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Finding HopeApril 2013
On the two-month anniversary of her son’s suicide, a day she thought she couldn’t bear, Melinda O’Connell’s home filled with dozens of teens. They were friends of her son, Bellaire High School senior Brendan O’Connell. That night, they transformed their dark thoughts into something worthy. They gave Brendan’s mom an impromptu concert of guitar, banjo and singing – a gift … Remembering Jack Williams – Goodbye, SunshineSeptember 2012
Lamar High School’s Class of 2013 has arrived, but not everyone made it here who should have. Jack Williams was a lovable, popular football player at Lamar who had the nickname “Sunshine.” He was a tall, slim jock with a radiant smile and blonde, curly locks. He had a sensitive side and was known for kindness and writing poetry. When … A Rodeo SisterhoodFebruary 2012
Their presence commands attention. These are five women who know just about everyone walking the second-floor corridor of Reliant Center – headquarters of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. They’re all smiles, each wearing fancy cowgirl duds for this photo shoot. What is also clear is that each of them would be just as comfortable in a pair of Wranglers … Surviving Grief During the HolidaysDecember 2011
Holidays. Just that word alone brings vivid memories to mind. For many of us, it’s Grandma’s cookies and carefully wrapped presents. It’s a time for traditions honoring family and friends. And yet for some, especially those who have lost a loved one, the season brings more sadness than joy. The holidays have been especially difficult for Lee Ann Grimes since … Academic RedshirtingAugust 2011
They are two of life’s certainties – children grow up, and parents worry if they’re making the right decisions about their education. Some pending moms and dads feel compelled to make critical school choices as soon as they learn their child’s due date. The result of this planning is a growing number of older kids in class who have received … Too Old to Drive?March 2011
Most of us were with a parent the first time we got behind the wheel. We painstakingly logged hour after hour under their critical gaze before trust was earned. Fast forward several decades. Kids who learned the fundamentals from their folks often find themselves in a horrible role-reversal, forced to find a way to take away the same freedom their … No Place for BulliesJanuary 2011
This started off being an article that we were going to call “Confessions of a Bully.” But the search for so-called “bullies” proved futile. It seems that those who have picked on others in the past, no matter how long ago and how reformed an adult they are now, are reluctant to admit it. In recent months, bullying – the … Cheers to CharityDecember 2010
Searching for those little holiday gifts can be a bit maddening. After all, what do you get the same beloved neighbors and friends on whom you have already bestowed scented candles, gourmet coffee and gift cards year after year? Six years ago, a group of women responded with a solution. Instead of exchanging presents, they redirect those funds toward something … Holiday MishapsNovember 2010
While you visit with family and friends this holiday season, chances are good some old memories will be revisited and retold – yet again. The best stories? The disasters, of course. In the spirit of the upcoming season, we asked our readers to share their favorite holiday mishaps. Dede Aronack-Fike won’t ever forget when she had to prepare dinner for … Taking the KeysOctober 2010
There’s a good chance that the teen in your family knows someone who didn’t make it home alive after drinking and driving. Drunk-driving deaths have captured headlines in our community so often lately that The Buzz Magazines felt compelled to ask some young drivers to spend one of their last nights of summer break answering our questions. More than a … Unprotected TextAugust 2010
If you’re not yet guilty of texting while driving – ever – then skip this article and go get in line with Mother Teresa, Gandhi and all the other saints. But, if you’re like a majority of modern, mere mortals and have succumbed to the fierce temptation of TWD, then frankly, it’s high time for a reality check. The fastest growing … Special Moms of Special KidsMay 2010
This time of year, we celebrate all mothers. But some, perhaps, deserve a little extra attention. Among those are two local moms who, as caretakers for their chronically ill children, know more than most of us how to smile through pain. “In the last two years, Charles has spent more than 120 days in the hospital,” Geraldine Bliss said about … Hard Hats for SpencerMarch 2010
They were all so young when the tragic moment struck. Most were just 15, soon-to-be sophomores at The Kinkaid School. A friend, so thoroughly and effortlessly full of life, was suddenly without it. Spencer Kinley wasn’t just a classmate, teammate and piano prodigy. He was to become an inspiration, a power that would persevere after his death. On a piece … It’s the Thought That CountsDecember 2009
What they don’t know won’t hurt them – you could call it the regifters’ creed. Let’s face it. Chances are you’re either guilty of regifting or the victim of a covert pass-along. Successful execution can be tricky – after all, the best regifters camouflage their cast-offs. Then again, not everybody can pull off the deception. For instance, my husband and … Facebook Heals Old WoundsNovember 2009
It is said that time heals all wounds, but the painful truth is emotional injuries can linger when untended, often festering in the decades that follow. A new-millennium antidote has emerged in the form of social-networking Internet sites like Facebook. Within these cyberspace meeting places, long-lost friends reunite, and hurtful disputes from days gone by can dissolve, healed by the … |
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