You’ve heard some version of the saying before: “If you bought it, a trucker brought it.” Indeed, babies are just about the only thing not delivered by trucks. But baby diapers, baby food, and baby clothes? You can thank a trucker. If it weren’t for truck drivers, we’d all be homeless, hungry and naked. And while naked babies might be adorable, I, for one, am very glad that I get to wear clothes. So, to kick off National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (September 14-20), I’d like to share a few thoughts “out of the
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If I were a contestant on Jeopardy!, I like to think I’d excel at categories like: Past Presidents, American History, or Great Guitarists. But if I happened to get Pop Culture or Movies of the Past Decade as the Final Jeopardy Question, I’d lose for sure. (Since the birth of my eldest daughter, the only movies I’ve seen in theaters feature G-rated cartoon characters. And, the last time I listened to the radio’s Top 40, Eric Clapton had the biggest hit on the charts.) It’s funny how certain facts stick in your brain forever,
Read more →On Friday, Bob talked about “good” selling versus “bad” selling, which made me think of the door-to-door salespeople who often come to our house to demonstrate their products. Personally, I subscribe to the philosophy I’ve seen on this popular door sign: We are too broke to buy anything. We already know who we are voting for. We have found Jesus. Unless you are selling thin mints, please go away! But, my husband, Dale, has another take on the profession. If anybody shows up on his doorstep asking to clean or vacuum something, he’s going
Read more →‘Selling’ often carries a negative connotation, conjuring up images of a fast-talking used car salesman or a pushy commissioned associate bent on ‘upgrading’ a sale with accessories and protection plans the buyer doesn’t really need. There’s an old joke that perpetuates this image: Two salesmen, John and Fred, worked in a department store at the mall. They met at the local pub after work and started a bragging contest as to who was the best salesperson. John said, “I’m such a great salesperson that last week I sold a color television to a blind
Read more →Some people hide their middle names. Others prefer them: Ashton Kutcher, Debra Winger, Reese Witherspoon, Bruce Willis, Sean Connery, Clark Gable–all use their middle names, not their first. Historically, middle names are a relatively new trend. They didn’t become popular until the middle of 19th century. In fact, only 3 of our first 17 presidents carried middle names: John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, and James Knox Polk. These days, most modern people (and Presidents) sport middle names or at least initials. Speaking of initials, did you know that Michael J. Fox’s middle name
Read more →Although Labor Day weekend evokes happy thoughts: trips to the beach, family barbecues, the first football game of the season, the word “labor” without the “weekend” doesn’t have the same connotations. At least for most of us. Yes, “work” is a four-letter word, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be joyful or meaningful. After all, the original intent of Labor Day was to acknowledge the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. In that spirit, I wanted to share the story of one worker with an attitude I
Read more →In only five days time, history will be made–history that will have a huge impact on my household. For the first time ever, the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Alabama Crimson Tide will do battle on the football field. The two teams will play at this Saturday’s Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. What a way to kick off the college football season! Since Alabama and West Virginia has never played each other, our allegiances have never been an issue. But this weekend, I’ll be rooting for Alabama and my husband, Dale, will
Read more →Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” Other times, the bravest among us are the ones who act first, putting aside their own comfort and safety to help a stranger in need. Truck driver David Frederickson did exactly that. Frederickson and his son were traveling along I-10 near Biloxi, Mississippi when suddenly, right in front of them, a car t-boned a semi, striking the semi’s fuel tank and causing a large fireball. If you watch the video, taken from Frederickson’s dash
Read more →Ask me to name my greatest skills, and “clearance shopping” will be high on the list. My husband may be a better shot during deer season, but when it comes to bargain hunting, I win, hands down. If you need proof, check out some of my trophies: Expensive laundry detergent for just 94-cents a bottle. A few dozen rolls of Charmin Ultra Soft toilet tissue at half-price. A $75 hockey jersey I scored at Ross for my youngest child, marked all the way down to $3.99. Who cares if no one in Alabama knows
Read more →Thanks to the magic of the Internet, we have a billion facts and figures at our fingertips. Although the information superhighway is pretty amazing, it’s also full of potholes and wrong turns: believing everything you read could get you into trouble pretty fast. Wikipedia, for example, is the sixth most visited website in the world. It bills itself as “the free encyclopedia,” but there’s just one problem – you get what you pay for. According to a recent study from Penn State, 60% of Wikipedia entries contained factual errors. Even the Wikipedia entry titled
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