So I have a bit of a confession to make: I am addicted to the automatic car wash. Let me explain.My addiction began earlier this fall, after I leased a new car — which I call Tuxedo (but I won't go into all that). Who doesn't want to keep their new car clean, right? I was... Continue Reading →

Earlier this month I had the honor of walking in the Emporia Christmas Parade.This was my third time walking in the parade and every time I've enjoyed it immensely — even on parade nights where it's so cold you can't feel your fingers or toes at the end of the walk.It was such a joyful... Continue Reading →

Sometimes it's easy to fall away from something that takes so little time but brings so much joy. That's the case with my little jar to the left. I found this  jar in an antique shop. I had gone there in search of a jar to place one happy memory a day in. This jar already... Continue Reading →

  In 1978, my grandparents, Warren and Frances Ashen, started a holiday tradition that I keep very close to my heart.Each time all of us would gather for a major holiday meal we would sign a white double-sized flat sheet. We could draw on it, write our names on it — whatever we wanted.”I read... Continue Reading →

So what happens when a co-worker in the newsroom decides to start cleaning and then decides to switch desks altogether?Fall. Cleaning.Which seriously happens like once every 10 years at the paper. I'm not really stretching the truth — not much anyway.It's a rare day when we clean around here but when one of us does... Continue Reading →

Kansas is a beautiful, amazing place.Last night, while wandering around in a rural area, the sun lined up perfectly with a combine, resulting in the photo to the left.I love to wander around looking at things — even if I've seen the route dozens of times, it's never quite the same. Like this photo —... Continue Reading →

So, the doll to the left has caused quite a stir at the paper recently. Seems a voodoo-like doll unsettles many people.A little back-story here: I found this doll while on a walk with two co-workers, Tina and Leann. I've seen these dolls before in gift shops and they're kinda cute so I picked him... Continue Reading →

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.Isn't that the way it goes?The first snow was expected in the area on Saturday.Weekend reporter notified. Check. Photographer notified. Check check.Statuses scheduled for social media asking for cancellations/delays. Check check check.Winter weather advisory posted. Check and again check.Saturday morning comes and there was but a trace... Continue Reading →

Saturday is the one-year anniversary of my dad's death in a house fire.Tonight I got out my journal that I kept after the fire and read through it. I went through an entire journal the weeks following the fire. I put my words in there, the eulogy I wrote for the funeral, all the sympathy... Continue Reading →

Saturday, it will be a year since a house fire claimed the life of my father, Charlie Adams. I won't pretend this was an easy column for me to write, but I know he would be so proud I wrote it for him.Dad died early morning on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013. A fire broke out at the house... Continue Reading →