#(Gd I would have liked to see such compassion considered for the characters of this series Way Back In The Day)

[fattyaly]

So, I finished my Golden Deer route and...(spoiler warning I guess)

Well I’m in doubt. This is just some emotional rambling, I realize that I might not have a full picture playing only BL and GD routes. But there are things needed to be said. Spoiler warning? Some heavy spoilers here yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved the overall route and the gang. Characters were awesome in their own way(goddess, every character in this game is amazingly written tho with minor *ahem-Leonie-ahem* exceptions) though it threw me off a bit when they started bickering in their C-B conversations; but I was satisfied with the result and thanks to getting nearly all the other houses to join the cause I clearly added some color to the company. To be completely honest tho I was a bit disappointed with their lack of motivation and confidence which I expected to see. So yeah I fell for the false advertising of Claude that they were an easy-going class who already were like family. Worked out in the end, they are still my precious children. The storyline itself was quite nice, filling some gaps from BL playthrough, answering some questions and giving a fuller picture, but yet again not as grand as it could be. The story felt ruched to say the least, especially near the final missions. Those who slither in the dark went completely past me. No well presented confrontation, no battle-inspiring monologue from the “bad guys”, no well structured mission scenario. We just got there and beaten yet another boss. What’s with that warning from Rhea, what’s with the god power they hate so much, what about the magic they used, wtf about this ridiculous sci-fi map? Considering the information you learn about yourself. Rhea’s storytelling was sketchy, and there was actually no point in this information what so ever. Did it help you get a new perspective on your power? No. Did it affect your emotionless or did you find a way to embrace the goddess within you? Nah. There was no resolve. You know what happened to you as a baby and that all the people around you basically used you. Nice, so what? It actually makes me feel worse with every point given. Final battle against Nemesis was a nice touch but it also felt so. Ordinary? Music was gorgeous but overall we just fought a bunch of knights. In a swamp. No dialogue lines with students and their crest-heroes. No additional events during the battle. Plain and simple. I got it that my kids are tired of this war, but I’d expect more interesting nitpicks. You know what was an amazing final boss for my liking? Grima. A giant monstrous thing who shifted to an image that everyone barely wanted to fight. Epic? Yes. Heartbreaking? Absolutely. It feels like a grand finale? Gods yes. I did not experience a grand finale here. Even BL’s final boss was more impactful for me. But I digress. Still a nice lore route. Even though I, yet again, didn’t shed a tear which is UNUSUAL FOR FIRE EMBLEM GAMES. I was close tho in that Edelgard scene. My main issue was our best favorite buddy our man our lovely buddy-boo Claude. Oh Claude. Such a lovable and charismatic character, a strong willed leader. Man with some pure and honest ambitions. Again, don’t get me wrong, I like him a lot. But I sure hope I’m not the only one who also doesn’t like him at all for some (a lot of) questionable things and who COMPLETELY didn’t buy his “friends, you and me” thing. I know, I know, those feelings are completely personal, but through all of his smooth talking my only feeling was that I’m being used. Pre-timeskip or post-timeskip, it felt the same. Guy needed Byleth to achieve his goals. Heck, it pains me to be so untrusting and cautious, but even his romance felt the exact same way. I can’t remember getting even a bit of empathy, compassion or worry about me. Genuine one. Not once not ever in the entire storyline. All I got was “well it would be inconvenient if we fail our, and I repeat, OUR goal cause you and I go the same road of you helping me in my stuff, right?”. And I’m not sure how I feel about it. (One of the worst things happened after Jeralt’s death. Was that okay for him to almost snatch our father’s diary out of our hands? No, Claude, he just died, go away or say something supportive.)(tbh I used to think that he was being goofy and nice dragging Byleth to the dance floor during a ball. But now I’m forcefully thinking he just wanted their attention for his own plans.) After the iconic battle at gronder I just stopped caring. I took his ideals as my goal as he wanted and did whatever he wanted. Truth be told I wanted nothing but to go on some pilgrimage after the war is over. I probably could have but oh now we have our finale romance scene. Which completely didn’t feel like he’s marrying Byleth for his dream most and foremost, not for her. It’s quite nice to have your wife governing other continent when you govern yours, nice way to unite nations. He dumps a nation on you which you completely didn’t need and disappears into the edge of dawn. What completely hit me is that Byleth doesn’t give him the ring in return. Tho to be honest I barely watched other romances in the game. On the other hand romances of the lords SHOULD be a big deal cause we basically live their stories. After completing the route I’ve been just sitting here sad and confused. It was one of the possible happiest endings and well almost no one died yet again (I’m a bit sad they lost the opportunity to kill Rhea for a bigger impact?). But I feed as if I was merely used to create a nice future to the world and now I basically fulfilled my purpose. And as a sword out of battle I’m not needed anymore.

