Merry Christmas, From The Grandkids

When we first started this Jim’s Jottings holiday tradition, the two grandchildren Dan and Karen Offer (inset picture) were small enough to fit on my knees. It was 1988. Dan was 3-years-old and Karen was four-months-old. In that first picture, Karen had no hair, I had more and I still wore a suit and tie […]

Big Jim Admits: Mistakes I have made

This is a best of Jim’s Jottings, that was first published on November 26, 1970. Please enjoy! * * * Through my nearly two decades of newspaper work I have made some mistakes that have been real beauties. I’m not referring to misjudgments or things done in poor taste. In news stories, I don’t use […]

My first job(s), asparagus to news

From Thursday, May 28, 1970 Bud Guest, WJR’s Sunny Side of the Streeter, got me to thinking the other day about jobs I’ve had. I couldn’t top the number mentioned by a printer in Lapeer, but it was fun recalling some of the ways I’ve earned coin. As you read this, maybe you’ll think back […]

Playing the back nine

This is in no way golf related, but I am going to write about the ‘back nine? of life. Which, arouses questions like: How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? Time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing […]

Depression thinking, clowns and computers

This will be another Jim’s Jottings probably not worth remembering. In fact I can’t think of any memorable ones I’ve written since starting them in 1955. 1 was born in 1926, soon after the beginning of THE GREAT depression. I remember my father telling me several times before he died in 1984, at age 93, […]

Cracking concrete and bad roads. Why?

On January 4 my interest in flawed and cracking concrete was aroused by a front (full) page newspaper article. Since then, I’ve read more articles about cracking concrete, and watched a 3-hour tv show on the subject. Why are our concrete highways, airport runways and parking lots needing so much repair? I thought surely university […]

Call your healthcare provider

Being on the second nine of life, I’m extremely aware of the most repeated advice in all medication guides: ‘Call your heathcare provider.? If it’s a symptom, your self diagnosis conclusions, passing comment by a stranger or something in a political cartoon that gave you pause, call your healthcare provider. Then when they put you […]

Helter and Skelter

? In my youth, I could look at a person wearing earrings and know they were female. Today, not so. ? I don’t know what Governor Snyder meant in his state of the state message that Michigan was ‘structurally unemployed? and ‘We need relentless positive action.? Maybe one of the millions on public dole will […]

Michigan taxes, roads, railways and Prop. 1

I’ve pretty much accepted Governor Snyder to lead our state. Since he was elected to lead Michigan in 2010, and having survived his Nerd nick name it’s time to re-read some of his actions. He’s become an-atypical politician, He knows his constituents are anxious for better, safer roads and bridges. And like almost all politicians, […]

Tips and fun from the 2015 Old Farmer’s Almanac

? Do inspectors who don’t find flaws in cars until after somebody buys them, and are recalled later, ever get fired? ? A Cardiac Specialist suggests drinking a glass of water before going to bed to avoid heart attacks. My drinking before bedtime advice is: Wear Depends. ? It must be easy writing commercials for […]