Sue Bruns

I recently celebrated my birthday, although some might not consider the way I spent my day to be much of a celebration. My earliest birthdays were family affairs with siblings, cousins, or with my favorite great aunt and uncle, a childless couple who lived in town in a very clean...

Newscasters in pre-campaign 2016 speculation mode have been talking lately about how old certain potential candidates will be on the day the next president of the U.S. assumes office. “Hillary will be 69,” they tell us; Biden, even older. They debate the effects of age on the...

I’ve been thinking a lot about plastics lately. Remember the advice given to young Benjamin in The Graduate by a friend of his father? “Plastics!” says Mr. McGuire to Ben. “There’s a great future in plastics.” Back in 1967, when the movie was released, plastics...

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to hear any more about the weather. That said, I’ve decided to say a few things about averages. After a month of March with a reported average temperature of 15.5 degrees (Did it seem that warm to you?) and a yearly average so far for...

An appreciation for word play comes fairly early in language development and can be an important part of that development. Children are fascinated by jingles and rhyme, alliteration, puns and malapropisms long before they even know what all of these things are. Let’s start with...

(Doorbell rings.) “Hmmmmn. Who could that be at this hour? (Opens door) Yes?” “Hello, M’am. Are you Mrs. Bruns, Mrs. Susan Bruns?” “Yes. And you are…?” “Seymore Stuff, NSA.” “NSA? Do you have some ID?” “You can look me up on the internet.” “I’d...

While cleaning my office in late December, I came across some poems from my college days. One, titled “Home,” written during Christmas break of my freshman year, was about the absence of “home.” It talked about “going home” for Christmas, but, upon arriving at the...

Around the holiday season, nostalgia creeps up on me with selective memories of the past, minimizing the hurts and disappointments of childhood and adolescence, filled instead with fond remembrances of ordinary things and everyday occurrences. Some of my favorites include nickel...

BEMIDJI — Woman (from kitchen): “Hey, what are you watching?” Husband (from recliner): “Nanook of the North.” (Woman peeks at TV screen from kitchen.) “Wow, looks like a real oldie. Black and white, even! Love the music and love that kayak!” “Yeah, that’s a...

At midnight, Jessica grabs a sleeping bag: I bring the flashlight. Big Dog follows us, eager for a late-night adventure. No wind ripples the lake tonight. No moon lights the sky, which is clear of clouds and peppered with stars. I flash the light toward the edge of the woods, then...

“Did you remember to bring the folder with your paperwork in it?” I ask. “Right here,” says Gary, holding up the folder. “So your appointment is at 9 a.m. We’d better get going. It takes two and a half hours to get to Fargo.” “No, it’s only two hours to Fargo....

HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii — I adjusted my helmet and hopped onto the rental bike. With just one push on the pedal, I was sailing down the mountain. Gary had taken off just ahead of me; Eric and Jessy were close behind, and it didn’t take them long to fly by me and disappear...

“Is that your cell phone ringing?’ “Maybe. Darn. Where is it?” “It stopped ringing. I’m not sure. Is it in the bedroom?” “No, not there. Oh, I think it’s in my purse.” (Dig, fumble, dig) “No. Ah! I bet it’s in my coat pocket.” (Scramble. Open closet...

“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em ‘Certainly I can.’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” – Theodore Roosevelt My father Ted used to tell a story about moving from his family’s farm near New Ulm, Minn., to Yakima, Wash., during the Great Depression....