I Want More Susan Boyle For Christmas

While watching ABC News tonight it occurred to me that although the economy has been terrible in 2009 and many have lost their jobs, their homes and their money, we were blessed with an awe-inspiring phenomenon.

While weathering the economic downturn, we stayed home more often, spent more time with family, read more books, and watched more television. Those of us in our forties and fifties reconnected with those who had given us the news, entertained us and inspired us throughout our lives. Here in Putnam County, West Virginia we mourned the loss of a news legend with the passing of Shelby Young, a veteran newspaperman, book publisher, reporter, and historian of the railroads. Throughout the news and entertainment industry, we lost major stars this past year, including Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. It has shocked us and made us realize once again, we are only mere mortals and not Jedi Knights. We will not be using the force this time. We cannot stop things from changing and return them to our former Star Wars generation. Time moves forward and we go forward with it, and in the dust we leave behind, we cannot forget the people who changed our hearts forever.

One we will always remember is Charlie Gibson. He is leaving ABC News this month, retiring after nearly 35 years. When Charlie left Good morning America in 2006, we thought the show would never be the same. Diane Sawyer and the new co-host Robin Roberts quickly brought us back around. Charlie welcomed us home in the evenings with World News and after awhile we settled in comfortably, felt we had not lost anyone, and had gained some great new faces. Now Diane has left Good Morning America and we will no longer be waking up to her smile. She will however be moving to World News and taking up the seat left vacant by Mr. Gibson. Mr. Gibson will be out enjoying his retirement and we will no longer be enjoying his company. We will gladly tune in to watch Diane after the day is done, just to see how she is doing. We will follow Good Morning America; with rebellion for a while, wishing it was once again like the good ole days. We will swear our loyalty to Charlie and Diane, but guiltily admire the new personalities on the show. Personally, I will miss Charlie terribly, miss his smile and miss being able to tell him goodnight when the show was over. I wish him all the best and a happy, long retirement, which he richly deserves.

This past year has been full of shows we followed, shows we rallied behind and discussed throughout the day. We have seen a chicken catcher, Kevin Skinner; from Kentucky win a million dollars. Kevin Skinner is now in Vegas doing a show after he won “America’s Got Talent” this past year. Many stories stood out to us in 2009, stories of soldiers helping soldiers and those who are giving of themselves and their fortunes to do good works in the world. One story that really caught our attention was the awe-inspiring phenomenon of Susan Boyle, a Scottish singer who came to public attention when she appeared on the reality show “Britain's Got Talent” on April 11, 2009. Singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables, Susan took a disbelieving audience and a mocking table of judges to a new level of believers. She showed us all that sometimes what you see on the outside is not what is on the inside. Susan showed the world looks can be deceiving and anyone can see dreams come true. She proved that making fun of others does not make the mocker a bigger, better person. She humbled us all with her simple ways and astonishing voice.

Tonight as we watched Charlie Gibson on ABC World News announcing the most watched video on YouTube in 2009, we were not surprised when he announced that Susan Boyle’s video had been seen more than 120 million times this year, more than videos 2, 3 and 4 combined. In three weeks, her "I Dreamed a Dream” album has sold a stunning 1.8 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, surpassing 2009 releases from mega-stars.

What is it that makes us keep clicking on that video? Are we really so in love with her music or her voice? Maybe we are simply humbled and embarrassed. Embarrassed we could not see past the outside until she started singing and put us all in our place. Humbled by her presence, not everyone has to look like a movie star to be somebody special. We feel like we owe her. We owe her more than just buying her music or clicking on her video, we owe her a debt of gratitude. We owe her more than fame, we owe her so much more than we can say for bringing us down to earth, giving us cold chills and letting us believe again that anything is possible. Susan Boyle gave us all something we needed so badly, more hope, and more spirit, and I want more of what Susan Boyle gave us for Christmas this year.

