After going through Cub Scouts all the way from Bobcat to Webelos with my oldest son, Barron, I’m now re-entering the cycle with Harris, my middle son. Only this time, I’ve put myself on the sacrificial altar of den leadership. Planning and executing meetings and outings with my co-leader, Kathy, isn’t the hard part. The … Continue reading What’s your name?
Tag: the South
Running on fumes
Glowing like a nightlight in my reflective vest, I barreled down the hill as a Parkview school bus chugged past. On the last leg of a four-mile pre-dawn run, my lungs filled with the noxious fumes the bus belched as it crawled up toward the intersection. In my 18 years as a runner, this scene … Continue reading Running on fumes
An Afternoon with Clyde
“You’re dressed up,” Carla said from her chair in the playroom. She’s mocking me, but I don’t care. “If I get to meet the man, I don’t want to look like a hobo.” At a time when good, churchgoing people are sleeping off Sunday lunch, I head to the Decatur Book Festival to hear and … Continue reading An Afternoon with Clyde
I Gotta Go … listen to Robert Earl Keen
I’m a writer, not a musician. That’s the best way to explain my fascination with country music – specifically, alternative country and the work of singer-songwriters. I’m not much of a fan of that over-produced, impure sound coming out of Nashville the last 10-20 years. A few years ago, my native-Texan friend, Bob, introduced me … Continue reading I Gotta Go … listen to Robert Earl Keen
Making your mark
Before I met my wife, I don’t think I could spell “monogram.” Now, it is an oft-repeated word and an even more oft-repeated embellishment in my home. Pillow cases, hand towels, diaper bags, back packs, purses, framed prints – you name it and most likely there are interlocking initials on it somewhere. I may be … Continue reading Making your mark
Helpers
By now you’ve heard about Kathryn Stockett’s novel and recently released film “The Help.” The story looks at the lives of African American maids and the white women they serve in Jackson, Miss., in 1960. Stockett has obviously hit a nerve. Her book is currently number one on the New York Times’ combined print and … Continue reading Helpers
Football dreams
Every August I have the same dream/nightmare. It varies a little, but the essence remains the same each year. In the dream, I’m back in high school participating in two-a-day football practices again as a member of the Lake Wales Fighting Highlanders. Similar to the college nightmares people report having about not showing up for … Continue reading Football dreams
Peeled or fuzzy?
There are some activities in my home that would appear odd to an outsider. Take my 2-year-old, for instance. It is not uncommon for him to walk past, pushing a chair or other piece of furniture. This indicates he is on a mission to scale some book case or reach the top shelf in order … Continue reading Peeled or fuzzy?
Some beach, somewhere
Southerners don’t just go to the beach anymore. They go to a particular beach. These beaches aren’t just the popular ones: Panama City Beach, Daytona Beach, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, Hilton Head. In the New South, it is fashionable to go to a boutique beach with its own charming small-town feel. There are still thousands of people … Continue reading Some beach, somewhere
Patriotism … with lasers!
We moved to the Atlanta suburbs in March of 2003. When July 4th rolled around that first year, we naively thought we would just take the short, 10-minute drive to Stone Mountain to catch the fireworks. As it turned out, 20,000 other Atlantans had the same idea. The place was packed. We didn’t even get … Continue reading Patriotism … with lasers!
New South Essays 