Sherri Gardner Howell

• Gardner Howell: Making memories one weekend at a time Published 11/14/2009 at midnight

  I love anticipation. I keep a computer program handy that tells me the exact number of days between today and my beach vacation (231). It will calculate hours, too, but that scoots right past anticipation and straight into depressing.

• Gardner Howell: Scary Sherri rests for another Halloween Published 10/31/2009 at midnight

  Scary Sherri still sleeps. It's Halloween 2009 and not a peep has been heard from Scary Sherri in more than a decade. Her home still stands in the West Knoxville subdivision she haunts. As far as anyone can tell, her ...

• Gardner Howell: What a difference we each can make Published 10/17/2009 at midnight

  I enjoy my work 80 percent of the time, which I figure is well above the national average. Most of the time, I am happy to be right where I am.

• Gardner-Howell: Nearly 300,000 ways to entertain a 3-year-old Published 10/03/2009 at midnight

  While the rest of us were protesting the rain on general principle of 'enough, already,' my friend was lamenting the rain forecast for a very specific reason. 'I have my grandson tomorrow. How am I going to entertain a 3-year-old ...

• Gardner Howell: Early lesson gets a cyber update Published 09/19/2009 at midnight

  I was angry — on Round 3 of e-mail with a colleague, and neither of us were making any progress. With every calm, sensible e-mail message I sent explaining why my way was the best way, I was seething.

• Gardner Howell: Delete key is powerful - and scary Published 08/29/2009 at midnight

  Does Cyberspace feel a little lighter to you this week? A slimmer, trimmer Cyber, maybe ready to pose for one of those 'I lost 20 pounds in 30 days' ads?

• Beatles' lyrics helped country girl learn to rock Published 08/15/2009 at midnight

  Know what happened 44 years ago today? Oh, I'm sure there are tons of things - national, international, state, local and personal. And I'm not sure why the "Year in History" fun fact that popped up on my computer even ...

• Stretching the truth by just a hair Published 08/01/2009 at midnight

  It wasn't a hard question. I am sure the young man sitting beside me at the Department of Motor Vehicles driver's license office had no problem with it, even if he hadn't bothered to study for the test that would ...

• Gardner-Howell: Don't let the simple days of summer slip by Published 07/18/2009 at midnight

  One of the benefits - and disadvantages - of being all grown up is being able to analyze your childhood with an adult perspective. It can be both cathartic and depressing.

• Howell: Tribute to a 'village of uncles' Published 06/20/2009 at midnight

  Father's Day came a little early for me this year. We will celebrate with my boys and Neville on Sunday, but I got to see two of my stand-in fathers last weekend.

• Life's in the details ... and stuff that goes with it Published 07/04/2009 at midnight

  I have always believed that it is in the details of a person's life that their story is told. The details of my life are often found in lists and schedules, scribbled on paper or entered into the electronic calendar.

• Howell: New technology: another reason to feel guilty Published 04/25/2009 at midnight

  I guess it had to happen. I can rant and rave and declare all I want that "I don't do guilt," but the fact is, I do. I was only Catholic for the first six years of my life, but ...

• Gardner Howell: A special Easter treat worth remembering Published 04/11/2009 at midnight

  As a child, I was not a big fan of coconut. Until the Easter Bunny Cake.

• Howell: Six-foot mouse conjures kids' joy, wonder Published 03/28/2009 at midnight

  There's just something about that mouse.Not Mickey. I love Mickey, but the mouse in favor this time around is none other than Chuck E. Cheese.

• Mom would've marveled at new store's bounty Published 03/14/2009 at midnight

  Dear Mom, You have been on my mind all week, as you often are. It's still hard to believe you have been gone for almost 20 years.

• Gardner-Howell: Celebrations bloom as springtime arrives Published 02/28/2009 at midnight

  February ends today, and I say, "Good riddance." March can come in like a lion or a lamb, I don't care - as long as it comes.

• Gardner-Howell: Blank page, black ink beckon brilliance Published 02/14/2009 at midnight

  Like an artist with a new pot of paint, I have always loved a blank canvas. Or blank page, in my case. Even as a child, I was drawn to the "school supplies" aisle at Kuhn's 5 & 10, preferring ...

• Howell: Facebook quiz reawakens yearning for reflection Published 01/31/2009 at midnight

  Do you spend much time being introspective? I used to. My poetry - which no one gets to read but me - is filled with pensive, reflective thoughts about who I am, why I am and whether it's a good ...

• Gardner-Howell: Happy ending to book club search Published 01/17/2009 at midnight

  I never knew how much fun a book club could be.

• Gardner-Howell: Resolved: Turn Chrissy back into a car Published 01/03/2009 at midnight

  I don't make a lot of New Year's Resolutions, but I do always make at least one. I mean, it just seems kind of vain to look at a time that heralds new beginnings, a new start and say, "No, ...

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