Entertainment, Culture and More

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has scheduled five on-site railroading merit badge workshops; a workshop will take place on each of these dates: March 29, 2025, April 26, 2025, May 17, 2025, June 21, 2025, and August 23, 2025

By Steven Brodsky

From a Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania news release issued yesterday, February 20, 2025:

Strasburg, Lancaster County, PA — The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has announced on-site railroading merit badge workshops for March 29, April 26, May 17, June 21 and August 23, 2025. Registrations for, and more information on, all five Saturday workshops are available on Eventbrite.

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is the perfect setting for boys and girls, ages 11 through 17, who are involved in scouting, to learn by working with historic artifacts and model trains.

The day-long workshops feature various railroad-themed activities, including tours, demonstrations and a G-scale model railroad simulation. All requirements are fulfilled in a single day. A unique Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania “Railroading Merit Badge” patch is an extra reward for participants who complete the workshop at the Museum.

Scouts must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The workshops are capped at 25 scouts each and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of a 2 pack ticket — 1 individual scout and 1 accompanying adult — is $24.00, and a 4 pack ticket — 3 individual scouts and 1 accompanying adult — is $54.00.

On-site and virtual railroading merit badge workshops for the remainder of the year will be scheduled and announced by the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania at a later date.

For additional information, visit RRMuseumPA.org or call (717) 687-8628.

Posted 2-21-25

The liquefying of a song character’s emotional state on Christmas Eve

By Steven Brodsky

… parallels weather conditions after he meets an “old lover in the grocery store” in a Dan Fogelberg song that was released as a single in 1980.

You’ll hear this in the song’s final words: “The snow turned into rain.”

For many years, the song has prompted me to recall an old lover of my own; I can’t say that I’d like to have a chance encounter with her in a grocery store or anywhere else.

Pre-Christmas Eve revisits to the song have become a tradition for many of us, myself included.

The tradition continues.

Posted 12-18-24

The speaker in this poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

… expresses that she (the speaker) is very much moved by the beauty of an autumn day: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51862/gods-world.

Some of us have been cultivating attentiveness to what is taking place this autumn in the natural world.

Attentiveness can transform an ordinary autumn day into an especially beautiful day.

Posted 10-18-24

This horny old goat

By Steven Brodsky

… may not “get your goat,” though he is getting many food handouts from visitors to the petting zoo where he resides.

A horny old goat
Photo by Steven Brodsky

Most of these visitors are out and about experiencing autumnal fun.

May we all (including the horny old goat) enjoy the season!

Posted 10-11-24

A peaceful and restorative moment in the wilds

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

This post appeared in the Conversations About Nature section of this column.

Reposted 9-19-24

Thick-skinned

By Steven Brodsky

Thick bark
Photo by Steven Brodsky

I was five or six years old when an old woman sitting on a lawn chair outside of a tenement building asked me, “How would you like it if someone picked at your skin?”

She had seen me trying to pick a fleck of tree bark off of a thickly-barked tree near where she was sitting.

This took place decades ago.

The tree and the old woman are gone.

I miss the tree.

Not the old woman.

Evidence, perhaps, of having developed thick skin.

Posted 8-23-24

No shrinking violet

By Steven Brodsky

… nor wallflower pictured between fence posts:

Photo by Steven Brodsky

The “outgoing” rose brings to mind the experience of shyness and the experience of overcoming shyness.

Posted 7-17-24

A venue for quietude

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

… Words are unnecessary.

Posted 7-12-24

Steven Brodsky hosted a radio show for 3 and a half years. The show focused on coverage of entertainment, the arts, and all manner of culture. He is widely known for his many live on air interviews with guests such as: Rodney Crowell, Charlie Louvin, Richie Havens, Eric Whitacre (composer, conductor), Solomon Burke, Janis Ian, Percy Sledge, Billy Joe Shaver, Jack LaLanne, Gene Shay, Bruce Morrow “Cousin Brucie,” Jerome “Little Anthony” Gourdine, Pat Cooper, Jett Williams (daughter of Hank Williams), Steve Forbert, Chris Smither, Lukas Nelson, Dr. Temple Grandin, Dan Fante, Harold Camping (Harold Camping was the radio broadcaster and Bible teacher who famously proclaimed that Judgment Day and the Rapture would take place on May 21, 2011. Harold Camping passed away on December 15, 2013.), Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, curators, historians, scientists, and newsmakers. He welcomes email.