Tag Archives: High Plains Blogger

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My journey is complete

Drum roll, please, for I am about to make an announcement.

The journey through darkness I have written about extensively on this blog since I lost my lovely bride, Kathy Anne, to cancer has for all intents reached its end.

So much has happened to my family and me since the worst day of our lives came crashing down on us. We lost the pillar of our family to glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. She lost her valiant battle and left her family and friends in a profound state of grief.

I commenced my return back from the darkness by writing about that journey on High Plains Blogger. You know what? It helped me beyond measure. I found it within myself to share my grief with the whole world. The process filled me with hope that I could get through this period.

And I have done so!

I have told you about how I searched for light at the end of this journey. I am happy to report that the light on this day is far brighter than I ever imagined it would be immediately after Feb. 3, 2023 … which I have labeled as the worst day of my life.

Every one of those who comprise my worldwide network of friends and acquaintances have said the same thing: The pain never will go away. It will return without warning. You, though, will learn to manage it. You know what? They all were right! Here is a compilation of the entries I posted on High Plains Blogger.

Kathy Anne | Search Results | High Plains Blogger

I have learned that the overarching lesson in dealing with grief is to not let it consume me. It hasn’t. I am moving on with my life. Yes, I have some aspects of that new life to work on … but I can do so with a clear head and a heart that is not nearly as damaged as I reported earlier on this blog.

As one of my sons informed me, “If you can get something positive accomplished in spite of your grief, then you’re doing OK,”

There you have it … but I am happy to declare myself to be far better than OK. Kathy Anne would insist on it.

local news

Time for a rant!

Rarely do I use this blog to rant and rail about personal matters … but today I am going to make a brief exception.

I see a lot of “No Soliciting” signs on people’s front yards. I have nothing to sell, so I have no good reason to knock on someone’s door.

There is a “No Soliciting” sign in the flower bed in front of my front door. It’s there just as plain as the schnoz on my puss.

What’s the rant? You know where I am going with this. It is to bellow angrily at salespeople who (a) ignore the sign, (b) don’t see it or (c) ring my doorbell just to piss me off.

I won’t think the worst of folks, so I’ll rule out the last “reason.”

However, I don’t put those signs out because I like the way they look among the front-yard flora. I put them out there because I do not want salespeople seeking to sell me something this old grouch doesn’t need or want. The kid today sought to sell me a pest-control product he said would get rid of spiders. “I’ve talked to your neighbors and they told me they have spiders,” he said.

OK. My rant is over. Now I’ll return to more worldly items on which to, oh I don’t know … maybe offer a complaint.

local news

Blog nears milestone

Time for a little bragging, if that’s all right with you. If you object, too bad. I am going to boast … just a little.

High Plains Blogger will surpass in just two days a significant milestone. I am proud to announce it will mark 1,000 consecutive days in which I have posted something on the blog.

I know better than to brag about the quality of the posts. I’ve enjoyed many of them. I haven’t liked so much many others. As for whether all my posts have been welcomed, that depends on those who read them. The political posts have their friends and their foes. The friends generally are quiet; the foes pull the long knives out of their scabbards.

My blog took a dramatic turn in the past year. I have used this forum as a form of therapy for my broken heart. My dear bride, Kathy Anne, lost a fight with cancer and I have told you the story of the journey I undertook to emerge from the darkness. My chronicling of that journey has been well-received, and it has helped me find the light, which today shines brightly.

I will soldier on. Why do this? Well, it’s what I do.

For those who have stayed with me for all this time, I offer a humble and heartfelt thank you.

High Plains Blogger means a lot to me. I hope you get something from it as well.

media news

Trump: recipe for boredom

It is becoming apparent to me that readers of High Plains Blogger are as bored with the 45th POTUS as I am.

I now shall explain myself.

Yes, I am writing about him. However, I hope readers have taken note that I am veering off the political trail and into more, um, human interest matters. Those other issues seem to be garnering more attention among HPB readers than my usual prattle about Donald J. Trump, who I believe is the most dangerous politician of my lifetime.

