Before I moved down the coast to this part of the state I was a trifle spoiled. I had Acadia National Park pretty much in my backyard. In fact, in one house I lived in, that was the literal truth. I hiked a lot. Leaving all that behind was the hardest adjustment of the move. […]
American Journal Opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Here’s Something: Restore sanity, reject Mills, reopen Maine
At this time last year Mainers were in the middle of a 15-day lockdown that Gov. Janet Mills had ordered to flatten the coronavirus infection curve in hopes of preventing hospitals from being overwhelmed. It’s more than ridiculous, and somewhat Orwellian, that in March 2021 we are still in an emergency state. A recently filed […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Giving back for the greater good
As we round the one-year anniversary of the global pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, there is no shortage of news programs recording individual markers of the year. One thing I wish to hear more about is how we can use what we’ve learned to shape a better collective future. Part of that, for me, has […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: How sweet it is
As I write, I wear a bangle with three intertwined strands that my father’s mother gave me in 1967. They jangle on my wrist and remind me of Memere. What a honey she was, a real sweetie. I visited Memere often. Memere made candy. I’d break off edges of fudge and savor them, big ones, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Exploring the joy of reading exceptional books
My big sisters took my education very seriously. They made sure I could identify every single Beatles song, taught me the proper way to talk mom and dad into keeping a stray pet, and kept my shelves full of really good books. I was a fortunate child. What’s more, although I certainly had the staples […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Here’s Something: ‘Oh dear,’ cancel culture is a shame
We’ve seen financial bubbles in the stock market, housing market and bitcoin, but until recently we’ve never seen a bubble when it comes to classic children’s books. That all changed last week when six books written by the late, great Theodor Seuss Geisel – aka. Dr. Seuss – were targeted by his own publishing company, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Lakes Region Weekly, The Forecaster
Life Unwound: Measuring life, inch by inch
As my mid-March birthday approaches each year, two of my brothers like to whip out a 25-foot metal tape measure used by our dad in his shop, which he equipped with a hundred tape measures. He’d say, “They were on sale at Marden’s. Someone in our extended family might need them.” The tape measure appears. […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Through My Lens: Immigrants need more access to winter sports
Winter is so much fun in Maine. That is, only if you enjoy Maine winter sports. But these sports are not shared by Maine’s newest citizens or to-be citizens. It is an expensive sports season. If you’ve ever visited Portland’s Back Cove on summer afternoons, you may remember the crowd of diverse communities playing soccer […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Be the change you want to see
Full disclaimer: I am not Danish. Not even a little bit. In fact, if the genetic profile company is to be believed, the closest I get is a small bit of Dutch on my mother’s side. (In all honesty, the coolest thing from that profile is that I am also a higher-than-average percentage of Neanderthal! […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: True faith is all around us
Every so often, there is something or other I really want to write about, but I don’t. Maybe because it seems silly, maybe because I don’t know if anyone else will care, maybe because it feels overwhelming. I’ve had a few of those recently. Sometimes though, things align so perfectly a person just can’t ignore […]