Words mean things

I used to work for a South Carolinian who issued colorful quips and witticisms the way most people speak casual greetings. One of Ben’s favorites was “Words mean things.” This week the Internet has been abuzz with the controversy surrounding the words used by Southern cooking diva Paula Deen. The brouhaha over Paula’s admission in a deposition that … Continue reading Words mean things →

Flip flops and running shoes

What you pack for vacation says a lot about you. Vacation is that time of year when you are released from the bonds of work long enough for your true personality to emerge. Maybe it’s the only time all year you have real choices about how to spend your time. Maybe it’s when you discover there … Continue reading Flip flops and running shoes →

A Father’s Wish

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to spend four uninterrupted hours in the car with my oldest son. There were certain topics I had decided ahead of time that I wanted to discuss with him to take advantage of this gift of time alone.We had no trouble talking about how he spent his week with … Continue reading A Father’s Wish →

Wedding faux pas?

Weddings in the New South bring up all sorts of issues never before encountered in the history of weddings. Last weekend, Carla and I took our oldest son, Barron, to his first wedding -- the marriage of his youth minister, Matt Hester, and our friend Courtney Phillips. It was a beautiful and somewhat unorthodox ceremony and reception that … Continue reading Wedding faux pas? →

Summertime blues

My innocent Facebook post on Tuesday sparked enough comments to let me know I struck a nerve. Here’s what I posted the morning after Memorial Day: “Remembering that as I return to work today, Carla is at work 24/7. Summer vacation for children means summer overtime for parents who stay at home full- or part-time.” … Continue reading Summertime blues →