Opinion

For those who have smartphones, we scroll on them endlessly until perhaps our mind feels like brain rot and our eyes are sensitive from staring at a screen all day. We have all been somewhat victimized by technology’s emergence and popularity – by our own hands.

My sister asked me if I could pick a life to live – not what I am doing now or who I am currently — who would I be? It’s a loaded question. Who would I be? I mean, it seems the correct answer is to say I love where I am now and I am content with my future.

Pluto once said, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and this mother lives by the motto. There are not many home projects I won’t attempt on my own. I have fixed toilets, installed a new kitchen sink and fixtures, new lighting fixtures and even replaced a sensor in my car, to name a few. If I don’t know how to do something, I can now use the internet to find videos to guide my way.

Amid the recent snow drifting into the area, children stayed home as parents scrambled to make work arrangements. Others worked from home, and some took the day off to cozy together, watching movies and making homemade pizza.

The new year means many things to various people, from city leaders to young children. It means focusing on one personal thing to work on or work toward throughout the year. This year, I have taken it upon myself to work on self-advocacy and mindfulness. As empathy is a giant part of my personality, there are times when a balance is needed between being mindful of others and being empathetic, but also standing up for what is right while advocating for myself.

When I became the general manager of the newspaper in late 2022, I asked myself one simple question: how do I get to know my community better and be involved? Soon after, as luck would have it, I met Kim Halfhill of Thrive Excelsior. She asked me to participate in the Thrive Leadership Academy, and I am so thankful I did. This interactive course is a seven- week-long program that gives a new perspective on the place we call our home. We learned about community leadership, public works, health and wellness, housing, economic development and so much more. It gave me a fresh perspective on Excelsior Springs and all the good things going on in our area. I also learned that we all must work together to make this a better place to not only work but also to plant our roots and live our happiest lives.

When we think about Christmas traditions, especially those of us with small children, the framework revolves around music, food and generalized festivities, including seeing Santa Claus or driving around to witness the neighbors’ decorations in the evening shadows.

Carrie Classon’s, “Blue Yarn: A Memoir,” is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine stores. Learn more at CarrieClasson.

Thanksgiving seems like a distant past as another major holiday looms right around the corner. Some of us just shut the door on one holiday and before we know it, the crisp frost-bitten air has swept in and transformed the living room overnight. Stockings are hung, and a six-foot-tall tree illuminates through the front windows at night.

Nobody talks about the melancholy feeling of an older sibling after you move out of the house. You can feel free and light about your new independence, but you don’t want your siblings to feel alone. In a house as tight-knit as mine, it feels like I’m ditching them by living approximately 13 minutes away from my three siblings.