On January 21, 1952, at 7:30 pm at Holy Family Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, I entered this world. My parents christened me Thomas Gossom Jr. after my dad. While that is my given name, over the years I’ve also been given other names. Some of these were out of fun; others are a play on… Read more »
Traveling with Thom!
We’re getting ready to go on a vacation this summer. I’m ready, Thom’s ready… we both need the time away and off from the day-to-day of work and life. Thankfully, we have a fantastic Travel Agent, Tammy McDaniel, who plans and executes amazing adventures for us. Whether we need a trip to see, go, and… Read more »
It’s Finally May!
Since 1997, the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators (NABCA) Annual Conference has been held in April. I’ve known about it and went to it as a Member since 2008 and I’ve planned for and coordinated it as Staff since 2012. So why do I look forward to and long for the month of May…… Read more »
The Milkman
Chris McNair has died. My first memory of him is of my being a little boy and greeting him as he brought the milk to our front door. A gregarious man, dressed in white and driving a White Dairy Milk Truck he was the milkman who my parents and aunts knew. Later, after I finished… Read more »
Daddy
I’m in love with my dad. Do I love him? Yes. But I’m talking about being in love. I like him. I like being around him. He’s funny. He makes me laugh. He’s special. You see I didn’t grow up throwing the ball with him in the backyard. We never sat by the fireplace and… Read more »
My Fitbit
I never have a good answer about what I want for Christmas, my birthday, whatever…because I don’t really care what people get for me other than cash and gift cards (something useful…). “What kind of things could you use? Any electronics?” My dad asked. “I can’t think of any off the top of my head.… Read more »
Brandt
We met him in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris twenty years ago. He always said he was attracted to my wife’s (joyce) stylish hat, or at least that was his story and he stuck to it. An art history professor, an American living in Paris, he invited us to join him on a tour he… Read more »
…because, sometimes I just don’t want to!
We do things for the benefit of our families.We do things for our followers and those who support us. We do things for the benefit of our friends and loved ones.We do LOTS of things for the benefit of our children, godchildren, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. We do things for our neighbors and community. We… Read more »
Gram’s First Christmas!
Most mothers have to wait months and sometimes years, after a son or daughter marry, to get grandchildren. I’ve always been one to make my own rules and forge my own path. Getting to become “Gram” was no different! When our son married my amazing new daughter (notice I did not say, “daughter-in-law”), we automatically… Read more »
Facebook Request
I was looking through some friend requests on Facebook, when a smiling face jumped out at me. Before I confirmed it, I looked to make sure it wasn’t Spam. I also checked out the mutual friends we shared. There were five, a couple of the names looked familiar. A closer look, and I discovered that… Read more »