On my way to our Hanson Thanksgiving gathering, some thoughts crossed my mind.

I wondered about how many people would be sitting home alone on the holiday. Sometimes it is a blessing to enjoy solitude – a time to be with yourself. What better company?

Otherwise, if you know of someone who may have to spend holidays alone, a note from a friend is of value. It isn’t always what you say, it is how you say it.

Thanksgiving is a time for thinking and thanking and realizing another year is almost past – and wonder what we did with it. Looking back, it seems so long ago. Looking forward, we wonder what surprises and great things may come our way. Make each day a blessing for we never know when they will end. Remember to take good care of you. So many people depend on your existence.

The Clarks Grove historical group worked hard to establish a building to exhibit artifacts from the past. As you prepare for Christmas and the New Year before us, don’t forget to visit or contribute to the display. A visit over the Christmas holiday coud be added as a gift for your children or grandchildren.

 The used book store that was established in the former Clarks Grove State Bank building has closed. Our loss. The group put their remaining inventory of books up for sale real cheap before they had to close the doors. It has been traumatic for me to see the closing of the bank and now this, though I was negligent in giving it more attention. There has been some thought that they may reopen later in Albert Lea. We sure hope so. There are a lot of good things that can be learned and enjoyed from reading books.

Another thought came to mind.

What hypocrites we are. We choose to read the articles in magazines that tell us to lose weight and how bad some things are for us, and then we turn the page to find pictures of all the goodies we should avoid.

A doctor once said that moderation and the amount we eat makes a difference no matter what we eat or drink. You’ll feel better if you feel satisfied, not stuffed. It isn’t that there isn’t good food out there to eat such as raw fruits and vegetables without all the creamy sauces. We forget or choose to eat what we like and enjoy, even if it is not good for us.

It is important for us to remember only to eat as much as we really need. It is a good idea to eat small bites, especially meat, and chew them thoroughly.

And another thought comes to mind.

I hope many people from our area plan to join their friends at Community Lutheran for the organ recital planned for Sunday, December 13, which will share music played on their new organ. This will be a special Christmas gift for all.

In honor of the occasion, a Christmas silent auction is being planned. Items new or slightly used and Christmas themed in nature will be included in the auction, which will add proceeds for the organ fund. Items may include crafts, stockings filled with items, especially for the little ones, baskets of Christmas items, plants, cookies, pies, bars, rolls or homemade breads. I guess one can say the ideas are endless. Items, with the exception of fresh baked items, can be dropped off in fellowship hall anytime now through the 9th of December.

The church is more than happy to take any monetary donations towards the organ fund at any time.  Please designate that  your gift is for the Organ Fund.

The silent auction will begin following the morning worship service, which begins at 9:30, and the concert begins at 2 p.m. It will be fascinating to hear all the great music to come from this new organ.

Great music, special Christmas items you won’t find in a store, a chance to be with a lot of people you might not get a chance to visit with during the holidays, who could ask for more? Mark your calendars. You won’t want to miss this special occasion.

And we can’t forget Santa. Santa is scheduled to arrive in Geneva on Saturday, December 19 at 2. Bingo will be called starting at 1.

Speaking of gifts, several local churches hold family-type gatherings where food and fellowship is shared. First Baptist Church in Clarks Grove has long had a tradition of Wednesday night “Family Nights” where food and fellowship is shared with friends and neighbors.

Ellendale United Methodist Church has also started serving family dinners the first Sunday of the month following their morning worship services.

Nowhere in the Bible does it specify that there were only three wise men.

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements.  In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.

Also, if you have an idea for a story that you think would be of interest to our readers, please contact me.

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like to include, or news to share, please contact me via  e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035; or telephone, 507-256-4405.

