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Stories by Gwen Rockwood

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THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Younger Self Has No Clue

EVERYTHING LOOKS CLEARER IN REARVIEW MIRROR

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — While browsing for books the other day, I ran across a compilation of letters written by famous, notable women. Continue reading...

Drive-By Shooting Reported

Subscriber onlySPRINGDALE — Police are investigating a drive-by shooting reported on Braxton Drive on Friday night. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Cat, Owner Engaged In Standoff

PRESCRIBED PELLETS NOT PLEASING TO PERCY’S PALATE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — One of my favorite Looney Tunes cartoons is the one where Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck argue about whether it’s duck season or rabbit season. Elmer Fudd stands nearby with his shotgun, ready to fire on whichever rascally varmint loses the argument. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Living Up To Your Labels

DIVIDING ALLOWS MOM TO CONQUER HER CLUTTER

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Labels can be powerful. And I’m not talking about symbolic labels like “geek” or “diva” or the generalizations we assign to people. I’m talking about real labels. The sticky ones. The kind with words in capital letters that tell you where things go. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: ‘Tiny Wings’ Analogous To Life

BIRD IN GAME SEEKS TO IMPROVE SKILLS, STATION EACH DAY

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Like millions of other people, my life changed when I got an iPhone three years ago. It made me more accessible — which isn’t always a good thing. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Snow Tubing A Wild Ride

SOUTHERNERS BUNDLE UP, HIT THE SLOPES IN MINNESOTA

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — The day after Christmas, we packed kids, suitcases, snacks and movies into the minivan and drove 12 hours north to Minneapolis to visit Tom’s parents. In addition to relatives, we hoped to see a little Christmastime snow. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Fat Chance

WRITER AT WAR WITH LUMPS

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I really don’t want to jump on January’s fitness bandwagon. I’m already tired of the ads for treadmills and sports bras. But I’m afraid I have no real choice. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: New Year, New View

NEPHEW’S ILLNESS PUTS GOALS IN PERSPECTIVE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — We got a call last week with upsetting news. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Time Tops List

MOM JUST WANTS TO ENJOY CHRISTMAS

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Dear Santa, I’m nearly exhausted this time of year, so I can only imagine how worn out you must be as you gear up for your magical trip around the world. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Bright Lights, Big City

NEW YORK AN ADVENTURE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — When Tom and I took our honeymoon more than a decade ago, we were mostly broke and went to a neighboring town. Two days into the trip, we both came down with the flu. We always said one day we’d take another trip — just the two of us. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: One Decade Later

BIRTHDAY A MILESTONE FOR SON, MOM

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I have a very, very big birthday coming up. And I’ll be the first to admit that it’s freaking me out. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: My Favorite Things

REMEMBER THE FUN

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I love the week after Thanksgiving. We’re still fat and happy from an inappropriately sized meal, and it’s not close enough to Christmas to start panicking about getting everything done in time. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Blessed And Still Counting

OLD HYMN GIVES GOOD ADVICE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — When I was growing up, our little church congregation sang a handful of favorite hymns over and over again. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Time To Talk Toys

CATALOGS SPARK CHRISTMAS WISHES

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I felt like a kid again this morning. Thick toy circulars cascaded out of the Sunday newspaper, and the kids and I eagerly snatched them and started leafing through the glossy pages. You know the holidays are close when toy catalogs start coming. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Dose Of Reality Painful

‘EPIDEMIC’ A REMINDER OF BROTHER’S DEATH

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I read an article this week that made me rethink a secret I’ve kept for 10 years. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Fresh Look At Classic

PARENT GOGGLES CHANGE ‘FOOTLOOSE’

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — The first time I saw the movie “Footloose,” I was 11 years old. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: What Is Your Group?

WRITER FEARS FEAR ITSELF

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Fear is a funny thing. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Stop, Smell The Roses

LISTMAKER LEARNS FROM SLOWPOKE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Last week the mess on my desk reached the tipping point. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: To Have And To Hold

NEW ‘MARRIAGES’ NOT FOREVER

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Imagine if wedding vows sounded more like this: “I, prospective bride, do take you, chosen spouse, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, or for a period not to exceed 24 months, at which time the interested parties will meet to discuss contract negotiations.” Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Parents Stuck In Limbo

WRITER REAPS REWARDS

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — When my parents retired and moved to our town a few weeks ago, the plan was to move them into a new condo being built just a couple blocks away from our house. Continue reading...

