Columns

Not because I was a “green” freshman or because I was a little fish in a bigger pond. Rather, it was terrifying for me because I was bullied.
There were a group of girls that got a rise out of picking on my twin sister, our best friend and me. It started out with spitballs being thrown at us in the gymnasium bleachers. The spitballs eventually turned into big wads of bubble gum. And, of course, name-calling was a common occurrence.

We all like to think of ourselves as patriotic, and good American citizens.
When they play the national anthem at a sporting event, we stand up and remove our hats. When we say The Pledge of Allegiance, we put our hand over our heart. We’ve always done these things because we were taught as children they are the proper thing to do, and they are ways to show respect for our nation and its treasured symbols.

Our office changed last Wednesday.

It was not a good change, in my opinion.
The sniffles heard outside my door that day indicate I’m not alone.
Kim Hupman, a long-time employee of The Springfield Sun, walked out the door for the last time.
Kim didn’t retire and she still has a job in the company. Things could be much, much worse.
She’s been relocated to Bardstown, to the office of The Kentucky Standard.
Lucky dogs.
She’ll still be doing Sun ads as part of a centralized graphics team.

Because we spend a lot of time indoors during the winter, we can channel these increased hours spent nesting to allow for a thoughtful examination of our life and goals.

 Often, resolutions to change financial burdens or eating habits are made in the beginning of the year, but it’s also a great time to assess life goals and priorities, and how they relate to happiness.
This year, following several trying economic years, offers an opportunity to reevaluate what you want out of life and how you can find happiness with what you have.