Lee St. John's Blog
August 13, 2025
My hopes to become a Bingo Manager
What's Up Wednesday?
My hopes to become Bingo Manager
I am real excited to learn about this job description as I love playing games and we have several retirement homes in my county that I could possibly apply.
It's BINGO MANAGER. Doesn't that sound fun? And the pay? The top 10% of the best-paid bingo managers see themselves $148,441 richer every year. A high school diploma and a few years of experience in a similar field are usually enough to land this type of job.
A "Bingo manager" in a retirement home is responsible for organizing, managing, and enhancing the bingo program for residents.
A director must have these skills:
Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Ability to engage effectively with seniors and foster a positive atmosphere. Here's my interaction conversation: "Mr. Vanderlay, WAKE UP! You've got a BINGO!"
Creativity: Skill in developing new and exciting aspects of the bingo program. I could sponsor movie themed game nights like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clockwork Orange, 2001 Space Odyssey, etc. Residents will not be offended. They are my age or older and saw these flicks the first time around. They may not remember, but they did.
Organization: Detail-oriented skills for managing materials, schedules, and prizes. "Mr. Vanderlay, WAKE UP! You dropped all your letters on the floor."
Flexibility: Willingness to adapt to the residents' needs and participate in various roles as required. "Mr. Vanderlay! Do you need to go to the restroom before the game starts?"
Enthusiasm: A passion for creating joyful experiences and promoting community. "Mr. Vanderlay. For heaven's sake! You are taking up a space that someone else would want to play BINGO if you don't WAKE UP!"
Plus I could check out the homes for future reference. After all, I am on deck.
And with that salary, I can afford paying the bingo prizes myself. Bingo prizes can range from small, inexpensive items to larger, more valuable prizes, depending on the event and the players. Popular choices include gift cards, small appliances, food items, and items that appeal to the specific interests of the players.
Maybe I can branch out and provide BINGO entertainment for children birthday parties. Or, just give the kiddie toys to the adults (they'll love them!) in the assisted living homes. Here are some gift ideas:
Toys: Small, age-appropriate toys like dolls, action figures, or board games are good choices. ("Mr. Vanderlay, please don't take off Barbie's wardrobe.")
Candy: A variety of candy bars or a box of movie theater candy can be exciting. Just don't provide taffy and such. ("No, Mr. Vanderlay. You can't have another piece of candy until we find your teeth.")
Stickers ("You've been a good boy, Mr. Vanderlay"), temporary tattoos (won't that be fun?), or glow sticks (Weeee!)
Bouncy balls or other small toys: These are always a hit with kids. ("Mr. Vanderlay, please don't throw the ball at Dr. Van Nostrand.")
I mean, I doubt the residency will allow small appliances, like a toaster or iron, in the facility anyway. And gift cards? Victoria's Secret? Golden Corral and other all you can eat restaurants? That card would go to waste.
Have any other suggestions I might add for my interview? Anyway, I love BINGO. I'll keep you posted.
My hopes to become Bingo Manager
I am real excited to learn about this job description as I love playing games and we have several retirement homes in my county that I could possibly apply.
It's BINGO MANAGER. Doesn't that sound fun? And the pay? The top 10% of the best-paid bingo managers see themselves $148,441 richer every year. A high school diploma and a few years of experience in a similar field are usually enough to land this type of job.
A "Bingo manager" in a retirement home is responsible for organizing, managing, and enhancing the bingo program for residents.
A director must have these skills:
Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Ability to engage effectively with seniors and foster a positive atmosphere. Here's my interaction conversation: "Mr. Vanderlay, WAKE UP! You've got a BINGO!"
Creativity: Skill in developing new and exciting aspects of the bingo program. I could sponsor movie themed game nights like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clockwork Orange, 2001 Space Odyssey, etc. Residents will not be offended. They are my age or older and saw these flicks the first time around. They may not remember, but they did.
Organization: Detail-oriented skills for managing materials, schedules, and prizes. "Mr. Vanderlay, WAKE UP! You dropped all your letters on the floor."
Flexibility: Willingness to adapt to the residents' needs and participate in various roles as required. "Mr. Vanderlay! Do you need to go to the restroom before the game starts?"
Enthusiasm: A passion for creating joyful experiences and promoting community. "Mr. Vanderlay. For heaven's sake! You are taking up a space that someone else would want to play BINGO if you don't WAKE UP!"
Plus I could check out the homes for future reference. After all, I am on deck.
And with that salary, I can afford paying the bingo prizes myself. Bingo prizes can range from small, inexpensive items to larger, more valuable prizes, depending on the event and the players. Popular choices include gift cards, small appliances, food items, and items that appeal to the specific interests of the players.
Maybe I can branch out and provide BINGO entertainment for children birthday parties. Or, just give the kiddie toys to the adults (they'll love them!) in the assisted living homes. Here are some gift ideas:
Toys: Small, age-appropriate toys like dolls, action figures, or board games are good choices. ("Mr. Vanderlay, please don't take off Barbie's wardrobe.")