They May Not Ask

As we enter this holiday season, let us not forget that there are those who may need our help this year. They may not ask us for it, because they may have never had to ask before. They are the new unemployed, the ones who had really great jobs. They are the ones who always gave in the past. They gave to the charities at work. They always put a few dollars in the Salvation Army stand when they heard the bell. They were the ones who adopted an "Angel" from the Angel Tree in the mall. They were the ones who went downtown to the soup kitchen and handed out heaping plates full of turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes. Now they are the ones who are real close to standing on the other side of the soup kitchen serving line.

The economy is in poor shape and even though recovery seems to be inching its way out of a dark hole, we are a long way from bringing this economy back to what it was ten years ago. We may never see the boom we have seen in the past again. Everyone realizes we went excessively far with the "have it now, pay for it later" society we were living in. Frugal is the new cool. I am glad, because I have always been frugal. The only difference now, is I finally fit in.

There are organizations in every town, all across this great nation that accept donations of food, toys, clothes, and money. They work hard, giving of their time and service to help make the holidays a little brighter for some family that has hit on hard times. They do a great job of reaching those who will ask for help. We should all try to give something, if we can. Even if it is just a few can goods, the person on the other end will appreciate it.

This year is a little different from years past. We need to keep our hearts, our eyes, and our ears tuned in around us for those who will not ask for help. They are the ones who are too proud to add their name to a list they once donated to. They will be, I am afraid the forgotten ones this year. They will sit in the homes they are on the verge of losing and they will have no presents for the children and no feast on the table. They will pray silently for others and hope the day just passes quickly. If we hear of someone who is out of work, having a hard time and maybe won't ask for help, we can make it better by forming our own little secret charity. Ask friends and family to donate to the cause. Put together some food, some toys and some hope for someone who may really need and deserve it. If you do not want to let them know who you are, you could leave the goodies on their porch or have it delivered anonymously by someone else.

This year, as we sit down with our families, let us all say thanks for what we have. I have noticed that out of this economic mess, we've all learned to be more appreciative. Seems like no matter what, the spirit of the American people lives on. We realize what we do or what we don't do and we usually come out of most situations with a better view and a better outlook. I truly believe the year 2009 is no exception. We will always overcome and we will always help each other if we can. We have learned a great lesson through this economic hardship. We have learned we can be happy with less and we can get back to the basics of family, friends, and living. We are small town USA, big cities, and a people of heartfelt gratitude that will eagerly help each other when we can.

Halloween in Putnam County West Virginia

We had a wonderful time this Halloween in Putnam County. We attended a Halloween Bash at Riverside Cafe' in Winfield, West Virginia. With the cost of admission we had pizza, live music by the band Split 6, entry into the costume contest and the radio station Classic Hits 100.9 The Mix was on site all evening. Richard won the prize for "most original costume"! Riverside Cafe' in Winfield serves a full menu daily from 11AM-8PM and Sunday from 1PM -6PM. Riverside Cafe' is located at 3680 Winfield Road, Winfield, West Virginia. Their number is 304-586-2869. We hope your Halloween was as memorable as ours. Remember Putnam County Magazine will be available in newsstands this November. We'll post here and on our site to let you know when they are distributed throughout the county and where you can get your free copy!

It will have been worth it...

