Believe it or not, there are actually times when I wonder to myself, “Why in the world did I move to North Georgia?” Those times almost exclusively come when the temperature is below freezing and some sort of frozen precipitation is falling from the sky.

Milly, the liver and white springer spaniel that lives at my house, celebrated her second birthday last week. She celebrated by ripping the head off a stuffed goose toy she got for Christmas – just three weeks ago – and scattering cotton stuffing from one end of the house to the other.

You’ve probably heard the old expression about going to a hockey game and a boxing match broke out. I can attest that it’s true.

A friend, just back from a trip to Los Angeles, was telling me about a little shop she stopped at that sold soybean ice cream. I suppose the reporter in me should have kicked in. I should have probably asked her questions about the soybean ice cream. But I was afraid to ask the tough questions. I was afraid she brought some home and would ask me to taste it.

We’re getting close to the start of a brand new year, and I know a bunch of you are planning your New Year’s resolutions. On Jan. 1, you resolve to lose weight. Eat better. Read more books. Learn a new language. Spend more time with the family. Save more money. Get organized. Volunteer more. By Feb. 1, you’re making excuses about why none of the above has happened.

I suppose it’s one of the pitfalls of getting older, but I’ve been to more than my share of funerals in 2015. Death is a part of life, to be sure. I’m just not ready to start burying parents of friends – or friends themselves.

I don’t have many people on my Christmas list this year, but they all have the same answer when I ask them what they want for Christmas this year. “I don’t know.” For someone like me, this doesn’t help much. I don’t like going to the mall, especially this time of year when the odds of finding a parking space are roughly the same as winning the Powerball lottery

I’ve always been a fan of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” A lot of people look at me funny when I say that, but I contend the Grinch has an unfair reputation.