In “The Lost Continent”, author Bill Bryson states, “Nebraska must be the most unexciting of all the states. Compared with it, Iowa is paradise.”
Obviously, Bryson’s never lived along the Elkhorn River Valley, strolled through the Old Market on a crisp autumn evening, or celebrated a small town’s heritage during a summer festival. I bet the Des Moines native has never observed the evening sky from the Nebraska Sandhills, never stood beneath the Friday night lights and cheered the local football team, never eaten a Runza or Val’s pizza or Dorothy Lynch dressing.
He doesn’t know what he’s missing.
With the exception of three summer breaks spent in Greensboro, North Carolina, Chicago, and New York City, Nebraska establishes the backdrop for the memorable scenes of my life. This wide-open country plays a central character in my story. It’s part of my identity.
I imagine it is a part of yours, too.
We Nebraskans may disagree about the inner workings of political parties, urban versus rural lifestyles, or the importance placed on Husker athletics, but we generally agree that our quality of life, including a strong work ethic and firm values, shape us, mold our thoughts, and unite us as citizens of the Good Life state.
These –isms define who we are and separate the locals from the out-of-staters. We face similar issues, but we Nebraskans have our own unique perspective on how situations should be handled and creative ideas for solutions to any problem that confronts us.
Each week, I plan to share with you that exclusive point of view. The topics will have a definite Nebraska slant. The flat water that identifies where we live and weave our own stories will fill a vital role.
So, let me introduce myself and the secondary players who may appear occasionally.
Although I grew up in Clay Center, Nebraska, a small town near Hastings, I spent a lot of time in the Northeast Nebraska area when I was growing up. My maternal grandparents farmed in the Tilden – Oakdale areas, and my paternal grandparents made their home in Wausa. My grandmother operated the movie theater and my grandfather was a mechanic.
My parents, retired teachers, reside in Tilden and are the third generation to live in a house owned by members of our family.
My husband, Scott, is a dairy farmer. He, along with his parents and brothers, continue to build the farm his grandparents began.
There are children, or more appropriately, young adults who make us laugh and sometimes cry. We’re a blended family. So, it’s possible you’ll read about Cassandra, who works in Economic Development, Amanda and Courtney, both who have managerial positions in the restaurant industry, Krystal, who is beginning the newest chapter in her life as she starts college, Melanie, a senior, Tyler, a sophomore, or Lacey, a seventh grader.
And there’s one grandson, three-year-old Marvin, who watches football with such intensity. I’m guessing that by the time he’s five, he’ll be running complicated passing routes on the Kindergarten playground.
After working in corporate America for a few years, I returned to college and eventually taught English, Journalism, and Speech. For the past ten years, I’ve also done quite a bit of freelance writing. Now, that’s my full-time job. Occasionally, I substitute at area schools; the lure of teaching will always be inherent.
But writing certainly offers creative freedom and the opportunity to tell a story and present the facts. That’s a powerful combination!
And that’s the powerful combination I will bring each week. Join me as we travel through Nebraska, meet the characters that act on our state’s stage, reveal the actualities affecting us, and decipher what gives Nebraska and each of us a distinctive –ism.
Repost of original column printed in The Creighton News, September 3, 2009.
September 10, 2009 : The Lure of Friday Night Lights, original column printed in The Creighton News.
The Lure of Friday Night Lights
September 17, 2009: Autumn in Nebraska, original column printed in The Creighton News Autumn In Nebraska
September 24, 2009: The Responsibilities of being a Husker Football Fan, original column printed in The Creighton News
Responsibilities of Being a Husker Football Fan
October 1, 2009: The Kitchen-Family Connection, original column printed in The Creighton News The Kitchen-Family Connection
October 8, 2009: Farm Safety, original column printed in The Creighton News Farm Safety
October 15, 2009: The Clothesline Controversy, original column printed in The Creighton News The Clothesline Controversy
October 22, 2009: Nebraska’s Literary Scene: Read It!, original column printed in The Creighton News Nebraska’s Literary Scene
October 29, 2009: Nebraska’s Original Snack Food: Popcorn, original column printed in The Creighton News Popcorn
November 5, 2009: FFA Emblem: Drawn in Nebraska, original column printed in The Creighton News FFA Emblem: Drawn in Nebraska
November 12, 2009: WWI, Draft Cards, and Grandpa, original column printed in The Creighton News WWI, Draft Cards, and Grandpa
November 19, 2009: Hunting Widows, original column printed in The Creighton News Hunting Widows
November 26, 2009: The Drama of One-Act, original column printed in The Creighton News Drama of One-Act
December 3, 2009: Fruitcake Facts & The Beatrice Baking Company, original column printed in The Creighton News Fruitcake
December 10, 2009: Nebraska’s Poinsettias, original column printed in The Creighton News Poinsettias
December 17, 2009: Let It Snow! Nebraska’s Blizzards, original column printed in The Creighton News Nebraska’s Blizzards
December 24, 2009: Christmas Traditions, original column printed in The Creighton News Christmas Traditions
December 31, 2009: Ice Fishing, original column printed in The Creighton News Ice Fishing
January 7, 2010: Symbolism of a State’s Culture, original column printed in The Creighton News Marketing Nebraska
January 14, 2010: I’m a 30, original column printed in The Creighton News I’m a 30. Identifying Nebraskans by County
January 21, 2010: Late Night Television, original column printed in The Creighton News What Would Johnny Think?
