The Mason Minute

Everyone knows that Nashville is growing. It’s been growing rapidly for the last 20 years. And it’s still moving at a quick pace. But as the city grows, businesses sometimes struggle. Honestly, it’s hard to keep up with the companies that come and go in this town. For a long time, there was a running joke that when a business closed, it was often replaced by a check cashing store, a vape shop, or a mattress store. There seem to be more of those than convenience stores in this town, but not really. But recently, a new category of sto...

Have you noticed that there aren’t as many dry cleaners in town as there used to be? I realize, as trends come and go, businesses can be affected by those changes. Years ago, people wore suits and ties to the office. And for those who could dress a little bit more casually, it was a nice pair of slacks and a dress shirt. But those times are long gone. And the pandemic made the change even more finite. Now, everyone dresses casually or works from home. And when you do that, how you dress doesn’t matter. I need to g...

Over the years, I’ve talked about my love of technology. I genuinely get excited about the latest tech toys. They don’t have to be fancy or expensive, but I’m always on the lookout. This week is the annual CES, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Each January, hundreds upon hundreds of tech companies show up to display their latest projects. And I’ve already seen a few news stories about the newest tech toys I need to add to my collection. Of course, I only have one problem. The convention always happens too close to Christmas. And like...

I see all of those TV commercials that remind me I should grow old gracefully. And when I appreciate the spirit, they’re obviously created by young people. There’s nothing graceful about growing old. Of course, it’s essential to pay attention to your health, but it’s the little things that bother us most. For men, it’s bushy eyebrows and hair growing out of our ears. And for both men and women, liver spots and dry skin. Recently, I’ve had a few more dry patches show up on my hands. My hands used to be my best feature...

Would a no-shoes policy at your office make you want to spend more time there? Many office settings continue to struggle as people still prefer working from home. So some startup companies have decided that having employees leave their shoes at the door and walk around the office in their stocking feet, their bare feet, or even in slippers would make it feel more like working from home. It’s not happening in many places, but some larger companies are willing to consider it if they can get their employees to return to work full-time rather than working from home... Cl...

Yesterday, I was talking about foods that aren’t as popular today as they were years ago. Sandwich spreads like Braunschweiger still exist, but are often hard to find. Another favorite from my youth that still exists but isn’t usually carried in supermarkets is Underwood Deviled Ham. Potted meat like Deviled Ham isn’t as popular today. Spam is still easy to find, but things like Vienna Sausages, Underwood Chicken Spread, and a whole lot of other canned meats have fallen out of favor. I don’t eat Deviled Ham very often anymore, but now and again, I get a huge c...

The popularity of certain foods comes and goes. Sure, there are some foods that everyone wants for a brief moment, only to disappear quickly. But then other foods have been staples for decades upon decades, only to disappear as well. But you don’t realize it because you haven’t thought about them in a long time. One of those foods I grew up on is braunschweiger. Many people know it is liver sausage, and at one time it was popular. I didn’t eat it a lot, but enjoyed it into my teens. I had a taste for it the ot...

Since the dawn of the Internet, the way we communicate in writing with people has changed significantly. Email communications have replaced letters. We now pay our bills online rather than putting them in an envelope and stamping them. And while snail mail still exists, we don’t use it as often anymore. Most of us don’t even know the price of a stamp these days. But recently, the US Postal Service changed how they postmark mail, and while it won’t matter for most items, if you need something postmarked by a specific date, that could become an issue... Click...

The new year is upon us. 2026 is finally here. But many people, myself included, are worried about what the coming year will bring. The midterm elections will be a primary focus on social media throughout the majority of the year. And it doesn’t matter your politics, it’s going to be very contentious. If you’ve had a hard time being on social media over the last couple of years, I fear 2026 will test your patience. Both sides have so much to gain and so much to lose. And the fear of Interference from other countries adds another layer to thi...

If you’re a college football fan, you have to be frustrated with all the sponsors associated with the sport. It’s not enough that the traditional bowl games now all have sponsors in addition to the bowl game name. There are also sponsors for the bowl series, and ESPN’s association with the sport. And that doesn’t include stadiums, betting apps, halftime shows, the entire college football season, and more. I understand we’re all tired of advertising. We have been bombarded by ads our whole lives. But I know many feel sponsorships are getting out of hand, too...

The time between Christmas and New Year's is one we often use to reflect and prepare. Who you are and where you are in life determine how much time you spend reflecting or preparing for the coming year. These days, I’m always running behind. I didn’t use to be that way, but even with all the excellent tools we now have, I’m still busier than I ever have been. And that means catching up on everything that needed to be done before the new year. That means preparation has to wait, usually until the last minute. I used t...

Technically, we’re just a week into the winter season. And the weather here in Middle Tennessee has been strange. Yesterday, our high was in the 70s. Today, we'll be lucky to reach 40 degrees. Last night, right before I went to bed, the temperature dropped 20 degrees in the span of about 15 minutes. The cold front coming through has made me very uncomfortable. Since we haven’t had a hard freeze, my allergies and sinus congestion are in full force. I have these sinus issues every year about this time. Sometimes it’s a cold, and other times, it’s just drainage...

Every day as I head into the office, I see a reminder that pro sports is big business. All I have to do is look at the brand new Nashville football stadium to realize how important sports are to our economy. We’ve spent more time worrying about a beautiful stadium than we have about putting a good team on the field. But right now, in football and basketball, they keep focusing more on offense. Anything to encourage more points on the scoreboard is an option. In the NBA, I remember when they finally added the three-point shot. It was al...

