(May 19, 2013) Of the countless hours spent in my grandparent’s huge back yard (or the “back 40” as Pappaw called it) running, biking, and corn stalk fighting, I think I logged the most time in “Old Blue.” “Old Blue” was Pappaw’s 1954 Chevrolet pickup. He drove it into the 1990’s until a stroke prevented […]
When my dad was a kid, his family was desperately poor, so poor that my grandmother secretly changed his birth certificate so he could work a year early. He found a job as a delivery boy for a small drugstore and every morning (in the summer) that middle-schooler peddled his bike down gravel roads for […]
(GREENVILLE-March 20, 2013)A writer located in the Dallas area has penned a second novel based in part on his experiences in politics, but his new e-book, “The Warrant,” gives added meaning to the phrase “powers that be.” Trey Bahm, a lifelong North Texas resident, first got involved in politics in high school. Since then, his […]
(ROCKWALL ISD-February 2, 2013) Author and illustrator Vuthy Kuon visited Celia Hays Elementary on January 31. Pictured here, students Eden Rodriguez, Kyle Blackburn, Kennedy Banuelos and Lauren Piper enjoy their time in the library with the children’s author. Vuthy Kuon infuses art, humor, and storytelling to entertain and inspire his audiences. Submitted by Susan Sisto, […]
“Live Your Dreams” inspires readers to dream big and plan for it (January 8, 2013) Local author Bethany Williams has done it again: written an inspiring book to motivate readers to live their lives to the fullest by planning for it, getting out of their own way, and putting steps in place to achieve the […]
(December 3, 2012) One of my go-to comedies, a movie that never fails to make me laugh and always helps me have an attitude adjustment, is What About Bob? with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. The book, Baby Steps, figures prominently in the plot. Baby Steps outlines Dr. Leo Marvin’s (Dreyfuss) therapy to help his […]
(Wylie ISD – November 9, 2012) Congratulations to Burnett Junior High seventh grader Micah Clayton whose short story, “Seedless Grapes,” was selected for publication in the Third Short-Story Anthology, I Write: Short Stories by Kids for Kids. She is among 43 students selected by READ3Zero, a Texas based non-profit literacy foundation that coordinates the annual […]
Texas author H. J. Ralles recently spent a day at Dobbs Elementary. Ralles, writer of juvenile fiction novels, brought a wealth of creative techniques to the aspiring young writers at Dobbs. Pictured here with Mrs. Ralles are, from left, fourth graders Madelyn Pieratt, Emily Williams, Christopher Martinez, Andrew Sato, and Emma Parr. Submitted by Norma […]
October 17, 2012 – We all need to feel like we belong. And the most important place we need to feel like we belong is in our families. It is from our family relationships that we build relationships within our schools, our churches, our neighborhoods and our communities…and beyond. According to Rudolph Dreikurs and Alfred […]
“Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment,” read the sign in the gift shop. The sign reminded me of what I’ve learned about errors: since mistakes are at the forefront of learning, it is best if we can be friendly with error and welcome mistakes for the learning opportunities that they […]