Susan Patten is full of surprises. We’ve known each other through various incarnations in Maine's news business. Mostly, Susan was a radio news broadcaster; I was communications director for legislators or political campaigns.

I have a confession to make, which is sure to set the teeth gnashing of my conservative brethren. I was once a proverbial "card carrying member" of the American Civil Liberties Union. Not something you hear a lot of Republicans admit, I grant you.

When it comes to ignoring the law, Gov. Paul LePage is a habitual offender. Throughout his nearly eight years in office, the governor has shown an unusual willingness to break state law, disregard the Maine Constitution, violate his oath of office and toss aside the norms of government.

It wasn’t so long ago that almost everyone belonged to a fraternal, religious, lineage, literary, or musical society. They enjoyed the meetings, socializing with friends, gossiping among themselves, and doing good along the way. They worked hard but made time to attend meetings of the Grange, Masons, Elks, Knights of Pythias, the DAR, or any of a number of other groups.

Andrew Harris said the last time David Mallett performed at DeerTrees Theatre in Harrison was about 20 years ago. Mr. Harris, DeerTrees’ Artistic and Executive Director, was speaking to the July 21 audience — including me — waiting to hear a live concert from “David Mallett and Friends,” with Michael Burd (bass), Robby Coffin (guitar), Roy Clark (keyboard) and Susan Ramsey (violin, viola, background vocals).

Trevor Noah isn't funny. Since he took over for Jon Stewart at “The Daily Show,” I have long since stopped watching.

It’s not often that I can write a column thanking the Trump administration, but this week is the exception. Breaking news out of the US Department of Interior has given me the chance to return to my school years and write about what I did on my summer vacation.

For more than three generations, my family has been in the forestry business. Pleasant River Lumber employs 300 people in our four mills in Maine. In our time, we have seen the ups and downs that come with the job.

The pond on which I live looks like lots of small Maine ponds, but has its own seasonal sounds and rhythms.

Let’s say you have a knack for design.

Enough already. The media — no monolith, mind you — is not the enemy. Sure, individual reporters make mistakes, bias occasionally slips in, facts get mangled, and spin proves effective. But by and large — and with the exception of some elements of Fox News — reporters are operating in good faith.

Yesterday morning, July 12, I got up at 4:30 — my usual time; went downstairs, filled the bathroom sink with hot water, wet and brushed my hair, washed my face, then shaved. A new wrinkle just above my upper lip has me creating new ways of getting a clean shave. One small challenge of getting older while keeping a hairless face, I guess.

You may have run across the initials NEHGS in a footnote or heard someone refer to “Hist Gen” and wondered what they are.

The siren had sounded, and an all-hands-on-deck alert had been issued. A Supreme Court vacancy had opened up, and a Republican president had just announced a candidate to fill the vacancy. A candidate that must (full stop) be (full stop) defeated (full stop).

Religious conservatives have stuck with President Donald Trump – despite the lies, the infidelity, the cruelty, the hate – and now they are close to the payback.

The Moosehead Lake region is world famous.

Postmaster Michael S. “Mike” Robichaud handed me the cardboard box too big for my P.O. Box. I said, “These are rounds (K-Cups) from Black Rifle Coffee company. Do you like coffee?”

If you aren't a conservative, I suppose it can be difficult to understand the source of conservative antipathy about the media. To the outsider, conservatives can often come off like whiny complainers, decrying the "liberal media" as "fake news" when they just don't like what the news reports.