The Next StepLast week I took to the road. I’d planned a girls’ outing with my bestie and the first step was to pick her up in Beckley. That meant I had over an hour to myself in the car. Considering my treks are generally accompanied by my two-year-old and his chirpy kids’ songs, I was pretty excited to listen the Road Trippin’playlist I’d spent the previous week compiling. Our plans for the jaunt included driving to North Carolina, [...]
My son has a Veggie Tales book that he loves. We read it night and day. A pastor’s wife gave it to him. Why is he so attached to this little book? There is a red button in the upper right corner that plays a song. It’s annoying and catchy and it gets stuck in my head. He plays it so often, I rarely think about the meaning of the words. Because a thankful heart is a [...]
What do you mean there are people all over the world, walking around aimlessly, hunting virtual cartoon pocket monsters? And these weird little creatures are everywhere? In the shampoo aisle at Target? Beside the escalator at the Town Center mall? On the dashboard of my car? Even in my house? Um, more like Pokémon No. For the parents, grandparents, non-fans and others who don’t quite get what all the fuss is about, I did some digging on the [...]
Dear friends, The shock of last week's flooding is starting to settle and some people may be experiencing normal, post-traumatic stress reactions. As we come together to help with cleanup, gather supplies and offer our support to those who have been directly affected, here are some tips on how to be a skillful listener: Give empathy for what we have been through Acknowledge that this has been a difficult event Validate that stress reactions are normal Hold hope that these reactions will probably [...]
I don’t have cable; therefore the soundtrack to my daily routine is generally dictated by Spotify’s shuffle feature. Yesterday’s commute to work included a song called Timekeeper. A clock ticks as the music begins to play. The lyrics start as follows: Timekeeper I can't believe how long it's been Timekeeper I wish I could start over again I'm too young to be feeling this way Yeah I'm wasted as I lie awake There goes another day Whoa, timekeeper [...]
The past two weeks have been full of challenges - emotional anxiety, dealing with the loss of a pet, and caring for a sick child, whom I’ve now learned has asthma. A toddler taking albuterol treatments = wild child…but that’s a story for another day. Sunday I decided to shake it off and snap out of the blues. What better way to cheer up than to spend some time perusing Facebook, right? WRONG. Graduation photos, birth announcements and [...]
Sometimes getting out just isn't easy. It's possible you're physically stuck inside because your town just survived Snowmaggedon 2016. Maybe your sweet but stubborn toddler refuses to wear anything but Ninja Turtle pajamas when you try to leave the house. Perhaps your mood is falling faster than the thermometer, bringing about mid-winter doldrums. Whatever the reason, we get it. We feel it, too. But rather than just commiserate, we offer a possible solution. KPCC is excited to offer distance [...]
Shoveling out after the big storm of 2016 I had a lot of time to think about stuff. The work of shoveling out is kind of like dealing with a life problem. If I address the situation of the snow right away, it is still light, and easy to clear. It will take some work and commitment to go at it right away, but it will also take half the time, and even half the effort. Sometimes though, [...]