It seems like you can’t go anywhere without hearing people complain about Baby Boomers, Millennials, or Gen X. It doesn’t matter what the story is. While we all share some similarities as human beings, each generation has values that are slightly different. Today, we only hear good things about the Greatest Generation, but I’m sure Baby Boomers thought differently as they were growing up. While Millennials are a popular target for Baby Boomers today, that will soon fade. The generations may change, but the complaining always seems the same... Click Here To Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicGoogle PodcastsTuneIniHeartRadioPandoraDeezerBlubrryBullhornCastBoxCastrofyyd.deGaan...

Through the years, I’ve been accused of being a know-it-all. And while I do know a lot of strange things, I learned long ago that knowledge of many subjects can pay off at a cocktail party, especially during a news interview. There are some subjects that, no matter how hard I try, I retain no knowledge of because I genuinely have no interest. One of those subjects is perfume. I guess you could lump cologne in with that, too. I’m not a big fan of either; I've never had any desire to learn about them. But no matter how...

For many people, most of the planning is over. Everything‘s been set up, and it’s almost time for the big holiday meal. The one thing that young people look forward to on Christmas is the chance to sit with the adults at the dinner table. If you have a big family, you often have to sit at the kiddie table. That can last for years upon years. And most kids don’t enjoy that. I didn't have a big family growing up, so I never had to deal with it. But when given a chance, sitting with the youngs...

Have you ever noticed that there is no traditional Christmas dinner? Sure, we all eat. But what? For the most part, turkey is what everyone eats on Thanksgiving. On Easter, it’s ham. But it doesn’t seem that anyone agrees on what should be on our Christmas dinner table. One of my favorites is lasagna. But we’re having that tomorrow. Tonight, I think one of my nephews is making Beef Wellington. Every year on our table, it’s something different. And I’ve always wondered why there are so many holiday meals that are traditions, but not this one...

Have you noticed how the Grinch is more popular than usual this year? Of course, I talked about the McDonald’s Grinch Meal a while back. But I’ve noticed more people dressing as the Grinch this year. We had the Grinch stop by our office last week. One of my nephews wants to dress up in a costume for the amusement of the younger nieces and nephews. There were rumors that they were working on an update to the Jim Carrey film from years ago. But that’s only a rumor. This year is no big anniversary. Next Christmas it wil...

What’s your holiday style? With all of the extra parties and family gatherings throughout the month, many of us have to plan our wardrobe. The office Christmas party is definitely one activity where people plan how they’re going to dress. Some prefer fancy suits or dresses. Others go for the Christmas sweater. And some have no designated style, but don’t wanna look out of place. I remember back in the day when Christmas parties meant you had to wear a suit and a tie. But in the end, it really doesn’t matter. Most of us want to fit i...

For the last couple of years, I’ve been curious as to how the world settled on the name Karen to represent a middle-aged white woman of privilege. I remember first hearing it when the internet showed images of a man and a woman in St. Louis holding guns as people marched down their street. Somehow, the Internet called them Karen and Ken, and the terms escalated from there. Well, now, Gen Z has determined there needs to be a different term for a younger white woman with privilege. There are a couple of names rising to the top, but ri...

Today is one of those days. I’m feeling old. Now, technically, I guess I can be considered old, but I don’t feel that way every day. Sometimes the aches and pains of living make me feel that way. Other times, there are outside triggers. For example, today is my mother‘s birthday. She turns 86. And I’m blessed that she’s still healthy and living the good life with my father in Florida. But every year on her birthday, I realize how much time has passed. My mother had me when she was 21, and it’s hard to believe all...

What’s the old saying? You can take the boy out of the newsroom, but you can’t take the newsroom out of the boy. Okay, maybe that’s not exactly the quote. But that's what I’m feeling right now. I’ve been watching the numerous news conferences regarding the shooting at Brown University and the murder of the MIT professor. Of course, last night we found out they were both done by the same person. But I’ve been fascinated by how poor the questions from the news reporters at these press conferences are. They’re asking questions that law enfor...

It looks like I spoke too soon. Yesterday, I talked about all the year-in-review features coming out. First, it was Spotify, then I noticed YouTube had one too. Plus, I read about the Nintendo Switch releasing one for its users. Well, I was sitting in my office yesterday when I got an email saying LinkedIn had my year-in-review ready. And a friend told me about the Snapchat Recap for 2025. This is getting silly. Does everyone feel the need to share the data they’ve collected on my behalf? Who’s next, Facebook? Instagram? December isn’t over yet... Click Here To Sub...

I know I’ve talked about this before, but as we approach the new year, everyone wants to jump on some sort of year-in-review feature. Spotify has been doing its year-end recap, called Wrapped, for the last couple of years. Many people look forward to it. But have you seen your YouTube Year In Review yet? I didn’t know there was such a thing until it appeared in my dashboard last week. My video is almost 8 minutes long and basically describes every type of video  I watched this year. I guess they’ve got to do something with the data th...

Tonight is the night that some office workers love and some hate. It’s our office holiday party. And this year, we were given choices. We could’ve done the downtown Nashville big-hotel party, a smaller yet fancy office party, or what we’ve done the last few years: smaller groups enjoying a night at one of our high-end restaurants. The fancy office party was the winner. From what I heard, the vote was very close. I think it all depends on where you are in life. Many of us have done the fancy hotel parties before. Some prefer the intima...