Candy: A variety of candy bars or a box of movie theater candy can be exciting. Just don't provide taffy and such. ("No, Mr. Vanderlay. You can't have another piece of candy until we find your teeth.")
Stickers ("You've been a good boy, Mr. Vanderlay"), temporary tattoos (won't that be fun?), or glow sticks (Weeee!)
Bouncy balls or other small toys: These are always a hit with kids. ("Mr. Vanderlay, please don't throw the ball at Dr. Van Nostrand.")
I mean, I doubt the residency will allow small appliances, like a toaster or iron, in the facility anyway. And gift cards? Victoria's Secret? Golden Corral and other all you can eat restaurants? That card would go to waste.
Have any other suggestions I might add for my interview? Anyway, I love BINGO. I'll keep you posted.
July 21, 2025
Retiree looking for fun
I’ve been thinking of my next job as a retiree. So far, I have considered being a professional mourner and a popcorn cheese sprayer.
This week, I like the idea of writing one-liners for fortune cookies. I’m a humorist. Why shouldn’t this be my best idea yet? They can make good money, too. The Guardian reports that back in 2000 one fortune cookie writer was paid $0.75 per fortune. If you wrote 500 of them per day, you would make about $46/hour. Multiply that by eight hours. Not bad. Especially since I can sit at home in my pajamas and declare my silly/weird thoughts.
Someone has to do it.
Here are some I’ll share:
1. If you think we are going to sum up your whole life in this bitsy piece of paper, you are crazy.
2. Ignore previous cookie.
3. I see money is in your future. It is not yours to keep, though.
4. Error 404: Fortune Not Found.
5. As long as you don’t sign up for anything new, you’ll do fine.
6. Pass the bill to the person on your right.
7. It would be best to maintain a low profile for now.
8. It could be better, but it’s good enough.
9. To truly find yourself, you should play hide and seek alone.
10. The fortune you seek is in another cookie.
11. If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, does it have calories?
12. You are about to become $10.95 poorer. ($8.95 if you had the buffet).
13. Your finances will be the key to your financial future.
14. You are not illiterate.
15. You will be hungry again in one hour.
16. You do not have to worry about your future. LUCKY NUMBERS
6 39 89 41 66 12
17. Tomorrow take a left turn as soon as you leave home.
18. The fortune you seek is in another cookie.
19. Enjoyed the meal? Buy one to go.
20. A distant relationship is beginning to look more promising.
21. There may be more fortune cookie sayings in your future.
This week, I like the idea of writing one-liners for fortune cookies. I’m a humorist. Why shouldn’t this be my best idea yet? They can make good money, too. The Guardian reports that back in 2000 one fortune cookie writer was paid $0.75 per fortune. If you wrote 500 of them per day, you would make about $46/hour. Multiply that by eight hours. Not bad. Especially since I can sit at home in my pajamas and declare my silly/weird thoughts.
Someone has to do it.
Here are some I’ll share:
1. If you think we are going to sum up your whole life in this bitsy piece of paper, you are crazy.
2. Ignore previous cookie.
3. I see money is in your future. It is not yours to keep, though.
4. Error 404: Fortune Not Found.
5. As long as you don’t sign up for anything new, you’ll do fine.
6. Pass the bill to the person on your right.
7. It would be best to maintain a low profile for now.
8. It could be better, but it’s good enough.
9. To truly find yourself, you should play hide and seek alone.
10. The fortune you seek is in another cookie.
11. If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, does it have calories?
12. You are about to become $10.95 poorer. ($8.95 if you had the buffet).
13. Your finances will be the key to your financial future.
14. You are not illiterate.
15. You will be hungry again in one hour.
16. You do not have to worry about your future. LUCKY NUMBERS
6 39 89 41 66 12
17. Tomorrow take a left turn as soon as you leave home.
18. The fortune you seek is in another cookie.
19. Enjoyed the meal? Buy one to go.
20. A distant relationship is beginning to look more promising.
21. There may be more fortune cookie sayings in your future.
April 23, 2025
Gone But Not Forgotten
I am in a real quandary: a state of not being able to decide what to do about a situation. I will be 72 soon. I am looking for a new activity to keep me entertained.
When I retired from teaching, I made a plan. And I've done it all, except stand up comedy. I am still mulling that over.
There's been dance lessons ( examples - tap, ballet, line ), bridge, bunco, book club, church activities (examples - teaching circle lessons, bringing food while hosting guests at various events in the fellowship hall, singing in a women's ensemble ) , art lessons ( examples - water color, charcoal, oil, drawing ), exercise classes ( examples - yoga, balance ), written columns in several newspapers and, of course, humor books ( one a best seller ), not to mention unorganized events through my neighborhood and community. I still do a few of these. But I am looking for something different. And I think I found it. And it pays! My new adventure is being a PROFESSIONAL MOURNER!
According to Cheryl Johnson's confession in Silver Magazine, “It might sound strange, but funerals are a wonderful day out,” she says. “You get to meet new people, dress up, and there’s usually some fantastic food. It’s very much like a wedding with a celebratory atmosphere after all the emotion. Everyone wants to remember and celebrate the dead person’s life and they just assume that I knew them too. It’s never awkward.”
