Newspapers. I would invest as much money into newspapers throughout the country and give a directive that they market the papers in an innovative way that catches the attention of America again. Pulls their attention away from the Internet for reading for awhile and back on something more real and tangible that they can hold in their hands. It’s not an either or in my opinion. We can and should have thriving print media along with electronic.

Letter #2. You will have to (if you love your mother) literally - not figuratively speaking - but literally be a guide in your mom’s life to a fuller life for her.  Come up with names of therapists for her to speak with, sit down and explain that you think she is in need of therapy and why, and what you feel she can benefit from in having it. You should investigate social activities that she can become involved in for women in their late 40’s and up (I say that because if she thinks 50 is old, if you start looking into senior groups that usually start in the 50’s and up she’ll be insulted) and attend them with her.

Take the time to introduce her into women’s groups online where she can make friends and start meeting up for movies, lunch, outings and travel. Sometimes in situations like this it is easier to say, "hey, she’s a grown woman I can’t force her to change" but sometimes (and I have seen this first hand) when people have devoted their entire lives to someone else, as Margo said, never carving out their own life, they really don’t know what to do or how to go about living their own. Sometimes it takes someone who loves them enough to be there to hold their hand and take the reigns, and walk them through step by step.

Letter #1 I want so badly to scream at this young woman. I can think of a million things I would say to her. The first being "Why did you become a Mormon?"  Did you not take their teachings seriously? I don’t know a lot about the Mormon faith, like many the first thing that comes to my mind is the fact the men can have many wives (which I object to). But I am willing to bet their teachings do not encourage their believers to enter into marriage lightly. It kills me to see so many people these days enter into marriage as if it means absolutely nothing. No big deal, if it doesn’t work we’ll get a divorce.

It is a sacred commitment you are making to another human being. If he is Gay as it appears he is from the letter, HE will want to experience sexual outlets. She can be a-sexual until the cows come home and essentially decide to go the rest of her life without any sex. But I assure you HE will not. And then what. Is it okay for him to sleep around? Is this in the teachings of the Mormon faith?

I always feel out of step on subjects like this where it is clear the world is changing faster than I can keep up with. New definitions of what is moral and right change daily. It just amazes me.

Nicole Kidman and Desperate Housewives Marcia Cross, have the most beautiful complexions.

But don’t you think there were people who felt as you do 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 years ago? Your argument and passion for change now is perfectly understandable. It’s just your belief that our current president is somehow being a coward by not ramming it through regardless of what the senate or congress has to say that I find objectionable.

Do you really want another Nixon? Do you really want another president in office who acts on his desires only without any regard to what "we" want?

"take the heat for not carrying the party on his shoulders, and simply act on healthcare reform via Executive Decision! Wham, bang, done!"

C Jay that is short-sighted thinking on your part. Keep in mind it has been a 60 year fight for universal health care. If it was as easy as Wham Bang Done! as you imply, it would have been done decades ago. Why didn’t George H Bush do it? Bill Clinton? George W.?

You’re asking our current president to do something that you haven’t asked of any preceding president, and that is not only not fair but it is (in my opinion) short sighted. There are reasons, real and tangible reasons why no president has ever invoked Executive Decision as it relates to healthcare reform. Barack Obama is not lacking in courage as you say, by his choice to work with congress and the senate. He is doing what he should be doing as our president and working with the system instead of against it.

And for the record, you chose an awful example by way of evoking Nixon to prove a point. He was without a doubt and statistics bare me out on this point, one of the worst presidents we had in the area of a man abusing and usurping his authority. He thought he could do and say whatever he wanted without any repercussions, and was taken to task by the courts on a regular basis. Barack Obama would be assuring his administration’s failure in the history books if he were to behave as recklessly as Dick Nixon behaved in office.

Oh Ruth, I don’t know if it because I have been up all night working on a freelance project that is due in a few hours or what, but your piece was hard for me to follow for some reason.

It reads (at least for me) as if you were in the midst of a free-flowing - allowing your thoughts to take you where-ever they may - kind of article. But I think I know where you were trying to go with this, and in my opinion it is not so much a male attribute - wanting to rate things, I think it is a human attribute, because women do it equally.

I think we all have an inherent need to qualify everything in our lives to gain a sense of normalcy. A sense of belonging if you will. It’s why people cling to political parties, teams, groups - the need to have order in one’s life. Which is your favorite movie? Me too. What is your favorite book? Me too. I really like that politician…or really hate that on. Me too. We do it equally in my opinion all day, every day to varying degrees.

I’m with Joan Ganz Cooney, I do my best thinking when in the process of falling asleep. I would give anything to be one of those people who brush their teeth, wash their face, sit on the edge of their bed, set the alarm clock, lay down and 10 minutes later they are out like the light. Dead asleep.

Nope, I think and think, toss and turn for hours. But my best ideas, strategies for the next day or book ideas come to me when I am laying in bed trying desperately to fall asleep.