January 28, 2010: Travel Postcards, original column printed in The Creighton News A Nebraska Press Trip – Picture This!
February 4, 2010: Nebraska’s Unique Libraries, original column printed in The Creighton News Nebraska’s Unique Libraries
February 11, 2010: Valentine’s Greetings from Nebraska, original column printed in The Creighton News I Heart Nebraska!: Valentine Traditions
February 18, 2010: Going for Gold: Nebraska Olympians, original column printed in The Creighton News Going for Olympic Gold
February 25, 2010: Sandhill Cranes: Nebraska’s Nature Dance, original column printed in The Creighton News Sandhill Cranes
March 4, 2010: Happy Birthday, Nebraska, original column printed in The Creighton News Happy Birthday, Nebraska!
March 11, 2010: 4N6: What I Learned from Speech as a Competitor and a Coach, original column printed in The Creighton News 4N6: Nebraska High School Speech
March 18, 2010: Nebraska’s Irish Roots, original column printed in The Creighton News Nebraska’s Irish Roots
March 26, 2010: Legends and Tall Tales, original column printed in The Creighton News Nebraska Tall Tales & Legends
April 1, 2010: No Foolin’: Husker Women’s Basketball Scores, original column printed in The Creighton News Husker Women’s Basketball
April 8, 2010: The Poets of Nebraska, original column printed in The Creighton News Poets of Nebraska
April 15, 2010: Nebraska and Bowling, original column printed in The Creighton News Let’s Go Bowling!
April 22, 2010: Living in Tornado Alley, original column printed in The Creighton News Living in Tornado Alley
April 29, 2010: Timber! Nebraska’s Tree History, original column printed in The Creighton News Arbor Day and Champion Nebraska Trees
May 6, 2010: Teacher Appreciation Week, original column printed in The Creighton News Which Nebraska Teacher Impacted Your Life?
May 13, 2010: Wild Weeds, original column printed in The Creighton News Hunting Wild Asparagus
May 20, 2010: Pipelines, New Beginnings, and Master Anglers, original column printed in The Creighton News New Beginnings and Proposed Concerns
May 27, 2010: Nebraska’s Railroads, original column printed in The Creighton News Railroads: From the Golden Spike to Railroad Tourism
June 3, 2010: Closing a High School, original column printed in The Creighton News The Last Year: Snapshots of a School
June 10, 2010: Here’s Your Sign: Caution! Alcohol Ban May Be Lifted, original column printed in The Creighton News, Nebraska G & P Alcohol Proposal
June 17, 2010: Nebraska Floods Bring Communities Together, original column printed in The Creighton News Rollin’ Like a River: The Elkhorn Leaves Its Banks
June 24, 2010: Nebraska’s Field of Dreams: Rosenblatt and the CWS, original column printed in The Creighton News Nebraska’s Field of Dreams: Rosenblatt & the CWS
July 1, 2010: Nebraska’s Drive-in Theatres, original column printed in The Creighton News, The Reel Truth: Nebraska’s Drive-in Theaters
July 8, 2010: Fireworks & Freedom, original column printed in The Creighton News, Fireworks & Freedom: Small-Town Celebrations
July 15, 2010: I Scream for Ice Cream, original column printed in The Creighton News, Hot Fudge with a Cherry on Top: Dip Into Nebraska’s Ice Cream History
July 22, 2010: Going for Gold, original column printed in The Creighton News, Golden Moment: Nebraska Hosts Special Olympics Nationals
July 29, 2010: Nebraska’s County Fairs, original column printed in The Creighton News, Paradise By the Midway Lights: County Fairs
August 5, 2010: Drink of the Gods: Nebraska Winemaking, original column printed in The Creighton News, Drink of the Gods: Nebraska Winemaking
August 12, 2010: Oh Yeah! Kool-Aid – Nebraska’s Official State Soft Drink, original column printed in The Creighton News, The Kool-Aid Connection
August 19, 2010: Nebraska’s Ponca Trail of Tears, original column printed in The Creighton News, Trail of Tears & The Ponca Powwow
August 26, 2010: Sometimes You Feel Like a (Hazel)Nut, Sometimes You Don’t and other Musings, original column printed in The Creighton News, Nebraska Hazelnuts, Audio Books & Texting Bans
September 2, 2010: Teaching Tolerance: Lessons from To Kill a Mockingbird, original column printed in The Creighton News, Lesson from To Kill A Mockingbird
September 9, 2010: Nebraska’s Grand Affair, original column printed in The Creighton News,
