My Daily Smile

Life is short - begin every day with a smile!

In memory of my friend Charles: “The King of the Hill”

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“Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you until we meet again.”  -–Unknown

Do you remember the first time you heard that one of your best friends had passed away? No doubt it was a sad experience, to say the least.

It’s hard enough losing someone you care about as an adult, but it’s even harder when you’re too young to understand why.

This is the story of my childhood friend, Charles…  [Read more…]

Ten Questions with Jana Jae: Hee-Haw’s “Girl With the Magic Blue Fiddle”

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Jana Jae – “The girl with the magic blue fiddle”

Living (and loving) Life

Do you happen to enjoy classic country music?

If so, you’re surely familiar with Jana Jae, the award-winning musician whose superb mastery of the fiddle prompted country music icon Buck Owens to invite her to join his band as the very first female Buckaroo.

Jana performed with Buck and many other top-tier singers and musicians over the years, most notably as a member of the cast of the ultra-popular Country music variety show Hee-Haw.

Never one to sit idle while the world passes her by, Jana is still hard at work playing her iconic blue fiddle in concerts both here in the U.S. and all around the world.

And when time permits she also loves teaching and mentoring aspiring musicians of all ages.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Jana about her long and successful career and her abounding love of music.

Here are ten questions and answers with Jana Jae…

[Read more…]

Video: Watch 2 brothers build a luxury tiny house…for $6,000

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Although I don’t live in one, I have always been fascinated with tiny houses.

I love watching all the videos showing how they are built and how they can cram so much functionality into such a small living space.

Today I’m featuring not one, but two videos. The first one shows the construction of the exterior of the structure and the second one shows them building out the inside.  [Read more…]

Check out this fantastic short video featuring Damascus, Virginia

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I grew up (and currently live) just a few short miles from the small town of Damascus, Virginia.

Back in the day Damascus was pure Americana, just a beautiful and quiet place where the people worked hard, raised their families and lived good, but ordinary American lives.

But over the years Damascus has become a popular destination for thousands of visitors every year due to its prime location on the Appalachian Trail and the many natural and man-made attractions in the area.  [Read more…]

Video: Dan Seals sings “One Friend”

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Image credit: AllMusic.com

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One of my favorite singers in my younger years was a gentleman by the name of Dan Seals.

Although Dan’s music transitioned through several different genres over the course of his career, it was always upbeat and, well…just plain good.

His songs tend to tell stories that resonate with most every listener and his smooth delivery brings every word to life.

Sadly, Dan’s life and career were cut short when he passed away at 61 after a two-year bout with cancer, but his music will live on in the hearts and minds of his many fans.

The short video below features my favorite Dan Seals recording. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  [Read more…]