I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. But our world today is very judgmental. For the longest time, many people aspired to be middle class. But today, those who are having a difficult time holding on. And those who want to be, they're losing hope. The rich keep getting richer, while everyone else loses hope. We all want more, but many of us see fewer opportunities to grow our wealth. I’ve seen a trend and articles recently that tried to point out the difference between those with money and those without. Even though many people try to...

I don’t think I’ve actually seen any ads for this, but I've heard a lot of people talking about it. McDonald’s has a new Grinch Meal, which is like an adult Happy Meal. It came out earlier this month and is available for a limited time. Of course, every Happy Meal comes with a prize, and this one does too: a pair of Grinch socks. What fascinates me most is that I have friends who never eat fast food, but a few have already gone to McDonald’s just because they’re interested in this meal. Some want the s...

I know I’ve talked about this subject previously on the podcast. But have you noticed how many charities try to encourage you to donate by offering free blankets? Off the top of my head, I can think of two or three charities that always have the blanket promotion going on. Give them a $19 monthly donation, and they'll give you a free blanket. But in recent weeks, I’ve noticed even more charities doing the same thing. I wonder why so many groups have chosen to offer a blanket. And who figured out the monthly donation price? I can’t find t...

I finally get why older generations always have a bit of an attitude toward young people. Now that I’m older, I realize that the more we think things change, the more they really don’t. For Gen Z, when it comes to dating, compatibility matters. That’s nothing new. But one of their biggest concerns is the swag gap. It’s all about style. Having a compatible style with someone is essential. Back in my dating days, we didn’t have a cool word for it like swag. We just talked about style and compatibility. The more things change, the more t...

One of the minor hassles of this time of year, almost no matter where you live, is ice on the windshield. I know it’s worse in the northern part of the US, but down south it's a hassle, too. There are lots of hacks to help you remove that ice in the morning, and most work to some degree. But outside of keeping your vehicle in the garage, there’s not much you can do to avoid it. It may not be every day, but it usually seems to be on a day when you’re running late. Of course...

They often say, We don’t appreciate the simple things in life. And yes, that’s true to a point. And every now and then, you’re reminded of that fact. I’ve been in a bad mood for the last 8 to 10 days. I couldn’t explain it, but chalked it up to the stress of the holiday season. But yesterday, I realized that wasn’t the case at all. There was one thing missing from the last 8 to 10 days: the sun. I couldn’t tell you the last time we had sunshine. It had been cold and dreary for the last coupl...

I’ve been a collector for over 50 years. I’ve had a wide variety of collections, and love the thrill of the hunt.  I don't spend as much time buying anymore.  I'm selling. I have friends who do their own sort of collecting, except they do that at thrift stores. They love thrifting, but when the economy dives, it’s tough for them to find great bargains. That’s because more people spend time in thrift stores when times are tight. Sure, you can find deals, you can find bargains, but it’s harder to find true treasures. When times are tight, t...

We’re all worried about our bank balance right now. The economy is causing many people significant turmoil. And no matter whether the president agrees or not, affordability is a key issue for most families. Experts, economists, and stock market analysts use indicators to determine how things are going. Of course, they all look to the current prices of many family staples: milk, eggs, and ground beef. But they also looked at the performance of some companies on the stock market as indicators of just how well we’re doing or not doing. And a couple of these indicators might surp...

This time of year can be stressful for many—especially those of us who have lots of people to buy gifts for. My wife usually starts asking our nieces and nephews for Christmas lists around Halloween. And we’re lucky to have those lists in place by the time December rolls around. There’s one thing I’ve noticed over the years that’s different from the days when I had to make lists for my family. Kids today don’t understand how price matters. My parents made sure I knew there were limits to what I could put on my list. I h...

I don't know many people who don't love pizza. It feels like a universal food. While I understand some people have food allergies, I can't imagine life without it. But in recent years, I've found I can walk away from it if it doesn't have the toppings I like. Back in my younger days, I couldn't count the number of friends I helped move just for free pizza and beer. It didn't matter what was on the pizza. It was free food, so it was good. But as I've gotten older, I've realized there are only certain things I want...

Music has been a part of my life for a very long time. Long before I got to the radio business. I spent decades collecting cassettes, and begrudgingly adapted to CDs long after most people did. But when Spotify launched in the US in 2011, I signed up. I have a love-hate relationship with streaming. I miss holding something in my hand, reading all the things that came with physical media. But I do enjoy how Spotify has turned your listening habits into a data-driven experience. At the end of each year, they give you a stats package called Wrapped. And...

The Oxford English Dictionary has named the phrase rage bait as its word of the year. And if you’ve spent any time on social media over the last couple of years, you know what rage bait is all about. So much of the content sent your way, thanks to the algorithm, is designed to elicit anger or outrage. And honestly, to get you to spend more time online. Many social media sites have found the way to keep you engaged is to make you angry. Sure, you can hide all of these inflammatory posts, or you can even stop us...

I know it’s an overused phrase, and I promise I won’t shout it at you. But I can’t help but think about Tom Cruise in the movie Jerry Maguire when I think about college football today. Yes, all I keep repeating is show me the money. So many people are upset about all the college coaches moving from school to school, counting their millions. And while it’s not happening right away, the players will be doing the same thing over the next month and a half. College football has changed. Because now, not only is the NCAA mak...

