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Personal bucket list changes with the passage of time

It’s rare when a movie sums up a concept so well that it becomes applied to the lives of almost everyone. One example from almost 20 years ago was The Bucket List, a good story about two old men who want to live out a set of dreams before they kick the bucket. I’d never thought in terms of a bucket list until I saw the movie at Marshall 6. After seeing it I realized that bucket lists really do play a role in how people live. My bucket list has changed over the years. There are three things that I’ve achieved and two that I now realize I’ll never achieve. I’ll never go ...

St. Patrick’s Day with plenty of blarney

Sons and daughters of Erin in New Ulm will celebrate their Irish heritage on Tuesday, March 17, with the 61st annual New Ulm St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade, the oldest continuous St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Minnesota, will start at 5 p.m. at Third South and Minnesota Street and proceed the wrong way up Minnesota to the Glockenspiel, led by Grand Marshal Todd Olson and Irish Queen Kathy Jo Lux. The parade will be held come rain, shine or blizzard. After the parade, the festivities will continue with the Gathering of the Clans at Herb’s Pub (aka The Kaiserhoff). Herb ...

When grocery lists meet rocket ships

Dear Annie: I recently introduced my 62-year-old husband to emojis, and now I fear I’ve made a huge mistake. Every text I receive -- whether it’s “Pick up milk” or “Your sister called” -- is followed by a winking face, a heart and, inexplicably, a rocket ship. He signs grocery lists with smiley faces. He even sent our plumber three flame emojis. I’ve gently suggested that not every situation requires digital fireworks, but he says the emojis “make every message more fun.” Must I accept a future filled with cartoon faces, or is there a tactful way to dial it down? -- ...

Partisan politics and rhetoric causing long-term damage

There’s something deeply broken in the way political arguments are being made right now. Honestly, for the last 16 years. Supporting limited government, stronger regulation, more spending, less spending are legitimate political debates. But what we see now are partisan talking points that are exaggerated, embellished, or completely fabricated, repeated as if they are established fact. And the damage goes far beyond politics. When someone throws out numbers that clearly don’t withstand even basic scrutiny, like claiming $400 million in fraud when the publicly charged case is ...

International Women’s Day: Give to gain

March 8 marked the 115-year anniversary of International Women’s Day, launched in 1911 to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. At that time, only eight countries allowed women to vote. Women faced low wages, workplace dangers and exploitation, and freedom to speak out was limited around the globe. Fast forward 64 years, and, through sustained education and organizing, the United Nations declared 1975 as International Women’s Year, and adopted International Women’s Day officially on March 8th. While major progress in voting rights, ...

Remembering Dave

My wife and I recently received the sad news that our friend Dave Vincent has passed away. Dave was one of the most interesting people we’ve ever met. I became acquainted with Dave when he was working for a major advertising firm. Most of his job involved doing PR work for a major agricultural chemical company. Dave was born north of the Mason-Dixon line but was raised in Memphis. “Born Northen but Southern by the grace of God,” he often said. Dave took up scuba diving as a teenager and eventually became a professional diver. “I was hired by a boat repair company to ...