Articles written by Holle Abee in Society & Lifestyle

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What is Helium

About me - Holle Abee

I am a retired teacher of British Literature, World Literature, and Creative Writing. I also taught grammar and writing skills and adult education at a local technical college and tutored for the English Department at Abraham Baldwin College. I served as

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Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Addressing the alarming decline in customer service: 1 of 33
What's happened to customer service in America? It used to be a way of life for any business serving the public, but now it's suffering a long, agonizing death, with no hope of rescusitation. I remember when I was a kid, gas was 30 cents a gallon. when you pulled up to the pump, a man in a neatly pressed smart uniform hurrie... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Society & Lifestyle (Other) The greatest comeback story: 9 of 193
Many amazing individuals have overcome almost insurmountable obstacles in their lives and have made seemingly impossible comebacks. Some have even bounced back from the gaping maw of death, and I salute these stalwart souls. To accomplish this mighty feat takes courage, hard work, and undaunted determination. Mankind, howeve... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Funerals: Not for everyone: 3 of 43
Several years ago, a co-worker lost her eight-year-old daughter in a tragic car wreck. The little girl and her older brother were on their way home from Sunday school to make a surprise Mother's Day meal for their mom, who was attending church services. A drunk driver plowed into the girl's side of the car, killing her insta... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Judging others by size: 19 of 98
I'm fat. There, I said it. For years I referred to myself as "big," "stocky," or "overweight," but at this point in my life, I can admit the cold, hard truth: I'm fat. So does that make me less of a person? I've always been tall and large boned, but after I started having children, my weight climbed steadily. I've never real... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Most popular baby girl names in the US: 8 of 38
Shakespeare asked the age-old question, "What's in a name?" back in the Elizabethan era. Now, four hundred years later, parents are still pondering over the seemingly endless sea of choices in what to name their baby girl. And to answer the bard's question in a word - much! A name carries with it subliminal messages. Think a... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms A guide to the most interesting regional nicknames: 1 of 4
I guess every region around the country has its own share of nicknames, and some of them are pretty interesting. While a few of these are well-known outside the area, many are understood only by the inhabitants - kind of an "insider" thing. Here are a few nicknames for regions located in my neck of the woods - the Southeast:... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Re-examining the role of role models in today's society: 10 of 31
When I was a kid growing up in the sixties, we had positive role models. We were literally bombarded by them and could find them everywhere, whether we wanted to or not - on TV, in our schools, on the streets, and at church. These were people we looked up to and wanted to emulate. People our parents WANTED us to model our li... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Lifestyles Cowboy humor: True stories about cattle: 14 of 32
Mooly, the Halloween Bull My cousin James has always been somewhat of a skinflint. He pinches pennies left and right to feed his family of five. Since they live on a farm, he had the bright idea to buy a jersey bull calf from a neighbor who ran a dairy, with a plan of feeding it out and turning it into hamburger. Unfortunate... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms An overview of the craziest human names ever recorded: 11 of 20
During my years of teaching I have come across some very strange names. I'm always amazed that parents would saddle their offspring with such. Heck, growing up is tough enough with a NORMAL name! Starting a child out with a crazy name just seems to be exposing him to humiliation that could easily have been avoided. I mean, i... More..