Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | August 20, 2016
It is interesting how words and phrases work their way into everyday language. For instance, the phrase “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” For some reason, during Fisherman’s Picnic I kept hearing the phrase. I volunteered in the bingo tent and when someone in my section won, I gave them a high five and they declared, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner.” I didn’t... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | July 16, 2016
For the folks who grew up in my era—the almost-hippie generation— the phrase “Danger, danger!” immediately brings to mind the ‘60s television program, Lost in Space. In that show a friendly robot assisted the Robinson family when it became stranded on its intergalactic adventure. Whenever the family—most often the gullible young Will Robinson—encountered extreme space weather or faced hostile alien... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | June 25, 2016
I was disappointed last month to arrive at a meeting of the Cook County Schools/ISD 166 school board to find that instead of the usual spot on the agenda denoting a time for public comment, the agenda said, “No public comment will be taken at this meeting.” I was taken aback by the change in procedure. I’ve always liked that... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | June 18, 2016
I’ve mentioned my New Year’s resolution a few times since I declared that I was making one in January. Mostly I’ve noted that I have completely failed in keeping my resolution. What was that resolution? I vowed to finish just one thing before starting something else. I had hopes of finishing an entire News-Herald article without getting sidetracked by a... READ MORE >
How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? Remember mine? I didn’t pick something unattainable like losing 20 pounds or running a marathon or something nearly impossible. No, my New Year’s resolution was something that should have been easy. My resolution was to simply try to finish one thing before starting another. It’s not going so well. For instance,... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | April 30, 2016
I have a feeling I will be writing a lot of apology notes next week. I don’t know for sure—I’m still waiting for the hundreds of emails that are locked in the Boreal Access email system to start downloading. But I’m sure amongst the many emails that are junk there will be some that were time-critical that should have been... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | April 23, 2016
It is fun to get feedback from readers on the silliness I sometimes share in this editorial space. It’s nice to hear from people who agree that we all need a little frivolity now and then. Not every column needs to be about some pressing political matter or social issue. In fact, as some of my faithful readers know, that... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | April 16, 2016
In my efforts to get ahead, to write the imaginary column-in-the-can I talked about in Unorganized Territory a few weeks ago, I have Post-It notes stuck all over my desk, on my laptop, and on the dash of my car. The Post-It notes have phrases intended to give me an idea for a column later. Unfortunately these cryptic notes don’t... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | April 09, 2016
I’m gobsmacked at how a word or phrase that seems unique on first hearing can become commonplace so quickly. Gobsmack is a perfect example. I don’t remember exactly what I was reading when I first encountered gobsmack. But it wasn’t that long ago. I was reading something and a person described himself as gobsmacked over something. Although I had a... READ MORE >
Rhonda Silence starnews@boreal.org | April 02, 2016
I love living in Cook County. I like being here in the bitter cold, in the humidity of summer. I like it when the lakes are frozen and we have to fish through the ice and when we get sunburned fishing from a boat. I can endure mosquitos and biting flies. But mud season tries my patience. Every year around... READ MORE >
