Prose and Poetry In The Sweetest Of Harmony

by Kevin Burton     Prose and poetry share a bookshelf without rancor or squabbles. Each has a place, and then there is a place shared.    There is an understanding.    You know and appreciate them for what they are. Each is comfortable within itself. But they are pleased for the company of the other, …

She’s Still The One After Fourteen Years

by Kevin Burton    My wife asked me a question, but her question made me ask more questions.    This was around Valentine’s Day, and I wanted to write about it right away, but I didn’t get there. Missed my window. But since our anniversary is now only three days away, voila, another window.    …

How Sports Underdogs Became ‘Cinderellas’

by Merriam-Webster Dictionary    Cinderella is arguably the most iconic of fairy tales, an archetype of what is known as the rags-to-riches story.    You know how it goes: living under the oppression of her evil stepmother, she finds her chance at happiness and fortune only after a fairy godmother makes her over for the …

Language Of Love: Words For Valentine’s Day

by Merriam-Webster Dictionary Romantic: marked by expressions of love or affection; conducive to or suitable for lovemaking; a person of romantic temperament or disposition (noun)    We associate this word with sweetness and love, but it emerged from the conquering powers of the Roman Empire. The expansion of ancient Rome created various dialects of Latin called …

Pigeons And Doves: A Valentine’s Day Primer

by Kevin Burton    You’ve heard of rose-colored glasses?  You’ve heard of beer goggles? You’ve heard of “I only have eyes for you, sh-bop, sh-bop?    Well it’s Valentine’s week and here on Page 7, for the occasion, we’re going to do a little bird watching. Stay with me now, for as the kids say, …

Quibbles And Bits: Introductions Are In Order

by Kevin Burton     As you know, fantasy football is over for the year. Yesterday was Tuesday but I didn’t have any waivers to do, no lineups to set, no injuries to check on.    Nothing to do really.    So over the course of the season I have been noticing there was this woman …

Our Love Of Words Includes Words Of Love

by Kevin Burton    Yes, today’s list of words about love from Merriam-Webster Dictionary comes just in time for Sweetest Day which is coming up Saturday, but these words are not all cuddle-worthy.    This list looks at love “from both sides now,” like the Joni Mitchell song made famous by Judy Collins. There’s some …

Challenge And Opportunity On Sweetest Day

by Kevin Burton    Guys, Sweetest Day is Saturday. I am posting this on a Wednesday to give you time to react and prepare appropriately, as is my wont.    Let me break it down for you in a way you can understand:    According to social.com, 36 percent of sales in the $7.9 billion …

Now The Dictionary Is Speaking My Language

by Kevin Burton    At one of my newspaper stops I was introduced to readers as speaking “fluent Spanish” That wasn’t, and isn’t, quite true.    But I do speak some Spanish and it has done me some good over the years.    How much Spanish do I speak? I once described it as “enough …

Blind Woman To Wed After Triple Transplant

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay News    Stricken with cancer in infancy, Jessica Lopez endured tumor-fighting treatments that saved her young life but also left her with lasting heart damage.    By the time she reached her early 30s, Lopez, who was left blind by her cancer, also found herself in triple-organ failure — her heart, …