What Have I Missed?

I've pretty much spent the past few days either preparing for a lock-in, hosting a lock-in, or recovering from a lock-in. With my 36th birthday only a few days away, making my way through the lock-in related events takes considerably more time than it did a few years ago. Long story short, I've not been on the Patch for a while.

So what did I miss?

. When I read that story I thought, "Really? Over hair gel? When we were kids, we secretly said things MUCH worse about our teachers than that they used too much product."

, taking the well-known chef to task for "not making this announcement at least 2 years ago. She could have been changing lives for the good starting 2 to 3 years ago. Wow!" Doug's opinions have generated some pretty strong reaction from some of our fellow Patchers, and I have to say that Doug has handled things pretty well. As a Patch blogger I have to confess that nothing makes the old heart skip a beat like reading a comment that takes issue with what you've written. I would imagine Doug's heart is holding up just fine, though. He is a medical professional.

I also read that . Woo-hoo! On a day when so many websites are going black to protest the upcoming SOPA and PIPA bills in Congress, it's nice to see that somethings on the interwebs are working as they should.

As a Graysonite (though, it should be noted, one with a Loganville address), I read the with some interest. Not that I'll be buying anything from there, mind you - personal preference. But there certainly seems to be a LOT of heat and light generated whenever this topic comes up. Perhaps most interesting of all is Michelle Couch's comment on this piece. Apparently the political process didn't quite work as envisioned - food for thought as the presidential race prepares to heat up...

Ben Cathey's piece on was another interesting read. As a pastor, I thought his summation of the pastor's job was spot on (Ephesians 4:11-16). I also identify with his statement that nothing kills a friendly conversation faster than telling people you're a pastor. I usually just tell people I'm a reformed serial killer - they're much more receptive that way.

Jeff Allen hit another home run with . If you follow the Patch blogs at all, you know that Kris and Brandi , hoping to bring them back again - and perhaps permanently. As stories go, theirs is about a 4.9 on the 5-Tissue scale (5 being the highest score).

And finally, I read with great interest . Wow - what a life! Again, as a writer, so much of what you put on the screen is part of who you are, but it is only a part. Nothing could really capture your whole. Yet this piece did a wonderful job of giving a fuller picture of who Lynne is, why she writes, and why we as a community should look forward to hearing more from her.

It also makes me glad that no one is asking those questions about me.

So, in the end, it looks like I've missed a lot! Glad to catch up, and look forward to contributing a bit more to the chaos over the next few days.