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, December 10th: Cody Dobberstein, Steve Lee, Valerie Otterson, Karla Osmundson, Art DeNeui, Phillip Olsen, Scott & Melonie Crabtree

• Friday, December 11th, Jane Nordhorn Allen, Justin Hove, Geoffrey Ramaker, Marty Shultz, Rick Johnson, Janice Paulsen, Beth Scripture Klucksen, Jake Thompson, Theresa Van Ravenhorst, Larry & Emily Otto

• Saturday, December 12th: Torie Richards, Jean Groth, Addison Gayle Lyman, Bernard Falksen, Allen Paulsen, Matthew Butler, Barbara Lageson, Judith Johnson Tetzloff, Kim Seath, Christopher Nelson, Mark & Cheryl Johnson 

• Sunday, December 13th:  Deb Bunn, Dan Carroll, Jake Pence, Eleanor Koster, Spencer Wayne, Maks Robert Edward Hanson, Michael Kelly, Mike & Michelle Pterson, Candy & Darin Baker

• Monday, December 14th:  Makenna Marie Smith, Alexander Jayce Quimby, Keith Bengston, Randy Lehmberg, Elizabeth Falksen Brockoff, MIchard Conroy, Wayne Reese, Tina VanRiper, Catherine Lageson, Jim Ladlie, Rich Krikava and Daryl & Peggy Radjenovich 

•  Tuesday, December 15th:  Josh Otto, Jolene Sorenson, Brenda Burshem, Dustin Quimby, Maureen Bailey, Nancy Kelly, Travis Reichl

• Wednesday, December 16th: Abraham Groth, Angie Deml, Karen Zicafoose, David Brandt, Vicky Dobberstein, M. Carol Nelson,  Peggy Radjenovich and Paul & Mary Groth

It is your special day. Take a break and celebrate.

Surprise somebody. Call someone. Send a card and make their day.  Little things really do mean a lot.

In the game of hockey, players vie for “ice time,” or playing time, but in winter there is also another type if ice time; it’s the time of year when our lakes and streams ice over and become safe for the folks to venture out on them. So far this winter season I’d have to say that there are no bodies of water in our area with ice thick enough to be safe for even foot traffic. Although the weather has been well below freezing at times, any ice that may be covering our area lakes is definitely not safe for venturing out.

When is ice safe?

There really is no sure answer. You can't judge the strength of ice just by its appearance, age, thickness, temperature, or whether or not the ice is covered with snow. Strength is based on all these factors — plus the depth of water under the ice, size of the water body, water chemistry and currents, the distribution of the load on the ice, and local climate conditions.

For new, clear ice only

• 2" or less - STAY OFF

• 4" - Ice fishing or other activities on foot

• 5" - Snowmobile or ATV

• 8" - 12" - Car or small pickup

• 12" - 15" - Medium truck

• Note: these guidelines are for new, clear solid ice.

Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe.

White ice or "snow ice" is only about half as strong as new clear ice, so double the above thickness guidelines when traveling on white ice.

Even though I am by far not the youngest kid on the block, I can still remember my days as an adventurous youth and the excitement that the first sign of an ice-over on the local slough would bring. The local slough had a creek flowing under it and moving water under the ice always makes things a little more risky.

The first ice on the ‘crick” was usually thin and crystal clear. I always found it quite fascinating to watch the water flowing beneath that clear ice and I really didn’t give much thought to falling through until it happened – which was almost inevitable. Walking next to the swamp grass and rushes could easily result in an overshoe full of water and that was usually my downfall. I am not sure if I ever did return home dry after spending time at the slough but regardless, it always seemed worth it. As winter moved on the ice got thicker and became more snow covered and it was always fascinating to me to follow the critter tracks. Guessing what animal made those tracks was a game shared by myself and whichever of my friends happened to be sharing the day with me on one of my winter adventures.

Children are naturally curious and that curiosity coupled with a deceiving first covering of ice can be dangerous. With that being said please remind your children to stay clear of the lakes and streams until they are safe enough to venture out on and even then they should never venture out on lake-ice alone.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, meaning my small backyard, I have what is close to resembling a wildlife sanctuary of sorts. Over the summer I accrued quite a brush pile of twigs and branches thanks mostly to high winds and the two large maple trees that I have in the backyard. My plan was to have a nice campfire in my portable fire pit one nice fall day to clean up my yard. This however didn’t happen; mostly due to the strong steady winds we were experiencing this fall. The upside to that brush pile still being there is that it has become a sort of haven for the neighborhood wildlife. We have some resident rabbits and numerous squirrels that, with their winter coats are almost the same size as some of the neighborhood cats. This is great and these furry critters are definitely fun to watch. Speaking of watching; earlier this fall I spotted a turkey vulture sitting atop a telephone pole in my neighbor’s backyard; this caused me to wonder what it was so intently watching.