Also, I want to mention — even though it is obvious — that I have returned to referring to the former POTUS by his name. I am doing so sparingly. Why? Because even the appearance of his name sends me into fits of boredom. That means I’ll offer up the occasional pejorative reference to him.

I long have promoted this blog as specializing on “politics, public policy” and on “slice of life” topics. It’s the latter topic that gives me the most pleasure these days. We all have lives outside of political issues. I am preferring, therefore, to talk about those matters that occupy more of our minds than the ramblings of politicians.

I even consider this blog entry a sort of “slice-of-life” item. I hope you feel the same.

This all leads me to another point I want to make. It is that blogging has flung the door wide open to yours truly. I am not bound to rely only on the stumble-bum rhetoric that flies out of politicians’ pie holes. It’s a big ol’ world out there and I like exploring as much of it as I can. Given that I created this blog more than a dozen years ago, I have delivered myself the perfect venue to do the one thing that seems to come so naturally.

I like to write. I hope to keep you interested.

crime news

More on conviction …

Fascinating, yes, how some folks are reacting to the New York jury ‘s unanimous decision to convict the former POTUS for illegally paying hush money to an adult film actress regarding a tryst the two of them had before he sought the presidency.

One reaction came to me in the form of a question, followed by a commentary. It reads: At any rate, I was wondering if Trump wins in November, will you accept that outcome? On an interesting note, it seems the sham conviction is giving Trump quite the boost.

Well …

OK, my first reaction is to not engage anyone who calls the verdict a “sham.” It was nothing of the sort. Jurors reached their decision in accordance with the rule of law. Donald Trump was convicted on all 34 felony counts and faces a possible prison sentence. He has the right to appeal, which he said he will do.

Would I accept a Trump victory in November? I’ll just say: Yes, I would if it comes cleanly and without any hint of “rigging.” I accept Trump’s 2016 victory. He achieved it according to the rules laid out in the Constitution. He garnered fewer popular votes than Hillary Clinton but won enough Electoral College votes to take the oath of office.

This particular critic of High Plains Blogger, though, tosses aside any notion of dialogue with me if he insists that the verdict is a “sham.”

Get a grip, dude.

local news, media news

So many acquaintances

Blogging is my newest form of self-expression, although it certainly isn’t all that new, as I have been at it full time since 2012.

That makes a dozen years since I commenced this latest endeavor to put my thoughts on some form of cyber “paper” and distribute it throughout our known world.

Where am I going with this? I want to explain one of the phenomena associated with blogging that doesn’t seem to get as much attention as I believe it should. This form of commentary has introduced me to many acquaintances with whom I have no other personal connection.

They read these musings and are moved, either out of total agreement or the exact opposite, to be notified every time I post something that flies into cyberspace.

Am I moved at times to get to know these individuals? It depends on whether we agree politically. Occasionally, I hear from one of them whenever I write something positive about President Joe Biden. He will respond usually with a snarky comment aimed at his dislike of Biden’s policies.

The other stuff that flies into space from my laptop? All I get are the proverbial crickets.

Hey, no worries. I always await his reaction when I bellow something good about Biden or something negative about the moron who wants to run against him this fall.

He is far from alone among those lying in wait. The good news is that many critics of High Plains Blogger express themselves with a form of gentleness. I am casually acquainted with some of them. They might know members of my family. I might have actually met them. Then again, maybe not. I will engage them in some repartee, but only if I’m in the mood.

I tend to let my views stand as my final word on a subject once they are posted and sent rocketing into space. I am advised to engage more frequently than not, though. Debating readers who respond is supposed to “connect” me with the audience. Well, maybe so. Then again, it might widen the divide.

I continue to enjoy this avocation. It doesn’t pay me much money, but I ain’t in it for the cash. I do this because I just like writing and I like putting my stamp on this ever-changing world of ours.

