Steve Fernlund and The Long Way Home

They should do something about that.  The plural pronoun “they” was overused on social media by Charlie Kirk fans last week. Kirk was a highly successful political and media influencer for young people with a conservative bent. While speaking and debating students at a university in Utah, he was gunned down. The indefinite pronoun “someone” was overused by those stunned by the school shooting in Colorado the same day.  The word “they” refers to more than one person or thing, although it may be used as a singular pronoun when referring to a person whose gender is unknown or to a single person who identifies with the pronoun "they." “Someone” refers to a person without specifying who they are.  My grammar checking software regularly catches me, and calls me sloppy, for using those pronouns that aren’t clearly identified in preceding writing. So now it’s one of the front-of-mind peeves when I read things written by someone else. Damned AI has taken me to church.  Follow...

  While raising four people from puppyhood to adulthood, the Bohunk and I always had dogs and even a few cats around the house. We considered our pets family members. We still have a few animals in the family, and the similarities to having kids at home are worth noting. Our three pets, the dogs Gypsy and Fiona, and the cat Winthrop, require our attention and care, of course. Feeding and grooming, as well as their emotional needs, including walks outside and companionship. These exchanges become a fundamental aspect of life that feels strikingly similar to the parent-child relationship. Winthrop, almost 10 years old now, is an indoor-only cat. He was a stray kitten that the Bohunk found one morning while walking one of the dogs when we lived in Illinois. He was about the size of a teacup but meowed loud enough to be heard. “A kitty followed me home,” the Bohunk announced when she came in the house that day. She had found (heard) him meowing near a house that bordered a cornfield, a...

Admitting that I once believed I had all the knowledge I needed, I've come to realize that learning is a lifelong journey. For those who may have questioned my wisdom, you were right.  As a self-proclaimed freelance writer, I created a Substack account a couple of years ago. Substack is an online platform that allows writers and content creators to publish and monetize their work. Social media with a more focused purpose. It's primarily known for its email newsletter service. You can find me there as @thelongwayhome1. Try the free email newsletter. Like all things related to the numerous social media sites out there, I’ve struggled to figure it out and establish a presence. Tech isn't my strong suit, nor is self-promotion—a common theme needed to succeed in online services. Now that the Bohunk and I have managed to downsize (see Swedish Death Cleaning) and settled into our urban lifestyle, I’ve restarted my Substack account. I've already spent too much time reading othe...

The difference between a newspaper column and a social media post is that one takes some time to work on a column idea, even when enraged, to make sure the point is valid and the rage is justified. Not so, social media. This column simmered on a back burner for a few weeks now. Still, the issue it addresses, prevarication, is something that sticks in my craw.  Prevarication doesn't necessarily involve outright lying. Instead, it uses ambiguity, misdirection, or half-truths to mislead or conceal the truth. What I call BS. Not a straight-out lie, but a circuitous route around the truth to hide mistakes, carelessness, ignorance, or guilt. Someone who prevaricates is trying to avoid being caught in a lie.  In decades of adulthood I’ve encountered more than my share of prevaricators. The ones who were going to pay me on Friday, deliver something on time, make the repairs when promised, and so many other things. As a part-time county chronicler, I’m used to elected officials and bur...