There you go Maggie, and your list of the things his administration is tackling with is still only a snippet of what he and his associates are dealing with.  I think alot of people (much like our beloved Mr. Wow) becomes sick and tired of hearing the same drum beat about the same issue - that being health care reform. It’s what the media has latched onto like a dog with a bone. 24-7 cable news coverage and magazines and papers. When there are a plethora of other subjects and issues he is dealing with.

We elected him because we collectively felt he was the more intelligent, thoughtful and more apt to impose tangible change. But it seems to me everyone is forgetting his platform of change was just that, to change what we knew as status quo from the last administration. It’s been a year and every is up in arms because he hasn’t made the sweeping changes to policies and procedures that have been in place for 8 years.  If he had walked into office and pulled a bush/Cheney and simply ran rough shot America would have been up in arms. "How dare he….who does he think he is?"  But because he is being thoughtful about his every move people are condemning him "He hasn’t changed anything….get on with it already….why is he so concerned about what Republicans think?"

I don’t know why, but I have a good feeling about what lies ahead for us. I’m willing to give him a chance and the time he needs to affect those changes.

You are so funny Sandy, I feel the same way and that is what is irritating to me. When I spend too much time intellectualizing about celebrities and their love and personal lives, I begin to feel a bit like a weirdo.

I would say "Get a life Belinda" but I do have one! Really I do!  :-)

Okay it’s official, I love you Mr. Wow!  There I said it.

Pelosi and the League of Catholic Bishops, what was that?  I mean really. And finally to read someone who agrees with me as it relates to those who oppose the government paying for abortions because they "morally" object to abortions. Well like you, I morally object to war and I am HIGHLY offended that my tax dollars go toward that. And as a qualifier, unlike many who have enough deductions where they don’t actually have to pay taxes but instead get hefty tax refunds each year….I actually have to pay. So when it comes to tax payers complaining about this or that, I happen to be in the camp that has a leg to stand on.

The only area where my love-fest for Mr. Wow is not as strong is on your parting salvo. I couldn’t disagree with you more. Although yes, Democrats are proving to be a bunch of sniveling, scaredy cats. I do want them to fight on (as weak a fight as it has been) toward health care reform. Yes we need jobs. But unlike the Bush Cheney administration, I think Obama can walk AND chew gum at the same time. He can and will deal with the economy, two wars, health care reform, job growth and the multitude of other responsibilities on his desk.You may have lost faith in him and his administration in that regard, but I haven’t.

Oh Caren, my heart goes out to you. That is a long time to be without a job of any type. Honestly, no one will hire you? What is going on? Over 2 years without a job….I guess you have the means to survive, but I know I wouldn’t. My savings would have been depleted quickly. I really do feel for you and hope that something, anything will come along.

As for your cat blog, how funny. I’ll admit, I have a stereotype in my mind about people who are cat lovers. Given we don’t know one another I can not say whether you fit that stereotype or not, but I will say this, IF I was into cats (I’m not, I’m a dog person) your blog would be ideal! You really do know a thing or two about felines. :-)

I agree Phyllis, Quentin Crisp…the name is fitting.

Quentin Crisp. Now that’s a name from the past that brings up odd memories.  One of my sisters (who is now passed on) LOVED Quentin Crisp. She had a bizarre crush on him, made all the more bizarre given he was OVERTLY Gay and proud of it. Her bedroom was filled with photos of him and articles about him. She would often speak of the fact that he was (in her opinion) the most honest and self assured human being on the planet and that she loved that about him.

Okay……that’s one way of looking at him. :-) He was a character to be sure.

I don’t regret voting for Obama. Some of his decisions run counter to how I thought he would proceed, but I’m smart enough to realize (as he is) nothing was written in stone. He did place caveats on all his plans of actions because he realized he was dealing with issues that are fluid and in motion.  There are no definitive answers.

Something as simple in my mind as the removal of  Don’t Ask- Don’t Tell I have come to learn is far more complex than the general public assumes. So I can understand his more thoughtful and thought-out mindset he has on issues.Unlike that of Bush and Cheney who seemed to act on impulse with little regard to possible repercussions.

And I will say this, given all of the issues President Obama has had to deal with, I am so blessed we have him in office instead of McCain and Palin. We have all had a chance to hear Palin and McCain weigh in on the various topics Obama is dealing with, and what they have had to say is scary! Do you remember McCain and Palin’s response to the Iran elections and whether the US should have stepped in?  I sleep well at night knowing we have a competent President at the helm.

Great advice and so important. Girlfriend time (in person) is indeed really important. The computer is great, emails, blogging, but nothing beats face to face interactions with human beings! To be able to hug someone and look them in the eye is as important as breathing.

It definitely is a stress reliever. All of Dr. Lee’s advice is spot on. I walk to work everyday. And on crisp, cool mornings like we have been experiencing lately in Wisconsin, it is relaxing and physically beneficial at the same time. A good walk, some cool music in my ears and I’m ready to take on the world.