Nashville is buzzing right now because three of our restaurants were just awarded Michelin stars. They're the first restaurants in Nashville ever featured in the Michelin Guide. I'm not one of those people who pay too much attention to the Guide, the AAA Diamond ratings, or anything fancy like that. I've eaten at restaurants with stars and diamonds. The meals were terrific, but I've never been too concerned with what the critics think. I understand why these restaurants seek notoriety, but can this system be gamed?. The restaurants honored here in Nashville are all fine establishments. But do these ratings...

Anniversaries, big or small, are something worth celebrating. And when you celebrate 100 years of anything, amazing doesn't even do the superlative justice. Nashville's famed Grand Ole Opry celebrated 100 years late last week, and even if you're not a country music fan, witnessing it live is truly something special. Sure, it's on TV today in some places, but the fact that it's been an ongoing radio show for 100 years is mind-boggling. It's something that both reflects the past yet celebrates the future, and even an old cynic like me truly marvels at the accomplishment... Click Here To Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicGoogle...

Yesterday, I talked about all of the grocery store displays of Chex cereals around the holidays so people can make homemade Chex Mix. Of course, there's something else people make with the Chex cereal this time of year, and that's Muddy Buddies. You might also know them as Puppy Chow or Reindeer Chow. Sure, they may be known by a few different names. But anytime you mix chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar with Chex cereals, you get a tasty treat. The only downside is the fact that they're so messy. They're delicious, but you'll definitely need to keep plenty...

If you've been to the grocery store lately, I'm sure you've seen the displays of all the Chex cereals. It happens every year around this time because so many people like to make Chex Mix for the holidays. You can buy it prepackaged in a bag year-round, but we all know it's not the same thing. And while I don't mind the Chex Mix, I actually still prefer it as a breakfast cereal. I've been eating Wheat Chex, Corn Chex, and Rice Chex for a long time. They're some of my favorite breakfast cereals. And the best part, they still...

It’s taken a while, but the weather is finally starting to turn. It’s been a very mild autumn this year. So many people love to see the fall leaves change color. And in some parts of the country, it’s happened on its normal schedule. But this year, at least in our area, the changes happened quickly. Of course, many blame that on climate change. And no doubt had an impact, but it seems we went from green leaves on the trees to brown leaves on the ground in just a couple of weeks. I know the visuals in Eas...

Are you looking for a little tidbit for conversation around the Thanksgiving dinner table today? Perhaps you can talk about the meme that’s been circulating on social media for the last month. There are different variations, but they all show you nine pictures of Thanksgiving food items. And the theme of this meme is that one has to go. The pictures aren’t always the same, but you usually see turkey, potatoes, rolls, pie, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce. It’s interesting to think about which one you choose. It’s pretty silly, but it could make for some int...

Usually, when there are no notifications on your smartphone, that's a good thing. Well, sometimes, it's actually a bad thing. While I don't often prefer my apps to leave notifications, there are some I need to keep active for work-related reasons, like Slack and email messages. Clients need to be able to get a hold of you when they need. But recently, some notifications on my iPhone have stopped, and while I haven't missed anything important, I'm still missing things, which isn't good. I've tried rebooting the phone, but nothing has changed. Perhaps it's a problem on their end... Click...

I’ve long made it my goal to learn something new, even a minor thing, every day. I learned something the other day that I only understood in concept. I didn’t know that there was a word actually to describe this situation. It’s called algospeak. It’s a list of secret phrases that you can’t use on social media. There is no place where you can find these words; you just have to learn about them on your own. It’s almost like an urban legend, but it’s real. Algospeak is built around the idea that your social me...

The Department of Transportation thinks we have a problem with air travel. It has nothing to do with a shortage of air traffic controllers. It’s about how we conduct ourselves. They’re worried about our travel etiquette. The government envisions air travel returning to the way it was in the 1950s, when people dressed up to fly. All of this really has to do with unruly passengers and the number of incidents on airplanes over the last decade or so. And while the number of unruly passengers actually peaked in 2021, they are still double what they were prior to the...

I'm always finding things on the Internet that will send me down a rabbit hole. A simple story can keep me researching for hours. For example, the other day I was reading about the nuances of being a Baby Boomer, a Gen Xer, a Gen Zer, and a Millennial. And the one thing it noted was that Gen Z and Millennials don't like canned tuna fish, while it's still a popular choice among Baby Boomers. And while I can't speak for every member of the baby boom, I still love canned tuna. I love a great tuna steak, but a...

The last couple of weeks have been sheer torture. I've been getting a ton of emails about pre-Black Friday sales. And of course, there's nothing in them for anybody I'm buying for; it's great savings for me. I started getting Black Friday emails back around Halloween, but the sales weren't that great. There was nothing special inside. But in the last couple of weeks, the emails have been fast and furious, and the savings have been fantastic. With the uncertain economy, businesses are looking to get people into stores and buying online. I shouldn't complain because there are a few...

Outside of politics, one of the most talked-about subjects this year has been artificial intelligence. And even that has political aspects. Too many, it's something brand new and something they're just encountering online. But engineers, designers, and experts have been working on AI for a long time. And already some people are tired of it. It's impacted social media to the point that some people have coined a term for the negative aspects of this technology: AI slop. Well, many people use it as a shortcut, and with that comes the shortcoming. But in our world of constantly spamming people...

