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Local
Since 1994
Would you buy a candle scented like motor oil?
By John Toth The Bulletin When Sharon and I owned and operated Wicks ‘N’ Sticks at Brazos Mall, we found out that connoisseurs of fragranced candles don’t deviate much from the norm. The trick was to come up with products that stayed within that bubble. But not all the time. Most food-scented candles were not a big hit. We experimented with a few, and they were not big sellers. When I tried to pitch them to customers, they came back with: “Why would I want to buy a candle tha
3 days ago3 min read
Return to sender, address unknown, no such number, no such zone
By John Toth The Bulletin An invoice I sent out in June just came back to me marked as “undeliverable.” Maybe it was, but why did it take...
Oct 63 min read
I set out to search for a younger doctor after my middle-aged physician decided to retire
By John Toth The Bulletin A while ago, my primary physician told me that he was retiring, and I needed to find another doctor. I chose...
Sep 293 min read
Pesky calls remind me of past mischief
By John Toth The Bulletin We have been inundated every day by calls to The Bulletin for weeks, but not in a good way. Within the good...
Aug 253 min read
After 40 years, we made it back to an improved Nassau
After 40 years, we made it back to an improved Nassau
Aug 184 min read
Did Ernest Hemingway’s great, great, great grand cat steal my sunglasses?
By John Toth The Bulletin During our recent visit to Key West, Florida, one of our must-see stops was Ernest Hemingway’s home. When...
Aug 113 min read
We weren’t all that certain what would happen if the Y2K Bug reset computers to year 1900
By John Toth The Bulletin The year was 1999. Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” topped the charts; “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom...
Aug 43 min read
Radio has played a big role in my life since childhood
By John Toth The Bulletin I have found the almost-perfect radio, although my search continues for true perfection - for a good price, of...
Jul 213 min read
Apollo 11 captivated the world, had me glued to the TV
By John Toth The Bulletin It was July 25, 1969, the day I found myself glued to the television set as the Apollo 11 Astronauts prepared...
Jul 143 min read
Is sticking your tongue out now hip?
By John Toth The Bulletin Have you noticed recently that people stick their tongues out more often than we’ve seen in the past? I don’t...
Jul 73 min read
Happy birthday to The Bulletin as it starts 31st year
By John Toth The Bulletin I had another column scheduled for this week, but then I realized that this issue marks the beginning of The...
Jun 303 min read
Cruise ships’ comedy is good, but Dennis was better
By John Toth The Bulletin Doing stand-up comedy is a hard way to make a living in the entertainment business. It takes a special kind of...
Jun 233 min read
Talking is hard after the dentist sticks a drill in my mouth
By John Toth The Bulletin I was sitting in the dental chair the other day as the dentist’s drill was churning relentlessly in my mouth....
Jun 143 min read
I waited all year for the endless summer to begin and hit the road to my summer job
By John Toth The Bulletin I was driving up to the hideaway and noticed that school buses started popping up on the streets around...
Jun 23 min read
I love cruising, but it also makes me grateful to live in the U.S.
I love cruising, but it also makes me grateful to live in the U.S.
May 274 min read
I took the roundabout way to graduating high school, college through 3 countries, languages
By John Toth The Bulletin When I was running around in the school yard in the third or fourth grade, I fully expected to graduate from...
May 193 min read
Cruising, sunshine and vitamin sea
By John Toth The Bulletin After my sixth cruise in two or three years, I am finding myself to be a guide to other cruisers not as...
May 124 min read
My fond memories of coaching the ‘Bad News Bears’
By John Toth The Bulletin I was sitting in the stands, waiting for my grandson’s T-ball game to start. Around me, parents were cheering...
Apr 284 min read
They say even young people need wills, so we finally got one
By John Toth The Bulletin I told some friends that I don’t have a will yet, and they were puzzled. “What do you mean you don’t have a...
Apr 143 min read
How I spent my first Easter in our new home, country
By John Toth The Bulletin The year was 1968. It was Easter, and I was an altar boy at St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Church in the upper...
Apr 73 min read
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