Do you remember driving up to the gas pump and carefully rounding your petroleum purchase to the nearest dollar?

Some of you may recall the days before auto shut-offs when you would overfill your tank and have gas spill all over the side of your car and the pavement.

And a select few of you may even recollect driving off from the station with the nozzle still in your tank and the hose dragging down the road. 

Some of the more age-experienced readers of this column may even reminisce about the days of the full-service station when a friendly attendant would not only fill your tank but check your oil and wash your windshield. “Fill ’er up!”

Believe it or not, there was a time when buying gasoline was straightforward. Then along came a gazillion choices. It started in the 1970s with unleaded, and that was simple enough. Now we have a variety of octane choices along with three different ethanol blends. I didn’t know I needed a master’s degree in petroleum engineering to fill my car with gas. 

Unfortunately, choosing your gas is just part of the process. Although I appreciate the whole pay-at-the-pump idea — as it prevents me from indulging in a fountain drink and a candy bar — I cringe at all the information I am often asked to submit at the pump and the seemingly endless questions I have to answer. Debit? Credit? Zip code? Fuel saver card? Car wash? And then, at some stations, I can’t concentrate because of the blaring music and the barrage of ads popping up on the display screen. I just want some gas, for Pete’s sake!

But, alas, I eventually surrender my name, rank and serial number and begin fueling. And as I put the nozzle back in the pump and submit to accepting the entire pay-at-the-pump process, a message comes across the screen that I need to go inside the store to collect my receipt. Ugh. So I do — and I buy a fountain drink and a candy bar. 

“Fill ’er up!”

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

What makes you smile? A certain memory? A humorous person? A morning sunrise? We all have something that makes us smile, or at least I hope so. Can we make other people smile? Of course, we can. Here are a few ideas to help you accomplish that today:

Mail a handwritten letter. The average person receives hundreds of electronic messages every day and spends 1.2 seconds with a finger hovering over the trash button before deciding to delete each one or not. Care to guess how that compares to the time people spend reading hand-written letters? Find a notepad and buy some stamps. You will be glad you did.

Tell a joke. You don’t have to be good at the delivery. In fact, you don’t even need to come up with the joke. We put one in this newsletter each issue that is yours for the taking. 

Reach out to someone in need. I called a friend recently who suffered a horrible loss of a family member. I dreaded making the call, and he likely dreaded taking it. But after a few minutes, we were both smiling.

Tell people you’re proud of them. You are certainly proud of many people for the wonderful things they do. Tell them.Yes, saying this can feel awkward at first, but the reward will come from the smiles you will instantly see.   

Send flowers. I don’t send flowers often, as it seems like a lot of money for something that dies in a few days. Having said that, others seem to enjoy them, which is obvious by the $2 billion that is spent on flowers each Valentine’s Day alone. But don’t wait for a holiday. Send flowers for no reason at all, and they will be appreciated even more. 

Deliver food. My wife took a meal over to some neighbors we used to have who were dealing with health problems. She made their day, and their compliments made hers. She brought some food to them a few times each week thereafter, and that simple gesture brought smiles to everyone’s faces.

Pay a compliment. You don’t want to come off as a creep, but if you are sincere, a few words can make someone’s week.

Smile at everyone you see today. If you don’t buy into all the aforementioned ideas, you might this one. My sister had a painting in her bedroom in our childhood home that said: “Smile. It makes people wonder what you’re up to.” And she did. And we wondered. Give it a try.

Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

Who deserves credit for the celebrations that we Americans partake in each Fourth of July? The soldiers of the Revolutionary War? The delegates of the Continental Congress? Our first president, George Washington? Or how about Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and our nation’s third president?

They all deserve recognition for our independence from Britain’s Parliament and King George III, but the primary person to be recognized for the pomp of our Independence Day celebrations is John Adams, a leader of the American Revolution and a Founding Father who served as the second president, and the first vice president, of the United States. Adams regularly corresponded with his wife Abigail, and that is where the planning began. But first, a bit of history and some mildly confusing dates. Follow along.

On July 1, 1776, delegates of the Continental Congress were in Philadelphia to debate whether the 13 original colonies should declare their independence. That night, British ships sailed into New York Harbor, threatening the Continental troops. On July 2, delegates from 12 colonies voted in favor of independence. New York would follow suit on July 9. On July 3, Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail: “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America… I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival… It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

OK, so Adams was off on the date. Nobody’s perfect. Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, but most of the delegates didn’t sign it until Aug. 2. And, to be fair, many recognized the declaration’s first public readings on July 8, but the first truly organized celebration was in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777.

To give further meaning to the July 4 date, Adams lived to experience exactly 50 years of American independence, dying on July 4, 1826, only five hours after Jefferson’s death on the same day.

