I have always made it a point to give to local organizations that make a difference. Some major organizations (such as Myasthenia Gravis) do get donations because they are underfunded. As a former reporter I knew many people displaced or unemployed through no fault of their own. Local support was essential for them to receive groceries, help with heating or rent assistance. Those of us who are able should reach out.

I witnessed a car nearly running down three teenage boys walking in their neighborhood as it passed me in a no passing zone The boys had to leap out of the way fast to avoid being killed. I could see the terror on their faces and stopped to make sure they were ok. The car that nearly hit them was already out of sight. It went so fast that I couldn’t get a license number nor could the boys in the confusion of scrambling to avoid being hit. I did see the women driving the vehicle. Coincidentally the out of control car hit a curb breaking a tire when it tried to turn on another street too fast. I managed to get the plate number at that time. I lived less than a block away so after arrived home I called out Department of Safety giving them the details of what happened. About that time I looked out my window seeing the very same car limp down my street dying just up from my house. I called the police back again telling them where it could be found. When the officer stopped the women in the car denied everything. I told the officer there was a second witness with me. At that point they pointed to each other each accusing the other of being the driver saying they didn’t see the kids. One of the occupants told the driver they were going fast because the brakes on the car were failing. One member of my family was not happy about my calling the police but I said that too many people ignore outrageous dangerous acts. The people perpetuating them not only get away with them but often repeat it with disastrous consequences. I was glad this was once time I could make a difference. My older sister was killed by a hit and run driver and no witness ever came forward in her case. As a mother I would hope that if someone witnessed something like that happening to one of my children they would care enough to get involved. Bad driving is an economic force to be reckoned with. The reckless disregard for life and property cost families millions of dollars a year. Some of is preventable if ordinary citizens will get involved.

The people who make the greatest difference in the world are seldom rich or thin. They are individuals who said, “I can do that,” then went on to make a difference. These were people like Marie Curie, Virginia Apgar, Sally Fox and even Hedy Lamarr who invented a secret communications system to help the allies during World War 2.

The person who coined the phrase that you can never be too rich or too thin was out of touch with reality. Healthy lives are based on having enough to care for yourself and share. Money is a tool to buy the things we need and want as well as hopefully tithe to places that will make a difference. Genetics and personal health often dictate our body shapes. Ask a person on chemo or a person with a medical challenge if they really want to be thin. Their reply would probably be to have a normal life back.

Caroline Kennedy was never groomed for a political position. In the past she valued her privacy. People need to understand she was probably thrust into the spotlight to step up to the plate so to speak. After being on the campaign trail she was smart enough to realize this was not the path she wanted to take. She should be supported for making a clear decision on this matter. There is no shame in saying no to pressure.

When Madoff began giving expensive jewelry and writing checks to friends and family it became obvious to me that his wife had to have known or suspected something was going on. In most marriages the majority of women have a sense of what is taking place. How could there not be some indication that things were not in the up and up from way back? Things like this do not happen in a vacuum.

Women are slowly breaking through “glass ceilings” as our potential is recognized. We have to remember that it isn’t just men keeping women from top positions but other women as well. Some prefer to work for a man instead of a qualified woman supervisor. A woman who has earned her position should be respected and supported by her peers. Jealousy among those not immediately chosen for a slot can undermine the ability of the person selected to do her job. As more women move into top management we should be looking at qualifications not gender. One of the best supervisors I ever had was a woman editor who knew her own mind. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She set high standards I was proud to follow.

This inauguration is a time of hope for the country so it should be celebrated. Our new president is facing four tough years cleaning up after the last administration. Let him savor this moment because he’s earned it.

