idea of gratitude, but gratitude is…
This week, I’m going to share the words of others in a short Pink Elephants playlist: Pink Elephants Playlist Everyone can benefit from the words of some very talented musicians. Please know that the songs selected do not reflect the political views or opinions of the musicians themselves. I have no idea how they cast their…
The Junior-Senior T.P. Wars are a part of the Homecoming traditions at my daughter’s high school. Every evening during homecoming week, the 11th and 12th graders hit many of the opposing classmate’s houses. Hundreds of toilet paper rolls are tossed into trees, wrapped around plants and furniture, torn into tiny bits, and strewn across the…
Tomorrow marks a day in American history that no American will ever forget. Most people cannot recall what they ate for breakfast, but on 9/11, no one can erase the details of that day. Where you were, what you were doing, even what you wore is probably on total recall. For some, there is no…
Friends are the people you choose to surround yourself with. They are individuals that grab and hold your attention and make you curious to know more about them. Acquaintanceship is often the starting point of a friendship. Some friendships last for the time needed, and others become lifelong. The longer a friendship lasts, the more…
Being in 4-H, my daughters compete in the county fair. No county fair experience is complete without a visit to the rodeo. At a time when religious opinions are openly expressed, the political climate is tense, and kindness can be hard to come by, I was pleasantly surprised by the rodeo’s approach. Before the events…
How is it that the older one gets, the faster time passes? When you’re a kid, time moves at a snail’s pace. Waiting for summer or your next birthday seems to take forever. The words, “How much longer?” escape the lips of every child. “Faster! Faster! Hurry up!” is the mantra of youth. Before you…
Much of my happiness comes from the outdoors, either being outside or bringing parts of it inside. Nature fascinates me to the point of referring to myself as a “Nature Nerd.” It’s impossible for me to walk a beach or hike a mountain without collecting seashells or rocks. I am easily awed by the intricate and colorful patterns of a…
Monumental events leave a lasting impression. Some years roll over into one another with no distinct variation. You go through the motions without noteworthy happenings. Other years go down in the books for being extraordinarily eventful. The past twelve months have been of the eventful kind for my family. There have been plenty of blessings…