Of all the things for which I've expressed thankfulness recently, one is a somewhat new addition to the list of favorites (health, family, etc.) and may seem i…
It appears the holidays are upon us with the inevitability that only the calendar and mass retail marketing can bring (apparently earlier and earlier in the ye…
xfThroughout history, fathers have provided many important things for their children. They've been positive role models, protectors, teachers of critical life …
I'm not sure it would come as a surprise to anyone who knows her, but the Lovely Mrs. Smith has been known to cry. Not all the time, but enough that we all kno…
First, I need to establish that I'm not a native Arkansan, at least not in the sense that I was born here.
Once upon a time, back before I had kids and was therefore an expert on raising them, I was convinced that any children I had would be, basically, versions of …
Cats are jerks.
Looks like we can all breath a sigh of relief: Wendell is back home.
I'm going to blame it on Brooks Robinson.
I walked into a pharmacy the other day.
You don't have to take my word for it, but travel is a wonderful thing. It broadens the mind, exposes us to new things, allows us to relax, unplug (more on tha…
Look, I'm making the effort here. Giving it the old college try, not being a quitter, all that good stuff. But, I'm going to need a little help.
According to F. Scott Fitzgerald, in "a real dark night of the soul," it's always 3 in the morning. In my specific case, he's off by about 30 minutes. It's 3:3…
Once upon a time ...
I hate to say I told you so.
For most of my life, I've decided a lot of things operate on a "need to know" basis, and, frankly, I don't need to know.
First off, let's make one thing abundantly clear: I am not an outdoorsman.
The Lovely Mrs. Smith and our youngest daughter did something over the weekend that I wouldn't do in a million years. And yes, I'm very OK with that.
I have heard the theory that most mythology is just ordinary human experience inflated in an attempt to entertain or teach lessons. Take for instance, the tale…
This recent celebration of our nation's independence was also an important time of transition for both me personally and the Smith family in general. We reache…
Look, I don't want to complain (who am I kidding? I'm a columnist. We're literally compensated to complain), but my car is starting to nag me.
Increasingly, I've been spinning round and round as if I'm stuck on a wheel and can't get off, trapped by a lack of clear direction and weighed down by a sense…
Apparently, knowledge is a good thing. It enlightens us and sets us free. Knowledge is power, which is a great quote and also a fairly reasonably priced trivia…
Predictions aren't something I'm particularly good at, but I'm very good at seeing the inevitability of things that have already happened. However, of all the …
In keeping with the spirit of the moment (or temporary insanity -- sometimes it's hard to tell these days), I'm going to voice my outrage at the sheer audacity…
I read something the other day that is either the best news imaginable or promises to be the end of life as we know it. I suppose there is a third way, I'm jus…
Very soon I'm going to do something so terrifying and life-altering it potentially may alter and/or scar me forever.
I'm afraid they lost me at the orb.
Among my many shortcomings is the reality that I often struggle with definitions.
I've been led to believe a clear sign of intelligence is the ability to hold two competing ideas in your head at the same time.
First off, I want to say for the record that I very much am a fan of water.
I have come to the conclusion that the most useful phrase in the English language is "I don't know."
I'm not sure whether the politically correct or, frankly more accurate term is "old wive's tale" or "urban myth" (I think, for so many very good reasons, "urba…
Today I rise in defense of the humble "thumbs up," a gesture so beloved it really shouldn't need defense but apparently does.
I watched the Oscars the other night.
It's ironic, actually. Of all the things you may have owned in your life, some that have the least dollar value might be the ones you'll never let go.
The completely imaginary, didn't-actually-happen scene that played in my head while traveling recently made me realize, whatever the future holds, I'll never t…
As far as I can tell, the root of one of our biggest problems is that we believe human beings act in reasonable, defendable, understandable ways and that, whil…
From perspective gained both by living as long as I have and by the recent completion of one more year of survival as the earth circled the sun, I feel qualifi…
First off, everyone exaggerates. For instance, I just did.
This is the time of year and the sort of weather that has a lot of us updating our reading lists. Or just pulling the blankets back over our heads because it's…
With the old year safely behind us and another notch on the birthday gun belt about to hit, it seemed to me like as good a time as any to do a quick inventory.…
The following is a public service announcement: It's time to turn off the outdoor Christmas lights.
I found myself in Durant, Okla., the other day. Which could be, but wasn’t, a line from the worst country song ever written.
I found myself in Durant, Okla., the other day. Which could be, but wasn't, a line from the worst country song ever written.
At the onset, let me state that I realize I'm sailing into pretty choppy waters here.
Who do we lose when we lose someone?
So I was taking my typical post-Thanksgiving break to ponder some of the larger questions of life, our existence and the meaning of it all. Some of you might c…
I would suggest that one of the greatest gaps in human understanding is the one between parents' belief in their ability to raise children and their kids' beli…
I believe there is a point on which we can all agree, regardless of our feelings about the most recent election, the college football season, the moral fiber o…
