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I love a good portmanteau, you know, those words that are a mashup, a combination of two other words. I’m not sure if I am fond of them because they sound ridiculous or because it takes some level of creativity to make a good one. I mean, who doesn’…
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January. It would be easy this week to believe that the name of this month derives from some foreign language in which it means, “so cold your eyelashes can freeze and break off.” In fact, it does come from a foreign culture. In ancient Rome, Janus w…
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I only recently discovered that “the doldrums” is an official nautical term, referring to an area around the equator where there is little to no wind for sailing. Sailors often avoided this area for fear of being stranded without supplies in the midd…
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As renovations begin to wind down on the 2025 Main Street house, there are still lots of ways to get involved and help get the house ready for its inhabitants at the beginning of March. All kinds of talents and passions are needed. Donate items The a…
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Impulsiveness is generally looked upon as a negative trait. We tend to honor thoughtful and intentional actions, moves that have been carefully planned. Acting on impulse is often seen as hasty, reckless, and immature. But, for the last few months, I…
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by Steve Kalber, St. Paul counselor The winter days are colder and darker. The holiday festivities are further removed. A melancholy feeling begins to creep in. Everyone experiences a little winter funk and St. Paul counselor Steve Kalber has some ti…
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As we gradually wrap up this holiday season and soon return to our more usual rhythms and routines, I’ve been recalling memories of various celebrations and time with loved ones over the years. I’ve taken a trip down memory lane as I look at the vari…
Meet 13-year-old Carolyn Chester, the St. Paul Book Corner’s first youth to join the reading team. With a selection team, readers, and the many people who recommend books, the items on the St. Paul Book Corner’s shelves are carefully chosen. It takes…
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When I was about five years old, I started lying on the floor under the Christmas tree in the evenings. Coincidentally (or maybe my parents did it on purpose), every year, the same ornaments were hung on the same lowest branches. I loved how the ligh…
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A thoughtful note, a card, a gift lifts the spirit. Whether recovering from surgery, celebrating a birthday, or a big event, knowing someone is thinking of you is a balm for the soul. When it comes time to wish others well, these St. Paul people crea…
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In the Library Commons, bright circles carry messages of need and hope from the Food Oasis. What is a food desert or a food oasis? A food desert is an area that has limited access to food that is plentiful, affordable, or nutritious especially fresh…
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I just returned from a wedding in Asheville, N.C., and it’s got me thinking about trees. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, you know that trees are plentiful. It’s the abundance of oak trees in the…