Stuff ‘N Nonsense - The Job Shadow Experience

Recently, I participated in the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce job shadow event as one of the mentors to a high school student interested in a writing career.

Rich In Thought - To Report And Serve

I owe much credit to my predecessor in this position, Craig Macho, for recruiting me into becoming a staff reporter for the Leader, Times and News. For those who don't know, Craig and I worked in law enforcement as beat partners and detectives together for several years in the Bay Area. When Craig heard of my service retirement, he urged me to join him in the field of ...

Dawn’s Column - How Do I Choose?

At the risk of sounding self indulgent, I've recently found myself partaking in a little retail therapy. Shoes and jewelry have been a recent focus. It started with me needing them for an upcoming special event. But then I found my eye wandering to other shoes and jewelry items that aren't currently needed instead of just focusing on what I went shopping for in the first place. <p ...

Marg-Ins – All About Balance

People warned me this would happen. Either I didn't really believe them or just didn't think it would be a problem but now the dilemma has set in.

Ramblings – Eye Of The Storm

Yes, I know I wrote a column about the weather last time and that was only a month and a half ago. But you must agree the weather has been unusual this winter and is probably worth another column. What else is there to talk about? The weather affects everybody. It sometimes seems everyone is cowering indoors for shelter from the rain, cold and wind and nothing is ...

Stuff ‘N Nonsense - Spring Fever

I have an itch.

Rich In Thought – Advice From A Baseball Purist

In a few weeks the start of baseball season begins and I will commence my 44th season of being a fan. Since following the National Pastime at age eight, I long ago reached that journeyman status and can classify myself as what I consider "a real fan."

Dawn’s Column - Overcommitted, Under ‘Fun’ded

Over the past few weeks I've felt especially overwhelmed by my amount of "busy-ness." I deal with bouts of this at different times throughout the year. Work commitments requiring longer hours and late nights as well as home commitments with important business to tend to, evening appointments, and events have left me feeling a little burnt out. There are no signs of this relenting any time soon. <p ...

Marg-Ins - Let Them Eat Cobbler

Saturday morning dawned bright, clear and very cold, but without any snow on the ground, despite predictions from forecasters that we might see a dusting of the white stuff.

Mommy Musings - Here They Grow

For those who follow my column I feel the need to lead this week's submission with an apology.

Stuff ‘N Nonsense - Adventures In Puppy Training

My husband often accuses me of springing things on him when he least expects it.

Rich In Thought – Dads As Superheroes

Mark Twain once wrote, "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years."

Ramblings – Weather Or Not

"If you don't like the weather, try waiting five minutes" is what they say in England.

Dawn's Column - How To Be A Valentine

Valentine's Day is just a few days away, so I thought I'd offer a little advice to the many men out there who struggle with ideas for what to do for their wife or girlfriend on this special day.

Marg-Ins - Present, Past And Future

Kind of a strange thing happened the other day - there was this bright thing, an orb-shaped object, in the sky. It emanated a little warmth and I thought it looked familiar &hellip; oh, yes! The sun.

Still Matters - Love Matters

May always makes me think of Mother's Day and flowers. And this year we added a graduation, planning for a wedding in June, and everything else in between.

EDITORIAL – Attention Oakdale – All Units: 11-99

Attention Oakdale – All Units: 11-99

Marg-Ins – In With The New

Stuff ‘N Nonsense - Adjusting To The Dream Job

Who knew there would be an adjustment period to living the dream? I certainly didn't. Many of you know I published my first book in December 2006 and it's been a dream of mine for longer than I can remember to support myself solely on my fiction writing income. After many years of incredibly hard work, I managed to make that dream a reality and I left my post at The Leader to live the dream.

RICH IN THOUGHT -Toes In The Water, You Know The Rest

As I write this column, I am planning to be off work for an ROTC assignment.

Reporter’s Notebook – A Tainted Finish

Monday, April 15 did not start for me as it did my friend and running teammate Cathy McClelland or Oakdaleans Vanessa Walton and Tom Burchell, or Jesse Santana of Riverbank. I did not board a motor coach in my sneakers with a race bib pinned to the front of my shirt in anticipation of running the 117th Boston Marathon.

Marg-ins - No Fooling Around

No need to check the calendar and this isn't an April Fool's Day joke &ndash; I am just trying to get my column schedule back 'on track' after having been haphazard about it the last couple of months. I know one ran just last week, so forgive me for the back-to-backs.

Marg-Ins - Two Decades And Counting

Marg-Ins - Love Lost … And Found

More than a week past deadline, I finally have taken a few deep breaths and will try to get this column written. Typically, the 'Marg-Ins' column appears the first Wednesday of the month, which means it is running a week later than normal this time. Being the editor comes with certain privileges, one of which was giving myself a break on writing this last week. It's because the subject ...

Rich In Thought – All The X’s, L’s, V’s And I’s

The Super Bowl Season is upon us as many of us gather for what is as close to an American holiday as it can get.

Still Matters – The New Girl

Hello, Escalon, Oakdale, and Riverbank. I am the new girl at the Oakdale Leader office. You may have seen my name on a few different articles, pictures, or both in various issues. Or by now, you may have even met me in person.

Community Corner – What’s Growin’ On …

Happy New Year! We all survived the Mayan calendar apocalypse and the "Fiscal Cliff" &ndash; kind of started to remind me of the Y2K phenomenon 13 years ago.

Stuff ‘N Nonsense - A Graceful Exit

I have an issue with finality. At the end of every year, as everyone is celebrating the ball drop on a New Year, I'm lamenting the fact that I'll never be in that moment again - another year lost to time, never to experience again. In that second before the big calendar change, I panic just a little knowing that it's over. I'm happy to report that the panic doesn't last but ...

RICH IN THOUGHT - Be Prepared, Do Something, Denial Kills