In February 2008, not long after my oldest son, Barron, turned 7, the two of us went with our Cub Scout pack to Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, Tennessee. The excursion included a walking tour, an adventure tour, spending the night in the cave, and eating breakfast underground the next morning. It was Barron’s first overnight … Continue reading My spelunking adventure
Tag: Cub Scouts
‘Yes’ and ‘No’
The argument usually starts with this admonition from my wife: “You need to learn to say ‘No.’” The problem is that by the time this conversation happens, it’s too late. I’ve already committed myself to a number of conflicting responsibilities. At the moment I say “Yes” to anything, I’m starting down a path that will … Continue reading ‘Yes’ and ‘No’
A new page
Did you miss me? For the first time since I started New South Essays in March 2011 I have hit a wall. Failing to post an essay three out of the last four weeks, I've succumbed to inertia, and it threatens my blogging endeavor. In addition to my absence from the blogosphere, I also have to admit that the quality … Continue reading A new page
Absolute power
Every January since 2008, I have been participating in the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, a diabolical scheme in which a young boy and his dad are supposed to transform a 1.25-by-1.75-by- 7-inch block of wood into a 5-ounce vehicle capable of speeds up to 140 miles per hour. If you are an engineer or a … Continue reading Absolute power
A month’s worth of thankfulness in one serving
November brings with it a number of seasonal peculiarities: falling leaves, premature Christmas decorations, cooler temperatures and now, in the New South, daily thanksgiving posts on Facebook. I’m not sure when the trend started, but taking the month of November to post “What I am thankful for today” status updates has caught on. Yes, there … Continue reading A month’s worth of thankfulness in one serving
Sick day
Raise your hand if you ever envied your sick child’s excused day of lying on the sofa watching cartoons and napping. OK, so I’m the only one? No? You say you have felt that way, too? You have been burning the candle at both ends until there’s no wick left and you still haven’t found … Continue reading Sick day
Playing catch up
I’ve spent the better part of the last week in Fort Worth, Texas, working long hours, enduring incredible heat and spending time with my youngest brother and his family. The 8-day odyssey to the place of my birth felt more like two trips in one. The first four days I was engaged in the annual … Continue reading Playing catch up
Just a swingin’
Childhood obesity. Video games. Television. Air quality. Bugs. Weather. There are lots of circumstances that conspire against children playing outdoors these days, so much so that getting kids outside is one of the biggest challenges of parenting in the New South. Long gone are the days when barefoot children hit the screen door after breakfast and … Continue reading Just a swingin’
Connecting with the past
When we hit the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from Charleston into Mount Pleasant the boys stopped watching Harry Potter on our minivan’s built-in DVD player. From the span over the Cooper River we could see the U.S.S. Yorktown, parked at Patriots Point. It would be our home for a night, and it was lit impressively, … Continue reading Connecting with the past
The Power of Pine
For the last five years, I’ve spent one Saturday in January at a unique sporting event that induces anxiety, quickens the pulse and triggers a few tears. Of course I’m talking about the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. This anachronistic competition is a throw-back to the days when kids made their own toys out of what … Continue reading The Power of Pine
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