Although Cheryl's experience is one where she wasn't paid and did it for her own satisfaction, professional mourners can average salary of $30 to $120 per funeral. Now on a fixed income, I'd like little cash towards my hair appointments, my nail appointments, and lunches out with friends.
If interested, you can become a professional mourner. They are paid to attend funeral services and express their grief on behalf of the deceased or their loved ones. This has been done for centuries in many places around the world.
And it's simple, really. And since I like to talk to people, the job to publicly express grief at funerals, help others release their emotions, and honor the deceased’s importance in society works for me. Even if you don't like talking, you can express grief through crying, wailing, and rituals, varying by culture. These mourners offer community and emotional support to grieving families, validating their feelings. I suggest learning a little bit about the deceased through obituaries and such in case someone asks YOU a question. Or you can just wail more and louder.
While funeral customs change, professional mourners remain vital in some societies, through personal expressions and support from loved ones have become more prominent. These mourners, playing a culturally specific role, contribute to the funeral experience with care and authenticity.
With my new interest, I feel like I am following Erma Bombeck's mantra: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.' ”
Stay tuned for more jobs on my list.
When I retired from teaching, I made a plan. And I've done it all, except stand up comedy. I am still mulling that over.
There's been dance lessons ( examples - tap, ballet, line ), bridge, bunco, book club, church activities (examples - teaching circle lessons, bringing food while hosting guests at various events in the fellowship hall, singing in a women's ensemble ) , art lessons ( examples - water color, charcoal, oil, drawing ), exercise classes ( examples - yoga, balance ), written columns in several newspapers and, of course, humor books ( one a best seller ), not to mention unorganized events through my neighborhood and community. I still do a few of these. But I am looking for something different. And I think I found it. And it pays! My new adventure is being a PROFESSIONAL MOURNER!
According to Cheryl Johnson's confession in Silver Magazine, “It might sound strange, but funerals are a wonderful day out,” she says. “You get to meet new people, dress up, and there’s usually some fantastic food. It’s very much like a wedding with a celebratory atmosphere after all the emotion. Everyone wants to remember and celebrate the dead person’s life and they just assume that I knew them too. It’s never awkward.”
Although Cheryl's experience is one where she wasn't paid and did it for her own satisfaction, professional mourners can average salary of $30 to $120 per funeral. Now on a fixed income, I'd like little cash towards my hair appointments, my nail appointments, and lunches out with friends.
If interested, you can become a professional mourner. They are paid to attend funeral services and express their grief on behalf of the deceased or their loved ones. This has been done for centuries in many places around the world.
And it's simple, really. And since I like to talk to people, the job to publicly express grief at funerals, help others release their emotions, and honor the deceased’s importance in society works for me. Even if you don't like talking, you can express grief through crying, wailing, and rituals, varying by culture. These mourners offer community and emotional support to grieving families, validating their feelings. I suggest learning a little bit about the deceased through obituaries and such in case someone asks YOU a question. Or you can just wail more and louder.
While funeral customs change, professional mourners remain vital in some societies, through personal expressions and support from loved ones have become more prominent. These mourners, playing a culturally specific role, contribute to the funeral experience with care and authenticity.
With my new interest, I feel like I am following Erma Bombeck's mantra: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.' ”
Stay tuned for more jobs on my list.
March 10, 2025
Another Kind of Love Story
I started a story in my COCKAMAMIE MEMOIRS FROM A HOT SOUTHERN MESS by quoting Lewis Grizzard's thoughts on marriage.
"He was married four times. Something he said around wife number two, or maybe number three stuck with me, 'We've been married for six weeks and they said it wouldn't last.' "
The chapter was entitled, "If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try, Try Again." It was meant to be a husband's guide in marriage.
I am guessing Dolly Parton figured it out with her almost sixty years of matrimony to Carl Dean. What a love story.
And a story behind the love story was the song, "Jolene".
I wasn't a big Dolly fan. My favorite song of hers is "I Will Always Love You." Despite its emotional intensity, it is not an anguished story of lost romantic love but was written by Parton following the break-up of her professional partnership with Porter Wagoner.
Very, very sweet lyrics.
And now I'm here to tell you this short essay about "Jolene".
From Drew Weisholtz, TODAY:
One of Dolly Parton’s biggest hits was inspired, in part, by her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean. The country music icon said her 1973 smash hit “Jolene,” which went to the top of Billboard’s country music chart, came about thanks to a bank teller who had a little thing for Dean.
“She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton told NPR in 2008. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kind of like a running joke between us when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”
I've met the real Jolene. While attending the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop in 2018, our main speaker was a funny woman by the name of Rita Davenport. I fell in love with her. I learned she was Jolene.
Yes, THAT Jolene.
FUNNY SIDE UP: A SOUTHERN GIRL'S GUIDE TO LOVE, LAUGHTER AND MONEY is just one of her many books.