I have just recently decided to put up a suet block in the tree next to our deck in the back yard and although it isn’t a constant, at least once a day I have visitors in the form of sparrows, black capped chickadees and nuthatches. There is also a downy woodpecker that makes at least a daily appearance. I love watching the critters and I especially enjoy watching the birds. In the spring and early summer a suet block can only last about a day because of the numerous blackbirds so I choose not to put anything in it but as soon as those pesky birds decide to move on I will once again be putting the block out.

Until next time, take advantage of the mild weather that we have been experiencing and also take a little time to enjoy the wildlife that you may find right in your own backyard.

— — —

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers, especially during the upcoming holiday season. They are the reason that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

Echoes From the Loafers' Club Meeting

It bothers me.

What bothers you?

You know, when I'm talking and I can't find the right, er, uh, um...  

Word?

That's it!

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: You know you're getting old if your wisdom creaks. Failing doesn’t make a failure.

Getting shot for gas

Not long ago, I was shot to health. The doctor lined up the shots and a needle-wielding nurse gave them to me. I tried to count the inoculations, but failed in the attempt.

I rang the bells for the Salvation Army recently. That gives me pleasure, but my back stiffens after a few hours. It’s a lingering effect of years of playing football. I should never have tried to run around my own end.

The supermarket where I rang advertised flu shots. The shot came with gas points. I’d receive $0.20 off a gallon of gas for getting a flu shot. Life is good.

When I was having service work done on my vehicle, I looked at a tiny sports car with a big price tag in the showroom. I was wondering what the car would be when it grew up, when a salesman walked up to me and said, "What would it take to get you into this baby today?"

I told him that it would take a large trust fund and an even larger shoehorn. I couldn't get enough flu shots to keep it in gas.

I can smell it as if it were yesterday

She was the perfect hostess except for one thing. The Earl Grey tea. I think Earl Grey is the lutefisk of the tea world. People either love it or they can't stand it. I’m in the latter group. I drank it with a forced smile. I made a face as if a car had run over my foot. The tea tasted like dirt stirred in hot water with a few flowers tossed in. The bergamot orange annoyed me. It smelled fine, but tasted like swill.

I remember the year when I bought my wife some expensive perfume. We were bookish and broke, so it was quite an investment. I got it for no reason, which meant I gave it as a gift to make up for something I’d said or something I should have said after having had a big bowl of stupid for breakfast. The perfume was more than I could have easily afforded, so I determined to smell it slowly.

Smells are wonderful at bringing memories. I remembered having a big day of shoveling chicken, pig and cow manure. That’s the trifecta for a dung scooper. While I was shoveling, I’d think how great my life would be when I wasn't covered with manure. I whistled while I worked. Actually, I did more whistling than work.

When I shoveled the chicken manure, there was some pheasant exhaust included. That was because of Phil.

Phil was a rooster pheasant. He wasn't that pleasant. He’d been rescued while still in the egg after his mother had been killed by a mower while sitting on her nest in an alfalfa field. I took the clutch of pheasant eggs and put them under a banty hen that incubated, hatched and raised them. One by one, the wildness took the pheasants and they wandered off, never to return. Soon all the pheasants had left except Phil, who had no apparent desire to leave the friendly confines of the henhouse. Phil wasn’t well behaved. Banty roosters are known for their fighting ability, but Phil battered them as if they were fish. Each of Phil’s days appeared to be part of a villainous enterprise set on world domination.

Back to the Earl Grey tea. The woman’s dog entered the kitchen and presented me with a Christmas goose. It was a surprise.

