Everyone Needs a Rulebook

By Cheryl Mattox Berry At the tender ages of 8 and 10, two California girls knew they had to live by some rules. So, Isabella Thordsen and Isabelle Busath, who are cousins, spent two weeks writing down 157 dos and don’ts in a little red notebook. Last week, their rules became public when they lost […]

Continue Reading

Warning: Fun Weekend Ahead

Got plans for the three-day weekend? There’s a lot going in Washington, D.C., and around the country as the nation celebrates the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the second inauguration of President Barack Obama. This year, both events are officially observed on Monday. If you ‘re pondering what to do, consider […]

Continue Reading

13 Wishes for 2013

 By Cheryl Mattox Berry As you prepare to ring in the New Year, spend a little time assessing what you accomplished in 2012 and where you fell short. The answers are a starting point for setting goals in 2013. Once again, I’m not asking you to make New Year’s resolutions because everyone knows those commitments […]

Continue Reading

Follow the Rules

By Cheryl Mattox Berry If you think rules are made to be broken, just ask basketball great Michael Jordan. He was recently called out for not wearing the proper golf attire at a private country club in South Florida. Jordan wore cargo shorts instead of golf shorts or pants. When a club staffer told Jordan […]

Continue Reading

Time Running Out, Get College Applications In

By Cheryl Mattox Berry The other day, my mother asked me if I ever got tired of harassing the children (my nieces and nephews.) “Absolutely not,” I replied. “That’s my job. If I don’t do it, no one will.” What she considers harassment, I call gentle prodding. I ask them when they’re taking the ACT […]

Continue Reading

Girl Power Helps Obama Win

By Cheryl Mattox Berry When I was growing up, the women’s rights movement to gain equal pay, equal access and control over our bodies was called feminism. The word lost its cache over the years as women climbed the corporate ladder, and younger women decided that having it all wasn’t their No. 1 priority. Like […]

Continue Reading

Hurricane-Ravaged Haiti Needs Help

By Cheryl Mattox Berry Opportunity abounds for community service projects to benefit Haiti in the wake of destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy, which killed 54 people on the island. Haiti is reeling from Tropical Storm Isaac in August and a huge earthquake in 2010 that caused major damage to homes, buildings and the infrastructure. Although […]

Continue Reading

Get Your Vote On!

By Cheryl Mattox Berry The 2012 campaign season is winding down. Political pundits are dissecting every bit of data they can get their hands on. They’re not only predicting who is going to win what states, but which candidate will snag certain blocs of voters. If you’re like me, you’re sick of all the talking […]

Continue Reading

Think About Consequences Before You Act

By Cheryl Mattox Berry  Consequence (noun) – A result or effect of an action or condition. My cousin, who is a sophomore in high school, got caught with a bag of marijuana in his book bag. Consequence: A five-day suspension and come-to-Jesus meeting with a police officer. At a different school, the senior class president and […]

Continue Reading

Thinking of Skipping College? Read This First

By Cheryl Mattox Berry It’s senior year. All your friends are excited about applying to colleges. Mom and dad are bugging you to narrow your choice of schools. The dates for the next ACT and SAT are fast approaching, but you haven’t registered yet. It’s not that you’re procrastinating. Truth of the matter is, you’re […]

Continue Reading