Republic-Times
The smells of shame of memories | Mark’s Remarks
I was walking into a business on a crisp, cool morning not long ago. As I approached the building, I walked through a cloud of fresh cigarette smoke – most…
Bad kids | Mark’s Remarks
We were in a craft store with my daughter the other day, and a tiny little girl had run away from her mother. The mother was reprimanding the little one,…
Reason vs. Rationalization | Ott Observations
The words “reason” and “rationalization” appear to be very similar in their meaning. In fact, they are names for thought processes that are total opposites. The process of “reason” starts…
Making light | Mark’s Remarks
kesters and general practitioners of hijinks and frivolity. Much of my life has been spent around people who have an easier time being silly than being serious. And I’m not…
Hand it over | Mark’s Remarks
It’s funny how we tend to reflect at this time of year, and I was thinking about all the people I know who struggle with anxiety and depression or claim…
When God winks | Ott Observations
I got married late in life. It was a package deal: one wife, two stepkids and two cats. Within a couple of weeks of my marriage, my stepson brought…
Top hits of 1979 | Mark’s Remarks
For Christmas 1979, one of my gifts was a transistor radio. I’d never had a radio before, so I wasn’t sure about it. I remember thinking that surely this was…
Minimalist Christmas | Mark’s Remarks
When I was a kid, we had pretty abundant Christmases. There would be several presents to unwrap, several things included in our stockings, and even more stuff from our grandparents…
