This Skin Is Made For Walkin’
I recently received a high-dollar, fancy-pants bottle of body lotion for my birthday. It made me swoon. The white, velvety substance was laced with spearmint, eucalyptus, and probably 14-karat gold. So I did what any self-respecting woman would do . . . I gingerly placed it in my cabinet, saving it for a special occasion.
A [...]
New Proposals On Table For Fall Creek Trail Dispute
As Geist neighbors, politicians and business leaders try to determine the future of a segment of the controversial Fall Creek Trail, new proposals have been submitted in order to identify a solution.
In question is a section of the Trail on the Department of Waterworks (DOW) property, which has become a destination spot for not [...]
Valentine’s Day: Love It or Leave It?
Whenever Valentine’s Day rolls around, I can’t help but have a moment of silence for all of the Charlie Brown’s in the world. You know … unrequited love and all that. The Little Red Hair Girl was oblivious to poor Charlie’s desires. And oh, the pain and heart ache.
Indeed, Valentine’s Day is a tricky little [...]
New Wine Bar Features Old World Flavors
If you’re passionate about wine or want to learn more about it, the new Chateau Thomas Wine Bar and Tasting Room is just the place to visit. Having officially opened last month, the new site features a wine-tasting bar, gift shop and The Veranda, which is a dedicated space for live entertainment. The 2,000-square-foot facility [...]
Happy New Year! Bah Humbug!
Okay, so it’s a new year, and a new decade, all in one shot. Are you excited? Are you filled with hope and renewal? Personally, I can’t stand it. While I love New Year’s Eve in theory, and I’m certainly appreciative of the fact that I’m living to see it, I don’t care that much [...]
Holiday Madness Requires Therapy – Quick!
It occurred to me this year, as I frantically searched for shopping bargains while untangling non-functioning Christmas lights, that there’s a greatly needed (and currently unavailable) service during the holidays. It’s a wonder no one has thought about it before: Minute Therapy Clinics.
Seriously, does it not make sense? During the craziest time of the year, [...]
Fall Creek Trail Brings Pleasure, Some Pain
It’s no surprise that there are walking trails in the Geist Reservoir area that provide resident nature lovers the opportunity to soak up surrounding beauty. But for some area neighbors, the panoramic view has gone through a surprising, and unwelcome, transformation.
Over the past year, a section of the Fall Creek Trail near the Geist dam [...]
Young Marines Take Marching Orders for Fun
For decades, millions of young children have donned their camouflage pajamas and pretended to be brave soldiers or drill sergeants. But for some area youth, night ops and company drills are part of a dream come true.
A cross between scouting and boot camp, the Central Indiana Young Marines (CIYM) is a part of the Marine [...]
Give Thanks For Duct Tape and Modern Medicine
Since Thanksgiving is only a heartbeat away, and thousands of frozen turkeys are being stocked at this very moment, I thought it fitting to show appreciation for all the little things in life. Oh, yes, while millions of Americans give thanks for family and friends, blah blah blah, I want to give homage to the [...]
Pumpkin Carving: A Personality Indicator?
Men are supposedly from Mars, and women are from Venus. Right-brain people are creative, left-brainers are accountants. There are so many generalizations about the makeup of humans. So I’m going to add one more litmus test for defining major personality differences, and it is (wait for it): Pumpkin carving.
Okay, before you dismiss my theory, think [...]
The End of the World As We Know It
Call me old-fashioned. Call me a buzz-kill. It’s okay, I can take it. But whatever you do, don’t text, Twitter, or Facebook me when you do it.
I’m on a rant, and I’m ready to declare the fine art of conversation dead for the new generation. And by new generation, I’m not talking about age, I’m [...]
Area Attractions Offer Fall Family Fun
No doubt about it. Fall weather and cooler temperatures just scream, “Day trip!” There are wonderful local possibilities when it comes to packing up the car and heading out for a day of beautiful fall sights. Whether it’s pumpkins, corn mazes or great food that attracts you, there is something for everyone. Check out [...]
Zen and the Art of Puppy Training
Lost your religion? Need some time to get grounded, find your inner spirit and reconnect with nature? Get a puppy.
While it might not seem the most obvious of choices, there’s nothing like getting a puppy, or any new pet for that matter, that challenges the strongest of character. Even the most confident, peaceful and [...]
Fishers YMCA Expansion To Offer More Benefits, Better Services
For most of us, being healthy and fit does not include watching any body parts expand, particularly the waistline or backside. But in the case of the Fishers YMCA, well, the bigger the expansion, the better it is for everyone. In fact, key administrators of the facility think that their current building expansion efforts [...]
Family Vacation Requires Navy SEAL Intervention
As I set out to plan my family’s summer vacation, I realize a little too late that I lack a key skill set: military training. With endless packing and to-do lists before me, I imagine only highly trained military personnel could truly plan a family getaway with ease.
Oh, if it were just as simple [...]
Summer Break Brings Anxiety for Parents
As thousands of young children and teenagers rejoice and celebrate the sweetness of summer vacation, I join the mass of parents who are all, at this very minute, thinking, “Is military summer school out of the question?”
Yes, it’s that time of year, when the cherubic angels you have so lovingly taught good manners and [...]
Cathedral Grad Writes About Famous Massacre of Geist Resident’s Ancestors
What does a Geist resident, a Cathedral High School graduate and a horrific family massacre have in common? The answer includes a newly published book of historical fiction, “Philadelphia First Ward Horror”, which is based on the largest mass homicide in the city’s history.
The story, written by 19-year-old G. Jordan Lyons, now a freshman [...]
Going Green Ain’t Easy
Kermit the Frog got it right back in the ’70s when he sang, “It’s not easy being green.” Little did he know how prophetic his sweet voice was, and how citizens of Mother Earth would come to obsess, worry and wonder about the whole Going Green concept in the decades to come.
It’s true, most of [...]
Summer Vacation Planning: Book Now!
Although the springtime weather is just warming up, many residents find it’s time to start looking ahead to summer vacations. Whether it’s a sandy beach or faraway land, vacationers are dreaming big and collecting travel brochures, all with the perfect getaway in mind.
But before you whip out the credit card and reserve your plane [...]
Indian Creek’s ‘Outdoor Ann’ Named Environmentalist of the Year
If there’s one thing Ann Niednagel is passionate about, it’s getting kids outdoors. In fact, it is because of this very passion that Niednagel, an Indian Creek Elementary School parent and volunteer, has been named the 2008 Environmentalist of the Year by Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL).
Niednagel, who was secretly nominated by a [...]