From Amazon: Part memoir, part inspirational guide to living your dreams, Funny Side Up traces Rita Davenport's extraordinary story and the lessons learned along the way...lessons that will inspire and challenge you to go beyond what you may have thought possible. Get ready to be entertained and enlightened by an accomplished southern girl!
I found her to be a real hoot (many southern girls I know are).
People wonder what the real Jolene was/is like. Now you know.
No wonder Carl was playfully mesmerized.
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
"He was married four times. Something he said around wife number two, or maybe number three stuck with me, 'We've been married for six weeks and they said it wouldn't last.' "
The chapter was entitled, "If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try, Try Again." It was meant to be a husband's guide in marriage.
I am guessing Dolly Parton figured it out with her almost sixty years of matrimony to Carl Dean. What a love story.
And a story behind the love story was the song, "Jolene".
I wasn't a big Dolly fan. My favorite song of hers is "I Will Always Love You." Despite its emotional intensity, it is not an anguished story of lost romantic love but was written by Parton following the break-up of her professional partnership with Porter Wagoner.
Very, very sweet lyrics.
And now I'm here to tell you this short essay about "Jolene".
From Drew Weisholtz, TODAY:
One of Dolly Parton’s biggest hits was inspired, in part, by her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean. The country music icon said her 1973 smash hit “Jolene,” which went to the top of Billboard’s country music chart, came about thanks to a bank teller who had a little thing for Dean.
“She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton told NPR in 2008. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kind of like a running joke between us when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”
I've met the real Jolene. While attending the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop in 2018, our main speaker was a funny woman by the name of Rita Davenport. I fell in love with her. I learned she was Jolene.
Yes, THAT Jolene.
FUNNY SIDE UP: A SOUTHERN GIRL'S GUIDE TO LOVE, LAUGHTER AND MONEY is just one of her many books.
From Amazon: Part memoir, part inspirational guide to living your dreams, Funny Side Up traces Rita Davenport's extraordinary story and the lessons learned along the way...lessons that will inspire and challenge you to go beyond what you may have thought possible. Get ready to be entertained and enlightened by an accomplished southern girl!
I found her to be a real hoot (many southern girls I know are).
People wonder what the real Jolene was/is like. Now you know.
No wonder Carl was playfully mesmerized.
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
December 19, 2024
Sentimental Journey
Sentimental Journey (by request again this year)
~from Cockamamie Memoirs from a Hot Southern Mess
As one who likes to entertain in a humorous way, let me take a sentimental moment to write about a Christmas memory. You may find your thoughts reverting back to the late 1950s yourself. This is about a mother-daughter excursion to Rich’s Department Store in Atlanta. It was a day of many thrills: eating breakfast with Santa, having pictures taken with St. Nick, flying high in the Pink Pig monorail, independently shopping in Santa’s Secret Shop, and being mesmerized by the lighting of The Great Tree.
Founded in 1867, Rich’s came to symbolize Atlanta’s retail shopping experience during the twentieth century and was inextricably linked with our capitol’s history. By the 1950s, Rich’s Magnolia Tea Room Restaurant was known for its fashion shows and light luncheon fare, including their delicious chicken salad, cheese straws, and fabulous coconut cake. Our Breakfast with Santa was also held here and children squealed with delight as Santa meandered around and spoke to each of us while we enjoyed our Rice Krispies mixed with vanilla ice cream.
And I didn’t spill a drop on my green velvet dress. With ruffled ankle socks and black patent leather shoes, I carried a white faux fur muff with matching hat for my picture after breakfast with St. Nick. Although lines were long, I was never frightened because he looked just like the picturesque Coca-Cola Santa. Photographs were taken while children sat on his knee and whispered their secret Christmas desires. Santa’s helpers gave green Christmas tree-shaped candy to partakers. The black-and-white five-by-seven photo was mailed to your home shortly after your visit.
Another thrill was riding Priscilla, The Pink Pig. In 1956, the bright pink monorail debuted with a piggy snout and curly tail. This magical journey around the toy department with all the toys, decorations, and sparkling lights was only three and a half minutes long, costing a quarter. Later moving to the rooftop, the car traveled onto the Crystal Bridge, a four-story all-glass bridge that stretched across Forsyth Street, connecting Rich’s two buildings. It then carried you around the base of the tree, giving an enormous view of all the glistening ornaments as large as basketballs and a view overlooking the city streets. I still have a white, satin sticker with Priscilla’s smiling face declaring, I Rode the Pink Pig.
I remember shopping at Santa’s Secret Shop on the fifth floor. The emporium allowed me to privately pick out inexpensive gifts for my parents because adults were not allowed in. Santa’s elves assisted me while Mother shopped elsewhere in the store. Rich’s set up accounts where parents paid for their children’s acquisitions using what was called the charge plate. All purchases were secretly wrapped.
As the day stretched into dusk, Mother and I, along with tens of thousands from all over the South, attended the lighting of The Great Tree. Generating more anticipation for the ceremony, city lights were turned off for about thirty minutes after a complete sunset. Then the freshly-cut seventy-five-foot-tall Georgia White pine came to life with its miles of sparkle and seven-foot-tall star. Standing atop the Crystal Bridge, each of the bridge’s four levels provided Christmas carols from heralding choruses. Rich’s Great Tree was featured on the cover of Time magazine on December 15, 1961.