It's hard to believe we're just 40 days away from the end of the year. And that means all of the year-end lists and 2025 accolades are starting to come our way. I actually get excited about these silly things. Because, when you look back, they truly explain the year that was, or in this case, the one that is. The Cambridge Dictionary has announced its word of the year: parasocial. While it didn't have anything to do with social media initially, it does today. It explains the phenomenon of people thinking they're connected with celebrities or characters from TV shows, movies...

The economy is putting a lot of strain on many people. And the current state of politics plays into that. But many businesses are still trying to recover from pandemic-related losses. Some companies try to push the extremes to increase profits. Others do it as a form of survival. But these businesses often push things too far. Panera Bread has admitted they’ve pushed things too far and is now reversing course. They reduced portion sizes, increased costs, and cut back on staff. These changes have caused them to lose customers and profit. So they’re admitting they made a mist...

Back in my younger days, when I came of legal drinking age, the choices were pretty simple. You had beer, you had wine, and you had liquor. Of course, there were different flavors and brands, but you basically had three distinct choices. Today, I can't even count the number of options we have. In addition to beer, wine, and liquor, we now have hard seltzer, hard cider, and something called hard soda. It's one of the newer choices in adult beverages. But is it really that new? Because when you learn all about it, you realize it's just like Zima...

There's been an ongoing debate dating back at least to the 1970s. And it all involves your dishwasher. The hot topic? Should you rinse your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher? The experts finally come up with a definitive answer. Of course, the answer isn't definitive because there are always exceptions to the rule. The good news is that, for the most part, you don't have to pre-rinse anything. But I should put an asterisk next to that answer, because that rule doesn't pertain to everyone. While the technology has improved, you'll need to determine whether you can...

Have you ever noticed that every vehicle key fob is different? I don't mean the size or shape, I'm talking about the placement of the buttons. From a safety standpoint, we'd want them all to be the same. In a perfect world, you'd like the unlock and lock buttons to be in the same place on every fob. It seems logical to me, but I'm not a car designer. My wife just got a new vehicle, and her lock button is where my unlock button is, and vice versa. So, naturally, every time I use the fob to get in...

So much of the Internet and social media has become clickbait. And some of it is amusing enough that you have to follow along. Recently, I've seen a rash of posts ranking the top 'fill in the blank' items, say, for instance, the top foods. I'm talking about restaurants that serve items including the best onion rings, hamburgers, and milkshakes. And for some reason, I always have to see it where things rank. And of course, I never agree. The one thing I've learned is that you can't definitively rank anything, especially food. But these sites must be popular. And...

The holidays are fast approaching. And for many of us, I’ve been spending more time in big box stores and shopping malls than we’d prefer. Many businesses continue to struggle. First, they dealt with the effects of the pandemic a few years ago. But since then, the economy has been up and down, which has people worried. One store, Target, has a new policy that it believes will boost its business and get it back on track. Their new CEO thinks Customer service is the key. And he thinks he’s come up with an idea that’ll help del...

A few months ago, I mentioned that the US government had decided to stop minting pennies. Well, it looks like it's finally happened. Yesterday, the US Mint produced its final series of pennies, for good. Many retailers are stressed about how they'll handle prices and change. Some people want a consistent policy for all retailers, whether they're stores, restaurants, or even small businesses. But right now, nobody seems to agree on a solution. Some stores say they will round up prices to the nearest five or ten cents. And in some cases, they'll round down. Expect to see a lot...

Some words are often associated with the holidays. Sure, words like merry come to mind, but today I'm talking about the word joy. I've noticed recently that a few TV commercials prominently feature the word. And while it's been around forever, it surprised me that it's playing such a high profile in these commercials. I don't feel much joy these days, and honestly, what does it really mean? You can look at the dictionary definition, and it tells you what it is, but not exactly. I realize it's one of those words that means something different to each of us...

Today is Veterans Day. A day set aside each year to honor those who have served and fought for our country. It doesn't matter if you served two years or 25; it's a day for all veterans. It's also a day when many businesses try to use the situation to increase sales. Many offer free perks to those who have served our country. But just me, or have you seen more businesses offering freebies? How do you prove you're a veteran? Active-duty personnel carry military IDs — that can prove their service? My 90-year-old father has no military ID, yet he's a ve...

Today is a significant anniversary for an event that most of us would never know about if it weren't for a song. A song that talks about the gales of November, about how the Chippewa called Lake Superior Gitche Gumee. Of course, I'm talking about The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which happened 50 years ago today. In the song, it says the boat was on its way to Cleveland, and while many crew members lived throughout Northeast Ohio, this time it was on its way to Toledo. I learned so much about the ship's history through my radio, not my...

If you follow the NFL, you’re probably aware that fans of the Green Bay Packers are called cheeseheads. Many of them wear foam cheese wedges on their head to games and in public. It’s clever, it’s catchy, and it’s been a part of football culture for decades. Well, this week, another town known for cheese, or should I say cream cheese, is debuting its foam brick of cheese. Philadelphia brand cream cheese has created its version to celebrate the Eagles. And tomorrow night‘s Monday night football game will be the battle of the cheese heads. And even i...