Plus, it builds my sphere of acquaintances.

local news, media news

932 days … and counting

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This isn’t a boastful post, but it is one that calls attention to a streak I’ve enjoyed for a very long time.

For 932 consecutive days I have posted something on High Plains Blogger that might be of some interest to someone out there.

High Plains Blogger is taking a lengthy airplane right Tuesday morning, which might — perhaps, maybe — put that streak in some jeopardy. I will work to ensure it remains intact.

I am going to Nuremberg, Germany for two weeks. I will be visiting dear friends who invited me back there when they got word of my bride’s passing way. I’m taking them up on their generous hospitality.

My hope is that we don’t get too gabby and I forget to post something within a particular calendar day.

The gentleman who is hosting me is a journalist, so he knows about my deadline pressure. His wife works for the government, so she knows, too. They are wonderful friends and are the parents of three fabulous children, who have grown significantly — of course — since the previous time I was there in 2016 with Kathy Anne.

I do know this: my bride would insist I keep the streak alive.

So … I will.

local news, media news

Blogging invigorates me

I feel invigorated this morning. Why is that? For starters, I slept well overnight. Also, I have this blog to keep me fired up.

For sure I hit a spell when I wasn’t feeling really “into it.” I didn’t have writers’ block … exactly. To be truthful, I don’t think I’ve ever suffered from the ailment that plagues people who write for a living.

Indeed, I can recall when the writer’s floodgates opened up. It occurred right around 9/11, which is nearly 23 years ago … can you believe it?

With all that was occurring on all the continents on Earth, editorial writers and editors — such as me — were handed a plethora of topics on which to offer commentary. It hasn’t let up.

The world’s attention has turned away from the event that brought us that worldwide misery on 9/11. We have no shortage of issues on which to comment.

My noggin is full of ideas today. I don’t know if I’ll get to all of them before the sun sets tonight. Yes, I admit to hitting a bit of a slump not too long ago. I am over it now.

national news, political news

Accusations aren’t ‘false’

A critic of High Plains Blogger has accused me of saying things about the presumed Republican Party presidential nominee that are false.

Well, I am going to challenge that allegation with this brief post.

He writes: You bash Trump with false accusations and give credit to Biden where’s there’s very little credit to be given.

Nothing I have said about the presumptive GOP nominee is “false.” As for “credit” being given to President Biden, I’ll save that comment for another post.

I have said for as long as I have been writing this blog — and it’s been many years — that I do not mind criticism of its content; just don’t ascribe impure motives to me for expressing these views. They are mine alone and I take responsibility for them. As for my motivation, some folks over the years have questioned my faith, and my patriotism. I take a back seat to no one on either matter.

My accusations against the 45th POTUS are based on what juries have determined, what legally constituted prosecutors have said in criminal indictments and even on the visual record of video and audio recordings the world has seen and heard with its own eyes and ears.

The falsehood or the truth about any of it has yet to be determined in courts of law. My sincere and fervent hope is that we get to those determinations sooner rather than later.

I am just going to make this point one more time — and it likely won’t be the final time: The idiot whom Republicans will nominate for POTUS is unfit for any public office in the land.

local news

900 in a row … and counting!

I am not prone generally to bragging about myself on this blog of mine, but I have to offer this tidbit for you to ponder.

Today marks the 900th consecutive day in which I have posted musings on this and/or that topic on High Plains Blogger.

Some friends of mine tell me they marvel at my prolific volume of commentary. I respond only with a simple “thank you” and this caveat: It’s what I do.

This blog has kept my mind alert and in the past year it has helped carry me through some intense emotional pain brought about with the loss of Kathy Anne, my beloved bride, to cancer.

I don’t file generally as many blog posts daily as I once did. I admit to slowing down a bit on that aspect of my productivity. However, every day brings a new challenge for me, offering me a chance to comment on news of the day … or just on life as I am now living it.

Stay with me, dear reader. There’s more on the way.