Kelly Learns
A compilation of my columns from the Sunday issues of the Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona.
I’ve been writing an every-other Sunday column for the Daily Courier in Prescott, AZ since late 2020, thanks to the kind encouragement of long-time columnist Ron Barnes, who spent over 30 years contributing his wisdom not only to the newspaper but to many other people and organizations in the Prescott area. He put in some good words to the publisher and editor for me when he decided to retire from column writing. It’s one of those gifts you never knew you wanted and then realize how grateful you are to have it.
The Daily Courier has exclusive rights to my column for 60 days after publication, which is why you might be reading a Christmas column in February. I love writing but seem to need a project and deadline to do it. Hopefully this blog will inspire me to write more. Thanks for stopping by to check out my site!
Class of ’85
It’s been 40 years this month since I graduated from high school. I don’t remember a lot about the big day, other than wearing a sweaty polyester gown over a nice dress I bought for the occasion. We lined up by height, so I was one of the last ones to walk across the stage. We were told not to throw our hats at the end of the ceremony, probably because some poor student got an eye poked many years ago. Some of us threw them anyway. There was a lot of crying before and after the ceremony, almost like someone had died, but I think it was because deep down it was starting to hit us what a big deal it was to grow up and leave home. I ate my weight in tiny ham sandwiches and party mints in the days that followed, as I dropped in at friends’ homes to celebrate and talk about what we were sure...
What time is it?
One of the joys of living in Prescott, Arizona, is not needing to remember the phrase “spring forward, fall back.” Twice a year, while we are enjoying our morning coffee and showing up to church on time, people all over the country are arriving too early or too late...
How do you say…?
I saw something on the Internet the other day that a study found it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at new skill. After some quick math, that’s 27 years if you practiced your new skill for just an hour a day, which might explain why my childhood piano lessons...
The heart of giving
I think I discovered the secret to a long, happy life when I met Ann Wilson last week. Do what you love and it will never feel like work. “I’m going to work for free for the rest of my life,” she says with a smile. She’ll be turning 89 in a few weeks, and her husband...
Bottomless cup
The self-serve beverage station is one of my favorite food inventions of the modern era. I choose my restaurants based on the availability of endless cups of coffee without having to bug the staff for a warm-up. Some places will plop an insulated thermos of it on the...
No regrets
I was planning to write a light-hearted column this week, something about hot fall weather and having to dig my sandals back out and repaint my toenails. Or maybe a piece about our ongoing battle with a mysterious garden creature at war with the potted plants. But...
We should really talk about it
It’s the nature of my job in hospice that many people I meet are in the middle of an urgent health crisis. Someone they love has reached a critical point, and now they have to figure out what happens next. Sometimes it’s an unexpected terminal diagnosis with a...
Oh deer
I have no scientific data to back this up, but this year it feels like there’s more of every type of animal in our neighborhood. The other day I had to stop jogging while two flocks of turkeys with their babies crossed the street to continue eating their fill of...
As Long As I Can Remember
(My mom and dad on Mom's 70th bday) I had the honor of speaking at the Sunrise Lions Club the other day, and after we got through the questions, someone mentioned a beloved former Lion named Al, who made it to 103 before he died this year. One of the members always...
Curse of the Auto-Renew
The other day I noticed a hefty charge for a popular virus scanner on our bank statement. I didn’t remember using the product, much less buying it for more than I would ever agree to pay. I visited their website to find the customer service number and logged in with...
Dirt room
I’m not sure what percentage of homes in Prescott have a dirt room, but when I ask people if they have one, I usually get a blank look. I don’t mean a mud room where you take off your wet shoes and mucky boots before entering the house, I mean an actual room with dirt...
Dog days of summer
I was researching summer trivia for an event I was leading when I discovered this fun factoid: Americans eat 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth of July. I started thinking about that number and looked up the U.S. population in 2024. It’s 342 million, which means on...