One man’s junk may be another man’s treasure.

                Sure, that statement may be as cliché as a 25-cent pink neon sticker on a chipped, ceramic coffee mug. Yet, something intriguing happens when people see a garage/tag/yard sale sign attached to a light pole or burrowed in a front yard.

                Carloads of ravenous treasure hunters swoop next to the curb, stealthily moving from car to driveway, hunting elusive fortune.

                Or, maybe these bargain shoppers simply rummage for a cute picture frame or kitschy set of wine glasses.

                Perhaps these curiosity seekers search for relaxation, a getaway from the regular grind, and discover it among the rows of overloaded card tables.

                These discount dickerers want a bargain. They aren’t afraid to haggle over a few cents.

                On Saturday, my mom, two aunts, Lacey and I ventured to Burwell, checking out the Junk Jaunt, billed as 300 miles of Nebraska treasures.

                It’s a brilliant economic development idea that pumps money into local economies, as well as the pocketbooks of individuals, charitable organizations, and entrepreneurs.

                Along the way, we spied multiple collections, ran into old friends and family, and decided some junk is simply what the word implies.

                We weren’t looking for any specific items; however, each of us found a certain piece(s) that resonated with us.

                Call it sentimental or nostalgic thinking, but half of my purchases are throwbacks to my grandparents, reminiscent of growing up with a close-knit extended family during uncomplicated times.

                My g’rents used to have a set of metallic drinking glasses in cool colors. When filled with ice cubes and beverages, sweat beads dripped from the tumblers, forming rivulets atop the table. I’m not sure why those glasses entice me, except they represent family and our farm, special moments with extraordinary people. When Aunt Deanna pointed out a set, I couldn’t resist.

                At another stop, I noticed a cut-glass pedestal candy dish trimmed in red. It matches antique stemware my grandparents presented as a wedding gift. At grandma’s house, the glassware sat in the shadowbox in the kitchen. Looking at the dish, I hear her telling stories as we snap beans or shuck corn while sitting at the kitchen table.

                On my grandparents’ dining room table, an oval-shaped bowl with colored inlets held seasonal items.  I found the same bowl during Saturday’s journey.

                To some, these items represent materialistic pieces of the past. A hodgepodge of collectibles that muddle memories.

                But I remember the day we auctioned off our grandparents’ belongings, box by box, piece by piece, and watched strangers carry away snippets of our family’s collective past.

                Every piece possessed a story: the shot glass collection we all contributed to, the beer and winemaking equipment grandpa cherished, the afghans grandma constructed and designed.

                How would the highest bidder learn the history associated with each acquisition?

                Would they appreciate the anecdotes?

                How do you raffle or sell a life to others, twenty-five cents at a time?

                As I traded greenbacks for my purchases on Saturday, these were the same questions I pondered.

I’ve been hanging out over at The Muffin, the daily blog at WOW! Women on Writing.com, for the past two days. I interviewed Susan DuMond, a runnerup in WOW’s Spring 2011 flash fiction contest and I blogged about reexamining writing goals as we approach the three-quarter mark of 2011. Check out this inspirational interview and get a dose of inspiration to make your writing dreams come true.

            Look at a September calendar and you’ll notice three holidays: Labor Day, Grandparents Day, and Rosh Hashana. Take a closer look (or some online surfing) and you’ll discover the ninth month of the calendar year marks 69 monthly observances, 34 weekly celebrations, and 159 daily commemorations.

            You may not immediately think of a correlation between some of these reasons to party like its 2011 and the Cornhusker State. But dig a bit further and you may be surprised at how these topics are not only current, but they also create a Nebraska connection.

            It’s Atrial Fibrillation Month. AF, the most common type of heart arrhythmia, occurs when the atria sends erratic signals that do not work in rhythm with the ventricles. 

            Through 2007, 20,009 Medicare beneficiaries in Nebraska used healthcare services due to AF. Those services totaled $14.7 million, according to AF Stat, a health policy foundation.

            Just last week, singer-songwriter Barry Manilow spoke at our nation’s capital to raise AF awareness. Manilow is one of 2.5 million Americans who live with AF.

            During his visit, U.S. Senator Ben Nelson presented the singer with a gift: a CD of “Western Town,” a song Nelson recorded years ago as part of a charity album for the Nebraska Foundation for Visually Impaired Children.

            On Sunday, Farm and Ranch Safety Week kicked off and continues through September 24.

