Since when has a three-some been bad? Maybe if you are on the outside looking in with an emotional stake in the action. Well that is how I feel about our current situation in DC and I know a majority of Americans agree.

I have an emotional stake in the action and I am being left out, ignored and forgotten. So are you. Our two-party system of governing needs a little spice, needs to be shaken up a little; needs a good old fashion three-some.

I had always hoped John McCain and Joe Liberman would break off and form a new party. And yes, the Green party and Libertarian party exist but they are not ready for prime time. Maybe because the Reds and the Blues; the Ds and the Rs won't let them be.

Not sure I am ready to be a Tea Party foot solider but I certainly would like to see a third party that has a few fundamental beliefs and then pitches a wide tent :)

Here is my story, nothing to hide.
Registered Republican.
Voted Bush the father, Bush the father, Clinton, Bush (though McCain in primary), Abstained. McCain. So in 6 presidential elections since turning 18 in 1988 I am 3-2 with one abstained. Neither Kerry or Bush had me excited.

I have voted Democrat in the last two Governor races, have voted for Weldon and then Sestak.

I wanted smaller federal government, I want lower taxes.

Tax breaks stimulate the economy not pork barrel wasted spending.

I want the government to provide basic essentials and then it is up to me to get ahead and only I am to blame if I fall behind.

I believe in same sex marriage and have no issue with gay military personnel.

I would discourage my daughter from having an abortion but believe it should be a woman's choice; though under-aged girls should need parental consent.

I believe we need to care for the most vulnerable among us; elderly, disabled, orphaned but we should have end of life consultations (not death panels, which is a scare tactic) and the entire entitlement offerings need to be closely monitored as more than 50% of the people that I know on the coffers are either lazy or scamming.

Being fat is not a disability and healthcare reform starts with getting all the heifers off the couch and exercising.

Pot should be legal, in the history of the world has anyone ever smoked a J and then beat the kids? EVER?

We over medicate and that needs to end.

I believe in god and a greater power but believe organized religion is the root of many of our evils.

I agree that campaign finance should be uncapped but it needs t come with full disclosure.

I have no idea who is right or wrong about global warming and clearly many people fudge their research.

So where is my party. Center right, a little. Most independents share a majority of my views and they vote but how many get elected? The two party system does not allow Is to get elected. We don't need the bible-thumping religious kooks on the right and we certainly don't need the fake do-gooder, reward the unsuccessful ones because it is a large voting block, lefties.

We need common sense, center, maybe a little right. But the system needs to be set up where that ideology can thrive. our current system forces too many people to have the votes be bought and true value compromised in the name o the party. It has never been more evident.

McCain, Lieberman, Scott Brown come to my new party. Pelosi, Barney Frank, Reid, Palin, stay on your far outside and let your weight of stupidity push my center up and over the top.

President Obama, with all due respect, your speeches are wonderful, and inspiring and emotional but your actions are a 180.

So my search goes on, not quite a Tea Bagger but I am still looking for that middle ground.

Something Happened

Something happened the other day and it was a milestone or sorts for me. However, I am not sure exactly what it means nor am I sure that I am happy about it. My grandfather passed on December 23rd; he was a wonderful man and we were very close. We spoke three or four times a week and I never went a week without seeing him at least twice. I always felt that my kids were fortunate to have a great-grandfather and we took full advantage of that by spending a lot of time together.

So what happened?

This past Sunday, less than two months from his death I did something I have not done since that dreary, cold night just before Christmas………….. I went through a day without thinking about him. Is that good or bad? I don't know. It was no ordinary day though, three functions with the kids (one each) cleaning and prepping the house for Sunday dinner with the extended family and all the other activities that are required.

Every time we have sat down to have dinner as a family, parents, brother, grandmother included, I have always though about him and said to myself, it is not complete. However on his day the family was over for dinner and the activities overlapped. I ran in the house with my youngest coming from a birthday party …. The family was already eating ….. I scarfed down ravioli as fast as I could, not taking time to enjoy them or the company I was in…… and out the door again with my oldest for a basketball game.

So it was not a typical dinner where there was a lot of conversation and time together. But late that evening, as I was preparing my work for the coming Monday, it hit me. How could I not have missed my grandfather today. HOW?

I am comforted by the fact that I have no regrets, that I spent so much time with him and that I loved him and he knew it. Maybe that is why the transition to life without him has been relatively easy. There is not one thing I wish I would have done, nor one activity I didn't get to, nor a conversation we didn't have.

Maybe that is the lesson to learn, it is ok to go a day without missing a loved one because it means you cherished and valued the time that you had together and took full advantage of it.
I still wish he was here but I am so very happy that I have no regrets. And it is ok to not miss someone and more importantly we must make sure we live our lives so we can move on after a death and not be saddled with ……… what ifs and why nots or how come I didn'ts.

Introduction

So this is my maiden blog. I must say I am disappointed in myself as I have a journalism degree and 14 years of technology sales experience (much of which was cutting edge); you would think I would have been an early adapter. I should have been.

But enough about the past. I am looking forward to using this site to share information, ideas, opportunities and much more.

The person in history that I most admire is Ben Franklin. As I was setting up this profile all I could think about was how he would have used a blog, or any social media outlet for that matter. Social media is a natural progression of many institutions that Ben Franklin started, he would be proud of us.