App-less in an Appy World
On a recent trip, my husband and I were sitting in the Des Moines airport when we started discussing our boarding passes. I had two hard copies while he flashed his phone in front of me displaying a boarding pass on the screen. “It’s a Delta app” he said and proceed to show me all the information he had at his fingertips, none of which I really saw the importance of because I was in the habit of going to airline websites to make a flight reservation, check-in, change a ticket, or get a boarding pass. After all, if I didn’t check in, I would probably forget I was going somewhere. Read more 
The Millennials are Leading the Way….
A few years ago – well, 17 to be exact, Tom Brokaw published The Greatest Generation – a book which described the people born in the early part of the 20th century who grew up during the Depression of the 1930’s and went on to fight in World War II because it was “the right thing to do.” From his perspective, this generation was the greatest ever produced because they were raised in deprivation and yet, selflessly contributed to a war effort to stop aggression and genocide. No doubt their perseverance was a testament to their extraordinary character. Read more
Why Every Individual Counts
On this very special day celebrating our nation’s birthday, I want to write about why every individual counts. There are nearly 320 million of us in this country – that’s a lot of people – enough to have made me think from time to time that what I do or don’t do really doesn’t matter. After all, I’m just one person – does it really matter if I eat a piece of grilled chicken, a slice of bacon, an ice cream cone or not think about the food chain in this country? Yes, it does and here’s why. Read more
42 Hours from Ithaca to West Palm Beach
I didn’t make any of this up. No one can make this stuff up.
Last week my husband picked up our daughter from college and together they drove to Watkins Glen, New York where she started an internship at Farm Sanctuary – a rescue, rehabilitation, and shelter for farm animals that also serves as an advocate for animal rights. On Sunday morning, my husband was scheduled to depart Ithaca Thompkins Regional Airport on a 10:20 am United Airlines flight to Newark connecting to West Palm Beach. Sounds easy? Turns out it was the trip from hell thanks to United and Delta. Read more
Tulip Time Festival 2015
Looking for something fun to do next weekend? If you happen to be in the Des Moines, Iowa area, consider attending the 80th annual Tulip Time Festival which takes May 7-9, 2015 in Pella, Iowa, a beautiful town in central Iowa, about 40 miles southeast of Des Moines. Established in 1847 by a group of 800 Dutch immigrants, Pella is known throughout Iowa for its Dutch heritage, which is celebrated every year in early May. Read more
Günter Grass: 1927-2015
Günter Grass, the German novelist, poet, playwright, artist, and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature died yesterday at the age of 87. Last month, a story was posted about Gunter Grass and one of his most controversial poems: What Must Be Said, which is reprinted below:
Grass is best known for his novels including The Tin Drum (1959), Cat and Mouse (1963), Dog Years (1965), and his memoirs: Peeling the Onion (2007), The Box (2010), and Grimm’s Words: A Declaration of Love (2010) but he is also known as the author of the controversial poem What Must Be Said (2012) – which reveals the hypocrisy of the German military when they decided to sell and deliver a submarine that could be used to launch nuclear warheads against Iran. Read more
For the Shakespeare Inspired
Buying just the right card for that special someone usually involves a trip to Hallmark, Target, CVS or the supermarket where the selection includes the humorous (which seems to be subjective) or cards filled with flowery language that simply say too much. Simplicity in a card is almost always the best choice but finding a card that has just the right message is challenging (and nearly impossible) at the last-minute unless a supply of Bard’s Cards is on hand. Read more
What A Woman Of A Certain Age Wonders About
Middle age comes upon us quickly. First, we’re teenagers on the cusp of adulthood and then we’re in our 20’s and can’t wait to be 30 so we have a bit of credibility. We slide into our 30’s full of confidence and life becomes so busy that we wonder how did we all of a sudden become 40?
50 is just a blink away which brings big changes: our kids are grown or almost grown and we’ve entered an age where many things don’t matter anymore (a friend of mine calls these years the “Fu#% you 50’s”) and some things matter more than ever (like comfort, patience, logic, and compassion). We also have time to think about issues more deeply, especially: Read more
Günter Grass and “What Must Be Said”
This past week, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on the invitation of US Representative, John Boehner, addressed the US Congress on nuclear weapons and specifically how dangerous Iran would be with these weapons of mass destruction. Few would dispute that point while others would go even further asserting that none of the countries in the Middle East should have nuclear weapons. But, no one has made this bold statement more eloquently than Günter Grass, the 87-year old Nobel Prize laureate, German writer (novelist, poet and playwright) and artist (illustrator, scepter, and graphic artist). Read more
Mystic Knotwork Bracelets
The nautical look is a style that seems to be timeless whether it’s the quintessential French sailor’s shirt or the American nautical rope bracelet. Back in the early 80’s, I remember purchasing my first Breton red and white stripe long sleeve sailor shirt for $26 in Newport, Rhode Island along with a white nautical rope bracelet that I wore on my wrist for most of the summer until sand and dirt mixed with water (and probably spilled beer) pushed it into retirement. The preppy look reigned at the time and although briefly threatened by the flash of disco fashions, the nautical look persevered and is enjoying a resurgence in popularity today. Read more
Paddock Post 