Hi. One of my fondest memories while growing up, is when my sister, Josie, and I were singing, while we done the dishes every day. (That was our job.) We learned to harmonize, and our oldest brother, Earl, who was a musician, told us we should learn to play the guitar, so we could play it while we sang. So, we had a friends who had a good, used guitar and we bought it from him. We both learned to play it with the lessons our brother gave us. It wasn't long after that, when we entered talent shows, and we were asked to play at parties, meeting and a lot of places. Then, we were asked to play on radio station W.J.P.F. in Herrin. We had a half hour program on Saturday afternoons from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. We enjoyed that very much and we got a lot of fan mail from our radio audience from places in Southern Illinois and Missouri. We split the fan mail between us and I've still got mine.

Many years ago I was in my office after firing the latest in a series of bad sports editor when I received a call from a Mike Layne at Murphysboro High School.
Mike, the head coach of the MHS volleyball program, informed me they were just about to start the very first Murphysboro volleyball tournament ever and asked why we did not have someone there to cover it.

Now that you have read some of my editorials on an array of issues, I think it is time I let you know about something that is very important to me, and that is volunteering. Service has always been a very influential part of my life, and it was something that was instilled in to me as a very young child. My grandmother, who is now retired, served in the Air Force for many years and went on three tours to the Middle East during this war. My brother is currently serving in the Air Force and has been on one tour to Kuwait. My great-grandmother volunteers three times a week at the Senior Citizens Center, and she is 88 years old! Both my grandfathers deliver meals to the elderly for Meals on Wheels at their churches. So, as you can see, service is something my family has always taken seriously, and they have taught me to do the same.

What is love? This question has been asked for many years by many people. Some define it as a certain feeling you get when you are around someone special. Others say it goes deeper than that. A lot of people think love is found between a man and his wife. Most teens have a deep bond with their friends, and that is their definition of love. But the greatest love is a gift from God. It is the love between a mother and her child.

Hi. A friend of mine and I went to the Senior Citizen Dance that was held last Thursday night at their center here in Murphysboro, and we really enjoyed the evening. There was a nice crowd there and there were quite a few dancers on the floor. You ought to see some of those "Young At Heart" dancers! They remind you of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, they are very good! It's been years since I attended one of their dances and I noticed that a lot of out of town couples still come to dance.

Oct. 5th is National Life Chain Sunday. Our local Life Chain will be held in Carbondale at the intersection of Wall and Walnut Streets, across from Walgreen's, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Meet at Eastgate Shopping Center for a peaceful, prayerful witness to the culture of life. Signs will be provided.

Many years ago I was in my office after firing the latest in a series of bad sports editor when I received a call from a Mike Layne at Murphysboro High School.
Mike, the head coach of the MHS volleyball program, informed me they were just about to start the very first Murphysboro volleyball tournament ever and asked why we did not have someone there to cover it.

“Well-behaved women rarely make history.” I saw this statement on a bumper sticker coming home from the store one day. I read it and laughed to myself. I passed the car and continued on the familiar drive home, not thinking much of the bumper sticker. I came home and did some things around the house. It wasn’t until later that night in my devotions that the funny bumper sticker came back into my mind. I was reading in Esther, which is one of my favorite books to read when I need encouragement, and I started to really think about that phrase. “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” So I asked myself. Is this statement true? I tried to think of a famous woman who became well known by being “well-behaved,” and I couldn’t think of one.

I have been as busy as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs... busier that a grasshopper in a hen house, well you get the picture I am sure.
I love the apple festival but it is a real chore to get everything I need to get done before my deadlines.
We started out this year with our preview edition which was 48 pages long. We followed that with our souvenir edition which was a staggering 64 pages, the longest special edition in the history of the American.

And now - The rest of the story
Dear Editor:
Unfortunately in his haste to get a story, the Executive Editor of the American, once again failed to print the "True Grit" in his half hearted attempt at Journalism on Monday, September 1st - or-was it Thursday September 4th's edition of the Murphysboro "Square Dealer" - You guys need to hire a proof reader Johnny Boy.

Memories, memories, memories. I have only been an adopted child of the city of Murphysboro for a dozen years now but I have enough memories to last a lifetime centered around this wonderful city.
As of July 29, 2008, I have been the editor of the Murphysboro American for 12 years. I have literally written thousands of stories about this community and the people that I am proud to call friends and neighbors.

Hi - I had to cancel our Kitchen band performance at the DuQuoin Fair this year.
We had no piano player.
Our regular player Rosalie Austin has been out because of sickness for quite a while and we've had Virgie Parrish playing for us from time to time (and we really appreciate her, too) but she isn't always available.

There are some things that happen in life that remain frozen it time in our memories as if they were recorded there forever.
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy will be forever etched into the minds of the Americans who witnessed the shocking event either in person or on television as it happened.
Pearl Harbor was my dad's most horrible memory. I remember when we spoke of it one time he just shuddered and changed the subject.
I also remember exactly what I was doing, who I was with, the smells in the air and the heart-rending sadness I felt on that fateful September day seven years ago... 9/11/01.

Wonderful penmanship
Dear Editor:
"Bravo!" ........ Wonderful penmanship and a truly magnificent piece of saying it like it is.
I commend you on your writing such a fine article.
I am aghast anew at seeing my property taxes raised each and every since my wife and I bought our home.

Here comes the Apple Festival again!
If you have not read the letters to the editor on this page (to the left) you should. There is a gentleman that is upset with my column about the Jackson County Board last week and he thinks that I am too viscous and not a good news reporter.
The key to this is that this column is called "The Way I See It" because it is my own personal views. I have the right to write what I think on whatever subject there is, just as he has the right to print a letter that calls me stupid and says I charge for two pages of old news and four pages of ads.