April 15th came and went, and there was a sense of resolve this year.

I didn’t hear about Tax Day Rallies from Tea Partiers — probably because Tea Partiers are still a bit burned out and discouraged from last year’s election.

I didn’t hear stories about last-minute filers waiting in long lines to get their tax forms in on time — probably because many filers did their taxes online. Read More»

By temperament and educational training, I’ve learned not to over-react when I hear something second-hand. There are always two sides of every story. Until you go to the primary source, you truly don’t know what really happened (my children have taught me this first hand).

Such was the case, when I heard about a commercial by cable channel MSNBC host, Melissa Harris-Perry which advocates that “your children don’t belong to you.” Read More»

Like many Americans I was surprised by the outcome of November’s elections, and am still processing what happened.

After all, virtually every quantifiable performance measurement revealed that the majority of Americans felt — personally, and as a country — that they were worse off and heading in the wrong direction.

Yet, these same Americans re-elected President Barack Obama, who presided over the country during this period of decline.

Here I am, nearly five months later, finally able to process what happened. Read More»

I enjoy looking out our office window especially now as the trees begin to bud with the signs of spring. I marvel at this time because it is a wonderful reminder of one of the most glorious times of the year, Easter.

Growing up in a non-religious household, Easter always meant egg hunts, the Easter Bunny, and the promise of warmer weather. It was fun, lighthearted, and inconsequential. Read More»

When I decided to run for secretary of the Fayette County Republican Party (FCRP) several weeks ago, it was a very difficult decision. My husband and I talked and prayed about the decision.

I feared the time commitment. I feared my lack of political experience and whether I had the ability to serve in such a position. I feared how it might hinder my ability to effectively speak to, and be of positive influence to family and friends who might disagree with me on some issues. Read More»

I think the first time I consciously noticed the power of “living in a virtual world” was about ten years ago when a girl I was mentoring seemed to be far more conversational when we would “talk” via email than when we talked on the phone or in-person.

I could barely get her to speak two sentences to me in the real world, but when we would “talk” online, she could go on for pages.

When I questioned her as to how she seemed to open up via email, but barely spoke in person, she smiled and shrugged. Read More»

With all the fear and rhetoric going on about the sequestration and the impending deadline for the “across the board cuts in federal spending” to take place in less than a week, I think it is important to take everything in context and understand how we got to this point, the real numbers involved, and the implications of what this means for our government and ourselves. Read More»

For weeks there has been a weight I have felt regarding our school systems and a fear of what I see taking place in our community.

With the pending decision regarding school closures and our $15-20 million deficit, I don’t think our county has ever faced such a drastic financial and social challenge as this one.

Groups of citizens are threatening and pleading for their schools, which they presume are on the “chopping block.”

Subdivisions are fighting to protect their district borders and keep out others. Read More»

“I take full responsibility ... .”

This is a phrase that I feel like I have been hearing more and more in public life, but it seems to ring hollow the more times I hear it. Here is why.

I hear this phrase typically when someone is caught doing something wrong, or making a bad decision and there is almost irrefutable evidence for them to deny it. So rather than having the sordid details leak out over a period of time, a public statement is made saying that they, “accept full responsibility. ...” Read More»

About 15 years ago I taught an introductory psychology course at The King’s College. I will never forget a discussion I facilitated with the students during a session on Developmental Psychology.

When talking about the developmental stages of humans, I thought it would be interesting to explore the question of when human life begins, and what was the distinction between human life and personhood. Read More»