Politics, like most everything else in life, is made to seem way more complicated than it actually is. Mostly because if we just realized our nation's capital is full of mean eight grade girls and brilliant nerds who still carry grudges against the "Big Man On Campus" we'd get a lot less worked up about the posturing and gaming that happens all day, every day in Washington, D.C.

Take sequestration for example. What is happening right now is the eqivalent of the President and Congress being stuck in a loveless marriage.

“Think Cold” reads the title of Marilyn Singer’s poem about Humboldt Penguins, creatures who inhabit the hot, dry coastal deserts of Peru and Chile in her 2012 collection: A Strange Place To Call Home: The World’s Most Dangerous Habitats& The Animals That Call Them Home.  Although, “newly published poetry collection” and “State Standards” seem to be phrases at odds, bright teachers and children show how creativity lives among the standards.  Are you a parent or teacher worried that newly adopted public school learning standards will crush our children’s spirit as much

I read an article today called “The Wrath of a Great Leader,” and it focused on how Martin Luther King Jr. channeled his wrath and anger over human injustice into a transforming force that compelled millions to act, and ultimately changed a nation. We don’t like to talk about wrath and rage much because, too often, we see the harm and suffering caused when individuals take their rage out on coworkers, on children, on spouses, on innocent lives in the community so we work very hard to manage our rage.

Happy New Year all! I am glad that 2012 is over, not because it was bad, but because 2013 promises to be better than 2012. I'm an eternal optimist. I was actually READY to get back to work today, after being off for two weeks. I was well rested and ready to attack the day. 

Just how “family friendly” are our elected officials?

Working Mother Media President Carol Evans took center stage last week on “The Cycle,” an ensemble political talk show on MSNBC, to discuss who on Capital Hill deserves to be called one of Working Mother’s Best of Congress.

Hey, it's not just for moms anymore: Dads, too, are looking for a little respect in the work life balance circle, according to a new study from Boston College’s Center for Work and Family. 

Serving as a member of a board of education for a public school is not an elementary volunteer post. Most parents would prefer to volunteer serving food and beverages at sporting events, instead of spending time making decisions which other parents and taxpayers may or may not agree upon. Most sports fans happily thank the volunteers as they devour their delicious slices of fresh baked pie, but may not thank the board of education members, whose votes will impact taxes in order to improve the public school’s sports programs.

Article first published as Presidential Status Quo Bashing on Technorati.

So tonight we close down the Democratic National Convention with the Commander in Chief and the Vice President firmly in charge of the reins of the party and showing the American people what they stand for.  Tonight was a night for closers. I saw television coverage earlier today talking about this being the sixth inning (another sports reference, might I add) and the need for some strong plays. I am no baseball coach but I think I can say without equivocation, the right plays were made tonight.