Everything about Rich’s was ours. It was home, and not just at Christmas. It was as much a part of the Atlanta landscape as the statue of the Phoenix—purchased by Rich’s—once featured downtown and known as “Atlanta from the Ashes,” a symbol of Atlanta’s revival. This Christmas memory’s afterglow warms me since this tradition at this location no longer exists. But once there was a time that was magical and Southerners came near and far to spend a part of their holiday at “The Store of the South.”
~from Cockamamie Memoirs from a Hot Southern Mess
As one who likes to entertain in a humorous way, let me take a sentimental moment to write about a Christmas memory. You may find your thoughts reverting back to the late 1950s yourself. This is about a mother-daughter excursion to Rich’s Department Store in Atlanta. It was a day of many thrills: eating breakfast with Santa, having pictures taken with St. Nick, flying high in the Pink Pig monorail, independently shopping in Santa’s Secret Shop, and being mesmerized by the lighting of The Great Tree.
Founded in 1867, Rich’s came to symbolize Atlanta’s retail shopping experience during the twentieth century and was inextricably linked with our capitol’s history. By the 1950s, Rich’s Magnolia Tea Room Restaurant was known for its fashion shows and light luncheon fare, including their delicious chicken salad, cheese straws, and fabulous coconut cake. Our Breakfast with Santa was also held here and children squealed with delight as Santa meandered around and spoke to each of us while we enjoyed our Rice Krispies mixed with vanilla ice cream.
And I didn’t spill a drop on my green velvet dress. With ruffled ankle socks and black patent leather shoes, I carried a white faux fur muff with matching hat for my picture after breakfast with St. Nick. Although lines were long, I was never frightened because he looked just like the picturesque Coca-Cola Santa. Photographs were taken while children sat on his knee and whispered their secret Christmas desires. Santa’s helpers gave green Christmas tree-shaped candy to partakers. The black-and-white five-by-seven photo was mailed to your home shortly after your visit.
Another thrill was riding Priscilla, The Pink Pig. In 1956, the bright pink monorail debuted with a piggy snout and curly tail. This magical journey around the toy department with all the toys, decorations, and sparkling lights was only three and a half minutes long, costing a quarter. Later moving to the rooftop, the car traveled onto the Crystal Bridge, a four-story all-glass bridge that stretched across Forsyth Street, connecting Rich’s two buildings. It then carried you around the base of the tree, giving an enormous view of all the glistening ornaments as large as basketballs and a view overlooking the city streets. I still have a white, satin sticker with Priscilla’s smiling face declaring, I Rode the Pink Pig.
I remember shopping at Santa’s Secret Shop on the fifth floor. The emporium allowed me to privately pick out inexpensive gifts for my parents because adults were not allowed in. Santa’s elves assisted me while Mother shopped elsewhere in the store. Rich’s set up accounts where parents paid for their children’s acquisitions using what was called the charge plate. All purchases were secretly wrapped.
As the day stretched into dusk, Mother and I, along with tens of thousands from all over the South, attended the lighting of The Great Tree. Generating more anticipation for the ceremony, city lights were turned off for about thirty minutes after a complete sunset. Then the freshly-cut seventy-five-foot-tall Georgia White pine came to life with its miles of sparkle and seven-foot-tall star. Standing atop the Crystal Bridge, each of the bridge’s four levels provided Christmas carols from heralding choruses. Rich’s Great Tree was featured on the cover of Time magazine on December 15, 1961.
Everything about Rich’s was ours. It was home, and not just at Christmas. It was as much a part of the Atlanta landscape as the statue of the Phoenix—purchased by Rich’s—once featured downtown and known as “Atlanta from the Ashes,” a symbol of Atlanta’s revival. This Christmas memory’s afterglow warms me since this tradition at this location no longer exists. But once there was a time that was magical and Southerners came near and far to spend a part of their holiday at “The Store of the South.”
March 15, 2024
THE infamous Playboy Centerfold
She's a Keeper!
My mother was adored by her students. She taught for so long and with such loving enthusiasm and devotion to her classes, that the students started calling her "MOTHER" because she had mothered as many as she could. They even inserted her name in the school fight song, which they kept singing even after she retired.
Some member of the Senior Class of 1969, out of loving respect, decided to play a little hoax. Mother used those geography maps that scrolled up and down. She used them almost daily in her American and world government discussions. This class had some pranksters who thought it would be funny to pull one over her. While she was on hall duty, a couple of boys from 5th period taped a Playboy centerfold onto one of those world maps and then rolled it back up into its cover. They planned to ask a question in class that involved having her pull down THAT PARTICULAR MAP to answer the question they posed.
What they hadn't counted on was 3rd period. Someone in 3rd period innocently asked a question that caused my mother to pull down the map with the nude model plastered in the middle of Africa. Since she stood in front of the map while pulling it down, no one expected the ruse and the students didn't see it. She quickly tore the picture off without the rest of the class knowing the difference.