Keep these facts in mind and be sure to share them with your friends and family when you view fireworks this year. 

Have a fantastic Fourth of July, and thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

Where you sit may say more about you than you think.

At home, the decision is relatively easy. Most of us have a regular place where we sit at the dinner table or while watching TV. And if someone takes that spot, look out. An Archie Bunker situation might arise. Meathead.

But what about at work, or at church, or at a meeting of some sort? That’s where things get interesting. 

According to Psychology Today, sitting in the end seat shows you are the leader, or that you are in control, or that you might even be there to intimidate. Those are not shockers.

If you are in a middle seat, you may be sending a message that you are a part of the team, that you are approachable, or that you are there to collaborate. Makes sense to me.

Meanwhile, other positions may suggest meanings that are not as obvious. According to Wisestep, the most important tip is to be punctual so you can choose your seat. Then pick the spot with the best view, which means the “safest back area, best sight of windows, doors, other meeting attendees, projection or video screen.” The article also states that, if you are trying to influence someone at the meeting, you should sit “where you can directly view each other and exchange eye contacts.”

The article continues by suggesting you should avoid seats close to windows, as they may become a constant distraction and cause you to miss out on a significant point.

If all this seems like too much to remember, the writers suggests you simply ask the host or the leader of the meeting where you should sit.

I had a boss who was particular about seating arrangements, especially at dinner meetings. He would have it all planned out in advance, being sure to connect the right people with each other. It worked for him.

Another boss was ingenious at picking out seats for himself at conferences or training sessions that were close to the exit doors. If the topics became boring, or if he became stuck with people he didn’t want to be around, he would be able to leave quickly… and quietly. 

Bottom line, we can all accomplish more by choosing appropriate seats, and we can learn about others’ motivation by observing how they do, too. 

Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

Sneakers. Sandals. Pumps. Kicks. Runners. Flip-flops. Chucks. High tops. Low tops. Boat shoes. Clodhoppers. Airs.

There are a lot of names for the coverings that we choose to put on our feet, but one seems to be more common than the others to describe a wide range: tennis shoes, or “tennies.”

Have you ever wondered why so many shoes are called tennis shoes, yet they are rarely used while playing tennis? 

The answer may have started with the invention of the rubber-soled shoe, and it all began with a need. The British Navy wanted shoes it sailors could wear on deck that would help them from slipping on wet surfaces. In the 18th century, following the industrial revolution, Charles Goodyear (yes, that Goodyear) developed vulcanized rubber, which was then used in making these rubber-soled shoes. These foot coverings also proved to be quite helpful in sneaking around quietly, hence the word “sneakers” came about.

Another need (or want) was created when the wealthy folks began to learn about this invention. Rubber-soled shoes then began to be used in recreational sports, including tennis. The rubber outsoles allowed tennis players of the time to start and stop better, and the soles didn’t leave marks on the courts.

Several shoe manufacturers proved to be game changers, but Adidas arguably deserves the biggest credit in 1960 when it replaced the canvas on the shoes’ uppers with leather.

So you might want to thank the British Navy and Charles Goodyear and tennis-playing aristocrats and Adidas for the tennies you are wearing today, regardless of what you call them.

Now you know. Advantage in. 

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

A 22-year-old Cassius Clay (soon to change his name to Muhammad Ali) made the above words famous when he told boxing fans what his ring style would be like when competing against heavyweight champ Sonny Liston.

That was 1964, and most everyone at the time had seen butterflies float and had been stung by a bee. Sixty years later, where did all the butterflies go? The monarch population has seen a massive decline. Since the mid-1990s, the decline in its population has been most dramatic, with estimates projecting that the population is only 20% of what it was just a few decades ago.

Then something unexplainable happened. Roosting monarchs saw a 100-fold increase in the 2021-2022 winter. According to experts, a mere 2,000 surviving migrating monarchs with only a percentage of which could have been female apparently managed to breed the population up to 250,000 in a single season.

Now, monarch butterflies are dangerously close to extinction again. An annual survey led by the World Wildlife Fund of monarchs wintering in central Mexico found the second-lowest number on record. The findings are troubling to ecologists who are intent on preserving the dwindling species.

Some say all this change is because of crops with chemicals that decimate milkweed plants, which are the host and food source for monarch caterpillars. Other theories have emerged that include global warming factors, but researchers are divided on what has been affecting the monarch population.

If you were like me as a kid, you found those caterpillars, put them in Mason jars with holes poked in the lids, filled the jars with branches and leaves, and anxiously watched the transformations into butterflies.

When the Goodman daughters were young, these caterpillars and butterflies were not as noticeable. I wondered why but never gave much thought to it. Hopefully, kids and adults will notice a resurgence of monarchs this summer. In hopeful preparation, you may want to dig out the Mason jars. 

Now, about those bees…

Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115