Among my many sayings our boys have begun to catalog is this simple proverb: “The anticipation of a thing is often better than the thing itself.” I know, deep, right? I did not originate this proverb nor was I the first to discover the psychological condition from whence it emerges. But for many years, I … Continue reading Vacation anticipation
How does Dad really want to spend Father’s Day? Advertising and algorithms driving our social media feeds would have us believe dads want to spend the day fishing, camping, watching baseball or playing golf. I’m sure there are some dads who do want to do those things. My ideal Father’s Day looks more like this: … Continue reading An ideal Father’s Day
You can tell a lot about people by what you find lying around in their home. As was well documented in last week’s installment on lighting, (if you did not read that hilarious post, do yourself a favor and go back and do so now before proceeding. It’s OK, we’ll wait…) the gradual influx of … Continue reading Books, lip balm, reading glasses and toothpicks
If your algorithms are anything like mine, they have been serving you a steady diet of Mother’s Day gift guides, jokes and memes for the last few weeks. I am into it. I need all the help I can get to plan and execute a meaningful Mother’s Day for my mom and the mother of … Continue reading The best Mother’s Day gift
In a time before memory, decisions were made that caused the first weekend in May to fill to overflowing each year. It’s particularly acute this year as we try to squeeze in our 28th wedding anniversary, our middle child’s 20th birthday, moving said child back home for the summer from college and working commencement for … Continue reading Celebrating all the things all at once
Since our middle son, Harris, began matriculating at Mercer University in our old stomping grounds of Macon, Ga., Carla and I have made several pilgrimages back to the scene of our courtship, marriage and early days as a family. Last Saturday, we made such a trip in the spring sunshine, enjoying a leisurely drive from … Continue reading Taking backroads
Can there be such a thing as too many spring breaks? If this is a malady, I have it. If it is a blessing, I am looking for a way to appreciate it. This week is spring break for Gwinnett County schools, which typically falls the first full week of April. It is relevant to … Continue reading Too many spring breaks
If you’re a middle child, you know how precious a commodity attention can be. Frequently caught in that unenviable space between the accomplishments of the eldest and the parlor tricks of the youngest, the middle must somehow carve out for themselves a niche that affords them an identity and recognition. Carla and I have put … Continue reading A monumental trip
As the New South’s most beloved humorist, I am highly sought after as a member of group chats. My contributions are hilarious and always result in a “HaHa” symbol from the other members of the group. That’s how I know I am hilarious. Why else would someone respond with the “HaHa” symbol? Ok, so maybe … Continue reading Group texts are the new social media
As I write this week’s post, a 20-pound black and white purebred miniature parti poodle warms my lap. Archie seems to be right at home but has indicated I need more surface area to provide a stable napping surface. He recently came into our home, upending our routines, stretching our patience and growing our capacity … Continue reading The incredible journey of Archibald Wallace
New South Essays 