I asked her what her dog’s name was. She told me it was Kevin. I told her that I thought Kevin was an interesting name for a canine. She said that she’d named her dog after her ex-husband. She enjoyed the occasional rebuke, "Bad Kevin!"

Nature notes

Young blue jays might be more likely to migrate than adults, but adults also migrate. Some jays migrate one year, but not the next, and then head south again the following year. Science is unable to determine why they migrate when they do.

Meeting adjourned

Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind to each other."

On Thursday, Nov. 5, Genie and I headed north from Albert Lea on our annual sabbatical in the north woods. We took two cars as Genie decided to split the sabbatical between two locations (the north woods and Branson, Mo., on a bus from Albert Lea along with Julie Ehlers of Albert Lea).

On our way, we stopped at the smallest town in America that has a McDonald’s, namely Garrison, Minn., with a population of about 210 and declining. The natives blame the decline on the reduced walleye limit (the season was even closed for walleyes this fall). McDonald’s was very busy with deer hunters headed north.

We stayed at the Palace Hotel outside of Cass Lake, Minn. The facility has a snack bar, a non-smoking dining room, a smaller casino with both fast and regular Bingo, once-a-week Neon Bingo where many of the players are in costume, and an 80-room hotel with a swimming pool all under one roof.

The rates are very reasonable. The food is excellent with good-sized portions. The employees all have the ability to make your stay enjoyable and they shine in doing just that.

We attended the Veterans Day complimentary brunch for the veteran and a guest at The Palace. It was just great, even a woven basket ice carving. The highlight was when I got to be the speaker thanking The Palace and the employees for honoring the veteran and their guest with a long, round of applause by all.

We also attended the Nov. 11 Veterans Day activity in the evening at the American Legion in Cass Lake (I am a Legion member).

We attended Trinity Lutheran Church on Hwy. 2 just west of Cass Lake. As usual, the welcome mat was extended to us. After Genie left for Branson, I attended there the next two Sundays. I was even asked to read one Sunday, which I did. One of the male members informed me it was a two-doughnut Sunday as he handed me a second doughnut! Did you know Mr. Larson, the head wrestling coach at NRHEG, has relatives at Trinity?

Thanks Janet, for giving me a complimentary ticket to see the lady boxers at Northern Lights in Walker.

I know you have heard of “catch and release,” but how about “hatch and release?” Codey Dahl, a fifth-grader at Northern Elementary in Bemidji, starts out with about 500 brown trout eggs and the result is about 100 released in a river. My reaction, “Wow.”

Genie and I, along with Grace and Charlie (Trinity members) enjoyed an excellent meal at the Big Fish Supper Club on Hwy. 2 by Bena, Minn. Al and Amy Hemme are the owners. I’ve known Al for many years as a very good deer hunter. Amy did admit Al was a good hunter but she was a lot prettier!

As we left, I counted 10 professional deer hunters either bellied up to the bar or filling their belly with a great steak dinner. They all had one thing in common, the possibility of professional status having “non” added to it.

Did you know that Genie and I are stars on the Ron Schara TV show about the big fish?

The ambience and amenities keep us returning to The Palace as shown by: Dave, Diego, Diane, David, Doug, Don, Dana, Delma, Danny, Dale, Diana, Danielle, Dennis, Dawn, Dan, Dolly and many other Ds; Ethan, Elizabeth, Emily, Edwin, Elroy, and many other Es; Freeman, Frank, Franny and many other Fs.

Thanks to Brennon, Nancy and Jean at White Oaks Casino for helping me remember who is who.

After Genie left, I hunted hard but I’m now in the non-professional deer hunter status. Sorry LeRoy, but I didn’t get that deer I promised you.

The Christmas Hot Line telephone number is 951-262-3062.

In summary, one year closer to getting a deer.

Remember the reason for the Christmas season.

———

Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.

This time of year provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the past year while looking forward with great anticipation of what the new year will bring. As I reflect on the changes I have experienced in the past year, I am most thankful for the opportunity to serve the students, parents, employees, and the NRHEG school community.  I wish you a blessed holiday season and a new year filled with hope and joy!

