Hard Lessons In Death And Unforgiveness

by Kevin Burton     This bit of Burton family lore started small, sprung up unexpected.    We had a maid named Mrs. Long. This was before the basement at my father’s house in Yellow Springs, Ohio  was finished, when you could still practice hockey on roller skates and shoot a plastic puck into a 4-by-6 …

The Next Best Thing To Taking It With You?

by Dictionary Scoop    Thinking about one’s own demise is not a pleasant task. Still, it’s wise to make preparations for that day, to ensure your material possessions are handled according to your wishes.    The same goes for any plans you might have for your funeral. Last wills are fairly common, but in some …

Happy 80th Birthday To The Great Bob Seger

by Kevin Burton    Bob Seger’s highest charting song is not the song closest to his heart, nor, I’m guessing, is it foremost in the esteem of his true-blue fans.    The beloved singer-songwriter from Ann Arbor, Michigan  turns 80 today. So I looked up his chart history to see if he had ever had …

Happy Birthday To The Great Art Garfunkel

by Kevin Burton    OK, so this is what I get for digging into my favorite songs.    First, Happy birthday to singer-songwriter Art Garfunkel, born on this day in 1941. I do not have a present for him today, but I have been pondering within his great gift to us.    It was the …

Happy Birthday Little Sister, I Love You

by Kevin Burton    There was a day in the 70s when my younger sister Patricia asked me a question. I knew the correct answer to the question, but I lied to her.    We were in the basement of our father’s house in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Nobody else was around.    “When am I …

Embrace Your Mother While You Still Can

by Kevin Burton    Hug your mom.    Hug her today if you can. Hug her tomorrow because tomorrow is Mother’s Day, but don’t wait for a prompt from the greeting card companies. Hug her any time.    Hug your mom.    You see this on Facebook all the time. Hug your mom because you will …

Leap For Joy Leaplings, Today Is Your Big Day

by Kevin Burton    Steve Mingori was an excellent left-handed relief pitcher for Cleveland and Kansas City in the American League.  He finished a 10-year career with an ERA of 3.03.    I always thought of him as a “minus” pitcher. That means in my baseball board games, if a certain number came up and …

God Knew You Even Before Your Birthday

by Kevin Burton   My birthday is coming up soon, maybe yours is too. I have some worries just now and it’s not shaping up as the best birthday ever.    Maybe you are in the same straits. A message today then, for the both of us. The one sneaked up on me.    Recently …

Latter-Day David Saves Sister With Slingshot

by Kevin Burton     So now you know two stories involving a slingshot. And two extraordinary stories they are.    Thirteen-year-old Owen Burns heard his sister screaming earlier this month, then looked out a window to see someone trying to kidnap her.    Burns grabbed what he had at hand, what he was familiar with, …

Wichita State Great Ron Baker Turns 30

by Kevin Burton    Ron Baker, the shooting guard who helped usher in the greatest era of basketball at Wichita State, turns 30 tomorrow.    Some of us may not be ready to hear that.    Some of us overlooked, downtrodden people clung tightly to those Wichita State teams, underdogs who routinely slayed giants (I’m …