            Every year around this time, Scott reminds me about taking precautions since harvest is coming up, I’m sharing the road with farm vehicles, and my Kia Sorento is a heck of a lot smaller than a combine or farm truck.

            In the past two weeks, several fatal accidents have occurred on Nebraska’s country roads. One main reason for the crashes: tall corn and obstructed drivers’ views.

            I spoke with Cheryl Stubbendieck, vice president of public relations for Nebraska Farm Bureau, about the importance of farm and ranch safety.

            She suggests highlighting a seasonal concern at monthly meetings.

            “It’s important that farm families not become complacent about safety. It’s a good idea to review safety procedures at regular farm business and/or family meetings.”

            What about farm visitors? It’s important that farm/ranch dwellers don’t assume guests know basic farm rules.

            Reviewing safety procedures may seem tedious, but those appraisals could ultimately save lives.

            On September 29, VFW Day honors the organization and its members who courageously served our country.

            The 2011 celebration denotes the 112-year establishment of the VFW. In 1899, a group of Spanish-America war veterans joined forces and started the organization for combat veterans.

            Nebraska’s oldest VFW post – All American St. Mihiel Post #247 – is the oldest, continuously active Post in the Cornhusker State. And, the Omaha organization also represents the second oldest post in the United States. The organization formed November 8, 1919. The Ladies Auxiliary began January 25, 1923.

            What an amazing tribute to everyone who has fought for this great country!

            Days may rush together in a flurry of activities, but take a closer look and see how a date on the calendar affects all of us.

                Monday morning, I encountered Cleopatra, poodle skirt-clad girls, a retro basketball player, and several freshmen who stepped out of a Jane Fonda exercise video.

                This blast from the past signals the beginning of Homecoming, a tradition in most Nebraska high schools, complete with dress-up days and pep rallies. Sometimes the bonfire features a dummy or mascot of the opposition tossed onto the flames, a sacrifice to the football gods to ensure victory. And who can forget about the hall decorations, parades, class competitions, coronation, and dance.

                My former classmate Charlie describes homecoming as the social event for the fall season where everyone was treated like royalty. It’s amazing to think that some crepe paper, balloons and Christmas lights could convince our minds that we were all in another world other than our own high school.

                Adolescent magic.

                Webster’s defines homecoming as a return: coming or returning home.  Some historians believe the popular fall event began in the 1870s, when both Harvard and Yale invited alumni to return to their annual scrimmage. Pop culture historians suggest that Baylor, Illinois or Missouri perfected the modern version of homecoming around 1910.

                The K-12, city-wide Homecoming parade conjured up memories with my fellow CCHS alums. Elementary students created costumes to either support the Wildcats or bruise the opponents.

                Melanie Schueler Knight reminded me of the time her brother dressed as an injured Blue Devil, slipped his arm in a sling and hobbled the parade route – around the courthouse square – on crutches, while carrying a sign pronouncing “Beat Kenesaw . . . Black and Blue.”

                If you played in band, you marched the route, dropped your instrument on the courthouse lawn, and sprinted back to school to be part of your class’s parade entry.

                Then you stood next to your parents, or grandparents, or the neighbor down the street and generated a whirl of school spirit floating toward the football field.

                As an educator, I observe the event differently. Some of the magical realism has faded into contrasting reality.

                If you consider the denotation of “homecoming” and the history behind the event, you may notice one key element seems M.I.A. from today’s weeklong festivities: alumni.

                If Homecoming is about returning home, shouldn’t schools do more to entice graduates to return on a crisp autumn evening and take in a football game, to share in and retain school spirit?             

                Shouldn’t  a graduate be more involved than a yearly alumni banquet where you eat a piece of rare roast beef or chicken and cold mashed potatoes, share silent conversations with classmates you had nothing in common with when you were in school, noting how the divide has widened remarkably in a year or ten?

                Maybe homecoming suggests a sense of community, of building a rapport with every person invested in a particular school.

                Maybe it’s about participation, about drawing the shyest wallflower lurking in the shadows into the frenzy.

                Maybe the spirit of homecoming should be encouraged and embraced throughout the year, within every activity, developing and representing a school’s character and pride.

Got a new gig over at Huskers Gameday, where I offer my opinion and take on the Huskers. We rallied the troops and held out a frisky Fresno State last night, and showed where we need to improve and what’s working. Check out my take on last night’s game over at Huskers Gameday.