So, there was no way that the prank had spread around the school. Fourth period passed. But then, 5th period showed up and those funny guys, who just KNEW they were going to pull-one-over on my mother, asked some question that was supposed to bring down the map with the centerfold front and center. Of course, it actually backfired on them, because without a doubt, they were the perpetrators that placed the centerfold there in the first place.
Because it wasn't meant maliciously, I don't think those guys who were caught in the act got into too much trouble.
My mother was adored by her students. She taught for so long and with such loving enthusiasm and devotion to her classes, that the students started calling her "MOTHER" because she had mothered as many as she could. They even inserted her name in the school fight song, which they kept singing even after she retired.
Some member of the Senior Class of 1969, out of loving respect, decided to play a little hoax. Mother used those geography maps that scrolled up and down. She used them almost daily in her American and world government discussions. This class had some pranksters who thought it would be funny to pull one over her. While she was on hall duty, a couple of boys from 5th period taped a Playboy centerfold onto one of those world maps and then rolled it back up into its cover. They planned to ask a question in class that involved having her pull down THAT PARTICULAR MAP to answer the question they posed.
What they hadn't counted on was 3rd period. Someone in 3rd period innocently asked a question that caused my mother to pull down the map with the nude model plastered in the middle of Africa. Since she stood in front of the map while pulling it down, no one expected the ruse and the students didn't see it. She quickly tore the picture off without the rest of the class knowing the difference.
So, there was no way that the prank had spread around the school. Fourth period passed. But then, 5th period showed up and those funny guys, who just KNEW they were going to pull-one-over on my mother, asked some question that was supposed to bring down the map with the centerfold front and center. Of course, it actually backfired on them, because without a doubt, they were the perpetrators that placed the centerfold there in the first place.
Because it wasn't meant maliciously, I don't think those guys who were caught in the act got into too much trouble.
February 7, 2024
Dam Operator
Dam Operator
from SHE'S A KEEPER!
Bombshells from a Southern Girl's Basement
During our second tour of Hoover Dam when Lee was about seven, the elderly elevator operator told us one dam joke after another. He was having a good time with his jokes and his job.
I thought, this might be a good time to teach a lesson to our firstborn since all I thought about this gentleman was, "Wow, what a terrible job to do all day long: run the elevator up and down and repeat the same stupid jokes." But then again, at least he HAS a job.
I leaned into my eldest and whispered, "See, honey? This is what you do when you don't have a good education." I couldn't help myself. I was a teacher, after all. I hoped he remembered this moment.
After getting off at ground level to take the dam tour and thanking the gentleman for his entertainment, I asked him how long he had been operating the elevator. I don't remember his exacts words but he told me he was a volunteer, had a PH.D., and was a retired history professor from UNLV.
Well, shut my DAMN mouth. Yes, I mean DAMN!
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
from SHE'S A KEEPER!
Bombshells from a Southern Girl's Basement
During our second tour of Hoover Dam when Lee was about seven, the elderly elevator operator told us one dam joke after another. He was having a good time with his jokes and his job.
I thought, this might be a good time to teach a lesson to our firstborn since all I thought about this gentleman was, "Wow, what a terrible job to do all day long: run the elevator up and down and repeat the same stupid jokes." But then again, at least he HAS a job.
I leaned into my eldest and whispered, "See, honey? This is what you do when you don't have a good education." I couldn't help myself. I was a teacher, after all. I hoped he remembered this moment.
After getting off at ground level to take the dam tour and thanking the gentleman for his entertainment, I asked him how long he had been operating the elevator. I don't remember his exacts words but he told me he was a volunteer, had a PH.D., and was a retired history professor from UNLV.
Well, shut my DAMN mouth. Yes, I mean DAMN!
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
January 17, 2024
I'll be Laughing Out Loud
FOR THE THIRD TIME...I have been asked to judge the bi-yearly Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Writing Competition. I am beyond thrilled. Y'all know how I feel about Erma! 😍So, I'll be at it until my deadline and although it's my job for the next week, I'll be laughing it up over here. But like the former school teacher that I was grading essays, I will NOT be using a red pen. I bet there will be LOTS of ❤️s, 🎖s, and ⭐️stickers. #ErmaBombeck
Judges 2024 | Erma Bombeck Writing Competition | Washington-Centerville Public Library
WCLIBRARY.INFO
Judges 2024 | Erma Bombeck Writing Competition | Washington-Centerville Public Library
Listed are the judges for the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition.
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
Judges 2024 | Erma Bombeck Writing Competition | Washington-Centerville Public Library
WCLIBRARY.INFO
Judges 2024 | Erma Bombeck Writing Competition | Washington-Centerville Public Library
Listed are the judges for the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition.
