Steve King Saves Christmas

Iowa 5th District U.S. Rep. Steve King has introduced a House resolution officially recognizing that Christmas is important in America. A vote could come Tuesday and its chances of passage are said to be uncertain. Ho, ho, ho.

Feeling Old and Glazed

This morning at 5:15 am my Blackberry buzzed and beeped. It was my trusty Gazette text update telling me that there’s no school at Linn-Mar. My kindergartner gets a free pass, thanks to the icy glaze that now covers my driveway, kept my newspaper from reaching my steps and shut down my Christmas lights.

I’ll have to get used to school closings by Interweb. Back in the day I remember stumbling expectantly out to the living room to crank up KGLO radio in Mason City before dawn’s early light. I waited anxiously in the dark, listening between the static for the voice of Bob Brown or Al Hines to say those magic words, “No school at Belmond.” Winter ecstasy was located somewhere between Allison-Bristow and Clarion-Goldfield. And boy, I hated those days when everyone was closed and we were inexplicably two hours late. Our superintendent had a 4-wheel drive, but obviously no heart.

It’s just not the same, getting a text message, or searching a Web site. Even a TV crawl lacks the drama of radio. So here I sit this morning in my kitchen, with a cup of coffee, listening to the radio, even though I already know what I need to know. There’s just something about hearing an announcer read a long list of schools that still makes me feel good. That feeling will last until I go outside and start chiseling that car-shaped block of ice in the driveway. Man, I wish I was 8.