I hope that I’m just getting Claude wrong. That I’m biased or that I’m not understanding some stuff or his actions and emotions. I want to be happy and feel love for him like everyone else because he’s AN AMAZING CHARACTER. But I can’t. I feel bitter. So I’d be happy if someone proved me wrong. Thank you for bearing with my rumbling, ahah.

#fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #fe3h #fe16 #three houses #fe three houses #byleth #claude von riegan #claude #golden deer

[hazel2468]

Okay so... My fiancee and I are discussing which Hogwarts Houses the new Star Wars Trilogy characters would be in. It is an intense discussion, and none of them fit really into just one house. I figured someone would enjoy this other than us so... Here you go. 

Rose: Huffleclaw (Primary Hufflepuff, secondary Ravenclaw). Rose has a very sturdy set of ideals and a clear sense of what is right. She is in the Resistance because she witnessed the destruction of her home and wants no one else to experience that. Hence the Hufflepuff. HOW she does that is by using her wits, being an amazing engineer and utilizing her vast technical know-how. She’s the one who comes up with the plan in TLJ with Finn.  So yeah. Ravenclaw. 

Finn: Slytherpuff (Primary Slytherin, secondary Hufflepuff). Finn is very attached to his people- in FA and the first part of TLJ, that was Rey. He had a very “I’ll take care of mine and that is most important” attitude, which changed once he accepted the whole of the Resistance into his group of people- and once he really labeled the First Order as a threat to them. He is cunning- escaping with Poe, developing the plan with Rose in TLJ. Slytherin. Finn is also extremely dedicated and loyal to his friends, and does value justice and doing the right thing. We considered Gryffindor for him as well, and I think it fits, but I went with Hufflepuff because it is Finn’s love and dedication to his friends that fuels his bravery and desire to fight. 

Poe: Gryffindor. Poe is the only character that we have had a single house for. He is a fighter, he does what he thinks is right, and fuck anyone who stands in his way. He has a strong sense of justice and approaches his problems guns blazing. Poe also tends to care less than he should for who is hurt in his quest for glory and justice in battle- something we see at the start of TLJ and something that he seems to be growing past by the end of the film. 

Kylo Ren: Huffledor (Primary Hufflepuff, secondary Gryffindor) This one is a little complicated- I know, I know. HOW is Kylo not a Slytherin? Because he wouldn’t know ambition or cunning if it smacked him in the face with a wet towel. Kylo was hard to judge, mainly because he is the only of the main group of characters that hasn’t completed all or most of their main character growth by the end of TLJ. He still has to take the steps that Rey, Finn, and Poe have, and hopefully we will get to see that in Rise of Skywalker. Kylo is a character who craves connection- so much so that he instantly makes one with Rey the second she shows any degree of compassion (or just not-contempt) towards him. The reason he ends up in such a low place at the end of TLJ is because he lost that. And he’s a Gryffindor because his general approach to things is “I will stomp like a skunk and hit it with my laser sword.” He straight up kills his Master (who was a dick to be fair) for a girl he met three days ago who held his hand. So yeah. Huffledor. 

Rey: Gryffalyin (Primary Gryiffindor, secondary Slytherin) Disclaimer that Rey is my favorite of these to look at so... Yeah. Rey is what I very very affectionately call a fighty bitch. She will fight anyone and anything that tries to fuck with her, and it’s amazing. She honestly kind of reminds me of me in that sense. She has a deep sense of justice and is brave as all hell, and by GD does she have the daring and nerve that she needs to be a Gryffindor. Now, the Slytherin... We talked about other houses, and thought maybe she was a Gryffinpuff, but we settled on Slytherin. Mainly because Rey, at least to me, does do things for her own gain. All the damn time. Hell, for the whole of TLJ, the secondary (or even arguably primary) reason why she seeks out Luke, vows to help Kylo, all of it- it because she desperately is seeking answers about herself. She is deeply protective of and loyal to her people, even to the point of saying “fuck you” to Kylo when he dares to try and put himself between her and her found family, despite the fact that he was becoming one of her people. 