PEOPLE & PLACES

Subscriber onlyWilliams Marks 98th Birthday Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: The Lizard Who Ate Orlando

VACATION BRINGS NEW ADVENTURES

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Sometimes the best thing you can do for your work is get away from it. Continue reading...

ROCKWOOD FILES: Do A Little Dance (In Secret If You Must)

COLUMNIST WONDERS IF THERE’S A DANCING GENE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — There are only two types of people — people who like to dance and people who would rather have their eyebrows removed with a rotary sander. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Am I Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader?

‘ALL-KNOWING’ MOM IS HUMBLED BY THE ANSWER

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I’m keeping a dirty little secret from the kids. Sometimes when I’m checking over their homework, I pretend to go to the bathroom or go check something that’s on the stove (even though I rarely cook). While I’m away, I use my iPhone to Google whatever parts of the homework assignment I don’t understand. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Love Is Heart Of The Matter

JOY OF FAMILY MOVING TO THE SAME TOWN TRUMPS SADNESS OF LETTING GO

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I was expecting to be sad when I closed the door on my old room. Continue reading...

ROCKWOOD FILES: Do You Speak Pokemon?

HOBBY LEADS TO BILINGUAL BOYS

Subscriber onlyNorthwest Arkansas — When my kids first started school, I hoped that one day they’d learn a second language, and now they have. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Pow! Right In The Kisser!

DAUGHTER RUNS HEAD-FIRST INTO POLE AT GYMNASTICS DAY CAMP

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I got a phone call a few weeks ago when 4-year-old Kate was at a gymnastics day camp. The teacher told me there’d been an accident but then quickly added that Kate was OK. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Mom Eager To Hear Boys’ School Tales

QUIET HOUSE TRIGGERS FLOOD OF MEMORIES

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — A calm settled over the house this morning at 7:45 a.m. It hasn’t been this quiet here since early June. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Adults Confront ‘Filter Failure’

SLIPS SHOW WHY THOUGHTS NEED SAFETY SCREENINGS IN CIVILIZED SOCIETY

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Tucked deep inside the human brain is a part of the anatomy yet to be officially documented by modern science. Continue reading...

ROCKWOOD FILES: Programs Yield Looney Lessons

‘EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM BUGS BUNNY CARTOONS’

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Teachers often warn parents about summer “brain drain” — when weeks away from school cause multiplication tables and state capitals to fall right out of kids’ heads. Continue reading...

ROCKWOOD FILES: Tomatoes Made Her Do It

WRITER ANSWERS SUMMER’S SIREN CALL

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I feel guilty. I’ve done a bad, bad thing. And yet I can’t say I wouldn’t do it all over again given the opportunity and the same strong temptation. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: The Games People Play

HOW DOES ONE SAY ‘OUTSMARTED’ IN CAT LANGUAGE?

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — It has been almost a year since Percy, the Persistent Stray Cat, insisted that we rescue her from a skinny existence in the woods. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: From One Mother To Another

MOM HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON WITH RECENT WEATHER

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Dear Mother Nature: Clearly, something is bothering you. Why don’t we just talk about it? Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Columnist Fights Against Worry

WRITER STRUGGLES WITH A QUESTION OF FAITH

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I fight this fight over and over again. In one corner sits my constant companion — worry. In the other corner, there is faith. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Dark Day When The iPhone Died

ELECTRONIC DEVICE’S DEMISE LEAVES MODERN FAMILY A DESPERATE LOT

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — It was a sad, dark day. I was sitting next to my 7-year-old son Jack when it happened. He was happily playing air hockey on my iPhone when — blip — it went black. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: If It Bleeds, It Leads In News

MOM PONDERS WHAT TO DO WHEN THE NEWS TURNS INTO PG-13 RATED CONTENT

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Tom and I realized a long time ago that our kids, ages 9, 7 and 4, wouldn’t be able to watch much television past 7 p.m. Even at that hour, I can count on two fingers the number of shows without bad language, adult situations or jokes heavy with sexual innuendo. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Keeping Time In Mom’s Pocket

MOTHER REMINDS HERSELF TO ENJOY THE RIDE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Yesterday we stopped at a country gas station cafe on our way home from a weekend at the lake. We slid into a booth and waited for our burgers and Tater Tots to be ready. Continue reading...

