TheBuddyBlog.Com

Author: Buddy McElhannon

  • The Flag Still Flies

    The Flag Still Flies

    The gale force winds were unexpected. Memorial Day weekend 2023 found my family and I vacationing off the Carolina coast.  The beachfront home we rented was perfect, and we looked forward to several days of fun in the sun.  But, on the day we arrived, the ocean winds were 25 mph with gusts up to…

  • Engaging the Day — In the Midst of Storms

    Have you ever had moments that triggered memories from the past?  One such moment occurred recently as I sat on my screened porch in the early hours of a new Spring day.  The temps were chilly, so I fixed a cup of hot chocolate, grabbed a blanket, and wrapped myself up to watch our bird…

  • A Lesson in Humility
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    A Lesson in Humility

    I recently had knee surgery.  Knee replacement surgery, to be specific. Prior to surgery, I prepared myself.  I studied the procedure, picked up my prescription medications, made my appointments for physical therapy, and reviewed what to expect in the weeks and months following surgery. I thought I was prepared.  But I wasn’t! The pain was…

  • My Favorite Recipes for Life — Part 2

    Reaping What You Sow References to sowing and reaping have more of an agrarian connection than a culinary one.  But the principle remains the same. The ingredients of a recipe dictate the final meal, much like the seeds you sow dictate what is reaped. With that in mind, I have learned over time the truth…

  • My Favorite Recipes for Life — Part 1

    Recipes provide consistency in the production of a menu item.  And the most essential part of any recipe is the ingredients list.  Ever forget to include the salt?  Added baking powder when it called for baking soda? Or used self-rising flour when regular flour was needed.  A culinary disaster in the making, for sure. My…

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    Follow Your Heart? Yellowstone vs. Hallmark Movies

    Recently, I watched a few episodes of Yellowstone, the hit television show starring Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, and Cole Hauser. This award-winning, modern-Western drama is set amongst the stunning mountain vistas of Montana. The first thing I noticed — If I had a nickel for every f-word uttered, I could buy a ranch…

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    The Woke and Their Golden Paint

    In 1949, George Orwell wrote the literary classic 1984.  This fictional dystopian social science novel looks at the consequences of totalitarianism and how such a regime manipulates truth and facts, primarily through censorship and redefining the meaning of words. How ironic that the University of Northampton (in England) is censoring 1984 by issuing a trigger…

  • Gambling and the Death of Sports

    I betcha you’re wondering the same thing I am. What’s with all the gambling commercials on television?  FanDuel and Draft Kings, to name just two of the commercials seen on Fox during the 2023 Super Bowl.  I am confused. Professional athletes are warned that betting on games will get them suspended, and if the bet…

  • Listening to a Well-Formed Conscience

    My last post, Ignoring One’s Conscience, highlighted Rudolf Höss, the Camp Commandant of Auschwitz, who chose to ignore his conscience in favor of the Nazi worldview.   As a reminder, I also shared how a well-formed conscience is imperative if one uses it to guide their moral decision-making. All of us, at times, face moments…

  • Ignoring One’s Conscience

    “Let your conscience be your guide” is a well-known expression that almost sounds biblical.  But it isn’t. Allowing your conscience to guide your moral decision-making depends on how well-formed it is. You can have a clear conscience or a guilty one.  Your conscience can be enlightened or corrupt.   The key to a well-formed conscience…