Every time I watch the movie “Big Fish,” I cry. As I wrote last year, the yarns Albert Finney’s character spins conjure memories of my father’s fascinating life, only his stories are actually true. I thought of “Big Fish” again on Saturday as we said goodbye to a childhood friend, Chris “Woody” Woodrum, only not […]
Woody, thank you for being the glue Read More »
One of the first things I wrote about my father after he died in 2019 was his favorite movie. It was one of the easiest blogs to write because he rarely took a break for the two hours needed to watch a film. It also was easy because he watched his favorite, “Lonesome Dove,” dozens
Twelve Days of Christmas, Part XI: The wonder of ‘The Wonder Years’ Read More »
Maybe I’m just getting old and feeling nostalgic. But, man, do I long for the days of Saturday morning cartoons. I’ve thought about that from time to time for years now. I remember the first time I boldly dared to engage a co-worker in a discussion of Saturday mornings growing up and how much I
With Saturday morning cartoons, we all had the power Read More »
SEVENTEEN YEARS. It’s been 17 years this month since I began my career in journalism. In many ways, it feels like yesterday. In many ways, it feels like a lifetime. I’m less than a month away from turning 40 (mark July 3 on your calendars), and I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking about
The Daily Reporter: A ‘Hub’ of memories Read More »
I’m not Clark Griswold. I don’t have the time, energy or insanity to dig up a 20-foot tree or staple 10,000 Christmas lights to our house. As an introvert who treasures privacy, I’d rather sleep in Cousin Eddie’s RV than invite the entire family to crash in our place for a week. But, man,
Tis the season, Clark Read More »
The drive to Burlingame on Friday was similar to our previous trips back home. As you head into town from the east and the hustle and bustle of Kansas City into the sleepy confines of Small Town, America, the view rarely changes. Past the city limits, just north of Highway 56, are the remnants of
Team with a big heart takes a small town to the big time Read More »
A few days into our tenure as members of the Burlingame school board, my best friend and I attended a welcome-back-to-school barbecue for faculty and staff. One of the first people we spoke with that steamy August day in 1997 was a new history teacher and football coach with big dreams. As an alumnus and
Dreaming big in Burlingame Read More »
Things change so quickly. I know, I know. Of course, they do. That’s life. But that hit me today as I sat alone for a few quiet, peaceful minutes surveying the small town I spent much of my life in. As I looked at an aging park across the street to the west, I thought,
Change, and life, is good Read More »