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
December 24, 2023
Sentimental Journey
As one who likes to entertain in a humorous way, let me take a sentimental moment to write about a Christmas memory. You may find your thoughts reverting back to the late 1950s yourself. This is about a mother-daughter excursion to Rich’s Department Store in Atlanta. It was a day of many thrills: eating breakfast with Santa, having pictures taken with St. Nick, flying high in the Pink Pig monorail, independently shopping in Santa’s Secret Shop, and being mesmerized by the lighting of The Great Tree.
Founded in 1867, Rich’s came to symbolize Atlanta’s retail shopping experience during the twentieth century and was inextricably linked with our capitol’s history. By the 1950s, Rich’s Magnolia Tea Room Restaurant was known for its fashion shows and light luncheon fare, including their delicious chicken salad, cheese straws, and fabulous coconut cake. Our Breakfast with Santa was also held here and children squealed with delight as Santa meandered around and spoke to each of us while we enjoyed our Rice Krispies mixed with vanilla ice cream.
And I didn’t spill a drop on my green velvet dress. With ruffled ankle socks and black patent leather shoes, I carried a white faux fur muff with matching hat for my picture after breakfast with St. Nick. Although lines were long, I was never frightened because he looked just like the picturesque Coca-Cola Santa. Photographs were taken while children sat on his knee and whispered their secret Christmas desires. Santa’s helpers gave green Christmas tree-shaped candy to partakers. The black-and-white five-by-seven photo was mailed to your home shortly after your visit.
Another thrill was riding Priscilla, The Pink Pig. In 1956, the bright pink monorail debuted with a piggy snout and curly tail. This magical journey around the toy department with all the toys, decorations, and sparkling lights was only three and a half minutes long, costing a quarter. Later moving to the rooftop, the car traveled onto the Crystal Bridge, a four-story all-glass bridge that stretched across Forsyth Street, connecting Rich’s two buildings. It then carried you around the base of the tree, giving an enormous view of all the glistening ornaments as large as basketballs and a view overlooking the city streets. I still have a white, satin sticker with Priscilla’s smiling face declaring, I Rode the Pink Pig.
I remember shopping at Santa’s Secret Shop on the fifth floor. The emporium allowed me to privately pick out inexpensive gifts for my parents because adults were not allowed in. Santa’s elves assisted me while Mother shopped elsewhere in the store. Rich’s set up accounts where parents paid for their children’s acquisitions using what was called the charge plate. All purchases were secretly wrapped.
As the day stretched into dusk, Mother and I, along with tens of thousands from all over the South, attended the lighting of The Great Tree. Generating more anticipation for the ceremony, city lights were turned off for about thirty minutes after a complete sunset. Then the freshly-cut seventy-five-foot-tall Georgia White pine came to life with its miles of sparkle and seven-foot-tall star. Standing atop the Crystal Bridge, each of the bridge’s four levels provided Christmas carols from heralding choruses. Rich’s Great Tree was featured on the cover of Time magazine on December 15, 1961.
Everything about Rich’s was ours. It was home, and not just at Christmas. It was as much a part of the Atlanta landscape as the statue of the Phoenix—purchased by Rich’s—once featured downtown and known as “Atlanta from the Ashes,” a symbol of Atlanta’s revival. This Christmas memory’s afterglow warms me since this tradition at this location no longer exists. But once there was a time that was magical and Southerners came near and far to spend a part of their holiday at “The Store of the South.”
Founded in 1867, Rich’s came to symbolize Atlanta’s retail shopping experience during the twentieth century and was inextricably linked with our capitol’s history. By the 1950s, Rich’s Magnolia Tea Room Restaurant was known for its fashion shows and light luncheon fare, including their delicious chicken salad, cheese straws, and fabulous coconut cake. Our Breakfast with Santa was also held here and children squealed with delight as Santa meandered around and spoke to each of us while we enjoyed our Rice Krispies mixed with vanilla ice cream.
And I didn’t spill a drop on my green velvet dress. With ruffled ankle socks and black patent leather shoes, I carried a white faux fur muff with matching hat for my picture after breakfast with St. Nick. Although lines were long, I was never frightened because he looked just like the picturesque Coca-Cola Santa. Photographs were taken while children sat on his knee and whispered their secret Christmas desires. Santa’s helpers gave green Christmas tree-shaped candy to partakers. The black-and-white five-by-seven photo was mailed to your home shortly after your visit.
Another thrill was riding Priscilla, The Pink Pig. In 1956, the bright pink monorail debuted with a piggy snout and curly tail. This magical journey around the toy department with all the toys, decorations, and sparkling lights was only three and a half minutes long, costing a quarter. Later moving to the rooftop, the car traveled onto the Crystal Bridge, a four-story all-glass bridge that stretched across Forsyth Street, connecting Rich’s two buildings. It then carried you around the base of the tree, giving an enormous view of all the glistening ornaments as large as basketballs and a view overlooking the city streets. I still have a white, satin sticker with Priscilla’s smiling face declaring, I Rode the Pink Pig.
I remember shopping at Santa’s Secret Shop on the fifth floor. The emporium allowed me to privately pick out inexpensive gifts for my parents because adults were not allowed in. Santa’s elves assisted me while Mother shopped elsewhere in the store. Rich’s set up accounts where parents paid for their children’s acquisitions using what was called the charge plate. All purchases were secretly wrapped.
