We at New South Essays have made it our mission to keep you informed of events that both reflect and impact contemporary Southern culture. Such a moment occurred last night (July 24, 2026) when Nashville stand-up comedian Brian Bates dropped his long-awaited, highly-anticipated 30-minute special “Worried” on the Nateland YouTube channel. (Oh, and did I … Continue reading Don’t ‘worry,’ Brian Bates’ new comedy special delivers
Sports happen all year round in different seasons, much like nature itself. When I was coming of age there were three distinct seasons that overlapped the traditional four equinox-related time periods. (I went into great detail to explain all the equinoxes in a previous post.) Those three seasons were Football, Basketball and Baseball. Barron's pure … Continue reading Who is your team?
As the closing credits of “Oppenheimer” rolled after Harris and I took in a rare Tuesday night movie back in July, I casually mentioned that I thought Benny Safdie did an interesting job portraying Edward Teller. Oh, and that I met Edward Teller in 1988 during my freshman year in college. The incidental revelation stopped … Continue reading That time I met Edward Teller
My life is full and has surpassed my highest expectations in profound ways. Carla is a beautiful person who chooses to share life with me through mundane, jubilant, and challenging times. Barron is a creative, goal-oriented and industrious son who shows gratitude and kindness. Harris is bright, engaging and is committing himself to a life … Continue reading Even better than expected – part 1
Judging by what I see from my friends on social media, we are in the season of sending our kids off to college. This year marks the fourth August we have experienced this, and next year we'll go through the exercise with two kids. But whether this is the first time or a repeat experience, … Continue reading Freshman memories still fresh
The joke about campus tours is that they’re all the same. This short video from College Humor captures it nicely. After taking two such tours this week with my middle son, Harris, I’ve concluded that, yes, touring campuses starts to feel like deja vu after a while, but if you’re paying attention, there’s a lot … Continue reading College visits produce anxiety, nostalgia
We've reached the season of commencement ceremonies, high school graduations, end-of-year awards banquets and last-day-of-school parties. As another exhausting academic year comes to a close, remember to thank your teachers. I graduated from Troy University 30 years ago next month. Here's a heartfelt note of appreciation to my primary journalism professor: We arrived at Troy … Continue reading Thank a teacher
I attended what was then known as Troy State University from 1988 to 1992 on a full academic scholarship. The financial aid package, named for former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace (no relation), covered tuition, fees, room, and board. The “board” part of my scholarship entitled me to 20 meals per week in Stewart Dining … Continue reading Winner, winner hamburger dinner
This June marked the 20th anniversary of my graduation from Troy University, and after spending this week with 140 college students at a conference in Alabama, I can’t help but reflect on how students are different in the New South. As a small group leader who did double duty as an interviewer and reporter covering … Continue reading When all the world was young
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