Guide to Gift Giving
It’s close to Christmas, and as we finish up our shopping, it’s worth reflecting on the purpose of gifts in the first place. I read an article this am about how millenial parents are frustrated that their Boomer parents are showering their kids with useless stuff that just ends up
FFS
We’re living in interesting times. The lead candidate for the republican nomination for presidency just wants everyone to give up and anoint him their candidate now, despite finally starting to face the consequences of years of fraud and treating the legal system as a cudgel to use against anyone he
AI is Going to Change Everything
Working in digital marketing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it can and should be used for is all the rage right now. If you want to understand AI better, the best source is really Chris Penn– who has an excellent set of videos and regularly explains what’s happening in AI
Podcamp 2023
A small group of us, die hards from Podcamp Philly and Podcamp East, came together this past weekend for Podcamp 2023 in Philadelphia. There were amazing sessions talking about how AI and Chat GPT will pose challenges to those of us who are involved in digital marketing, or looking to
Glad to Leave Office? I get it.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is getting into trouble because he spoke his truth, saying he’s looking forward to a time when he’s not mayor. As someone who was a Township Supervisor for 6 years, I understand this sentiment perhaps as much as anyone. Being a local elected official may look
Almost 80 Best Movies of the 80’s
Rolling Stone just put out a post of the 100 best movies of the 1980’s- and there are a lot of obscure movies that as a teenager/college student during the 80’s I never heard of. As a child of divorced parents, I spent a ridiculous amount of time at the
Losing but not Lost
I lost my bid for re-election as a Township Supervisor. Elections are like the world’s longest job interview. I knocked 946 doors, speaking with friends and neighbors; sending mail out to people about what I stood for, and what I believed. I chose not to attack my opponent, even though
Running for Office
I am a local Township Supervisor in Pennsylvania, running for re-election this year. Supervisor is a part-time position, and comes with a statutory stipend of $2,500.00 a year. that equates to about $5.20 or less an hour of meeting time, and other work we put in to help guide the
Dementia
My mother-in-law has dementia. She had been pretty good at hiding her slow cognitive decline for a long time, but gradually, not even those of us who would have preferred to be in denial could avoid the truth. We needed to move Nancy out of her home and into a
Running for Office again!
Dear Neighbors: While elections may be popularity contests, governing is about doing the hard work required, every day, that our community demands and deserves. To me, part of my job is to be available- that’s why I answer your questions on Facebook, NextDoor Now, email, phone, at the grocery, and
Being Helpful
A long time ago, there was a pretty famous book entitled All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. It was cute and seemed quaint, but it is so true. To be happy and reasonably successful as a grown-up, you can get quite a long way by just starting with be...
Dealing With The Inevitable
During my "day gig" as a digital marketer, I have a variety of clients that I love. One of our new clients in a Continuing Care Retirement Community, and so I am learning a lot about aging and aging gracefully from a community of people who I really admire. While...
Bookends
The Simon and Garfunkle song, Bookends, talks about old friends and memories. I went to a memorial service this weekend for a great man, Sam Armstrong. Sam was a teacher at Centreville School. My son James went there, as did Sam's son, Jack. I knew Sam in his roles as...
Pay it Forward- For Yourself!
I work for a digital marketing firm, and I produce a lot of content for the web- videos, blog posts, copy for websites, and more. The one thing I do every day that pays off the most in the long run, is trying to capture ideas, pictures and little snippets that end up...
You are More Than Your Audience
A friend was remarking on going back and deleting posts from his facebook and instagram accounts, trying to be quieter and more purposeful. Part of the reason seemed to be a lack of attention to recent photos, etc. and it became painfully obvious to me. We are more...
Getting Involved- How To’s
I assume you're reading this blog post because you are concerned about changes in our government. Many people are reading the Indivisible Guide online. That is a document that has a more partisan edge to it, so I will leave the discussion of strategy and tactics to...
Those Big Questions….
Becoming a parent is like joining a club. We become responsible for another human being in a way that's different from most other relationships- and for moms, these kids really are part of us- science even shows that part of their DNA ends up in our bodies forever....
GOODBYE 2016!
It's Tuesday, December 27th 2016, and I just found out Carrie Fisher, who we all know and love as Princess Leia, passed away. This ends a year where many famous people have passed away that played a role in the pop culture that makes up my childhood and young...
Nine Things My Dog has in Common with Donald Trump
My husband and I took the dog for a walk this afternoon, and we started thinking about how much our furry kid had in common with The Donald. Both require a handler (or two.) Darwin is 18 months old - a Bernedoodle- and weighs north of 85 pounds, so controlling him can...
Lessons Of The Empty Nest
Both of my kids are off at college for the first time. It means there's a lot more quiet, and a lot less laundry at home. That sounds great, but it's an adjustment to a different sort of lifestyle, and I know it's going to take a bit of time to find a new normal....