When we were kids, my brother, my sister and I were always very eager to open a gift on Christmas Eve. It was our family tradition that we could each open one gift after dinner on Christmas Eve. We usually had to wait for a pretty good while after dinner to do it. We just… Read more »
Once I got my driver’s license, every Christmas Eve it was my job to go pick Ralph up, and after dinner, to take Ralph home. Ralph was an old guy, and he was a Gentleman’s Gentleman, of sorts. If you ever had a question about manners, Ralph was the guy to ask. He helped my… Read more »
As the holidays approach, we are planning a visit to Jonesboro, Arkansas, my hometown. I always look forward to visiting home. With each visit, some friend of mine sees fit to tell my wife, Landi, yet another ‘Bill Story. Some are quite entertaining and many are grossly exaggerated. Let’s just say there are few things… Read more »
Last year, Landi and I drove from Pensacola florida to Las Vegas, and then on to Los Angles for Thanksgiving dinner with her brother, David. It’s a long drive, but it is 100% something you ought to do. If you wonder what has happened to America, drive across it. You’ll meet wonderful people of all… Read more »
A fried turkey is a wonderful thing. It is moist. It is flavorful, and it’s not hard to do. There are some things that only experience can teach you, and toward this end, I have some advice to offer. First, brine the bird. A brined bird is a juicy bird. Google Alton Brown’s Turkey brine… Read more »
When I first set out to write a book, it was to be a technical book on Information Technology, the Unix Operating System, and professional Systems Administration. In thirty years, I have learned a lot of practical things that I thought I should share. Some, I have learned from others, and some I have discerned… Read more »
Perhaps the worst job I ever had was at the same time the best job I ever had. I was working for a ‘call center’ company. That’s a nice way of saying ‘Collections Company’. The place I worked was the 3rd largest ‘call center’ company in the world. It was run by a man who,… Read more »
She was my very first love and it was late afternoon when she called. It had been a long, hard day, but I knew she would call, and I knew that I would answer. We had spoken earlier, and agreed that it would be a good thing to meet later. This was that call. I… Read more »
I am distraught. My chocolate lab Dixie, whom we have raised from a pup, came to me this morning and informed me that I had offended her and that due to the racist connotations of her name, she will no longer answer to that name, preferring to be addressed as “Svatchime”. “What? Offended? How can… Read more »
When he was 3 or 4 years old, I could look at him and say ‘Beer Monkey! Fetch me a beer!”, and, smiling like a miniature lunatic, he would run down stairs to the fridge, get a beer, open it, and bring it to me. Life was good! “Beer Monkey!” I would say and boom!… Read more »
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