And I Spent

• I Have Probably Spent More Time Researching and [Derived Headline]

I have probably spent more time researching and thinking about this column than any other that I have written. On 9/11, a horrific incident that united all of us ... young and old in every state and yes, of every color and religion, has now become a politically wielded wedge to drive us apart. The question of an Islamic center a few blocks from the former site of the World Trade Center is certainly of major importance, but the misinformation, hysteria and use of this one topic as a new litmus test for political candidates is a worrisome trend; sure to worsen as we approach the ninth anniversary of that day. There has already been far too much over-the-top rhetoric and patriotic posturing instead of some understanding dialogue.

• New Haven Register
• September 07, 2010

• Commentary: I Earned It and Spent It, so Why Can't I Keep It?

Bankruptcies are up 91 percent from this time last year. Most likely, contractors are suffering more sleepless nights, too. In this economy, work is precious. But pay for that work is even more so. However, that sleeplessness doesn't end even when the contractor has cashed the check and spent the money. The unfortunate truth is that too often, a contractor cannot truly breathe a sigh of relief for at least 90 days - and sometimes as long as a year - after a debt is collected.

• Daily Journal of Commerce
• November 24, 2009

• Dedge prosecutor details decision-making process: 'I am truly sorry that he got convicted wrongly and he spent 22 years in prison'.

The prosecutor who sent Wilton Dedge to prison for two life terms for a rape he didn't commit said he is sorry for the injustice done to an innocent m...

• Florida Bar News
• February 01, 2006

• Five First Dates

I am something of a first-date connoisseur. My last relationship ended in December of 2009, and I spent the next year alternating between "depressive hermit" and "online dating savant." In 2010, I went on 20 first dates, nine second dates, and five thirds. I don't particularly like dating, and I wouldn't say I'm good at it, but I certainly have experience. Contra dance!" a friend exclaimed when I told her about my next date. "That sounds fun!" She paused. "What's contra dance? "There is no lead," he explained, setting me straight. "That's what I like about contra dance. No one leads and no one follows. There's just always somewhere you're supposed to be."

• Isthmus; Madison, Wis.
• February 28, 2011

• Facing Prison, Woman Says Money 'Came to Me and I Spent It'

By CHRIS LEONARD Staff Writer

• Daily Record, The Wooster, OH
• September 18, 2009

• The Idiot Box: ; 'Falling Skies' Aliens Don't Come in Peace

The big premiere this week is TNT's "Falling Skies" at 9 p.m. Sunday. Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, it details the aftermath of an alien invasion and the resistance movement formed by survivors. TNT sent me the first seven episodes (the bulk of the season) to preview, and I spent an enjoyable evening Saturday watching the sci- fi drama. For the record, I'm not anti-sci-fi, but I don't really consider myself a fan.

• Charleston Gazette
• June 16, 2011

• The Good Shepherd?

In a dramatic and abrupt resignation speech to the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops in New Orleans last September, [Jeffrey Steenson] told his fellow brother and sister bishops: "My conscience is deeply troubled" and acknowledged that his "radical journey of faith" might seem "foolish," "disloyal" or even "an abandonment. Steenson thinks he's fulfilling history. He says he's adopted a "radical solution" to the major theological problem of his life and times. And the historical irony isn't lost on the former bishop with a PhD in patristics from Oxford University. "There's something impish in me that says I get to put my thumb in [Henry VIII]'s eye," a smiling Steenson says, remembering an enormous portrait of Henry VIII he once encountered on a daily basis. On the subject of homosexu...

...And quick. "I don't think I've spent more than five minutes agonizing over the question...

• Santa Fe Reporter
• August 26, 2009

• Your Job's a Cakewalk Compared to Hers

If you think you work insane hours, spend a day in Barb Duggan's shoes. I spent two hours with her Monday, and I'm still exhausted.

• Wyoming Tribune - Eagle
• July 29, 2011

• Rehoboth Beach Scarred by Ailing Economy

The sand sculptures were a welcome distraction. My 8-year-old daughter and I spent an afternoon during the family's annual trip to Delaware last week walking amid the meticulously crafted creations in Rehoboth Beach's 33rd annual sandcastle contest. She was consistently amazed by what she saw.

• Tribune - Review / Pittsburgh Tribune - Review
• August 10, 2011

• Reader Travelogue / Turkish Delight -- Stunning Panorama of Geography, History Is a Marvel for Artists, Tourists

I had been nervous about going to Turkey on my own until a friend asked if I would be her roommate on a short trip to Istanbul. We spent a couple of days in the countryside, too, and I found warmth and hospitality that exceed even those of our own gracious region. There was also great beauty, which called me to return at greater length and paint. This past September, I packed my pastel kit and portable easel and spent almost a month in the region. I easily could have spent more.

• The Commercial Appeal (2007-Current)
• February 07, 2011