For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard conservative Americans crowing about their patriotism. I’ve heard them bragging about their support for the military, telling lefties like me that “Freedom ain’t free” and that real Americans aren’t afraid to fight for it. I’ve read countless comments about what a…

You better be prepared for the “Threatening Threes”. — When my first child was a two-year-old, I thought that I was the best mother in the world. I had been warned about the “Terrible Twos” phase of toddlerhood, and as the oldest girl in a family of six kids, I had many memories of toddler tantrums. But my little…

I was driving to the doctor’s office early in the morning — I had an early morning doctor’s visit the other day. I left my house before the sun was fully up and awake. The sky was gray and dull, with a mix of rain, snow and sleet predicted. My head hurt. It was far too early for this old lady to…

We are stuck with him as long as we stick with the corporate parties — By now you have no doubt heard of George Santos, alleged volleyball star, ersatz Wall Street banker, and occasional follower of the Jewish faith. For all I know, you may also have heard that he is a cardiologist, that he was the first man on the moon, and that he…

Here’s hoping that recent events have encouraged our president to ride off into the sunset — Dear President Joe, You don’t mind if I call you Joe, do you? You have seemed so approachable and human for all of your many, many decades of service to our noble country. Thank you, sincerely, for all you’ve done for us. You were a great wingman for President Obama…

Or how we can at least make a dent in it — Have you guys seen the movie “Dave”? It’s one of my absolute favorite movies ever. It combines a sweet sense of innocence with a deeply skeptical view of American politics. Perfect, right? One of the most powerful and touching scenes in the movie is when the fake president (Dave himself)…

Now is the time to find your moral center Dear responsible, reasonable Republicans, May I have a word with you? First of all, I know that you are out there. I know you. I grew up with some of you, have loved and laughed with you, and realize that you…

You wouldn’t let a child get away with this kind of ‘misinformation’ I taught elementary school for almost three decades. I have heard more than my share of fibs, prevarications, exaggerations, and misdirections. The old “the dog ate my homework” story is more true than most people realize. These were…

Trust me, it isn’t easy to recover from skull surgery — Less than three months ago, I had surgery to remove a benign tumor from my brain. The procedure was done to take the growth off of two of my cranial nerves. It was successful by every measure, so I consider myself very lucky. But let me tell you something: three…