We The People

Dear Political Candidates,

We the people - They are strong words, conceived and written to express the outrage, the dissatisfaction, and the departure from tyrannical rule.

I've watched quietly over the years as you've made a mockery of the democratic process that our founding fathers forged in blood for us. It's downright shameful, your ads disparaging each other. Instead of wasting our time with your posturing and mudslinging tell us what you plan on doing about the current economic situation. What are you going to do about the job situation and reducing the amount of off shore job outsourcing? How are you going to reduce our current dependency on foriegn oil and begin implementing alternative energy solutions? How do you plan on reducing the amount spent on foreign aid and redirecting those funds to aid programs here in the States?

I sit and watch as your negative ads insult the American public’s intelligence. I have to explain to my daughters that this isn’t the way a Democracy should be. I tell them that a Republic should stand for its people, not special interest groups, not for strict party lines, not for the person with the biggest check book. You have taken what was once an honorable side job, a civic responsibility, and made it synonymous with corruption, disgust, greed. We the people are fed up. We are tired of being lied to. Disgusted with the way things are and how bleak the economic future looks.

I pray that sooner rather than later you will get your acts together, clean up this mess, and return our country to its former glory.

We the people are owed that much. We deserve your respect and you need to re-earn ours.

Important Things

It's been a year since I've posted, uneventful but busy year. My days have been filled with family activities. Raising two teenage daughters is a lot of work and fun. Not always easy, but challenging and rewarding.

I've been spending a lot of my "spare" time reflecting and allowing my perspective on life to slowly change. Opening your heart and mind and letting change happen is difficult at best. Whether we like to admit it or not, we as humans prefer to live our lives within a series of routines. We seek comfort in it.

I have no idea what the catalyst was. But I've realized that the material things in life are no longer as important. Oh I still enjoy a fine cognac, the scent of a good cigar, the silky smooth performance of a high end sports car. These things just are not as important as spending time with my daughters and wife.

I catch myself smiling, sitting and watching my daughters. Reveling in their successes and helping them overcome their failures. I take pleasure in watching them working and playing together. Sometimes I'm strict and I push them hard but I am fair and honest with them. I only want the best for them. I want them to be able to enjoy the opportunities that life presents and be prepared to handle any challenges life throws at them.

Marriages are complicated, it's very easy to fall into a routine and take each other for granted. Everyday, new stresses are added to the relationship. Bills, appointments, errands, and outside commitments all complicate and stress a marriage. It's so easy to let these distractions pull apart a couple. Making it difficult to connect and remember how and why the relationship began. I think it's important to set aside time to reconnect, to try and rekindle that spark that the relationship started out with. It takes effort from both partners to keep the romance and passion alive.

My writing has taken a back seat to all of this. Not for any reason except I have been enjoying watching my daughters become beautiful young ladies and trying to reconnect with my wife. These are the things that are important to me; this is what matters the most.