The NRHEG School District is a great place to learn, live, and work.  Our staff approaches their work each day with a commitment to serving our students so that every student has the opportunity to achieve at the highest level.  I am proud to be part of a team that values every child, and is dedicated to continually improving what we do so that our students receive the very best.

We are fortunate to be led by a Board of Education (BOE) that is committed to continuous improvement in everything that we do.  As part of this commitment, the BOE will be leading and engaging the school community in the development of a revised strategic plan that will provide us with a roadmap designed to lead us to achieving our “destination” or vision as a school district.

The BOE has approved partnering with the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) to assist our communities with revisiting a strategic planning process with the goal of crafting a continuous improvement plan that will clearly identify a vision of what we want to achieve as a school community, confirm our purpose or mission, and affirm what core beliefs and values we believe in, live by, and expect from all of us.  We are fortunate to also have the South Central Service Cooperative collaborate with MSBA and us on this journey.

A thoughtful and purposeful strategic plan developed with the input of stakeholders across the school district is essential for our sustained success and growth as a school community.  Understanding and believing in a clear vision of what we want to achieve in the future is critical to our continual improvement.  Knowing and committing to a shared mission or purpose is also essential to growing and improving what we do for our children throughout our communities.  Finally, and perhaps most important is acknowledging what we believe and value collectively as a school community.  This is especially important in organizations like a public school district that employs a diverse workforce and also serves a diverse stakeholder base.  Public school districts are some of the most diverse organizations when you consider not only the students that are served, but also the communities at large. Having shared beliefs and core values as a school community enables you to work together more effectively in achieving your vision.

Throughout my 31 years in public education, I have found that we often share the same end goal in what we want to achieve, but it is agreeing on the best plan to reach the goal that can create challenges.  A strategic plan will not only bring clarity to what the end goal is, but more importantly, it will assist us with maintaining our focus on what is most important in order for us to reach our agreed upon priorities and goals.

The BOE looks forward to leading the strategic planning process in order to set a vision for what we want to achieve in the future after considering the input from stakeholders throughout the school community on what is most important when it comes to providing quality programming for our students.  You can anticipate hearing more about opportunities in the coming weeks and months for you to participate in the planning process.  The BOE is developing a survey to be administered to school district residents in late January and/or early February.  The BOE will also be hosting public engagement sessions as part of the strategic planning process planned for February or March.

The BOE conducts its regular monthly School Board meeting on the third Monday of each month.  The location of the meeting is rotated monthly between the NRHEG Secondary School Media Center in New Richland and the NRHEG Elementary School Media Center in Ellendale.  The December 21 meeting will be in New Richland, and the January regular School Board meeting will be held in Ellendale on January 19, 2016, which is a Tuesday.  The BOE is meeting on a Tuesday in January due to the School District’s observance of the Martin Luther King Holiday on January 18.

Thank you for your continued support and for the difference you make in the lives of our students. 

The scurs were looked upon favorably last week as the Weather Eye managed to deliver more warmer than normal temps. Will our luck hold another week or will the scurs be forced to check area junkyards for a Gremlin and another Weather Eye? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs in the mid-40’s and lows in the upper 30’s. Thursday, partly sunny with a slight chance of afternoon or evening rain. Highs near 50 with lows in the low 30’s. Partly sunny Friday with a slight chance of rain and sleet. Highs in the mid-40’s with lows in the low 30’s. Saturday, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain and sleet changing over to snow. Highs in the upper 30’s with lows in the upper 20’s. Partly sunny on Sunday with highs in the mid-30’s and lows in the low 20’s. Monday, mostly cloudy with highs in the mid-30’s and lows in the low 20’s. Partly cloudy skies for Tuesday with highs in the lower 30’s and lows in the low 20’s. The normal high for December 15th is 26 and the normal low is 9. The good news: On the 14th, the sun sets at 4:36 p.m. and on the 15th it sets at 4:37 p.m. The bad news: It continues to rise a tad later, making our day lengths shorter until Christmas Day. The scurs’ take: Not to worry. Lots of time until Christmas.