I’m also still not sure of these at ALL- who knows? Maybe Rise of Skywalker will majorly switch shit up. I hope so! 

#star wars #hogwarts houses #bring it on #actually though I would really love to hear what y'all think #mapping one fantasy series onto another is hard

[guren-no-shishio]

To be honest, I hope Solid can run away with Nebra because I don't want that they would accept Noelle easily just because she save them from the compass elf.Silva sibblings relationship is so complicated for got an "Noelle we recogniced you as our sister, we love you" soon, because if that would happen, MUST BE AFTER A SLOW PROCESS (Nebra and Solid development). In the last chapter, they didn't recognice that her was grown. A good behabior toward Noelle will me pissed if it happends on this arc.

I’M SO SORRY FOR NOT REPLYING BEFORE CHAPTER 175!!! (considering this is for 174 and the fact that I am answering this a couple days before 176 drops on us - is just sad, I really am sorry!)

I think them actually managing to run away before Nozel and Noelle got there would’ve made no sense and just be kinda bullshit though? She should’ve basically been able to defeat Solid before he could escape, she’d hunt him down if he somehow did or take him out the moment he had turned away. He was just no match for her at all.

As we saw in 175 he almost got killed if it wasn’t for Nozel and Noelle arriving. She even prevented Nebra from getting away after they arrived, so they just wouldn’t have been able to get out of their safely at all. 

We also saw that they were amazed Noelle could use her magic no problem while in GD woman’s presence, Solid surprised; but still not so accepting? As it was Nebra’s first time seeing it and it was blocked easily I don’t think she would find it overly impressive unless it had succeeded? 

Solid was still devastated and in denial about the fact she is the stronger one now. He couldn’t accept that he was weaker then her. He couldn’t accept it when she beat him, the chance he will right away after she and Nozel defeat Compass girl is likely? If Nozel has accepted her, they might follow as they seem to do. But acting nice towards her? Nah, I don’t see that happening. Solid isn’t that kind of character, he doesn’t treat others nicely unless they can threaten him. As for Nebra treating her nicely? No idea. We barely know her character to make that call. 

The Silva’s don’t seem like a close family to begin with, no family bonds like the Vermillion’s. So at most they’d just handle being in the same room and let her do her own thing without bothering her, she’s definitely earned that at the very least. Anything more then some recognition and tolerance… will just be cringy. 

#Black Clover #anon #bc spoilers #Nebra Silva #Solid Silva #Noelle Silva #Nozel Silva

[the-record-columns]

Feb. 13, 2019: Columns

She gave much, but asked little

Editor’s note: This column originally appeared in a slightly different form on Feb. 17, 2009)

           Willa Mae Lankford

By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

Lifelong Millers Creek resident Willa Mae Lankford, widow of Sammie Lankford died Thursday, February 12 (2009).  

Willa Mae died as she lived, peacefully, and surrounded by those who loved her.

Her son, Jerry Lankford, is the editor of The Record.  What follows was adapted from remarks I made at Willa Mae’s funeral service on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, at the Arbor Grove United Methodist Church in Purlear.  The service was conducted by Rev. Ed McKinney, and special music was provided by David Johnson, Eric Ellis, and Keith Watts, longtime friends of the Lankford family.

                                                        ***

David, Eric, and Keith make that music look easy, don’t they, but it sure isn’t. As they played, I couldn’t help but remember the little half-smile that would come over Willa Mae’s face, much like the one on this page, when she would listen to her son, Jerry, or one of her grandchildren play music.  She enjoyed listening, then combined that enjoyment with the feeling of pride only a mother and grandmother can know.  

I actually came to know Willa Mae Lankford because of her son, Jerry, and much of what I say today revolves around that.

A bit over 10 years ago (20 years now), a man stopped me and asked when I was going to turn Thursday Magazine into a newspaper—I replied that I was looking for the right person to do just that.  He inquired further, and I told him I was looking for a man in his 30’s who had newspaper experience outside Wilkes County, and who might be in a situation with aging parents or something and looking to settle back down in Wilkes.

“I know that man,” he replied, “I know exactly that man.”  

In my mind I said “Sure you do,” and told him just to have that fella call me.

Well folks, about four hours later, that very same day, I got a phone call from a man who identified himself as Jerry Lankford, and who began the conversation with, “I understand you might like to start a newspaper.”

