commentaries

There has been no shortage of complaining about this winter we are currently experiencing. This winter that, it sometimes feels, will linger on into spring, elbow its way past summer and make itself comfortable on a bed of fall leaves right up to the point it laps itself like...

The big buildup to Sunday night’s Oscars began the Monday before when my husband and I planned the menu for the upcoming broadcast. It ended Sunday afternoon with the start of the red carpet show, the prelude to the television event I have said is as special to me as my birthday. ...

For 17 days this month some of the greatest athletes in the world gathered in Sochi, Russia to showcase their athletic abilities. To come together in the spirit of friendly competition and push to the very limits a human being’s ability to balance on slippery surfaces. The...

In honor of its 10th birthday, Facebook sent gifts to its members — a video tableau of photos and most-liked posts from the member’s page, the present is set to music and lasts a minute. Once the gift is opened, recipients can share it with their friends on the social media site. ...

About this time last year, when I was a junior in high school, I decided I was really interested in doing PSEO. PSEO stands for post-secondary enrollment option. A couple of my friends chose PSEO and loved it so I got a little more information and eventually decided to enroll. PSEO...

I think I have an amusing story to share with you this week regarding crafts. Yes, I said crafts. I have always wanted to be artsy/craftsy. My father desperately wanted me to understand the basic components of a car’s engine, but I wanted nothing to do with anything...

It’s finally February. I thought January would never end. In 32 years, I’ve never had to listen to talk of “adding student-contact” days. It’s been surreal on some levels. I’ve heard from some former students who are now freshmen in college, and they can’t believe school...

It’s a little late in life but I am trying to be a more evolved person. With that in mind, as I wrote in a previous column, I watch Oprah’s hour-long “Super Soul Sunday” every week. After each new show, the network airs two hours of previously-shown broadcasts. Ones...

Bit by bit, room by room, environmental inconvenience by environmental inconvenience, I have begun to exert my control over the weather patterns in my home. It didn’t used to be like this. For most of the six years I’ve owned my house I’ve mostly been happy to take things...

I am happy to announce I survived another parent/teacher conference event. Each round gets a little more uncertain for me, however. After 32 years of teaching, the memory banks are full, and they don’t deal well with new information. One of the abilities I used to pride myself...

It’s not always a given that my husband and I will watch the Grammy awards show. This year, though, we made it a requirement. Paul McCartney was supposed to perform. Ringo Starr, too. I had read they wouldn’t be on stage together but still, what a thrill. Sunday’s viewing...

I like to make jokes. If you've read this column, you probably know that. Or maybe you didn’t realize I've been making jokes all this time and instead have been checking back each week for trenchant political commentary. If that's the case,I I’m pretty curious about your...

This month’s winter weather makes the construction season seem very far away. But even now, in the coldest weeks of the year, the city of Rosemount is busy planning for the projects residents will see under way this summer. Those projects will answer a lot of needs in our community....

Most of us have bought something used, whether it is a car, a tractor, a book, it is always a nice affordable alternative to spending big bucks on something new. Well, how many of us have sold something used? Years ago before the internet entered the market of reselling...

With session just around the corner, activity is starting to pick up again in Saint Paul with the pre-filing of bills that will receive their first reading on February 25th when the legislature reconvenes for 2014. I wanted to update you on the one bill that I've chief authored, and...