The 2018 Exceptional Delaware Hero of the Year & Other Awards

I was really torn on who would get the coveted Exceptional Delaware Hero of the Year Award for 2018.  There were so many great choices.  I covered some of them in the Movers and Shakers posts I put up.  But in the end, the choice was obvious!

The Top 18 Most-Read Articles Of 2018 & By The Numbers Recap

I’m a sucker for year-end lists.  Some folks like ’em and some hate ’em!  Most of the articles that generated the most hits were ones where I either broke a story on or offered a perspective that couldn’t be found elsewhere.  One story generated so much controversy I had to put all comments in moderation!  District salaries became very popular and the hits on those continue to grow every single day since I posted those last March.  Sadly, the subject of one of my articles was myself.

2018 In Words

2018. Parkland. Rice. Eagles. Victory. Dance. Fire. Ice. Secrets. President. Teacher. Paoli. Union. Matthews. Carney. Bunting. Alleyne. Herdman. Bullock. Jaques. Sokola. Williams. Impact. Success. Sheldon. Lopez. Margie. Constables. Arrest. Purge. Brecknock. Situation. Lounge. Parkway. Bridge. Berlin. Counterpart. Westworld. Lissie. Dolores. Mumford. Northern. Muse. Huron. Firefly. Annapolis. Saturdays. Love. Daugherty. Gregg. Holodick. Blakey. Williams. Shelton. Bueller. Miller. Deerey. Mraz. Desert. If. T’Challa. Snap. Trump. DeVos. McGuiness. Davies. Williams. Primary. Spadola. Wagner. Burd. Smith. Bies. Bias. Delcastle. Padua. Mann. Buccini. VSA. 454. Gun. Safety. Salaries. Consolidation. Joyce. Police. Shortage. MOU. Nudist. Transparency. Lies. Wild. Audit. Divorce. Takeover. Russia. Odyssey. Rudder. Fraizers. Stones. Two. Fluharty. Debate. Forum. Referendum. Public. Comment. DSEA. Veritas. Massett. Diversity. Privilege. Wilmington. Entwined. Discombobulated. Rushdan. Sweeney. Stouffer. Travers. Lawsuit. Funding. Diploma. 286. Meece. Manolakos. Walker. Legislation. Veto. Ghosts. Enrollment. Johns. Hale. Evans. Griffith. Young. Paige. Freire. CSDC. Investigation. Renewal. Modification. Montessori. Sussex. Smyk. Mold. Lockman. Sturgeon. 225. Transgender. Republican. Democrat. Progressive. Carper. Harris. Johnson. Arlett. Davis. Jennings. Truono. Walker. Fat-shaming. Murphy. Markell. Loftus. Drill. SEL. Blockchain. Taylor. Lynn. Appeal. MERB. Couch. Porch. Humanity. Meme. Roanoke. Visit. Star. Vertigo. Snow. Recordings. Outsider. Bat. Pretendonitis. Collection. License. Rodel. DelawareCAN. CEA. Giansanti. Alternative. United. Marinucci. McDonalds. Feeley. Skrobot. Suchyj. Moderation. Kuumba. Troeggs. Mudslide. Climb. Neighborhood. Read. Mountain. Pickering. Message. Sand. Rehoboth. Browseabout. Trivia. Dover. DAPSS. Collapse. Anagram. Pulaski. Crumpacker. Orchard. House. Grants. Money. Theft. Fraud. Surgery. Toe. Resignation. Hiring. Campaign. Filing. Paradee. Suspension. Manifestation. IEP. Eldreth. Autism. Tourettes. Marijuana. Classification. CBD. Flashback.

18 TV Shows That Rocked In 2018!

Television is very different than it was when I was a kid.  There are so many platforms to watch TV shows these days!  2018 was one of the best years ever for those who regularly watch TV!  I spent an ungodly amount of time hooked on certain shows.

The Top 40 Best Songs of 2018

These were my favorite tunes for 2018!  One band appears often on this list for the simple reason they came out with the best album of the year.  It was an awesome year for new music in 2018.  It has been a long time that music shaped and defined a year like this one.  The rules are simple: it had to be released this year.  At the end there will be some honorable mentions for songs of the past that also got a ton of Exceptional airplay this year!

The Movers And Shakers of 2018: Part 3

2018 had some colorful characters here in Delaware.  I covered some of them in Part 1 and Part 2.  As we close in on the final cast of players it is important to know that 2019 will continue some of these sagas.  Here there be heroes… and villains!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”

For me, Christmas is a very holy time.  It is an important time in my religion.  I am a Christian.  I don’t subscribe to many of the points of view that others do.  I firmly believe we are all here for a reason.  That includes those who many Christians don’t think should have certain rights.  I refuse to belong to any religious organization that doesn’t think everyone should have those same rights.  Nothing will get me to walk away faster from those places than having me sign a contract stating something such as “I believe marriage should only exist between a man and a woman.”  That’s not what Jesus was about.  He was here to teach us all how to love each other despite all our many faults.  His joy is for all of us, not the select few.

Merry Christmas to all my readers, near and far!  May you have a joyous and blessed day with family and friends.  For those who are spending the day alone, know that you too are loved!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Gabriel’s Message”

This song has always been inspirational for me around the Christmas season.  It reminds me of what it is about, the birth of Jesus.  But it started before the birth, when the angel Gabriel delivered a message to a girl named Mary…

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home”

It wouldn’t be Christmas without U2’s Bono rocking out to this Darlene Love original!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

The tracks from the first “A Very Special Christmas” continue with Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders giving the definitive version of this song!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)”

This was one of the first Christmas songs I remember hearing on the radio growing up.  I was a huge Beatles fan when I was a kid.  It took me a long time to actually buy this song but I could always count on hearing it every Christmas season on the airwaves!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Peace On Earth”

This song gets the distinction of the best new Christmas song of 2018!  In the past couple of years I’ve recognized Lissie as one of the most powerful voices of the decade.

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Silent Night”

I’ve heard so many different versions of this song in my five decades of life.  But my favorite is by far Stevie Nicks’ angelic version from the 1987 album “A Very Special Christmas”.

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Carol of the Bells”

One of the best pianists of modern times is George Winston.  His version of “Carol of the Bells” shows exactly why he has earned that distinction!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Silver Bells”

It wasn’t Christmas in my house growing up without hearing Andy Williams singing the holiday classics!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Boots”

For over a decade, the alternative rock band The Killers delivered an annual Christmas song.  The 2010 song “Boots” is by far the best!  Any song that has “It’s A Wonderful Life” as part of they lyrics is a winner in my book!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Christmastime”

Back in “the day” (which wasn’t that long ago), the Special Olympics would come out with Christmas albums called “A Very Special Christmas”.  On the third one, which came out in 1997, the Smashing Pumpkins delivered an awesome original!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

I have to admit I couldn’t stand this song for many years but more recently it has grown on me.  I loved the version in the movie “Love Actually”.  But Mariah’s original version is played everywhere so I guess it seeped into my brain!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “The Season’s Upon Us”

Christmas is a wonderful time of year but it can also be a time of great angst for some families!  No Christmas song shows this more than the Irish band The Dropkick Murphys!

Best Christmas Songs Ever: “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

Easily in my top three Christmas songs of all time!  While the song has some detractors out there and think the lyrics stink, getting all these singers together was a work of art!