When many of us hear someone say the word algorithm, we shudder a little. Working in social media, I often try to understand how algorithms work. Now I'm not talking about the computer code that drives it, but more importantly, what triggers our algorithm. In theory, everything is custom-targeted to our browsing history. But I often find times that fails. Recently, I've been seeing more suggested social media posts about arts and crafts projects. And I don't know why. That's not one of my hobbies, and it's rarely something I'm interested in. Perhaps I lingered too long when viewing something...

I sometimes discuss the Internet rabbit holes I follow, searching for knowledge. One of those recent items is about muscle memory. I can't play a musical instrument, and I often wonder how guitar players can remember hundreds of songs and know exactly the notes and chords to play every time.  I've got to think that after you learn a song and you play it enough times, it becomes muscle memory. What got me thinking about this was the other day, when I changed the order of some apps on my smartphone. And all week, I found myself going to the p...

If you have kids, shopping for shoes can be frustrating.  Finding something affordable, stylish, and durable is the quest. As I've discovered through the years, even if you don't have children, it's still a challenge. I've never enjoyed it, whether it was for me or my wife. I've spent my fair share of time in shoe stores, trying to help them sell products, not as a salesman, but as a radio personality. The other day, I saw an ad for the Shoe Carnival, a store that's been around throughout the Southeast and Midwest for decades. But they just announced that i...

I have always loved election coverage. It doesn't matter if it's on TV, the radio, in the newspaper, or online. To me, it's like watching sports. But there's one phrase that always comes up in election coverage, in political conventions, and even on the floors of our government that's always puzzled me. It's when someone says, "Please recognize so-and-so from the great state of," then fill in the blank. Have you noticed that every state is great? I've wondered who started this phrase, where it came from, and, more importantly, why it's said every single time. It's almost become a...

Libraries are often something we take for granted since the launch of the Internet. Children don’t need to spend as much time there researching school papers. Back in my day, I spent more weekends at the public library, and I like to think about it. I was constantly researching something for school, and we never seemed to have the materials in our school library. But the Internet has changed all of that, and now we can find almost everything online. Now they’re used more for public meeting rooms, borrowing multimedia materials, and of course, checking out books. But gett...

I have long been fascinated with sports fandom. While I’ve always considered myself a sports fan, I never understood the true meaning of being a fan until I moved to Northeast Ohio in the mid-90s. I never realized the extent to which some people take their fandom to the next level. And it never ceases to amaze me how fans react during championship celebrations. Why people feel the need to go out into the streets to celebrate is beyond me. And of course, we always hear the stories of the violence and destruction during these celebrations. Are these pe...

Twenty years ago, when I first started working in social media, I marveled at the possibilities of connecting families, friends, and businesses in a new yet simple way. But boy, has it changed over the last two decades. There's no way I could have predicted all of the political hatred and silliness caused by memes. A recent meme has taken over social platforms like TikTok, and it has finally hit the mainstream. The number 67 is now a meme, amusing young people and frustrating elders for months. But now that meme looks like it has finally jumped the shark, as they...

For many of us, it’s tough to look in the mirror and reflect upon our lives. When I dig deep, I often think about the mistakes I’ve made throughout my life. But there’s one day a year when I only think positive thoughts, and today is that day. It’s the day my wife and I celebrate our wedding anniversary. And for 28 years, I’ve done something right. I’m blessed to have found the person who makes me happy —and, more importantly, the person I always want to be around. Some might say it’s divine intervention, bu...

Every year, TV news, newspapers, and even the Internet remind you to check your treats. That reminder goes all the way back to my days of trick-or-treating. But while you’re checking your children’s candy, take a look at the wrappers first. You may notice some changes there, too. Many chocolate makers have changed their formula, and you’ll no longer see the words milk chocolate on the package. That’s due to an ongoing cocoa shortage. So now, they’ve had to change formulas for many candy bars. There are many ways they reference the chocolate, but all you have t...

We live in a world where there's a lot of sameness. There are very few local or regional businesses anymore. These days, you can find the same gas stations and stores like Walmart or Target in nearly every city. And most of the places to eat, whether they're fast food or you can sit down, are now chain restaurants. It's easy to find an Olive Garden, Red Lobster Chili's, or a Buffalo Wild Wings in nearly every city. But have you ever thought about the fact that they all started with just one location? At this point, most are owned...

I've had a fear of needles since I was young. Yet that never stopped me from getting my vaccinations then nor now. As I mentioned recently, I just got my flu shot for the year. And I know that vaccines are a political hot button right now. I think of vaccines like insurance; they're a hassle, they may or may not protect you, but it's better to be safe than sorry. One of the vaccines many of us had as children was for whooping cough. But because of vaccine skepticism, whooping cough is making a comeback in Louisiana, and the...

The onset of Christmas advertising is hitting earlier and earlier. Over the weekend, I saw Christmas commercials for both Walmart and Home Depot. And literally as I’m writing this description for The Mason Minute, a Macy’s holiday commercial is playing on the TV. Many would prefer these commercials start after Thanksgiving or, perhaps, next week after Halloween. But with the economic uncertainty this year, and retailers’ need to increase profits, I can’t imagine any companies can afford to wait that long. I only worry that we will soon be seeing these commercials start even earlier in the year...

Sometimes you make plans and then don't follow through. Yesterday, I had the best of intentions. We've been out of town Friday and Saturday, and I knew I had some errands to run. But when I woke up Sunday morning, my body said, "Don't even bother." I knew I could put the errands off for a day or two, and I'm glad I did. We've been on the road a lot the last few months, watching a couple of our nephews play football. It keeps us busy on the weekends, and we're always trying to catch up on rest. As...

