Every year when the holidays roll around I face an internal struggle between capturing the magic of the past and experiencing something fresh. No two Christmases have been exactly alike, but there has been enough of a thematic throughline that my boys have expectations that we do specific activities in a certain order: Thanksgiving, breakfast … Continue reading This year will be different
I am not spontaneous. That’s why it’s so remarkable that we were headed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday, October 11, bound for a Fall Break weekend trip to the Big Apple for a full slate of Broadway shows. Our youngest son, Carlton, turned 16 on October 10, and as we brainstormed the weekend … Continue reading The trip that almost wasn’t
Out of sight is not out of mind when you’re a parent. When your children are toddlers, you develop a sixth sense. You instinctively know that if you don’t see them and it’s quiet, trouble is afoot. I learned this summer that sense stays with you the rest of your life. It is especially acute … Continue reading Unaccompanied minors
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They say what happens in Nashvegas stays in Nashvegas. Well, I’m not sure that’s exactly how it goes, but either way, I’m about to spill most of the beans about a recent trip Carla and I took to the home of country music and rival to Atlanta for the title of capital of the South. … Continue reading 68 hours in Nashville
Children belong in the workplace. Or at least, my 23-year-old child with an appreciation for historic buildings is welcomed on the campus of Oglethorpe University where I spend my days (and often nights) telling stories and inspiring alumni and friends to engage in the university’s mission. Don’t be bringing your hyperactive four year-old to my … Continue reading Take your child to work day
I believe it was William Shakespeare who first said, “Get thee to a Buc-ee’s,” in his 1603 groundbreaking work, “Hamlet.” And folks traveling the South’s major highways have been flocking to the always open convenience-store-on- steroids ever since. Much has been written and broadcasted about the chain of gas stations since Arch “Beaver” Aplin III … Continue reading Buc-ee’s is the fillin’ station of the New South
Going on a Caribbean cruise at Christmas time is an exercise in cognitive dissonance. Don’t misunderstand me, it was a fun exercise, and I highly recommend it. It’s just weird. Unlike Luther and Nora Krank, we did not elect to skip Christmas in order to go on a cruise, but like the Kranks, we discovered … Continue reading Cruising at Christmas
Atlanta is arguably the capital of the South, but it is undeniably home to the world’s busiest airport. By virtue of its geography, the visionary decision to build an international airport here, and the less-than-visionary decision to intersect three major interstates in the heart of downtown, the well worn joke about Atlanta goes something like … Continue reading Air travel trouble
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami 18 years ago this week led to one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. On December 26, 2004, a 9.3 magnitude earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean creating a tsunami that killed 227,898 people in 14 countries. The epicenter was just off the coast of Banda … Continue reading A life-changing trip from a life-stealing catastrophe
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