The warm stretch of temperatures had some back in their normal routine for November once again. There was rumor of anhydrous ammonia still being applied last week as well as some primary tillage. Has this ever happened before? Absolutely. Can recall in 2001 seeing dust flying when anhydrous was applied on December 12th. Snow has left most of the landscape with only vestigial reminders in the form of snow piles from driveways being cleaned as well as on the north sides of groves. Since there wasn’t much snow there wasn’t much water to run off. A few puddles can be seen on the headlands serving as a reminder of how wet it had become before it cooled down. Fields have become greasy on top and saturated underneath as some of the ruts and tracks might attest.

Lakes had begun to freeze up weekend before last and St. Olaf had only one spot of open water where the waterfowl were desperately working on keeping open until the warm weather showed up. Now it’s tempting some of us to do some things we don’t often do in December, like go fishing in a boat. I’ve thought about getting the lawnmower out to touch up a few spots I missed, maybe even take the ewes back to the kindly neighbors’ pasture. Or even better yet, get the Stude out for an unexpected encore performance. There are some issues with that idea however.

I was appalled to see the amount of salt dumped on the roads during the last snowfall. Some areas and road crews are worse than others. Our very own crew in the People’s Republic of Steele Co. took the booby prize. It used to be back in the mid -1980s that Steele Co. was Johnny on the spot when it came to snow removal. Working in Bugtussle I was able to compare and contrast the workmanship in both Waseca and Steele Co. daily. Steele had their roads plowed early so they had a chance to melt off without using a lot of salt while Waseca allowed traffic to pack the snow down so it became icy, necessitating the use of more salt. In the 1990s that flip-flopped. Now we’re lucky on days when it snows to see a plow down in our end of the county much before the crack of 9 a.m. And when we do see one it’s usually puking out enough salt to choke several herds of horses. Then a few days later, it warms up enough so the snow would melt off anyway. Remember global warming boys and girls?

A few years ago North Dakota finally fell victim to the salt bug. Having lived there back in the early 1980s when there was no road salt used, I have to say that I never experienced any problems. If the roads were slick I planned ahead, slowed down and made extra time to get from point A to point B. They generally did a good job of sanding without salt so one learned quickly how to deal with it. It was four or five miles to the nearest paved road from where I lived so there was no sand used on those roads at all. If the roads were impassable I stayed put. I guess though in this day and age of instant gratification and entitlement, that doesn’t cut it. Reading a recent release from the Minnesota State Patrol, the overall number one factor in fatal crashes is excessive speed. Regardless of road conditions, for everyone’s sake, let’s slow down this holiday season. Life’s too short to have it end in a crash due to the need for speed.

On Friday was pleased to sell one of the ram lambs we had kept back for a gentleman from the Mapleton area. He came over in the afternoon and after chit-chatting a bit I climbed into the ram pen to grab one of its inhabitants. Obviously I zigged when I should’ve zagged and the one I wanted caught me right above the kneecap with his melon. After grimacing, saying a couple “gosh darn’s, “by golly’s” and “gee whizz’s” I decided the less shifty ram was a better alternative and was therefore going in the trailer. He was a piece of cake comparatively. Probably giving him too much credit, but the last time he was loaded in a trailer by himself he found himself breeding a bunch of ewes. Luckily between the two rams it was about a horse apiece. Both were good stock and the new owner seemed pleased to have him, waving happily as he pulled out of the yard. After being mortally wounded, I was just happy to make it back to the house. Over the course of the week, being careful not to bump the knee has been a challenge. Even with a little hitch in my giddy up, gotta play with pain. Mrs. Cheviot tripped over the cat and banged her knee just the day before. Life as gimps ain’t easy, but at least we can compare bruises.

See you next week…real good then.

Did you ever toy with a Rubik’s Cube back in the ‘80s? They were those crazy-colored devices that tortured many people for hours on end as everyone tried to make every side the same color. I never was able to finish that, though I did accomplish two sides. If any of you ever finished the whole cube (without cheating and moving stickers around), you have my admiration!

