Yes. We are divorced, and I still support him. I am remarried and still make more money than my current husband. Our relationship is a lot different, so the money doesn’t present a power struggle. We both contribute to the relationship in our own unique ways. Money is not important, and does not prove worth.

Sometimes you just have to let things go and not take things personally. It is so emotionally exhausting to read all the bickering and belittling. What I have done is read the things that interest me. I do not get involved in others’ squabbles. I only comment on things that I find important and/or positive. I try not to waste my time following catty threads or making comments that start arguments. Lastly, I limit my time on any of my social networking sites. I do have a life outside the internet that is far more important. Wishing you the best, LA

Very good comments this week!

I am terrified to fly even though I do it several times a year. It has nothing to do with the recent crashes. I am claustrophobic and do not like to relinquish control. On top of that, I am afraid of heights. Boy, when that turbulence hits, I speak in tongues and freak out. No matter how much valium I take before I fly, I am still never comfortable flying. This year, I plan on taking more road trips. Although, I was just in a car accident a week ago (been in more car crashes than plane crashes). I know because I drive a lot, there is more of a chance of an accident. Oh well.

Growing up, I remember my great grandparents living on the second floor, my grandparents living on the first floor, and my parents and I living on the lower level. There was nothing better than coming home from school and being able to spend time with my family. I really wish things were more like that today. But we are all so disconnected for one reason or another. As far as the Obama’s having his mother move in with them, not a big deal. It is good for the girls. The house is so big, there are not going to be any privacy issues. It is not like they are moving into a small house or apartment together where they are forced to spend every waking moment together.

Yay! Finally some positive news. Thanks for the great article. My husband and I got married at Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas too. So far, so good. :o)

I have everything I could ever want. So, I guess I would just want rest and relaxation. I need to be selfish sometimes. Taking care of everyone else all the time can be stressful.

How sad. I have actually stopped watching/reading/listening to the news for the last couple of weeks. Too many stories like this out there. I feel so much lighter not being exposed to incessant media.

Pet therapy is awesome. I used to take the the kids and the dogs to an assisted living/nursing home facility to visit twice a month. The residents loved it. I know that the kids learned from it as well. We now use pet therapy in our hospice program. It does wonders for the patients and their families. If you have a dog and some spare time to volunteer, please consider providing pet therapy to those in need.

Two of our babies came through adoptions (humane society and from a family that could not keep their dogs any more). Our black lab, Kron, is just a joy. Stinky, the golden retriever, is such a sweet girl. Our last addition to the family was a basset hound (Narudumus or Rudy for short) from a co-worker of mine who’s dog had puppies. I didn’t specifically look for a purebred, but we have three of them. They are all well-mannered, gentle, loving, and faithful companions. Had we found the perfect mutt, we would have adopted a mutt. We had to find dogs that would mesh within our family dynamic. It just so happened that they are not mixed. Adopting a dog or puppy from a shelter is important since so many need homes (need for cat adoptions is even greater). As long as the dog fits into your household, that is important. I highly doubt that the Obama family will have time to adequately train/rehab a shelter dog that has been abused or has other significant problems. I think he has enough to worry about trying to straighten out this country. It would be nice if they adopted their puppy from a shelter or rescue group, though. (Puppies are easier to mold than older dogs.)

Great recap!

Things lose their appeal once they are legal. In European countries, alcohol and other illicit drugs (here) are legal. These countries have less problems with drug and alcohol abusers because there is no excitement. I know when I was underage, drinking alcohol was so exciting to me. Once I was legal to drink it, I could have cared less about it. I think the same thing would happen if marijuana were legalized, a lot of people would lose interest. The tax dollars would be good and the billions wasted on the marijuana war would be saved. It just makes sense.

If it were legalized, the government wouldn’t waste billions of dollars trying to fight it, and waste time prosecuting people like Michael Phelps. The country would be sitting pretty if pot were legalized and taxed just like alcohol and cigarettes. It is not addictive. It is harmless. It does not lead to heavier drug use. It is relaxing and calming. It decreases pain. I can increase appetite. I have never known one person who used pot to be violent, lazy, cause any accidents, or go on to use other drugs. This country is so a$$ backwards a lot of the time.

This is good stuff. Thanks for sharing. Will have to see if I can get it for my Kindle.

I love being 35. I would never want to go back to my teens or 20s. I would not trade in all of my experiences or wisdom for younger age. I have so much more life to live, and a lot to give. I am loving every second of my journey.