About a month ago, my wife got one of those cards in the mail that informed her that it was her turn to be part of a group of people called a ‘jury pool.’ She hadn’t been picked as a juror, mind you. She was just expected to serve if she was needed. Every evening…
I don’t think I’ve ever done something truly amazing in my life. My momma told me once when I was about ten years old that she thought I was an amazing cook because I made her a can of chicken soup when she wasn’t feeling well. But I don’t think she really meant it. It…
Last evening, as I sat in our blue chair over by the window, I became more aware of something I’m not sure I’ve thought much about, before. I became aware of my own ‘awareness.’ I will tell you what I mean. For more than 54 years, now, I’ve lived in the same house with my…
Two things happened to me this week that have had a gnawing impact on my life. I will tell you what they were. At our house, I’m sort of the ‘undeclared’ and unofficially nominated pray-er at meal time. Whether in some diner, restaurant, or sitting around our table at home, like many families, I know,…
When I was in grade school, first learning how to write a story, my teacher always said great writing always addressed five important questions: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. We live in a time when asking questions and getting some kind of instant answer couldn’t possibly be much easier. Ask Alexa or Google what…
Last night, I took my wife out for pizza at one of those places where you stand on one side of a glass case, and a line of servers stands on the other side, in front of various toppings you can choose from — stuff you might like on your pizza. When it was our…
Every morning, just before I walk out the door to begin my day, I grab my stuff off the top of my dresser. And every evening, as part of my close-down-the-day ritual, I empty my pockets and place my ‘stuff’ onto the top of that dresser. My wallet, my two sets of keys — one…
I’m a nut about words. I love words, especially beautifully crafted words. Webster’s Dictionary has a very short definition of a ‘wordsmith.’ A skilled user of words. I’m not convinced I’m a wordsmith, but I do love to read writers who exhibit extraordinary skill in how they craft their words. Meanings of words, definitions of…
I don’t know how many times it’s happened to me. Certainly, it’s more frequent than it used to be. The frustration of trying to ‘recall’ something I have known in the past, but now I just can’t quite remember. Sometimes, it’s the name of a place. “Honey,” I will ask my wife, “What’s the name…
I’ve mentioned before, here on Classic State of Mind, that music has been an integral part of my journey for my entire life. My parents loved to sing gospel music when I was growing up, and when we took family trips in the car, singing church songs helped make the monotonous miles of travel more…