The Rubik’s Cube was an extreme example of problem-solving prowess. Most of us probably gave up long before coming close to a finish, but there sure were a lot of people trying.

As I thought about this week’s column, I was reflecting on a couple of recent ones, especially last week’s about the growth mindset and a few weeks back about quitting. Putting these ideas together led to what you’re reading now, the idea of what’s happened to our problem-solving abilities.

Truly, the ability to solve problems without having to seek help very often is a great skill. People who can look at a dilemma and work through it to find the answer are becoming fewer and fewer. Part of this is an over-reliance on technology. Those of us who were in school prior to the advent of the Internet remember, with a shiver, looking up information in encyclopedias and searching through the card catalog in the library. Today, you simply have to know that “google” is a verb, not just a Web site. Even if you use a different search engine, you likely say that you googled something.

With that at our fingertips, is it any wonder our minds have started to move away from problem solving? What was the name of that band that sang that one song? I’ll look it up on the Internet. Who was the actor with the lead role in that great movie? Pull out the iPad. How do I change this light bulb? Maybe there’s a diagram online.

That last one might be a bit facetious, but not by much. I have more and more kids come up to me in school when they have an issue with a device. My first question is, “Did you shut out of the app or turn off the device?” Ninety percent of the time, that solves the problem. So why didn’t they think of that? Why is it that when the so-called spinning wheel of death appears on a web browser, they go into panic mode and think everything is broken?

That’s simple. With all these answers at their fingertips, they don’t need to think as much. Part of problem solving is using your imagination and going outside the box. But who needs an imagination when your video game provides the whole story for you? We don’t see many kids running around outside playing cops and robbers anymore, do we? The same goes for other games we used to create, including new scenes from our favorite movies and inventing new episodes of TV shows like The Dukes of Hazzard. We didn’t just watch the screens, we brought them into our play time.

And I’ll admit that my problem solving isn’t what it used to be. It’s very easy to get sucked into the world of technology and rely on that for an answer. More than once I’ve gone to Angie Aaseth, our tech coordinator, with a problem, and when she’s pointed out a solution, I’ve slapped my head. Duh!

I’m afraid this is a problem that might not be solved any time soon. Technology will only provide more and more for us, so we have less and less to do. I look at people who work on cars as a great example of how this has changed. Cars have gone from people having to locate the problem and figure out a solution to having so many computerized systems that someone in the auto shop will hook your vehicle up to a computer which will determine the problem and suggest the solution. There are still times they need to get creative, but, much like everything else, modernization is making life easier.

It’s the ultimate irony. Problem solving is getting worse, but we can’t seem to solve that problem. Maybe I’ll go back to my old Rubik’s Cube, and that will stimulate my brain to come up with an answer!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is related to last week’s word! It’s lethonomia, which is the inability to recall the right name, as in, “He was so reliant on the Internet to come up with name that his lethonomia extended to remembering his college roommate’s name.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

Robert Donald Schafer, 93, of Owatonna died Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at New Richland Care Center in New Richland, Minnesota.

Robert was born October 9, 1922 in Waseca, Minnesota the son of Walter and Esther (Wobschall) Schafer. He grew up in Janesville, MN and graduated from Janesville High School. Robert served in the Air Force for 37 months and was stationed in Florida and Hawaii. He was honorably discharged in 1946. On June 1, 1947, he was united in marriage to Viola Possin at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. They were married for 68 years.  They moved to Owatonna where Bob worked for Josten’s as an engraver for 41 years.

Loretta Mae Linders, 88, of Owatonna, died Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at District One Hospital in Faribault, Minnesota.

She was born October 5, 1927 in Waseca County, Minnesota the daughter or Lawrence and Grace (Leslie) Willday. She attended country school. Loretta was united in marriage to Russell Linders on October 13, 1945 at the Congregational United Church of Christ, Medford. They made their home in New Richland until 1966 when they moved to Owatonna. Loretta stayed home to care for their six children. In 1978 she began working at Brown Printing in Waseca for five years.