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MY SUN DAY NEWS

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April 20, 2017

Editorials

Goodnight, iPhone

Many of us are guilty of it.

Going to bed, but not really going to bed; there’s always that last-minute check on your phone or tablet, whether it’s to browse Facebook, check an email, or scan the news headlines one more time. And it never ends well.

Sometimes the movie is better than the book

When it comes to books and movies, most people (who read) generally agree the “book is better than the movie.” That’s because it’s amazingly difficult to trim an 80,000-110,000-word novel down to a 90-120-page screenplay without losing the story’s oomph. And while I generally subscribe to the idea that books are better than their big-screen adaptations, I’ve found it’s not always the case.

Here’s what you can do while waiting for the chip reader

What did we do with all of our free time before the advent of the chip reader? Those extra thirty seconds of wait time while the machine reads the chip in your debit or credit card can seem endless.

And this is why I don’t talk to strangers

Shortly before my son was born, it really sank in that my wife and I were going to be his primary role models for a number of years (and hopefully someone he bounces things off for the rest of our lives). The insight made me take stock of myself. I’ve done this before for numerous reasons, and it’s always an uncomfortable process, but unlike other times, I knew this time someone was going to be learning from me. Certain changes had to be made.

12 things you didn’t know about the holidays

A few fun facts that you might not know about the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

Being a father is its own kind of labor

If you’re an astute reader (I’m guessing most of you are), perhaps you noticed something strange about the cover of this edition of the Son Day. Oh, there it is again. Did you catch it?

You don’t have to be a sports fan to celebrate Cubs’ win

I’ll start by saying I don’t have a fondness for sports.

This might seem blasphemous with the Cubs’ World Series victory still lingering in everyone’s headlines and hearts. But wait, it gets better.

5 Tips For Effectively Debating Politics At Your Next Party, Wedding, Funeral, Workplace Function And/Or Family Holiday Gathering

As has been the case since roughly February 2015, it’s an election year. But not just any election year! This is the most important election in the history of the country [since 2012, anyway], and the stakes will never be higher [until 2020]. It’s a showdown between the candidate who singlehandedly can save the country and the candidate who will lead us to levels of ruin not seen since [insert name of the last President you didn’t vote for] was in office, and everybody is talking about it.

An open letter to those who need a little space

A few weeks ago, I gave my heart to a plain white desk I bought from Amazon Prime. It’s a tiny wooden one, and I had to “build” it myself when it arrived in the mail.

Waiting for a baby to be born is a real drag … of time

If you tell me I have nine months to finish a task, my first response is, “Nine months? That’s it? How about nine years? Can I have that?”

Coffee talk

Being a writer, I’m always on the hunt for creative inspiration. Being a latte-loving writer, I’m always at a coffee shop listening to what I hear going on around me, whether I want to or not.

Quotes from a first-time pregnant woman, Part II

The following are quotes from my wife, who is pregnant for the first time. The quotes are not labeled by week, but they do run in chronological order from just days after we found out she was pregnant to present day at 27 weeks along.

The eight books I challenged myself to read this summer and why I’ll never do it again

This summer, I challenged myself to read at least eight books.

Why eight? The summer reading program at my library rewards you with one raffle ticket for every four books you read, and I thought that achieving two entries would be a lot more impressive than earning one lone chance at the grand prize. Confession: I’m not actually sure what the prize is, but I like a good challenge.

Quotes from a first-time pregnant woman, Part I

The following are quotes from my wife, who is pregnant for the first time. The quotes are not labeled by week, but they do run in chronological order from just days after we found out she was pregnant to present day at 27 weeks along.

Everything in Pokémoderation

By the time you read this, many of you will already be familiar with the latest digital gaming craze. Maybe you’ll have heard about it from the news, or from the grandkids, or the internet. Or maybe you’ll have caught a few Pikachus yourselves.

Nine months, the biggest conspiracy in history

What makes conspiracy theories so darn interesting is that there’s always a kernel of truth in them. Cases always make sense to a point, and then the math fails and things don’t add up, leaving everyone searching for that damning link that probably isn’t there.

I’ve come to learn that exactly how long a woman is pregnant is exactly like that. A good conspiracy theory. It keeps you guessing and counting. And nothing ever adds up.

Skipping a generation, but not a turn

They say some things skip a generation, and I think I’ve found one of them.

I did it! I have finally achieved greatness!

For most people, it takes a lifetime to achieve greatness. Take my father, for instance. He didn’t achieve greatness until he was 76. My grandfather didn’t achieve it until he was 84. But I achieved it at only 36. In record time, in my opinion.

Amazon knows how to push buttons

There is nothing more dangerous and thrilling than having an Amazon Prime account. Here’s why.

Leading the way through the road less traveled

I think one of the most dangerous vehicular situations you can find yourself driving in is a funeral procession.

They’re kind of like being part of a freight train, only without guard rails, dinging lights, and the threat of about a million tons of rolling iron to keep other drivers at bay.

12 unconventional ways to take spring cleaning to the next level

Sometimes spring cleaning doesn’t have to come in the form of decluttering your bedroom closet or getting rid of winter dust. Here are a few other ideas to put a spring in your step that aren’t so obvious.

Time sure flies, the Sun Day turns 6

There’s the saying “Time flies when you’re having fun?” Well, in my opinion, time just flies. Somebody mentions 2005 to me, and I think, Oh yeah, last year. Somebody mentions the movie Jerry McGuire was released 20 years ago, and I say, “No it didn’t. Come on. Couldn’t be more than five years ago.” If somebody asks me how old I am, I say, “I don’t know. I’m not 30 but I’m not 40, so somewhere between there?”

I guess I’m stuck sticking my vice sales … you’ll see

Here’s a detail about me that everyone who works with me knows (and probably hates) and what all my friends and family know (and probably hate). I hate checking voice mail. I do it, but it’s a task I’d rather not.

Hello from the 1800s (or around there)

Every time Academy Awards season rolls around, I know the conversation is inevitable. I will casually mention to someone that I would enjoy watching the Oscars, and this is usually all it takes to trigger it. The discussion always goes a little something like this.

Increased portion sizes becoming the new ‘Ab Normal’

When I was a kid, health food was something parents gave their children when they hated them.

Read this if you think you know everything about libraries

Although most of you know me as the Assistant Editor here at the Sun Day, I will confess: I may be an editor by day, but I am a public library employee by night. And if you are picturing a quiet, dusty, book-filled building complete with librarians and card catalogs, think again.