Columns

Ah, the anticipation of Christmas

Memories and traditions of Christmases past become sweeter each year as we weave them into a new celebration. They form the thing we call “Christmas spirit” and fuel anticipation as the day approaches.

About those empty seats at Christmas…

Some years, families are blessed to initiate festive new Christmas traditions. Other years, the new tradition is a solemn acquiescence to “the new normal.” The Tyrees fall into the latter category this year.

Just a woman embracing her age

I turned 63 on Dec. 4. Unlike many women of my vintage, birthdays are a very public celebration in my house. It’s always been that way.

Trump, Jesse James and redneck Louisiana

The tough guy outlaw image. That’s how President Trump has often portrayed himself. He said on a number of occasions that he has been investigated “more than Jesse James,” and called the famous outlaw “a great bank robber.

Do you own enough Christmas music?

A large part of my collection was destroyed earlier this year, but I still have visions of the world’s largest stockpile of Christmas music dancing in my head. I cherish a handful of songs that I “must” hear each yuletide season, but my reach inevitably exceeds my grasp as I try to “have it all.

Sign me up for cursive

The death of cursive handwriting reared its ugly head during the recent presidential election. Since 2010, according to Yahoo News, many states have dropped cursive writing from their curricula as they shifted to Common Core State Standards for English.

Sticky paws and south Louisiana oil

Sticky bear paws may have led to one of south Louisiana’s earliest oil discoveries — but it took a while to put two and two together and make them add up to anything worth counting.

The crazy attempt to ban birthright citizenship

There have been some interesting discussions about birthright citizenship, intensified by Donald Trump’s election a few weeks ago.

‘The Year Without A Santa Claus’ turns 50?

As a Baby Boomer, I looked on with bemusement; but Dec. 10, 1974, was a cultural milestone for the oldest members of Generation X. That’s when ABC premiered the Rankin/Bass Productions animated Christmas special “The Year Without A Santa Claus” (a.k.a.

Why kids can’t walk alone

A story from my childhood came to mind as I read a recent ABC News report about a mother who was arrested after her son was seen walking alone to the Dollar Store a half mile away from his home.