Writing Samples
The beginning for a writer is the journal. I say this because it is the testing grounds for all your styles and ideas. If you do not keep a journal, it will be hard for you to be a good writer in almost any field.
You should write a little every day if you want to cultivate your literary skills. That's the beauty of a journal... because you don't need a revolutionary idea or original thought to write a successful entry into your journal. Other types of writing are not as forgiving; when you write poetry when you don't feel poetic or a story when you don't feel inspired, you will likely not turn out highly artistic words.
Featured Articles
Adventures with Del
In Memory of Delwin Olson
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![Olson family photo 2023](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4524_dji_0583.jpg)
![A Meal in Medora](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4473_20220829_140037.jpg)
![At the Medora Musical](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4500_20230607_192903.jpg)
![Corrine flies a drone](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4470_20210524_201341.jpg)
![Del Drives Duane](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4478_20220831_112340.jpg)
![Del and Duane](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4511_20230610_171314.jpg)
![Del Fuzz and Duane](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4492_20230604_141855.jpg)
![Delwin Laughing as Corrine gets Sake](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4480_20220830_195002.jpg)
![Delwin Secures Boat](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4477_20220830_121227.jpg)
![Del on Boat](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4479_20220830_173511.jpg)
![Del teaches Hayden how to run a riding lawn mower](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4509_20230609_153548.jpg)
![Driving Lessons from Delwin](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4505_20230609_165703.jpg)
![Eating in Medora](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4502_20230607_150854.jpg)
![Dog jumps on Del](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4526_213a6046.jpg)
![Delwin with Hadley](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4540_213a5647.jpg)
![Delwin and Jim at Garden](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4514_20230610_135134.jpg)
![Delwin and Kent Goof Off](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4474_20220829_181140.jpg)
![Delwin and Pam](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4529_213a5506.jpg)
![Delwin and Pam](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4538_img_3957.jpg)
![Delwin and Shawn](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4491_20220903_172000.jpg)
![Delwin and Shawn on Old Baldy](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4516_dji_0395.jpg)
![Shawn and Delwin on Old Baldy](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4518_dji_0390.jpg)
![Shawn and Delwin on mountain.](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4519_dji_0403.jpg)
![Delwin Olson](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4539_img_3841.jpg)
![Delwin Driving a Boat](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4531_213a5887.jpg)
![Delwin on Phone](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4517_dji_0328.jpg)
![Delwin climbs a rock](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4537_213a5520.jpg)
![Delwin on Tractor](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4494_20230604_110317.jpg)
![Delwin on Killdeer Mountain](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4527_213a6145.jpg)
![Delwin on a Hike](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4488_20220901_120256.jpg)
![Delwin on Killdeer Mountains](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4489_20220902_130254.jpg)
![Delwin sitting on mountainside](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4471_20210528_102438.jpg)
![Delwin on Killdeer Mountain.](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4525_213a6133.jpg)
![Delwin Olson on Old Baldy](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4522_dji_0596.jpg)
![Delwin and Granddaughters](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4515_20230610_184002.jpg)
![Delwin rescues the kids](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4521_dji_0589.jpg)
![Delwin Scans the Distance](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4484_20220901_082056.jpg)
![Delwin raises arms](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4530_213a5898.jpg)
![Delwin at Stove](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4475_20220830_095639.jpg)
![Delwin Cooking Breakfast](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4495_20230602_084517.jpg)
![Delwin with Granddaughters](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4513_20230610_183954.jpg)
![Delwin with Kids on Quad](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4541_213a5553.jpg)
![Olsons in Medora 2022](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4532_213a5840.jpg)
![Delwin, Duane and Shawn](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4520_dji_0545.jpg)
![Duane and Delwin](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4503_20230608_103708.jpg)
![Fuzz and Del](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4493_20230603_120227.jpg)
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![Group photo](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4535_213a5550.jpg)
![Del and Corrine](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4482_20220830_194152.jpg)
![Ice Cream in Medora](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4472_20220829_161106.jpg)
![Jim and Delwin with metal detector](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4528_213a6128.jpg)
![Last hike on Old Baldy](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4523_dji_0599.jpg)
![Meal at Buckskin](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4508_20230609_174144.jpg)
![Meal at Buckskin](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4506_20230609_174145.jpg)
![Olson Family Photo](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4542_213a5571.jpg)
![Shawn and Delwin on Mountain](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4497_20230604_155548.jpg)
![Shawn and Del](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4487_20220831_152005.jpg)
![Shawn and Del on Boat](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4481_20220830_173126.jpg)
![Shawn and Delwin in a truck](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4476_20220830_114632.jpg)
![Shawn, Ethan and Delwin on Old Baldy](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4507_20230608_125534.jpg)
![Thumbs Up](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4483_20220902_125007.jpg)
![family hike](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/4536_213a5536.jpg)
Photos and tribute to my friend and cousin Delwin Olson.
Latest Articles
Jack Buckingham Retires after 31 Years in SWCS
![Jack Buckingham](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/3889_1_1434_1_jack-buckingham.jpg)
![Buck and Students](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/3890_1_1434_2_buck-and-students.jpg)
![Buck Teaching](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/3891_1_1434_3_buck-teaching.jpg)
![Buck's Chucks](/media/1/image/jpeg/tiny/3892_1_1434_4_bucks-chucks.jpg)
Jack Buckingham was one of my teachers at Westland High School. This is a short feature on Buck.
Infection of the Heart
Poem about despair and the false questions that can lead us into the darkest areas of the human heart. A poem for Vince Kingrea, who sadly took his own life.
Promoting Interest in the Classroom
An essay about the role teachers play in making subjects interesting, valuable and relevant to students. Prompted by an Open-House visit to Westland High School.
The Phantom Dollar
Essay on American debt, credit abuse and the lies of economicists and politicians.
Ambitions and Weekends
Essay on being self-aware and realizing that the human psyche has some hardwired contradictions and paradoxes.
Cultural Cataracts
A personal conversation about the challenges facing educational and cultural progress in the face of overwhelming ignorance and myopia.
A Trip Down Hoopty Lane
An American Hoopty adventure to fix a van that turns into a car hater's nightmare.
Greg Oden, Buckeyes and Basketball
Commentary on collegiate basketball, American colleges and professional sports.
Return to Norton Middle School
Short essay recounting a day I spent at Norton Middle School with Gary Sigrist.