Welcome to an extra edition of the mailbag where you will find some of the comments, questions and ideas sent recently by subscribers of this newsletter or our publications. They are edited for space and clarity.

“Hi, Shane. This probably is too late to be of interest, but I don't do deadlines anymore, so there you go. Anyhow, many years ago, when the big brains were considering Iowa slogans and came up with the Fields of Opportunities thing (which was fine), I received several emails offering ideas (Iowa slogan, July 24, 2023). Most were lousy and are forgotten. My favorite, which sticks with me for obvious reasons, came from my sister-in-law, Rita. Her suggestion: ‘Welcome to Iowa. Turn Signal Optional.’ Nothing much has changed, eh?” - John

It works for me. The slogan. Not my turn signal. - Shane

“I just read your re-purposed card column (Repurposing cards, Aug. 16, 2023), and it reminded me of a friend I had, who has since passed, but one year for her anniversary she realized she hadn't bought a card for her husband. She found the one she had given him the year before and gave it to him again. He responded with, ‘That's a really nice card.’ So, with that, she realized he didn't remember it from the year before and wondered how long it would take him to realize she was giving him the same card. If I remember correctly, it was either year eight or nine when he finally commented and said, ‘Donna, I think you gave me this card one other year.’ Thanks for reminding me of this story and my friend Donna.” - Cheryl

I think I would have liked Donna. - Shane

“Shane, you hit the nail on the head with the notion that presidents we can name are influenced by what we were taught in the early years of schooling (Unmemorable presidents, Aug. 27, 2023). We have been to a lot of presidential libraries and museums, many more than just the 11 newer, larger ones for the presidents we grew up with. I learned interesting things at every one of them that weren’t taught in school, but the most amazing was when we finally visited the Hoover Library in West Branch. In my schooling, we heard a few things about President Hoover, not necessarily flattering. At the library, I learned the many good things about Hoover as the humanitarian public servant. One thing especially stuck with me. Hoover saw the depression coming and had no Federal jurisdiction at that time, so he sent a letter to New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt urging him to exercise state jurisdiction over Wall Street to take steps that might have positively altered the course of history. So said the exhibit, FDR evidently ignored the Hoover letter, and the results are the history we were taught.” - Chuck

Did you really expect a New Yorker to take advice from an Iowan? - Shane

Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman 

President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

View Shane Goodman's archived columns from past issues here.

CITYVIEW announced its 2023 Best Of Des Moines® readers' choices Jan. 31. You can find all the results from the poll in the February issue of CITYVIEW magazine!

Best Local Dog-Friendly Bar

1. Paws & Pints

2. Kinship Brewing Company

3. Mannings

SEE BEST OF DES MOINES® EVENT PHOTOS HERE...

Group offers hope for widows

Grief leads Fergesen to form support group.

By Jackie Wilson

When Nicole Fergesen’s husband, Marcus, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and passed away, she says the grief and loss was all-consuming, and she felt alone. She was 29 years old and left to raise three kids under age of 5 alone.

Family and friends offered support and sympathy, yet it was challenging, as not everyone understood her loss, she says, adding she found it helpful to talk to others who were going through the same emotions as she was, which led her to form a widow’s group.

The group meets at the Valley Community Center and offers materials with the workbook series, “How to Widow Well.” Childcare is offered and moms can bring their children, who meet separately for their own grief program.

Read more in the August issue of  West Des Moines/Jordan Creek Livingmagazine 

Happy Birthday Blair Overton and Lu Ann White!

These celebrities were born on this date: Chris Tucker, Deborah Gibson, Edwin Moses, Itzhak Perlman, Jeff Russo, Padraig Harrington, Richard Gere, Rudolf Schenker, Sara Ramirez, Zack Ward

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to yesterday's riddle:
What do you get when you mix an elephant with a rhino? ELEFINO (HE double hockey sticks IF I KNOW!) - Dick Williams, William Snyder, Lori Bluml

I received several answers to the "What happens when the skunk wrote a book?" that I missed sharing: It was a best smeller! - Chuck Golliher, Lori Bluml, Gail Tomlinson.  Reviewers said the book stunk! - Carolyn Rogers, who owned a skunk named Lord Byron while in college. It got a stinky review! - Judy Anderson, William Snyder

Today's riddle

What do you call it when a butterfly rules over a kingdom?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in this daily newsletter, contact Jolene Goodman at jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com, or call 515-953-4822 ext. 319.

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