One of the joys of being a kid is when a carnival shows up in the parking lot of a nearby shopping center. The rides, the games, the noise, for youngsters. It’s a lot of fun, and you usually never know when it’s coming. But often, in the spring or the summer, a small carnival will appear in a shopping center nearby. But I saw something the other day that surprised me. Driving down the road a few miles from our house, I saw the lights of a Ferris wheel, and as we got closer, I could hear the...

We're less than a week away from Halloween, and that's a big night for both children and adults. The kids go for the candy, and the adults go for the party with the wild costumes. I've never been a big fan of Halloween, and that goes back to my younger days when we all wore those costumes you bought at Kmart or even the grocery store. You know the ones with the mask that had the elastic string that went around the back of your head. I didn't like the masks because I wore glasses, and that didn't make things...

Can we ever make enough money? This is a rhetorical question. I'm trying to follow this gambling scandal currently unfolding in the NBA. And what confuses me is why millionaires need to make more money by breaking the law. Rich athletes, musicians, tech titans, and politicians do stupid things all the time. Yet they have money to avoid getting in trouble. And I'm talking about avoiding the problem in the first place. We all want to live comfortably. But by the time you become a billionaire, how much more comfortable can you get? Again, another rhetorical question... Click Here To...

I don't know if you have the same problem, but whenever somebody tells you to relax, you automatically tense up. I'm not the most chill person. And just asking me to do it makes things even worse. I automatically tense up. Some people can do it better than others, but it's never been one of my strong suits. Back in my younger days, when they were getting ready to drill on my teeth, my dentist would tell me to relax. It wouldn't hurt. It did. The other day, my wife and I went to get our flu shots. The first t...

Are you familiar with the concept of dynamic pricing? It’s how airlines, hotels, and even gas stations operate. They determine the price based on market conditions. Availability, or lack thereof, plays a significant factor. And while I understand the concept, it doesn’t make the experience of booking a plane ticket or a hotel room any easier. Hotel pricing is exceptionally frustrating because it can change on the hour, or even within a single mouse click. Sure, there are lots of apps that say they can help you find the best price, but you could spend hours trying to save...

If you spent any time online yesterday, you likely found some of your favorite websites down. There was a major outage with AWS, that’s Amazon Web Services. And they host much of the content like video, images, and sound files for sites like Amazon, Snapchat, and Reddit. Plus, they host content for places like CNN Business and Venmo. AWS even hosts the mp3 files for the Mason Minute, even though I don’t deal with them directly. For me, it made work tough as I couldn’t access many of the websites I need daily. They don’t go down oft...

October is always a special month for my family. It starts on the first with my parents' anniversary and then on the 20th, which of course is today, my father's birthday. This year, it's even bigger than most years because my parents celebrated their 65th anniversary, and today, my father celebrates his 90th birthday. I joke that I've known him since he was 25. And that's hard for me to fathom. I can't imagine what it's like for him to think about all those years. It's a fantastic accomplishment for anyone. And this one's hitting me a little bit hard. Because...

One of my favorite parts of the weekend is enjoying a good meal. Not that we don't eat well at home during the week, but I do love dining out. When we grab a meal, it can be something simple or fancy. These days, it's usually something simple. I'm looking for something tasty, quick, and inexpensive. And things like that are harder to find today. It's especially tough when you're on the road. During football season, we spent a lot of time traveling to watch our nephews play football. And your options are often minimal when traveling. I miss the...

I have a decent pain threshold, or I think I do. But there’s one pain in general that, while not debilitating, is one of the nastiest and annoying pains. That pain is from paper cuts. I’ve had recurring back pain for decades, and you can’t compare the two. Back pain is a nagging pain that comes and goes. But paper cuts are a stinging pain that may only last for a few hours or a few days. But when you have one, you often lose focus, or at least I do. You can treat it with an ointme...

Have you ever heard of the lipstick index? It's a term economists use to gauge whether we're on the way to a recession. They base it on the idea that people buy certain items in advance, in bulk, when the economy starts to go south. For women, things like lipstick, eye shadow, and most makeup in general. There are other indicators, too. We talked about one a few weeks ago. It's when certain food items like Hamburger Helper see a sales increase. Numerous factors fall into this lipstick index. I always knew that there were items that the experts watched...

I talked about this a few months back. Researchers in North Carolina are looking at changing the traffic lights we encounter every day. For as long as I’ve been driving, the overwhelming majority of traffic signals have had red, yellow, and green lights. But these researchers are working on adding a fourth light to the mix, a white light. No reason for this extra light is to trigger autonomous vehicles. They’re preparing for the day when there are more driverless vehicles on the road than there are drivers. Testing of this fourth signal is about to begin, and many...

I know that Gen Z and younger people prefer text messages. Older folks like me, who don't like them, still prefer email. I stopped counting the number of emails I get per day, but it's usually in the hundreds. If you do any online shopping or ever give a business your email address, you're bound to get lots of email from them. And often you'll see the headline say, "You just visited us —could you please take the time to fill out the survey?" Everybody wants your input. And while there is some value, most people stop filling them out af...

