Rich: Looking back at Christmases past

When I was a child and even through my teenage years, Christmas night and the following day were the saddest time of the year. The anticipation of presents, church pageants, and holiday cheer was swooped away in such a short time.

Adair: ‘Froggy’ memories of Christmas past

One set of my Christmas memories comes from the early-to-mid 1950s – ancient history to most folks but very real to me. I would have been seven, eight, or nine years old, somewhere in there. Christmas night was when a passel of Mama’s kinfolks descended on our house.

Letters to the Editor: Thrilled about ‘Thrifting’

Hello Ian, Thank you for making “T” for Thrifting! I loved the article and know it raised awareness about four great stores in Putnam County. I recently watched an episode of “Amazing Race” and the group was in Sweden where they recycle almost everything!

Crane: Free speech, hate speech and the first amendment

Among the many lessons I learned from my maternal grandmother, Mary L. Crane, was that it can be tough to hate up close. Mary was an Irish-Catholic carpetbagger who moved her family south from upstate New York in 1949.

Rich: Rodney the storyteller

Rodney, my brother-in-law, is one of the South’s best storytellers. He doesn’t tell stories in the typical Southern manner of embellishment, lyrical phrasing, or extreme expression. He tells them in such a casual way that the story becomes the king. Not the storyteller.

Crane: I really hate E-tickets

Though not always an early adapter, I tend to roll with and learn the latest technologies as they become readily and widely available. With few exceptions, I do consider technology to be a friend of productivity.

Yarbrough: An awakening on sleep deprivation

You never know what you are going to discover in the process of churning out columns.

Smith: Viva Las Vegas

Early morning brings time for reflection and inspiration—a time to assess your environment, connect with humility, and graphically underscore positive thinking. Makes one wonder if such moments ever came about for Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao, the Unabomber, and Al Capone.

Chancey: How to have the best Christmas ever

The Christmas rush is in full throttle and the pressure is on to get it all done before December 25th. I admire those wise folks who make Christmas purchases all year long. Of course, if I was smart enough to purchase gifts ahead of time, I’d probably forget where I hid them.

Smith: Mark Richt

LAS VEGAS – Not sure how many halls of fame Mark Richt will become a member of, but there are a few which have not yet been established such as “The Nice Guy Hall of Fame,” and the “Gentlemen’s Hall of Fame.