R.I.P. Florence King

American writer Florence King -- best known for her contributions to National Review, her semi-autobiographical book Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady, and her humorous book Southern Ladies and Gentlemen -- finished the last chapter in her own life story on January 6, 2016, at age 80.

She will be missed.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Florence King!

Born January 5, 1936.

She is that rarity of rarities: a conservative bisexual writer who is well aware of the contradictions built into that description yet does not seem to give a damn. Ms. King has been officially retired since 2002, only to start a column in The National Review after her "retirement."

She first became famous writing about her beloved South and its various contradictions and since then she has gone on to write about almost anything she pleases. Ms. King ended her National Review "Bent Pin" column in 2012, which supposedly marked the end of her political writing career yet she still writes book reviews for the same publication. She will probably keep writing until she dies. If we are lucky, that will be a long time from now.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Florence King!

Born January 5, 1936.

She is that rarity of rarities: a conservative bisexual writer who is well aware of the contradictions built into that description yet does not seem to give a damn. Ms. King has been officially retired since 2002, only to start a column in The National Review after her "retirement."

She first became famous writing about her beloved South and its various contradictions and since then she has gone on to write about almost anything she pleases. Ms. King ended her National Review "Bent Pin" column in 2012, which supposedly marked the end of her political writing career yet she still writes book reviews for the same publication. She will probably keep writing until she dies. If we are lucky, that will be a long time from now.

Thoughts on a Winter Day

Thoughts that occurred to me when I went to get my annual eye exam last week:

1. Going to the hospital on a day with 30- or 40-degree weather kinda defeats the purpose of going to the hospital. Especially if it's for something as simple as an eye exam.

2. Anyone who has ever waited outdoors for a bus or train in late December or early August and still wonders why more people don't use public transportation must have serious empathy issues.

3. One can tell a light rail station is not really all that well-designed when the one warm spot to escape the wind on a winter day is within the elevators.

4. Southerners are constantly being amazed by how cold it gets in the wintertime and Northerners are constantly being astonished by how hot it gets in the summertime. One would think that those of us who are over ten years old would know better by now.

5. Next time I am most definitely scheduling my annual eye exam for September...