• All food has potassium and/or sodium. I am allowed neither. Consequently I have just lost 40 pounds. Eating is no longer fun.

• People do not understand the function of the turn signal. It doesn’t help you turn. It is to give the car behind you plenty of notice that you are going to stop. Every day I see more people begin the process of turning, then turn on their turn signal. It’s too late.

• Nice guys do not always finish last. Gerald Cadogan was signed by my team, the Cincinnati Bengals. He deserves and he will now get a shot at the NFL. He will probably make it. But either way, he will be a success because he is a gentleman. His mother and father have done an outstanding job of raising him. They are, and should be, proud.

• Do not go the second the light turns green. Wait about three seconds. A day does not go by that I don’t see at least two to three people blatantly run red lights. These people have to feel you and your children are collateral damage.

• We may have an industrial base again. I expect several reports in the weeks ahead that will mean more industry is coming to the area, and that will mean jobs, growth and progress. Once we get them let’s go to work every day, to show we want them to stay here and stay in business.

• There are people living in our country who are offended by the American Flag and what it stands for. Who saw that coming? A man who owns a fitness center had customers complain because he has draped a flag in his gym. A Home Depot employee was fired because he wore a badge for a year that read “One Nation Under God Indivisible.”

Will somebody please explain to me how either of those things is offensive?

• We have a beautiful new playground for the kids, thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth, and generous donations from individuals and corporations. Now, let’s bring the kids to enjoy it. A special thanks to my friends, Dr. Robin Hamm-LaValley and Rick Morgan for their cooperation in keeping the public informed during the process. Even the same people who oppose everything else in this city showed up and complained. It didn’t work that time.

It brings to mind something newly elected City Councilman Nick Basham said to me Tuesday night. Attention all members of Portsmouth City Council. Please cut this portion of my column out and put it on the back of your name plate so that you see it every meeting.

“I really believe in having transparency in government. At the same time we have to have a very efficient government. And we can’t let the few people that complain every council meeting slow down the progress of the city.”

By the way I think it was classy of Mr. Basham to compliment current councilman Bob Mollette for his continual insistence on transparency too.

So those are some of the things I have learned. I hope I never stop learning and growing in my attempt to eventually understand all of the numerous things I don’t know.

Frank Lewis may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.