As the day stretched into dusk, Mother and I, along with tens of thousands from all over the South, attended the lighting of The Great Tree. Generating more anticipation for the ceremony, city lights were turned off for about thirty minutes after a complete sunset. Then the freshly-cut seventy-five-foot-tall Georgia White pine came to life with its miles of sparkle and seven-foot-tall star. Standing atop the Crystal Bridge, each of the bridge’s four levels provided Christmas carols from heralding choruses. Rich’s Great Tree was featured on the cover of Time magazine on December 15, 1961.
Everything about Rich’s was ours. It was home, and not just at Christmas. It was as much a part of the Atlanta landscape as the statue of the Phoenix—purchased by Rich’s—once featured downtown and known as “Atlanta from the Ashes,” a symbol of Atlanta’s revival. This Christmas memory’s afterglow warms me since this tradition at this location no longer exists. But once there was a time that was magical and Southerners came near and far to spend a part of their holiday at “The Store of the South.”
December 8, 2023
You Better Watch Out
You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Cry
Conyers – 1990 & 1998
When our oldest was five years old, I decided to make his Christmas really special. As mothers, you know we went all out making homemade cookies and left them on a Christmas designed plate. Next to it would be a glass of milk and maybe a carrot for Rudolf.
But this year was going to be different.
When we tucked him in and he fell asleep, I pulled out my husband’s L.L. Bean boots from the closet (used once in about every 10 years) and the hidden largest size baking soda box that the grocery stores carried. On the rug in front of the fireplace, I laid down one boot, poured baking soda around the perimeter, lifted the boot, placed the matching boot a step ahead and again poured the baking soda around it. After several times, it looked as if Santa had sloughed off snow on his way from our fireplace to the Christmas tree to lay out his presents.
Christmas morning came and our five-year-old jumped out of bed, and with no house shoes, no housecoat – just those sweet bare feet – ran into the living room, and saw all the presents and Santa’s footsteps! Overjoyed, his eyes widened! Santa came!
Our usual festivities of opening all the presents ensued and then friends and family popped over to the see what our first born had received. He bragged about Santa’s footsteps on the rug. As the days wore on and more people dropped by, Santa’s footprints were still on the rug. Of course, he continued to show them off.
Nailed it.
When our second son turned five, I thought about pulling the same trick. But he was too savvy as he looked at the situation. The first words out of his mouth were, “Why hasn’t it melted?”
Didn’t think he’d catch that.
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
Conyers – 1990 & 1998
When our oldest was five years old, I decided to make his Christmas really special. As mothers, you know we went all out making homemade cookies and left them on a Christmas designed plate. Next to it would be a glass of milk and maybe a carrot for Rudolf.
But this year was going to be different.
When we tucked him in and he fell asleep, I pulled out my husband’s L.L. Bean boots from the closet (used once in about every 10 years) and the hidden largest size baking soda box that the grocery stores carried. On the rug in front of the fireplace, I laid down one boot, poured baking soda around the perimeter, lifted the boot, placed the matching boot a step ahead and again poured the baking soda around it. After several times, it looked as if Santa had sloughed off snow on his way from our fireplace to the Christmas tree to lay out his presents.
Christmas morning came and our five-year-old jumped out of bed, and with no house shoes, no housecoat – just those sweet bare feet – ran into the living room, and saw all the presents and Santa’s footsteps! Overjoyed, his eyes widened! Santa came!
Our usual festivities of opening all the presents ensued and then friends and family popped over to the see what our first born had received. He bragged about Santa’s footsteps on the rug. As the days wore on and more people dropped by, Santa’s footprints were still on the rug. Of course, he continued to show them off.
Nailed it.
When our second son turned five, I thought about pulling the same trick. But he was too savvy as he looked at the situation. The first words out of his mouth were, “Why hasn’t it melted?”
Didn’t think he’d catch that.
Lee St. John
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author
Georgia Author of the Year - Essays - Final Four
Erma Bombeck Humor Writer
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Judge
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writer
Georgia Writers Museum
Finally Home – Bienvenue Press Anthology
Heartstrings from Heaven Anthology
Goodreads author
CONNECT WITH ME!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leestjohnauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leestjohnauthor/
Website and Blog: http://www.leestjohnauthor.com/
Twitter: @LeeStJohnauthor
Newspaper: former columnist for The Rockdale Citizen, The Newnan
Times-Herald, and the Fayette-News (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Television: Guest panelist for Atlanta and Company
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0a...
Pinterest: LeeStJohnAuthor
Pinterest: voice for OB the talking dog. Over 205K views
Peachtree City Library: Fairytale Storyteller
Storyteller for Newnan Book Company
Guest Speaker: popular Southern humorist of observational humor
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop
Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Judge
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Georgia Writers Association
Humorous Writers of America
Panel Member of Southern Living Magazine's THE FRONT PORCH
Featured in National, Regional, and local publications
Can be found on Amazon.com
