Category: Columns

A Veterans Day story: WWII Vet Don Slagle

~ nickc324 ~ 5 Comments

Don and Donna 1Veterans Day is an important day to thank our nation’s heroes for their service, and each veteran has a significant story to tell.

One of those stories belongs to Athens, Ohio resident Don Slagle, a rather quiet and friendly man who has led an amazing life.

To see Don riding his bicycle around town or working in his yard with his wife, Donna, you’d never know that he is 92, fought in World War II and still has shrapnel lodged in his neck and shoulder. Continue reading “A Veterans Day story: WWII Vet Don Slagle” →

A drive-thru adventure: Hold the pickles and my stupidity

~ nickc324 ~ 7 Comments

So the other day, I was driving home after long day of work, and I was feeling pretty good about myself.

As I pulled into a busy drive-thru restaurant to get some quick food and frozen treats, I thought about how I would likely be treated as a hero when I arrived home. The restaurant had a long line, but I didn’t mind that I would have to wait. Continue reading “A drive-thru adventure: Hold the pickles and my stupidity” →

‘How did I get two forks?’ and other thoughts that go through your head while eating

~ nickc324 ~ 15 Comments

Eating can be enjoyable, but there is an awful lot of thinking that goes into it.

I am constantly discovering new worries, questions and epiphanies while eating, so I thought I would write about a few of them here to see if anyone shared these deep and often stupid thoughts. Continue reading “‘How did I get two forks?’ and other thoughts that go through your head while eating” →

Nothing to write about except Top 5 Kirks, oatmeal and a few blogs to check out

~ nickc324 ~ 14 Comments

I have nothing to write about today.

I apologize but nothing very interesting has happened to me recently and my work on the Top Five Kirks is stuck at a standstill. Our judges are divided over this controversial topic due to a cornucopia outstanding Kirks. Who should be No. 1?

Continue reading “Nothing to write about except Top 5 Kirks, oatmeal and a few blogs to check out” →

Trick or Tweet: A Halloween story

~ nickc324 ~ 6 Comments

It was a dark and scary Halloween night, and I was in my backyard when a cool wind blew and sent a shiver down my back.

“This just feels wrong,” I thought to myself. “Why didn’t I wear a shirt? It’s freezing out here.”

I went back inside and put on a shirt and then looked at the time. It was getting close to trick-or-treat time and I needed to prepare to hand out candy to the neighborhood children. Continue reading “Trick or Tweet: A Halloween story” →

What personal unwritten rules do you follow?

~ nickc324 ~ 32 Comments

All of us have our own personal unwritten rules that we follow every day.

For example, when getting dressed, I must put a sock on my left foot, sock on my right foot, then shoe on my left foot and shoe on my right foot. It just feels correct.

I have heard there are some societies where people put a sock on one foot and then a shoe, and then repeat the process on the other foot. I’m not sure how they can live like this because it seems uncomfortable and also unfair to the second foot. Continue reading “What personal unwritten rules do you follow?” →

Is it normal to feel guilty about shoplifting when you’re not actually stealing anything?

~ nickc324 ~ 10 Comments

My wife and stepdaughter went shopping the other day, and it ended up causing more work and stress for me.

I know what you’re thinking, “But Nick, you already do so much every day and, frankly, you are a hero. How could you do any extra work?”

While I like the way you think and hope you can with talk to my family members and coworkers, I feel I should explain.

After they returned home, my stepdaughter was quite excited about some of her clothes and had plans to wear a new shirt the next day. When she got the shirt out to try it on, though, she found that the store that was an hour away had left one of those terrible anti-theft devices on it. Continue reading “Is it normal to feel guilty about shoplifting when you’re not actually stealing anything?” →

Thanks for reading, writing and inspiring

~ nickc324 ~ 20 Comments

When I started this blog, I often pondered questions like:

  • “What exactly am I trying to accomplish here?”
  • “Will anyone want to read this?”
  • “How do I spell exacerbate?”

Now that I am somehow more than 100 posts in and am lucky enough to have a few followers, I’m still not sure about most of my questions, but I’m having a lot of fun and wanted to thank everyone who has taken a few moments to read the blog. Continue reading “Thanks for reading, writing and inspiring” →