I grew up with wonderful parents and siblings. They made us go to church, with an approach whose impact has lasted a lifetime. Mom made me choose a school activity in addition to sports. That's when I found out Canton South High School had a newspaper. Mom and Dad dropped me off at Miami University. The first place I stopped was the office of the school paper. I loved the people at Miami, almost as much as I love the people back home. I've been with the Canton Repository on and off (mostly on) since the 1970s. I've met and written about many famous people, before and after 20 years of covering the Browns on a beat basis. I tend to take more satisfaction in telling the stories of the not so famous. Topics have run the gamut. Hopefully some of the stories have been of some value. Mom and Dad are "long gone." But not really. One long story, starring my wife: I've helped raise a fairly large family. What a good and humbling adventure that has been.