Welcome back to another dose of Uncommon Sense! I really enjoyed putting Issue #291 together for you. And while I am now age 65, I will still be around doing this when I’m 75, and you receive Issue #525, and even when I am 85, and you receive Issue #765.

In the Self-Development column, I come off sounding somewhat philosophic as I discuss the importance of time, and our wise use of it. In reading it, you may imagine I am in a somber or gloomy mood. Trust me when I say I remain buoyant and spirited. I am very excited about my future, truly, but I want to impress upon you in the strongest possible terms the urgent mandate we all have to guard our time carefully. My smart phone is off right now as I type this, simply because I cannot afford to be interrupted as I engage in this important work.

The Elephant in The Room column is a mirror image of the content I wrote about in the previous issue of Uncommon Sense. In this case, I sever ties with a company I have turned to for many years, but the moment they went “woke” and started acting stupid, I made my decision, and I wrote them a letter informing them of why I was firing them. It’s important they understand why they lost a very loyal customer.

Since a new college semester is starting up for me this next week, (it’s a “Late-Start” class) I use the From Ara’s Journal column to share some personal thoughts I have about what it means to be a teacher. Perhaps it will speak to you.

And in The World of Words column I serve up a word that I consider quite fancy; I hope you start using it in your vocabulary.

OK, let’s get started.

Ara Norwood