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A blast from the past — celebrating the big home run 50 years ago

This much is true. I hit a home run. For years, Kevin Sweeney, the retired editor of The New Ulm Journal, wrote up New Ulm’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration. It was his way of poking fun at the dour Germans who surrounded him.  Kevin reported on true events, like New Ulm’s few Irish gathering at a bar. Then there were less-true events, like dressing Herman in green and music by the O’Concord Singers. Readers were warned to believe his reports “at their own peril.” Consider this column in that vein.  In thinking about my upcoming 50th class reunion, it occurred to me ...

Memoir writing: It should be part of everyone’s bucket list

Memoir writing is something most people don’t think about, but maybe they should. It’s always surprised me that writing isn’t popular. I remember back in junior high when writing was sometimes used as a punishment. It was often effective because classmates didn’t like it. I’ve always enjoyed putting my thoughts into words. I do it at least once a week. Until this past month one thing I’d never considered was writing my memoirs. It was always something I thought I might do someday when I became a senior citizen, when I had nearly a lifetime of experiences. That changed ...

NEW ULM – Before the New Ulm Film Societies adjourns its courtroom drama series, they will host a screening of “The Social Network.” The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 at the New Ulm Public Library.  “The Social Network” is a 2010 film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin that attempts to tell the story of how Facebook was founded and the legal issues that followed. “The Social Network” is not told in a strict chronological order.  It begins with Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg, being inspired to create an ...

Ensuring Minnesota veterans can get the care they’ve earned

Whether they served in the jungles of Vietnam, the mountains of Afghanistan, or the sands of Iraq, when our veterans signed up to serve our country, there wasn’t a waiting line. When they return home from duty and need a job, education, housing, or health care, there should never be a waiting line in the United States of America. That’s why for years I worked alongside Minnesota veterans and families to ensure that veterans exposed to toxic substances, including burn pits in the Middle East and Agent Orange in Vietnam, could get the high-quality, affordable health care they need ...

Overshadowed by friend’s outgoingness

Dear Annie: I have a close friend who I love very much, but whenever we’re together, whether in social settings or professional environments, it feels like I’m always playing second fiddle to their charisma and charm. I value our friendship and genuinely enjoy her company, but I just can’t help feeling overlooked and invisible at times. It’s disheartening. I feel totally unworthy of attention and recognition when I’m around her. I’ve tried to tell her this, but she doesn’t seem to really get it. She just says, “What are you talking about?! People love you!” I ...

Try this trick for hanging pictures

Dear Heloise: My husband was hammering a nail to hang a picture in our home and hit his thumb. It was hard enough (and painful enough) to cause his nail to turn black. He finally got out a small wrench to hold the nail in place while he hammered it in. No more hammering his thumb! -- Christine P., Hillsboro, Oregon Christine, that’s a good idea, and here is another item you can use to hold a nail: It’s a clothespin! It will hold the nail securely while you hammer it in. -- Heloise SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise@Heloise.com SCUFF MARKS Dear Heloise: I kept getting scuff ...