The Mason Minute

It's been a brutal Summer. The heat and humidity never seem to break. Most days in July we had a high temperature of over 90 degrees. And August is starting the same way with another heat advisory. When I was younger, I never worried about the heat or humidity. But, like many others, as I get older, I have to pay attention to the daily forecast. Anytime we have one of these advisories, I stay insi...

When people come to Nashville, one of the first things they notice is all the cranes building high-rise buildings throughout town. Everywhere you turn, new buildings, big and small, are being constructed. The 7-Eleven convenience store chain was here many years ago and then left. But as Nashville grew, they decided to come back. At first, they took over some existing Exxon Tiger Mart stores. Then,...

People have been using non-stick cookware in their kitchen for decades. But many wonder if these convenient pots and pans are causing us harm. Instances of what some call the Teflon Flu are increasing, causing great concern for poison experts. The technical term for this phenomenon is polymer fume fever, which can occur when the non-stick chemicals from the cookware begin to break down. It doesn't...

For decades, the one thing that set Southwest Airlines apart from other companies was how they boarded their planes. While most companies utilized assigned seats, Southwest has always had an open seating policy. If you've ever flown with them, you know how difficult obtaining an A-group boarding pass can be. You might have heard the news that Southwest is making a significant change. While they ha...

The way we watch TV has changed drastically in recent years. When I was younger, we often had just the primary networks and a couple of independent local channels. Then in 70s and 80s, cable TV came around and gave us many more channels to watch. Now, just a few decades later, people are cutting the cord and moving to streaming services. While many of those services have a monthly fee, some offer...

We all have weaknesses. One of mine is carbohydrates. They don't like me, but I sure do like them. One of the perks of working at my office is that we usually get bagels for the whole office at our big Tuesday staff meeting each week. And while I try to limit my weekly intake, I could eat bagels all the time. I try to restrict myself to only one per day, but it's tough. And nothing beats a free ba...

Whether you enjoy trivia or not, most of us know a few strange facts that might seem random to others. For example, I can tell you that Mick Jagger from The Rolling Stones turns 81 today. I don't usually keep track of celebrity birthdays, but I've known this little fact for decades. Since we share a birthday, it's an easy fact to remember. The fact that his band still goes out and tours regularly...

One of the downsides of the internet is that it's filled with scammers. All these people do is find ways to separate you from your money. And social media hasn't helped. Most platforms give these crooks more opportunities to harass you. Facebook has a big problem with fake users. Criminals create fake profiles and then ask you to connect. Once you do, they will send messages to engage you, hoping...

Like many, I have mixed feelings about getting older. The upside is just living another day, let alone another year. I try not to consider the downside, but it's hard to escape. The random aches and pains that seem to last longer can be frustrating. But for me, the one thing that reminds me just how old I am is the announcement of another notable name that has passed away. The loss of a musician,...

Like many people, I've been glued to my TV and trying to keep up with all that's happening with the Presidential race in the last ten days. I usually try to stay away from politics here on The Mason Minute. It's a habit I learned long ago in the news business. I'm sure I could get more listeners by discussing politics, religion, and sex. But you can go to many places to learn about those subjects....

If you look it up in the dictionary, the definition for the word friend states something like a person you know with whom you have a bond of mutual affection. But since the dawn of social media, that definition has changed. Our social media connections are now often considered friends. It's been that way since the days when MySpace ruled the internet. So when we now refer to our friends, what does...

My wife and I go out to eat less often than we used to. Years ago, we used to eat out 5 or 6 nights a week. But in the last few years, it's been the reverse. Now, we usually dine at home 5 or 6 nights a week. And it's not the same when we go out for dinner. COVID-19 changed everything. Now, when you walk into a restaurant, they ask if you want to dine-in or carry out. And in some places, dining th...

