Over the weekend, my team won the series against our rival, Valdosta State. We were playing right up the road from my hometown and it was surreal to be playing on the…
Category: Editorials
Learning As I Go: Re-joy
When I taught elementary school, there were many lessons I delivered with passion. I instructed. They practiced. The activity then became a center in the class rotation for the week. Then, after…
From the sunny side: What’s so wrong with “MAGA?”
I don’t like to get into a whole lot of politics here. Primarily because I know that most of you who will agree with me will still agree with me. Those of…
The Game of Life: College Edition Change
Trying new things and allowing change in your life is arguably one of the hardest things to do as humans. Collectively, we hate change. We like having a routine and sticking with…
Learning As I Go: Role Shift
At Madison Primary School, back when the Teddy Bears’ campus sat where the hospital and college science building now reside, we excitedly participated in Field Day each spring. I counted the days…
From the sunny side: Too many choices
I recently found myself in need of some medical attention. Nothing drastic, just something I needed a medical professional to help handle. I reached out to one doctor’s office and saw that…
The Game of Life: College Edition New life
Today is Sunday, April 16, while I am writing this week’s column, and this one is going to be one for the books. I just witnessed three of my teammates get baptized…
Learning As I Go: Add this to your calendar each week
Each week, I look at my calendar and plan this in for my mental health. Not only is it good for my mental and emotional well-being, but physically, my body is growing …
From the sunny side: Armed security
Earlier this week, we saw yet another news report of a tragic school shooting, this time at a Christian school in Nashville, Tenn. As I was driving home on the afternoon of…
From the sunny side: Cook-outs
Rick Patrick Columnist I was recently watching a morning news show on TV, because it was morning and that’s what I usually watch in the mornings as I am preparing for my…
Learning As I Go: Mouse facts
• Mice can leave 40 to 100 droppings a day • If there is one mouse, there are usually more • A house mouse can have a dozen babies every three weeks…
From the sunny side: Brain pills
The more trips I take around that big yellow ball of gas in the sky, the more I feel I can relate to the people I once thought of as “old.” I…
Learning As I Go: Your life resume
As sheetrock mud splattered down from the ceiling onto my shirt, I wondered what my teenage self would think if she saw me now. I always wanted to live in a country…
From the sunny side: Extreme
Since I began my little adventure here at the newspaper, I’ve been called many things. Some of them actually good. Some of them not as good. I’m sure some of them can’t…
From the sunny side: Beet juice
Those folks who know me well, know that I have never been a very picky eater. In actuality, it only takes a casual glance to see that I have not turned down…
From the sunny side: “Squeaky shoe”
Rick Patrick, Columnist Those of you who have seen me out and about at any point in time over the last several months may have noticed that I wear a brace on…
Learning As I Go: Imprinted
“No way. SpongeBob is a rectangle. See, he has two longer sides and two shorter sides.” “No, he’s not a rectangle. He’s three-dimensional. SpongeBob is a rectangular prism.” These two third-grade boys…
From the sunny side: “Who is my neighbor?”
I have told the story many times that when I first began writing this column, I wanted it to be light-hearted and sometimes humorous. I wanted to focus on the “positive” because…
From the sunny side: Some days!
There is an adage that says, “Some days you’re the dog and some days you’re the fire hydrant.” Every once in a while, I am reminded of just how true that old…
Lest We Forget
As I shared in my last column, I have busted my tail planing lumber and sanding this week. We finally got time Saturday to put the wood up, but for some strange…