Olivia Fowler

On The Way

by Olivia Fowler

We hear tales of what happens to people who win the lottery. It doesn’t always turn out to be a good thing. Especially if their names are released.

Think how it would be to be a nine-to-five person, faithfully showing up for work every day, and suddenly becoming the recipient of millions of dollars. It boggles the mind.

One winner tried to donate winnings to his church, but his church turned it down. One winner didn’t quit his job at Dunkin Donuts because he needed to work in order to feel worthwhile.

There was a man in Georgia who was slow to claim his prize because he said he couldn’t take off work. He might lose his job. And when asked what he planned to do with his winnings, he announced that he

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robinson

It’s that time of year again. I get to put together a Christmas list.

This year will definitely be better than last year. For one thing I am employed this year, so I can actually afford to buy people better gifts than a wrapped sheet of paper that simply says, “Warm wishes from Ben.”

Of course, that also puts pressure on me. I no longer have a girlfriend, so at least that pressure is gone. I still care for the girl, but she probably would not appreciate a picture of me as a present.

One priority is my gift for my father. He’s a bit insulted because I mistakenly wrote in last week’s column that he was dishonorably discharged from the army. Of course, the truth turned out to be he was

November 18-22 is American Education Week, a time to reflect on our country’s legacy of education and to give thought to what we want for the future of our kids.

Pickens has provided a variety of new opportunities over the past few years. Academically, we are doing more. Our on-time graduation rates have risen a full four percentage points, our students’ performance on standardized testing at the elementary, middle and high school level continues to surpass their peers around the state. SAT and ACT performance has been at or above the national average, and in 2012 Daniel High School was named the best traditional public high school in the state by US News and

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robinson

As far as military service, my family has been thankfully limited. The draft was over before me or my brother Thom reached 18. The idea of volunteering to go overseas and have somebody shoot at me never really appealed to me, so I never volunteered either.

My father served briefly in the military near the beginning of World War II, but my grandmother’s poor health led him to seek a dishonorable discharge. My Uncle Farris served in the army for a while, but he finished his time with no major headlines.

On my mother’s side of the family, my uncle Don Smith was in the Air Force

Olivia Fowler

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

Every beautiful morning we’ve had is a reminder of how nice fall can be. Everything about this season is special. The temperatures are so mild everyone wants to go outside and work in their yards. We don’t see people raking as much as we used to, but we do see a lot of people out with their leaf blowers.

Years ago we put oak trees out in the front yard. They’ve grown for 30 years and now offer protection from hot summer days and branches for birds to rest upon.

I love trees and am constantly amazed

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robinson

I am kind of at a loss today because I do not have my wallet. I got up this morning, got dressed, grabbed my stuff and headed out to the car, ready for another interesting week of work. Then I casually felt in my back pocket and found nothing. No wallet.

No problem. I probably left it in the car. I quickly searched the car, and I could not find it. The clock was ticking away, so I needed to be on the road soon, or be late for the job I appreciate so much. I returned to the house, looked around and still no wallet.

Reluctantly I started the car and pulled out into the world. “Maybe I will be able to come home for lunch, then find the wallet,” I thought. “Hope I don’t run into any Highway Patrol on my way to work.”

Of course, my worries were premature. The Highway Patrol generally does not stop you just because you look like somebody who does not have a driver’s license. If you happen to have problems, you can just show some form of ID, they can radio in to find out if you have a license, or if you are some kind of convicted drug dealer on the run. Still, it’s illegal to drive without a copy of your license on hand, but generally they understand that you are human, or in my case, stupid.

I had to drive past the store this morning without getting my soft drink. There is a good-looking girl working there now, though I understand she recently got married. I don’t know what I am thinking, that perhaps she will ring up my soft drink, smile and say “Things are not working with my new husband, so he’s out. I want to marry you now and have your idiot children.” And the children would likely be idiots, taking after their father. Let’s hope they at least get their looks from their mother. Otherwise I might wind up with ugly kids who can’t keep up with their wallets.

Either way, with no wallet, I simply drove past the store. I know that deep down, she probably missed me.

Hopefully I will find my wallet. I just renewed my driver’s license, and I don’t want to get a new version. The lady at the highway department might say, “You again? These things last 10 years, you know.”

My credit cards are also in the wallet, or at least the ones from the folks still naive enough to give me credit. No loss there. If somebody tries to use one of them, they will have the humiliation I have had of having a nice-looking teenage girl say “Yeah, right.”

But not having the wallet has a psychological affect on me. Honestly, I probably would not spend much today anyhow. But knowing I can’t will drive me crazy, or crazier. I will go through today wanting to call up one of those DVD places and order the latest Sandra Bullock movie.

Of course, depending on whether I misplaced my wallet or it was stolen, the charge for the video may already be on the card.

Olivia Fowler

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

A recent visit to the hospital ER showed clearly that we can’t do without Fowler on Fowler Farm. After a six day stay In Baptist Easley Hospital last week Fowler returned to the farm and everything on the place breathed a sigh of relief.

He got wonderful care at the hospital. The nurses and doctors were thorough and attentive and the hospital cafeteria was a pleasant surprise to family and friends who ate there.

We are so thankful to be back to the normal routine of the ordinary life we take so for granted.

We’ve all learned some good stuff. I know how to find the elevators and how to get in and out of the hospital late at night.

After walking around the ground floor corridors I noticed the painting on the wall with two

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robsinson

I have to admit something. For the last year or so I’ve needed new glasses. It started a few years ago. I was wearing glasses, prescribed by my eye doctor. One year the glasses were suddenly missing. My sister Rhonda was visiting from Virginia and she stayed in my bedroom at the house. My glasses somehow disappeared during that time. The theory was somehow my glasses got placed in her diaper bag she used for my nephew Kevin, and, given the contents of the bag, I figured it was not worth looking through that bag to find them.

By the way, Kevin is 33 now. He has not needed a diaper bag for quite some time.

When it came time to renew my glasses last I simply cheated on the eye exam. When the lady asked me to read line nine, I stole a glance with both eyes and was able to guess enough letters to pass the eye exam. The girl at the highway department was nice, and smiled when

Olivia Fowler

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

Last week we read an article about an early detection test you can take for Alzheimer’s. It sounds highly improbably but according to this article this simple test, conducted at home, can alert you to the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Individuals have been tested for the condition in the following way.

Researchers open a jar of peanut butter and ask the person being tested to sniff it when breathing first through the right nostril and then through the left. This is done by closing off the nostril not being tested.

If the subject cannot identify the scent when breathing through the left nostril, this means

Ben Robinson

All about Ben

By Ben Robinson

Now starts the time I should be used to: recovering from a letdown.

In case you did not see it Saturday night, Clemson University lost to Florida State in football Saturday night. Badly.

On the opening play from scrimmage, Clemson fumbled the ball. Florida State recovered, and a few plays later scored, taking a 7-0 lead.

Oddly, that was pretty much the most positive aspect of the game. The Seminoles pretty much dominated every aspect of the game from the beginning. This morning on talk radio,