The rest, as I like to say, is history.  Very soon, after Jerry began working with us, The Record began publishing and thankfully, continues to do so. There is an aside I must tell on Jerry, however. We agreed that he was to give a two week notice to his employer the following Friday.  That afternoon, he came by my office to tell me when he gave his notice that they sent him home on the spot.  I told him not to worry, just come on in on Monday and we would just start work a little earlier than planned. So you see, his first day at work on his new job was a day off.  Pretty good deal, huh.

Particularly in the earliest years of The Record, circumstances called for me to spend many, many late hours with Jerry Lankford. Anytime we were anywhere near Kite Road in Millers Creek, we would stop in for a visit with his mother. As long as I knew her, she was in fragile health.  As the years went by, more and more things went wrong and she became noticeably weaker and weaker.

But her spirit remained strong.  I never heard her complain, in fact, she was always asking how I was doing—most especially after I suffered a stroke some years ago.

And, she stayed busy.

Unable to get around very well, she was always making something with her hands.  I guess it was from all those years at the City Florist, working and talking with that wonderful gaggle of ladies who we all knew by sight, if not by name.  In fact, one of the gifts I enjoy most came from Willa Mae—not counting Jerry, of course. One day he brought me a package about the size of a bowling ball and said simply, “My mother made this for you.” Inside was a multi-sided quilted star. “It is to be used as a doorstop.” Jerry said.

It was amazing.

You can look and look and you can’t find a starting place, or a stopping place, and I still have no idea how she put that thing together, but it’s beautiful, and remains one of the most noticed items in my home, and a gift I’ll always treasure.  

And that was Willa Mae.

She gave much of herself and asked for little.  

She loved her husband, her children, and her grandchildren.

And she loved the people of Arbor Grove Methodist Church so much.

To Ellen, Mike (now also deceased), and to my good friend, Jerry, I must be honest and tell you that nothing will ever be quite the same for you again.  But hold on to those wonderful memories of your mother, indeed, wrap yourselves in them, for they will carry you through a lot.

Willa Mae Lankford—a kind and caring soul if ever there was one.  

Clearly, she rests in peace.

                                             Willa Mae Lankford

                                    Nov. 9, 1926 – Feb. 12, 2009

Gentlemen of the Jury…

By HEATHER DEAN

Record Reporter

Next week I will be performing with Alleghany Community Theatre as they present “12 Angry Jurors” in the historic courthouses of Sparta, N.C., and Independence, Va.

Readers may remember the original title of “12 Angry Men,” a stage play written by Reginald Rose, which was also adapted to a 1957 movie starring Henry Fonda.

Over the years the title has changed in production as women have been allowed to be seen as competent jurors. But that wasn’t always the case.

Even though women have served on juries for over 100 years, it was considered more of a novelty, which quickly turned to critique, with national newspapers lamenting that “men would be only too happy to cede the burden of jury service to women, if only female jurors could be trusted to endure the gruesome business.” And so the “woman of the jury experiment” began. The results? Good female jurors were conscientious and committed to justice, just like their male counterparts (gasp!).

For those not familiar with the show, the plot revolves around the murder trail of a Latino teenager accused of murdering his abusive father. His conviction would mean execution by electric chair.  The case seems open and shut with a murder weapon and witnesses to place the boy at the scene of the crime. One lone juror, attempts to prevent a miscarriage of justice by forcing his colleagues to reconsider the evidence “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

As the case unfolds more is learned about each juror, in some cases, the paranoia and prejudices that expose the ugliness of white privilege and imagined American supremacy.

I play juror 11, an immigrant watchmaker and naturalized American citizen who demonstrates a strong patriotic pride. (George Voskovec had this part in the 1957 film).

Voskovec was a Czech actor, writer, dramatist, and director who became an American citizen in 1955.

I am the fourth to cast a not guilty vote, but not without repercussion. Prejudice runs amok among the jurors, and my character at one point is questioned because I am not a “real American.” One juror even throws up the fact that I ran for my life during the Second World War, taking advantage of the American Immigration system, doubtful that I was really a refugee, and that I had no right to come over here, or even serve on a jury, and I certainly did not get to tell them how the Constitution works. She follows this up with a threat to “knock my GD middle-eastern head off” if I don’t shut up. Needless to say, our characters have quite a row after that exchange. In fact, a lot of murder threats get thrown around to other jurors, making our task at hand seem like the background noise to the real issue of the intricate divisiveness of human nature when questioned with what it is to “be a good American.”

