Tales from the Corners

It's no secret that March 30's I-85 bridge collapse caused a traffic headache in metro Atlanta. We all knew that there would be more challenging days than others. April 17 has been one of those days. At 3 a.m., there was a mix up with a truck carrying chemicals which spilled all over the Downtown Connector thus effectively shutting down that road north and south. To top all of that off, I-20 buckled! That explains the photo above. Okay, the alien was added for effect, but I do hope that you all get the idea. I certainly could use the comic relief as our traffic woes add up and the days get even hotter. I'll keep on going with my traffic hacks as much as I can, but even my great patience is wearing thin. I drove into the I-85 mess on Easter Sunday. It was okay as I made my way through the 20 minute tie-up, but one must remember that it was Easter Sunday. Most days, this tie-up is far worse.

I-85 bridge collapse hacked! That's me taking MARTA instead of driving into Atlanta, GA's downtown.  As most of us know, the March 30 th I-85 North bridge collapse made challenging traffic situations even worse in metropolitan Atlanta. This vital link of roadway forces thousands of commuters and travelers alike onto the few alternative routes available thus making our already-awful traffic conditions into a nightmare of epic proportions. This debacle took over our television airwaves as viewers watched in amazement as a federal road burned to the ground. Much is being debated as to who started the inferno as well as why in the world were there materials stored under the bridge that could have accelerated the fire. “Atlanta burning” made national and world headlines once again, but the unfortunate event showed that this could happen anywhere. I’m about to get a bit too local here, but this is the scenario taking place with I-85 out of commission. Those traveling I-85...

I recently completed my first full marathon. I have been a runner for several years, but did not start joining races until July 2015. In that time, I completed 5Ks, 10Ks, 10-milers and half-marathons since that time, but I always wanted to do the ‘full enchilada. I confess that I was pensive leading up to the marathon. The races always start in the dark and it’s typically chilly on late March mornings. What was ahead of me was quite daunting, but I broke it all down mile-by-mile. I took advantage of all aid stations, but stopping to drink and eat – something that I refused to do in shorter races. When I hit mile 23, it was a wall that I feared I would hit earlier. So, from that point, I did a lot of run-walking. I finished around the time I had hoped for and felt all right the rest of the day. The biggest casualty in all of this was my left big toe nail. I’m in the process of recovering from having it removed. Evidentially, the marathon traumatized that toe nail. Let me tell you, ...

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Being down in Georgia means that I think about water supply a lot these days. I have seen a few droughts come and go over the years. One of the worst occurred in summer 2007. We have been back to drought conditions since last year. Quite honestly, I would be surprised if we dug out of this current drought any time soon. We might receive a stormy spring, but will that put a dent in Georgia's current drought? I certainly hope so after paying dues going through a number of bad storms - like what we had on March 21. Right now, despite those ferocious storms/monsoons, it seemed as though we would be out of this year's drought in a snap. I suppose the answer is that instead of being at that horrifying "exceptional" or "extreme" level, we are somewhere between "moderate" and "severe." Here's hoping we will improve with more steady rain without the high winds, hail and lightning. This brings me to the fact that March 22 is  World Water...

Here is my latest video product that I would like to share on this blog. It was a pleasure meeting and interviewing Gwinnett County's own Jay Dozer. Jay builds custom microphone stands for some of today's hottest musical acts including  Backstreet Boys, Toni Braxton, Billy Idol, Reba McIntire and countless other performers. When he's not crafting these amazing stands, Jay sings in tribute bands.

Today is my birthday. Just like every passing year, I don’t feel any different psychologically, emotionally or physically. I didn’t wake up today and thought to myself, “Uh-oh, everything is going off the rails starting today.” Give me a break. Birthdays are truly just a number. Why do we get worked up over birthdays and anniversaries? I’m not sure how it is in other countries or societies, but in the U.S., we are fixated on numbers and measurements. We then let those figures dictate our thinking. We would all be better off if we stopped fixating. For me, nothing is different today. I’m still here and thankful for that fact. So what’s the huge deal? Indeed, I look completely different from my days growing up on Ohio’s north coast. When I visit these days many do not recognize me. I’m sure they walk away and are stunned that I’m a grown man. I suppose I can make a big deal out of that, but I cannot because it’s natural. We all simply get older. So what. That’s fine with me...