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 I started carrying a lighter a couple of years ago. Reflecting on the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, it struck me that most of the soldiers carried matches. Imagine being in a trench, under a cold rain, the only source of heat now rendered useless in your pocket as the rain continues to fall. What would a doughboy have given for a small, reliable source of flame with which to build a fire to warm himself and his fellows? All the roses in Ireland, I suppose.  My carry began with a Zippo that belonged to my late father-in-law, but I decided it had too much sentimental value for everyday use. Also, Zippo lighters have a habit of leaking or evaporating fuel. This isn't something you want when your lighter is needed, so I put the Zippo away for safekeeping and picked up a mini Bic.  Tiny, almost unnoticeable in the pocket, the mini carries well. It has also came in handy on many occasions, such as at a child's birthday party when the time comes to light candles...

The Loot Need a little adventure in your life? Try  Geocaching . It's an old-fashioned treasure hunt made modern by GPS and a global network of players. Just download an app, sign up and go hunting. With millions of caches across the globe, chances are you'll find something.  A typical cache is a small container, within which is a log of players who have found it. Also likely to be included is any number of small keepsakes, the treasure of the hunt. The photo above is of some of the loot found on a recent outing with my wife and son.  Speaking of which, if you want a lot of adventure, go geocaching with a kid. Even a grizzled old veteran of the game like myself is made youthful when a kid plays, because the expression of wonder and joy on the face of a child who finds a small box hidden away by persons unknown is truly a sight to behold. There's something magical about the act, and the taking of a keepsake (and leaving a replacement of your own) only makes it better....

Yes, hindsight is truly 20/20. Georgia is drowning in new cases of Covid-19, no doubt due to Governor Brian Kemp's insistence to re-open the state to please his hero at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Kemp, the same man who ran for Governor while holding office as Secretary of State, an office in charge of overseeing the electoral process , has bumbled his way through the pandemic almost as embarrassingly as Trump, complete with dumb quotes, obvious ignorance of the situation he faces, and surrounded by flunkies who assure him he's doing everything well. At least his body count is lower than Trump's. Georgia is devolving into Florida North, but this will somehow be blamed on migrating birds bringing the madness north as they fly north for the winter. Times like these make this writer ask "What if...?" but such an exercise is exhausting and ultimately frustrating. Election day is only 16 weeks away. What unfolds in anyone's guess.

Aside from leaving behind my partner, abandoning my regular work and travelling half-way around the world, I had done nothing yet to suggest I was becoming obsessed with the precious metal. - Steve Boggan, Gold Rush: One Man's Adventure on the Trail of the Gold Rush

I don't even know where to begin. Despite there being no effective treatment, vaccination, or the much-discussed herd immunity, many states are relaxing social restrictions put in place to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. My home state of Georgia was among the first to do so (my sense of timing and location is impeccable). Instead of a state economy charging out of the gates like a racehorse, we get this: An 83% increase of confirmed cases in my county, which is mostly rural with a small industrial base, 90 miles from Atlanta. But freedom, amiright? I find it utterly amazing that people find being instructed to stay in their homes and take extra precautions to prevent becoming infected with a fatal disease a form of tyranny. When did "Wear a mask and wash your hands regularly" become equal to tanks in the streets? I understand wanting a haircut; Hell, I need  one but don't want to kill my barber, a nice guy who fits nicely into the at-risk category. Do...

What a year 2020 has become. As the federal government (particularly the head of the executive branch) dithered, a microscopic killer grew in strength and swept across the globe. A novel virus; one which humans have not been exposed to and thus have no immunity from. No effective treatment, no vaccine at this time. The possibilities are horrendous. At first it was a China problem, then an Asia problem, before it became a global problem. In my home state of Georgia, it has become a human behavior problem. The state has been partially shut down for a matter less than one month, yet is set to reopen in days. Never mind that our governor claimed he was unaware that the virus could spread via asymptomatic persons, earning himself a place on the Dumbest Governors list. The state is reopening with a mind-boggling list of businesses: hair salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors, massage parlors, bars. These are the last  businesses that should open, yet Kemp, doing his best impression of a ...

Ah, April Fool's Day, the day in which a middle aged man such as myself gets to clown around at the expense of friends, family and colleagues. Not this year. The world is on edge and there is palpable tension in the air. Everyone is feeling anxiety, about the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crash, shortages, physical distancing and more. Speaking for myself, it doesn't help that the Empire State Building is lit up like an emergency vehicle: This year, I'll go home to my family. Instead of pulling a prank, I'll ask how the day went. My son has piano class (over FaceTime for the foreseeable future) on Wednesdays, so I expect to hear a song or two. Dinner, a little TV, then end the day. 2020, you win. But I'll be back. We'll be back, We always come back.