This play is both eye opening and disheartening to me. Even though human compassion wins in the end, kind of, the relentless diatribe of how of a kid literally from the wrong side of the tracks, because of his skin color, his nationality, and his lack of being able to speak English is ENOUGH for the many of this jury to dismiss him and actually be happy about sending him to his demise, to keep the country “clean.”

The absolute prejudice shown in the 50’s is still being shown today, most recently with a supposed crisis at the border. The vitriol spouted in this play is the same we still hear on national news 60 years later. I get chill bumps at some of the lines realizing that the more things change, the more they stay the same, and that we have a humanitarian duty to make sure the cruel side of history stops with us.  

To quote Henry Fonda’s character’s closing line “Let them live.”

 12 Angry Jurors is presented by Alleghany Community Theatre and Alleghany Arts Council and is directed by Danny Linehan. Tickets are $8 adults, $5 students. Friday Feb. 22, and Saturday Feb. 23, shows are at 7 p.m. at the Alleghany Courthouse, 12 N Main St Sparta, NC 28675. Sunday Feb. 24, show is at 2 p.m., at the Old Grayson courthouse in Independence, Virginia, 107 E Main St, Independence, VA 24348.

 Cast includes: Foreman (An assistant football coach): Lori Hirschy; Juror Two (A shy bank clerk): Beka Perry; Juror Three (Small business owner): Kevin Bennett; Juror Four (Stock Broker): Brant Burgiss; Juror Five (EMT in a Harlem Hospital): Zach Weaver; Juror Six ( Housepainter): Charlie Scott; Juror Seven (Marmalade salesman): Laura Kennedy; Juror Eight (Architect): Danny Linehan; Juror Nine (Elderly Retiree): Marion Adams; Juror Ten (Mechanic): Donny McCall; Juror Eleven (Immigrant Watchmaker): Heather Dean; Juror Twelve (Marketing Agent): Michael Bridges.

  Anti-Semitic Strategy at the UN ​

By EARL COX

Special to The Record

At first glance, the recent G-77 gathering seemed like a “Saturday Night Live” parody of the UN’ s largest bloc. The new chairman, with rehearsed political correctness, to smiles and applause, called on “all states” (except his) to end the “epidemic” of terrorism and “work with us to put an end to this scourge.”

The speaker was Palestinian Authority President and PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas— infamous inciter and propagator of violence and terror against the sovereign State of Israel, and bankroller of Palestinian terrorism to the tune of more than US $138 million to terrorist prisoners and ex-convicts in 2018 alone.

Abbas’s chairmanship, which violates G-77 principles and the UN Charter, is the latest blight on the UN’s eroded legitimacy and credibility. Created to safeguard world peace, security, human rights, and the sovereign equality of states by peaceful dispute resolution, the UN has been hijacked by an anti-Semitic, terror-tainted political agenda—discrediting itself by violating its own charter.

How did this sorry state of affairs develop? And what can be done by those states who are committed to the UN’s ethical, democratic founding principles?

Anti-Semitism at the UN began not randomly, but as a deliberate strategy. Some historians believe it started after Israel won the Six-Day War in June 1967, damaging Russian prestige at home and abroad. The Soviets, enraged by Israel’s defeat of its proxies Egypt and Syria, retaliated, aiming its Cold War weapons of propaganda and disinformation against the Jewish State—by a state-sponsored vilification campaign against Israel and Jews, and then at the UN, where it forged a political alliance with Arab and Third World states. Starting in 1969, the General Assembly produced multiple resolutions affirming the “inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.”

Russia uses language for totalitarian social control, said historian Joel Fishman. Following the Six-Day War, the selected vocabulary was published in the party newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda in October 1967: “Zionism is dedicated to genocide, racism, treachery, aggression, and annexation ...attributes of fascists.” In 1975, the Soviet- Arab bloc passed GA Resolution 3379, “Zionism is Racism."

But historian Joel Fishman said Resolution 3379 was brewing in 1964—before the Six-Day War. In March of that year, the U.S.proposed that the UN recognize anti-Semitism as a form of racism along with apartheid and Nazism. The Soviets stonewalled, because they were, after all, anti-Semites who persecuted Soviet Jews, Fishman said. They threatened the United States to drop the proposal or face a Russian amendment condemning Zionism and Nazism—thus equating the two.

In October 1965, the US pushed an amendment to the final draft condemning anti-Semitism, but the Soviets insisted on adding“Zionism” to the forms of racism to condemn. After a bitter debate, a compromise struck all references to racism except apartheid. Thus, the Soviets succeeded in excluding anti-Semitism as racist without leaving behind a voting record—which could augur future charges against its own state-sponsored anti-Semitism.