It was only yesterday that the kids were heading back to school. But many are on fall break right now. Some school systems had a break last week, others this week, and the week after. My nephew Ray is on fall break from college this week. And while the rest of his classmates enjoy the entire week at home, he’s already back on campus because he’s a member of the football team and the football team is getting ready for a big game this weekend. And keep the players occupied. They have practice scheduled all week for eight hour...

When people find out you live in Nashville, the first thing they ask about is our Lower Broadway tourist District, where all the celebrity bars are located. I'm sure this happens to people who live in Las Vegas, New Orleans, or any tourist-driven city. They expect you to know everything that's happening in the tourist hot spots, even though you never spend any time in that part of town. I even found out there's a term for all of the celebrity nightspots we have in Nashville: star bars. Every year, more and more of them open up, and a few...

Sometimes, it's the small things that get under your skin. And while this shouldn't affect my life, it bothers me. I was watching some college football last week and noticed that, with two minutes left in the first half, the referees called the two-minute timeout. And this has been a part of football for decades upon decades. But they never just called it a timeout; they called it the two minute warning. And then later that day, another game, same thing. The next day, watching the NFL, the same thing. Now I understand. It's always been a timeout, but it's...

At one point in my life, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. But obviously, I spent too much of it sampling what I was making. But every now and then, I do try to get creative. For a recent office luncheon, I decided to whip up a batch of skillet queso, or, in this case, crockpot queso. I've eaten skillet queso at numerous restaurants throughout the years, and they all have slight variations. But who knew that one restaurant's menu change would get so many people upset? That's right, some people on the internet are currently expressing...

Here in the south, for many, the beverage of choice is sweet tea. But if you're an unsweetened iced tea drinker like me, you're faced with a myriad of options to sweeten your beverage. You can use sugar or products like Sweet'N Low, Equal, Splenda, or Truvia. It's a newer choice made from the stevia plant. But one of those sweeteners may do something more than replace sugar. It can help those suffering from hair loss grow hair. Researchers have found that combining stevia with minoxidil, the hair-loss agent in Rogaine, can improve the hair growth process. Let me try...

Like many people, I enjoy traveling. However, as I have found in recent years, I don't travel as frequently as the young people in our office. Many of them think nothing of traveling to Europe for vacation, or to somewhere warm like Jamaica, Bermuda, or Antigua over our Christmas break. While I've been to most states and traveled across our borders a few times, I still want to see the USA on a greater scale before my time is up. I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that claimed the average American has only visited seven states. I...

I’ve always been a news junkie. I guess I have my father to blame for that. Well, I didn’t mind poring through a few newspapers over the weekend, or the daily edition of USA Today, but the Internet changed everything for me. Now I can explore and delve into a vast array of subjects. Some are serious, and some are frivolous. But I’ve always justified it as a way to talk to anybody about anything. I’m a sucker for health news, so whenever I can read about healthy eating options, I’m all in. Yesterday, a story abou...

I don’t know many people who enjoy shopping at a big box store. Yes, it’s convenient, and the prices are great, but the experience can cause significant stress for people. I don’t get stressed when visiting a big box store, but at times, I do get a little frustrated. Many busy families are finding one way to go around going to the store. And that’s by placing orders online. Then, stores like Walmart have personal shoppers who walk through the stores and fill those online orders. The other night at Walmart, I had my first encounter with mul...

If you've ever spent a great deal of time with teenagers, it's often difficult to get them to talk to you. You'll get the basics, but it's rarely an actual back-and-forth. And when you do have conversations with teenagers, it's often basic stuff: social media, sports, and maybe, where to find the best chicken nuggets. But it's not often that you can sit down with a young person and talk business. Over the weekend, I was chatting with my nephew, Ty, and we were discussing marketing. We discussed his entrepreneurship class and some of the products they're currently selling or...

When you're a digital pack rat like I am, you never know what kind of old files you're going to find. The other day, I was in my home office looking for something, but I don't even remember what it was, and I came across some old files that included digital videos. I shot them back in 2004/2005 and am amazed at how technology has advanced. I was shooting a new country music singer in my radio station conference room, named Taylor Swift. And all I have are 30-second snippets of her songs. The technology didn't allow us to record anything...

Today we're exploring technology, again. But this time, I'm walking down memory lane. When I looked at the calendar this morning, I realized it was 10-4. You know, like the old CB radio catchphrase, 10-4, good buddy. It's hard to believe the CB radio craze occurred just over 50 years ago. Although it was short-lived, it was remarkable how it took the country by storm. Everybody marveled at the technology. And of course, fast-forward to today, and it seems relatively simple, very outdated, and to some downright silly. Today, we take for granted the ability to communicate with others while driving...

Many people won't admit it, but they fear technology. Everything's changing at such a rapid clip that many people don't know what to do. And some people can even be considered technophobic. No, technophobia isn't a clinical medical illness, but experts say many suffer from this fear. Two of them are my parents. For as long as I can remember, they've shied away from technology. They don't use the Internet. They don't even have an old-school answering machine. And the only cell phone they have isn't even a smartphone. They only use it for emergency purposes... Click Here To Subscribe...

Many times, as I'm heading to and from work, I think about how long I've been driving. I recall the things I've seen and the predicaments I've gotten myself into and out of. And I owe it all to my driver's education course in high school. It has been a long time since most schools discontinued driver's ed due to funding issues. While there are private companies that can train you for the road, I'm not sure if the experience is quite the same. The state of Ohio has just announced that anyone under 21 who applies for a license must...