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One of the good things about working for a community newspaper is that we are often allowed to choose what we want to write about. Sure, some things such as local politics have to be covered, but we are traditionally given a wide degree of freedom in what we write.

Sometimes you just can't escape the past. As much as I want to move past the '80s - musically, I find myself being sucked back in when I see tours like these.

You might say I trained as an apprentice fishing guide as a kid.

When I moved to Farmersville from Florida a couple of years ago in July, one of the first things my family here told me about was Audie Murphy Day.

Book reviews aren't usually found in an opinion column. But I recently read Alfredo Corchado's "Midnight in Mexico" in one sitting. Couldn't put it down till I finished it. To tell the truth, the book changed some feelings I had held toward Mexican immigrants.

I've never been very interested in carrying or shooting handguns.

Bill Dance is a regular on my weekly radio show and during last week's session, we began talking about his bloopers shows.

I'm sure many of us are still recovering from a three-day weekend, compliments of brave men and women who have gone before us. Between the concerts, outdoor activities and pool party invites, it's almost impossible to descend back into reality and rejoin the work force.

The title of this article should not surprise many readers. After all, us Texans are a proud bunch and many of us believe that the best barbecue is made within the borders of our state.

"These bottoms remind me of south Louisiana," said Jake Hebert (pronounced A-Bear in Cajun) as my friend Larry Large and I drove them into the area we hunt hogs. "I thought everything was bone dry down here in Texas."

It's a good thing I'm a ninja. It came in handy last Saturday during the Dave Matthews Band concert when I had a press pass to photograph the first three songs of the show.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my career as an outdoors writer is having the ability to take you with me on adventures via the written word.

I was lucky enough to travel to Austin recently and spend a few days at the Capitol. Having lived in Austin for seven years during and after college, I know my way around the city fairly well and always look forward to spending a few days there.

One of the things many journalists look forward to each year is election season. It always provides excitement and stories on a regular basis, making our job easy.

For those of us that love being in the outdoors, family vacation time often includes at least a day or so fishing, along with sightseeing and all the other endeavors common to that special week or two.

To borrow a line from Tom Petty - "you belong among the wildflowers." Yes, you, there is something for everybody. And though Petty has never graced a stage at the Wildflower! festival, I always think of the song each time I prepare for the festival.

Growing up, pizza night in the Conrad household was fairly simple. Myself and my mom would split a sausage pizza, while my dad and two brothers would split a pepperoni pizza.

When Hope Park opens this Saturday, the city will see the culmination of several years' worth of work by a group of dedicated Frisco mothers.

Since I became editor of The Frisco Enterprise last summer, I've driven past Pizzeria Testa countless times.

Solo at last? Well, it's not permanent. But for the time being, singer/guitarist Tom Keifer has broken away from his long-time tenure with '80s blues rockers Cinderella. And for the first time since 1983, Keifer is touring with a new band and has a solo album in stores titled, "The Way Life Goes."

For almost 14 years, I did a weekly fishing report for a major Texas newspaper.

Has anyone ever noticed that dang-nigh everything except the citizens of Texas has a lobbyist down in Austin? The good news is that situation was recently improved with the formation of the North Texas Citizens Lobby. The organization is made up of conservative citizens from Plano, Lucas, McKinney and Allen. I don't believe there's a paid-for lawyer in the whole bunch.

"Would you like to swing on a star?"

If you've been thinking about learning to shoot a bow, there's no better time than early summer to begin.

I had a yard sale a while back. I love yard sales. You can meet a lot of interesting people at yard sales. I noticed that about half the folks who showed up at my yard sale were using one arm to pick through my treasures. All of them had another arm but the hand at the end of it was useless since it was holding a cell phone next to their ear.

Frisco has a new restaurant in town, and it's a cut above the rest.

Suntan lotion - check.

Each September for many years, I've headed to Colorado's high country with my bow to enjoy hunting elk and bear with my longtime friend Larry Large, who has guided in the mountains for most of his adult life.

Anyone with the least bit of doubt about how popular hunting wild hogs and predators is in the Lone Star state need only to have been in Waco this past week end at the First Annual Predator and Wild Hog Expo, held at the Waco Convention Center.

Editor's note: While this is a column centered on Flower Mound, its message can fit every city we cover. Enjoy.

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