A journey I never wanted to take

I am going to write of a journey I never wanted to take, a journey with only one end. Maybe, maybe…it will help others who find themselves on this path By Rich Heiland, Columnist, The Times THIS IS THE beginning of a tale about an ending. I have no idea how long it will go on, or where it will take me. I know the ending but am not able to accept it yet so it is a tale that will write itself...

Can we find peace and goodwill this Christmas?

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa “Peace on Earth, good will toward men.” Those words should – and I hope will — describe our interactions with friends and family over the holidays. But, with so much division and anger, I suspect for some folks that will prove difficult. We’ve never been a perfect people, racism, imperialism, sexism, religious discrimination and corruption...

Focus on the good for this most unusual Christmas

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa It’s easy to be hung up on all of the bad things we’re living through right now. I’m not going to list them all, you know them all too well and don’t need me to remind you. So, as we head into Christmas week, I want to focus on the things we can celebrate – and yes, there are things. With all of the difficulties, we’ve learned to appreciate...

Saying ‘Farewell’ and thanks…

By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times Ladies and gentlemen, I have a bittersweet announcement to make : this is the very last “Read My Lipgloss”. Although The Times will continue, it will be an abbreviated version. As I reflect upon my brief stint in the world of journalism, I am grateful that Editor, Mike McGann, gave me the opportunity to be a part of this community voice. I have written...

Balance, Schmalance

By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times “Work life balance” It is a concept that garners A LOT of press, particularly around the start of the school year. However, with all the buzz, I have yet to discover a definitive formula for success. When I was a high schooler (back in the time of the covered wagon), you were defined by your intellect OR your athletic prowess. Not to say that you couldn’t...

It goes by too fast

By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times Mothering is very, very hard work. For those of you with older kids, do you remember when they were little wondering “will I ever get 15 minutes to myself again”? Escaping to go to the bathroom uninterrupted was wishful thinking. I recall (vividly) setting the timer on the stove for a mandatory “rest” when my boys refused to take naps (much too...

The gifts that cancer gave me

By Nancy Plummer, Columnist, The Times My Dear Readers, Well, I’ve been looking forward to writing to you all with good news…and of course, I was always having to prepare myself that that day may never come… However, miracles do happen every day, and I am one of them. I am in remission from my Ovarian Cancer!

All About Connecting: An update on my journey

By Nancy Plummer, Columnist, The Times My Dear Readers, I promised to keep you up to date on my Ovarian Cancer journey, and since there’s nothing like fighting for your life that brings home the gift of all your relationships, I want to share with you an important message. The hero (or heroes) during this journey isn’t the patient; it’s the caregiver{s).

On Your Table: Holiday food traditions

From cookies to meals, what we cook at the holidays helps define the time of year By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Recently, friends came to my house to share holiday treats and stories of their family food traditions.  Their recipes hold long-treasured memories kept alive by us for the next generation. While we come from different places — Hungary, Italy, the Ukraine,...

A little self care is good for you and those around you

If you don’t take care of yourself, it’s hard to care for others By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times Now that I have added “full time student” to my already overflowing resume (700 jobs, 2 kids and 1 husband), I have been less than pleasant to hang around with. I know this about myself. Guess what? I KNOW THIS. For the foreseeable future, there is not much hope of anything...