The 1965 debates critically impacted evolving world opinion and international law on Israel and Zionism. “From then on, it was almost impossible to raise anti-Semitism as a human rights issue,” Fishman said. Thus Soviet political propaganda became a bridge to today’s global outbreak.

For the Soviets, the Cold War never really ended. Recent revelations of their digital disinformation and propaganda are well-publicized.

But neither has the UN been a passive instrument of Soviet manipulation. Israeli Major General (res.) Yaakov Amidror recalled how UN Secretary General U Thant endorsed President Nasser’s request to withdraw UN forces from the Sinai. Nasser replaced them with Egyptian military divisions, helping to spark the Six-Day War. And that’s just one example of UN complicity against Israel.

 Israel’s concerted relationship-building with individual nations, and delegations of visiting UN ambassadors to see and experience the “real” Israel firsthand, are part of the solution to return to the UN Charter principle of friendly relations between nations. Likewise, while keeping an eye on Russia, Western democracies should continue to strengthen democratic blocs of nations to defend against the real “scourge.”

At all costs, the truth must be published. What does Israel or the US gain from “dialogue” in a tilted UN that could be better served by bilateral or Western-bloc diplomacy? 

 Heart to Heart

By CARL WHITE

Life in the Carolinas

The past few weeks have been exciting and entertaining.

The Carolinas are well known for seasonal abnormalities. It’s not odd to have near recording breaking cold weather for a few days and then Spring-like weather. Just enough to tease our spring flowering plant life and then in the twinkling of an eye it’s cold again.

So, it goes in the Carolinas, we are people with many layers, and those layers come in handy during our winter months. We also love metaphors, and a colorful story fills the need we have to be a good storyteller or a great listener. The need for both is never-ending.

While in the barber’s chair last week, Garry, my barber, had big news. It looks like he may have a brother he is just now learning about. I asked him if he was excited about having a new brother. He said he was; however, the idea is so new he is still processing the emotions that come along with such a discovery.

Josh, Garry’s son and the fellow barber said they have been invited to visit their new northern family member.  Garry is not much for long-distance travel; his heart indeed is in the Carolinas, and he is not excited about venturing too far away from the land he calls home.  

In the style of true Southern Hospitality, an invitation will soon be extended to the brother from afar. From what I understand hints have already been given by the new brother that suggest an invite and visit to the Carolinas would be welcomed.  

Bill Barns ask for my thoughts on his new book that is in the final stages before publishing. The first sentence of Chapter One is “One beautiful, moonlit night, a young mother opossum known as Oden was out in the woods foraging for food.”  

I plan to read every word.

I had the opportunity to take in a few live shows. One was an open mic night at The 1915 in Wilkesboro, and the other was at the Reeves Theater in Elkin NC. The Reeves Theater is the subject of one of our broadcast segments that we are calling The Carolina Theater Trail. The segment series will be part of our Life In The Carolinas syndicated show. Over the next few years, we will be producing segments on historically significant Theaters in the Carolinas. We have a good variety of theaters to choose, and each one plays a vital role in our charming towns in the Carolinas.

I enjoyed dinner with Ken Welborn, publisher, and friend who loves the Carolinas with a strong focus on Wilkes County. It’s never a dull visit with Ken. The food and service at Sixth and Main in North Wilkesboro is excellent. I enjoyed the crab cakes with asparagus and baby potatoes. Ken dined on and spoke well about the salmon and vegetables. I think digestion works better when you have dinner with a well-seasoned storyteller.

In celebration of February as the Heart Month, we had Dr. Julian Thomas as a guest on the Life In The Carolinas Podcast. We titled the episode Heart to Heart. The special show focused on the journey of dealing with matters of the heart. Dr. Thomas is brilliant, and his approach to healthcare is driven by promoting awareness and a passion for healing.

Wherever we find ourselves, it’s a good idea to stop for a moment and share our lives with those we are around. The love month can be demanding, but it can also be gentle, kind and full of passion.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 Carl White is the Executive Producer and Host of the award-winning syndicated TV show Carl White’s Life In The Carolinas. The weekly show is now in its 10th year of syndication and can be seen in the Charlotte market on WJZY Fox 46 Saturday’s at noon and My40. The show also streams on Amazon Prime. For more information visit www.lifeinthecarolinas.com. You can email Carl at [email protected].