The American captains of industry focused on short-term gains instead of long term profit. In the past engineers who understood the process of the industries they worked for worked hand in hand with management. They scheduled shut downs and routine maintenance. It was understood that money had to be spent on the equipment if they expected to make money from the process. Over the years MBA’s who had never worked in the field and accountants called the shots for industry across the land. Their solutions were to let go of key senior people because they could hire newbies cheaper. The new people were not up to speed and did not know the processes so they made mistakes that cost many people jobs and often ruined equipment. Some of them hid behind their degrees often refusing to listen to people who had been with the company when they gave suggestions that could make the plants more self-sustaining. Manufacturing anything from textiles to paper means maintaining the equipment for it to work at an optimum level. Many of the new managers or those in charge chose to defer or simply not keep up the equipment because it saved money for the current fiscal year. They did not look at the fact that breakdowns equal lost profit because customer orders couldn’t be filled. That profit would have more than paid for plant maintenance. In some cases the cheapening of the process meant an inferior product that customers rejected. Many legitimate customer complaints went unheeded until those former customers took their orders and money elsewhere. Profit they could have had went to companies overseas. Some of the new directors thought it would be cheaper to move some of the plants overseas. The people making those decisions didn’t factor in such costs as foreign graft, or higher operating costs because of government regulations. Nobody did the math to see how much it cost for shipping raw materials to and from the US or teaching the process to new hires with no skills with a language barrier. They learned the hard way that the salaries of American workers were not a bottleneck to success. If we want American industry to return to real productivity it is time to go back to the roots of the businesses. Study the process from the ground up to see what it takes to make it a success. Hire more engineers to maintain the plants. Allow them to study the processes so they can remain competitive with foreign imports.

I am going with the flow of what happens in my life. If an opportunity comes I’ll be ready for it. I find resolutions bog you down with guilt feelings about what you “should be doing.” Instead of pushing to do something I’ll chill out joining in when I can and not feeling guilty.

2008 was actually a milestone for us. Eighteen years ago my husband was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease. We were told he had five to eight years at best. We are celebrating the fact that medical advances have made it possible for him to live a near normal life during this time. Yes, he is tired and has developed many other medical issues but we watched events roll by we never expected to see together. Both of us have learned to celebrate the ordinary things we can still do.

Today is a time to stop and say thanks for being able to make the magic happen for my family. We were able to be together, a privilege many people do not have. I am especially grateful for the love and caring shown by family and friends. That warmth means more than any of the gifts received.

Christmas is all about sharing for us. Even when we didn’t live close to family we shared the holiday with friends who didn’t have family near either. Every holiday was always about caring for others and making new traditions. None of the celebrations were costly but everyone created a priceless memory.

I didn’t mean to come across as cranky but my father-in-law was never peaceful. He came home from WWII with battle fatigue and shell shock, a condition he never fully recovered from. We have tried endlessly to include him in all our activities. I take him to lunch with my friends after his physical therapy making sure he is not isolated. He isn’t happy unless he is being catered to constantly. He needs more help than usual these days because he was just diagnosed with a slight separation in an artery and a small aneurysm. That means keeping his blood pressure down even as he finds ways to be unhappy. My husband says he never recalled a peaceful day growing up. I doubted that until we took his father in when he had an accident. Our lives changed completely once he arrived. I’m sure that if he had therapy years ago things might have been different. I thought I understood where he was coming from because my father was career military. This has been a tremendous adjustment for us all. My father-in-law isn’t my only responsibility. My husband has Myasthenia Gravis and requires help when he is tired. Holidays can be a difficult time when one or both of them require extra care. I try to keep a sense of humor when things happen and realize that this too will pass. I have been criticized in the past for not participating with traditional Christmas activities. That stings when family will criticize. You have to live this kind of situation to understand it. My father-in-law can’t be left alone because he falls without assistance. My immediate family, sisters and brothers, rarely think to offer to help. I realize it isn’t from selfishness but from inexperience.

The airport can be a hassle. I take take the security matters in stride allowing enough time to get through before my flight. I’ve seen a lot of nasty passengers who give the TSA workers a hard time when they are just trying to do their job. We can’t control security but we can control our attitude.