As the editor of Inside Putnam County Magazine, my responsibility is to ensure that every issue is full of entertaining, informative, and interesting articles. I must generate ideas for features, oversee work by writers, edit information, proofread all content, and select high quality photographs. I must also manage schedules and contact advertisers. Nevertheless, most important on the list is keeping in mind the overall goal we are seeking to achieve in each publication. Our magazine is a lifestyle publication for all the residents living in Putnam County, West Virginia. It is also a good resource for anyone seeking to live a positive uplifting lifestyle. With each edition, I look for stories that reveal hidden heroes and those whose contribution to society have influenced our hopes and dreams in a positive way. I believe there is excessively too much violence in our media and too much insensitive information being portrayed. Much too often people tend to look for the misfortunes of others as entertainment. Whether programmed into us or something that is just part of our human nature is under considerable debate. There are times when I have felt so caught up in some sort of unbelievable horrific story, I actually could not believe that anyone could be so insensitive. I have even gone so far in my disbelief to spend hours researching the validity of what I had just heard or read. It is no wonder we have those who choose to follow paths of destruction. They hear and read about violence, lies, cons, theft and more all with such middle of the road nonchalant recollections that they cannot quite grasp the significance of the wrongdoings. There was a time when right was right and wrong was wrong. There are still those who adhere to high morals and insist on fighting injustice. However, a generation has become so lost in gray material that they just cannot quite find a line between right and wrong. I, myself must sometimes fight hard to control my composure and keep smiling to keep a good attitude. I do not want to become deprogrammed to right and wrong or to the goodness inside most people. I want to lift up a spirit, put a smile back on a face, and hear an enthusiastic “your story made me realize I can do great things, I can make a difference”. If our publication manages to give hope back to just one person or it helps someone turn their life around to do some good, than all the hard work will have been worth it. If it helps people see that doing the right thing is more rewarding than hurting others it will have been worth it. If it brings folks back together and we are once again looking out for our neighbors, it will have been worth it. If it makes acquiring good character more important than acquiring a new gadget, it will have been worth it. If it helps even one person overcome adversity, it will have been worth it. With all the duties I juggle every day, none is as important as the ultimate goal of our magazine. My main objective is to portray living in a positive way and to stand firm in the job of helping to create a better community in which to live.

But wait, there's more...

If you've ever been in sales for any company and you're not quite certain of the product your selling, you know the moment when you've lost your audience. You want to stop right there and yell, "BUT wait, there's more." Instead you ramble on, spewing out a rehearsed sounding speech about the gizmo your peddling. Through the years I've had plenty of those moments. They happened when I was talking to a prospect on the telephone or when I was trying to sell one more thingy for a company I wasn't even sure of. Maybe I didn't do so well back then. I didn't really believe in what I was selling, I was young and inexperienced and I was unenthusiastic. Through the years I never gave up trying to sell this thing and that thing. I even made some money and in return I gained valuable insight into my selling skills.

But all that has changed now. I find it so enjoyable to keep my audience listening these days. It's so much easier because I believe in what I'm doing. I know when I start talking I'm offering a great idea, a really great bargain and more. I have no problem smiling or getting my point across in an enthusiastic manner. I know exactly what benefits our magazine will have for the community. I know it is a positive uplifting publication. I don't worry about selling ads these days, because I know I'm not really selling anything. I'm offering a respite from all the bad news, from disgruntled attitudes, from crime reports and rainy weather. I'm delivering a positive outlook, fun things to do, ways to save money and a little bit of humor to get us all through. I'm promoting the community, helping build a future for our children and putting a smile back on a weary face. I'm not selling ads, I'm selling a belief in a better way of living. So next time I stop by your place and we talk about the magazine and you seem a little too hurried, a little too worried and I feel like I'm losing my audience...I'll just simply say, "BUT wait, there's more, a whole lot more." and I'll show it to you.

2009 Mothman Festival

This weekend I went to Point Pleasant for the 8th Annual Mothman Festival. You can read all about it on Inside Putnam County Magazine @ http://www.insideputnamcounty.com/. I really enjoyed the festival. I met many lovely folks from all over the region. West Virginia is full of interesting places to visit. When I created the magazine I made it my goal to go day tripping as often as possible. Inside Putnam County Magazine offers more than just Putnam County information. We try to include as many stories as we can from surrounding areas to allow our readers a wide array of entertainment ideas within a short drive from Putnam County.

The Kentucky Turtleman

One spirited fellow from Kentucky was at the Point Pleasant event showing off his abilities to handle 40 pound snapping turtles with his bare hands. The Turtleman catches these aggressive turtles in ponds where they are wreaking havoc and lets them go in ponds that are more favorable to their survival. He is working hard to show his unique methods to the public. His approach is educational, interesting and brave. He is trying to build an awareness of conservation for turtles and how to catch and release even these aggressive snappers into a safer environment.