Living in Baltimore, I’ve developed a hard shell. Everyone has a story. Everyone wants your spare change. I’ll cop to sometimes ignoring someone on the street or at a gas station when I don’t have the time or patience for it. I was in one of those moods when we were driving I-70 in Western […]
Archives for 2017
When My Dad Almost Struck Gold
My dad grew up in New York state on the North Fork of Long Island. In 1952, when he was 16, his widowed step-grandmother Vera announced she was moving to Oil City, Pennsylvania. But first, she wanted to simplify and downsize. Would my dad be interested in buying her gold coins at face value? At […]
We Brake for Free Firewood and Other Frugal Heating Adventures
For men, they say that you marry a younger version of your mom. That may be true, but in one way, my wife Nora is very similar to my dad. I told you before about how Dad is not afraid to lay down a 4-wheel skid (in the days before ABS anyway) if he sees […]
How a Prized Pocket Knife Was Imperiled on a Trip to See the Rockettes
You know how all the guys (and some of the women) carry guns in rural Texas? In our family, all the guys carry pocket knives. It’s part of the 2nd Amendment, right? On the way out the door, you grab your wallet, keys, phone, and jackknife. I rarely use it, but no matter, it’s family […]
Fall Vignettes – Interesting Odds and Ends
This is my 2nd go at a Vignette post (read the Summer Vignettes here), I hope you find it entertaining or helpful. Let me know what you think. I Don’t Recommend Hanging It on Your Exterior Door It’s almost that time of year. Time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Time for eggnog and Christmas […]
Top 8 Free and Offbeat Historic Things to Do in Baltimore
This is a follow on post to my Top 8 Free and Offbeat Things to Do in Baltimore, but this one is all about offbeat Historic things to see and do in Charm City that are free. Most people don’t know how much history Baltimore has. From 1830-1850, it was the second-largest city in the […]
500 Years After Luther, Why Do We Still Try to Buy Favor with God?
Why is it that 500 years after Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a Catholic church (commemorated this past week), we still think we can buy favor with God? Is it because everything else of value in this world has a price? That if we want something bad enough, we can find a seller […]
What Baltimore’s Removal of Confederate Statues Reveals
When the Baltimore City Council voted in August to remove 4 Confederate statues (actually 3 + Roger Taney), it was accomplished under cover of darkness in one night. I had a friend ask: How can a city that takes 6 months to fill a pothole remove 4 multi-ton statues in a single night? Background Located […]
Top 8 Free and Offbeat Things to Do in Baltimore
I’ve lived in and around Baltimore practically my whole life, so I’m a bit of a casual expert on what to see and do around town. Especially worthwhile things that are free. I have a few mantras I stick to: First, don’t do what everyone else is doing. Someone once said “the masses are asses” […]
Selling Unused Household Items Is a Win-Win
If possible, I like to score a win-win. That applies to relationships, but also making money. Can you make a living while also making a positive impact on the world? Can you earn a paycheck while being a good Christian witness? A few notches lower on the significance scale, but a win-win nonetheless: Can you […]
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