Old McMicky's offers a lesson on how to appreciate teachers

For Old McMicky's Farm owner Ralph Zuckerman, teacher appreciation means more than giving them shiny apples or a week of platitudes.

Zuckerman, who has previously donated $125,000 in weddings to veterans, is now presenting his Odessa farm as a site for one lucky Tampa Bay teacher's ceremony. The Teachers Rock $20,000 Dream Wedding Giveaway is under way, with 12 couples vying for votes until Feb. 7 at OldMcMickys.com.

It's a nice tribute for people in a profession who endure constant demands, and a lesson for our Tallahassee educational leaders on how to truly appreciate teachers.

But that's another column for another time. .?.?.

The Arts Conservatory for Teens in St. Petersburg will partner with the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Student Government to host Color St. Pete: The Art of Community at 4 p.m. Wednesday at USFSP's Harbor Hall. I'll be one of the panelists, eager to listen and learn more than I talk. That's what makes dialogue so important. .?.?.

Seen on a bumper sticker: Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy. .?.?.

Kudos to all those musicians who toil in our local beach bars and restaurants. Music superstars grab all the headlines, but the men, women and ensembles who make the days more relaxing with a guitar, a backing track or a loop machine deserve praise.

I recently heard two such acts -- Cutty Jones at Shephard's Tiki Bar on Clearwater Beach and Mike Hastings at Bahama Breeze on the Courtney Campbell Causeway -- and it reminded me how music can stir up joyful memories.

This state can still shine when you mix good tunes, good friends and a perfect sunset.

That's all I'm saying.