When it comes to dessert, I'm a simple guy. I don't need anything that's set ablaze; something simple like cake, pie, or ice cream will work for me. But perhaps I need to rethink cake. It used to be simple, but now, everywhere I turn, people are creating cakes in all shapes and sizes. And they don't ever use frosting; they use fondant. When did we move past Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines? Don't ge...

The space race between the US and Russia in the 50s and 60s was a big deal. At times, our landing on the moon seems like it happened a lifetime ago, but at other times, it feels like it was yesterday. Getting to the moon was a considerable priority, but many lost interest shortly after we arrived in 1969. Within less than a decade, the public moved on. But now, roughly 50 years later, our country...

I've often said that I'm my own harshest critic. I know my strengths and weaknesses after so many years in the workforce. Even after all these years, I still make every effort to improve myself. Like most companies, mine does an annual performance review. And part of that process includes a self-evaluation. I've done this exercise many times before and find it difficult. It's tough to see how othe...

Time is something we can't escape. From the moment we first understand the concept as a youngster to the second we draw our last breath, it's always on our mind. But how do we know that a minute is truly a minute or an hour is actually an hour? We have to assume that the clock or even a stopwatch is correct. The one thing we can't count is milliseconds. They're why we add an extra day to the calen...

Some things come with age that are good, such as wisdom. But sometimes, there are more negative aspects of aging. Of course, the aches and pains are a given. And another thing that's difficult to avoid is lentigo. When I was younger, I remember many called them liver spots, but today, most refer to them as age spots. Fair-skinned adults and sun worshippers are often the people most affected. While...

For the last day and a half, the word I keep hearing on television is shocking. People are shocked by the attempt on a former President's life at his rally on Saturday night. But for many who, like me, were alive in the 1960s, the events that transpired in Pennsylvania aren't surprising. While I was merely a child in 1968, I sensed the tension in our nation at the time as I witnessed two assassina...

Growing up, I remember hearing the old saying, "Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite." As a child, I didn't understand what they were talking about. When I was older, I learned the hard way that the little critters really did exist. For the most part, by the time I was born, they were mostly just a memory. But bedbugs are making a comeback. While still not common, their population has started t...

I don't think about it often, but the world has changed so much since my younger days. And I think about the changes my parents have seen in their lifetime. It's amazing. Some are obvious, while others might not be noticeable. Significant changes in life include television, the internet, and cellular phones. But there are other changes that we barely notice. Decades ago, I used to Monarch butterfl...

Nashville has been a part of my life since my first unplanned visit during my freshman year of college. And it's hard to believe I've lived here for 17 years. It's the longest I've lived in one place throughout my lifetime. And a lot has changed through the years. Nashville barely resembles the town I saw 45 years ago. In fact, the amount that's changed since I moved here in 2007 is almost as shoc...

Yesterday, I was thinking back to the days when I was fearless. And it's not just me. When we're young, almost nothing will stop us. If we want it bad enough, we'll do whatever it takes to try to achieve it. Sometimes, that lack of fear is just foolishness. But as we get older, we learn our limitations. Or at least we need to. Sure, staying healthy is one of the keys to living longer. However, I b...

Age gives us perspective. At least, that's what I try to tell everyone. Looking back at my younger days, I'm amazed at how fearless I was. Perhaps it's naïveté, but we don't have as much fear when we're young. Or, as I think back, we lack common sense. Many things I'd try or do when I was in my twenties or thirties I'd never consider today. And I don't even think about the silly things I did as a...

The Olympic games begin in less than three weeks. But some athletes still don't know if they will make the trip. In the US, we just wrapped up Olympic qualifiers for some of the most high-profile sports, like track and field and gymnastics. In Europe, basketball teams are still playing to see if they're heading to Paris. And those are just the sports I'm aware of. How fair is this to the athletes?...

Banking is in a constant state of change. While checking and saving accounts still perform the same functions, how you access your money has changed over the years. For the longest time, if you wanted to purchase something at a store using your bank account, you'd write a check. However, that began to change with the advent of the debit card in the 70s and the internet in the 90s. You can still wr...