ROCKWOOD FILES: So That’s Where They Get It

COLUMNIST SEES COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT HABITS ARE INHERITED

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I caught him again last night. It was after 10 p.m., and the hallway was dark. His door was closed, which raised suspicion. My 9-year-old son doesn’t like to sleep with the door closed. So I crept up to the door in mama stealth mode and opened it quickly. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Sifting Through Memory Lane

‘CLEANSER’ FACES CHALLENGES SORTING THROUGH MEMENTOES

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — At some point, almost everyone has to go through all the stuff they acquired during childhood. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Love For Doggie Senior Really Stinks

FAMILY’S HOME HAS BECOME ANIMAL HOUSE

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — As reported in an earlier column, we had to say goodbye to one of our dogs recently who was so ill that we made the tough decision to euthanize her at the vet’s office. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES Child’s Love Makes Mom Special

HOMEMADE CARDS CONVEY LOTS OF INFORMATION FROM YOUNGSTERS’ PERSPECTIVES

Subscriber onlyI pulled up to the computer keyboard today feeling refreshed after a relaxing Mother’s Day weekend. This year I received — in order of importance — a long nap, time to read a novel in a quiet room and flowers to plant in the front yard. Continue reading...

ROCKWOOD FILES: Dropping The Ball

MOM HAS ONE OF THOSE WEEKS

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Once upon a time, I was on top of things. I had it together. I daresay I was even organized and mostly punctual. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: The Preschool Inquisition Begins

MOTHER SEARCHES FOR ANSWERS TO DAUGHTER’S NONSTOP QUESTIONS

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — I remember this phase — the age of endless questioning. Our middle child went through it right before he started kindergarten. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Making Decision Is Tough

PET OWNER SEEKS TIME TO MEND BROKEN HEART

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Today Tom and I faced the moment we’ve both dreaded for weeks now. We took our sweet blonde dog, Holly, to the vet’s office, and we came home without her. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Decency Is Nearly Dead

ELEGANCE, GRACE STILL SHOULD HAVE PLACE IN THE WORLD OF FASHION

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — What I’m about to say is going to make me sound ancient and utterly un-hip. But here goes: When it comes to fashion, decency is nearly dead. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Mom Listens In To Sounds Of Spring

PARENT ENJOYS SOME QUIET TIME

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m smiling because the house finally sounds like spring. It’s not the chirping of the birds or the gentle rustle of the breeze through newly budded leaves, either. It’s silence — beautiful, glorious silence. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Death Brings Strange Sadness

GREAT-AUNT’S LONG LIFE YIELDS MANY GOOD MEMORIES

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Today was the strangest kind of sad day. My mother called early this morning to tell me the news I’ve known for months now would surely come — my great aunt Eunice had passed away during the night. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Taking A Step Back In Time

WRITER DIGS THROUGH LAYERS OF HISTORY

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — We took a trip to my parents’ home last weekend with a very specific mission in mind. Continue reading...

THE ROCKWOOD FILES: Let’s Get Physical

ONE WRITER SHARES HOW SHE GOT MOVING

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — In the early ’80s, I got an Olivia Newton-John album that featured one of her biggest hits called “Physical.” In the music video for “Physical,” Olivia wore a spandex leotard and headband, and she danced and sang while exercising in the midst of muscle-bound men. Continue reading...

ROCKWOOD FILES: Mom Would Try Being A Kitty Queen

BIRTHDAY PROMPTS THOUGHTS ABOUT WISHES

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — In a couple of days, I’ll have another birthday. When you’re cruising through your late thirties, birthdays don’t always rank up there as a big deal. But I’ve planned a few fun things to do like a haircut, lunch with a friend and then dinner with the family at my favorite pizza place. Continue reading...

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