Whereas last night Michelle Obama was graceful and heart-warming and showed the kinder, gentler side of the Democratic party, tonight we saw a markedly different side - one that FIGHTS back and boy did they ever.  Not only was President Bill Clinton his charming, avuncular self but he was also tough and funny and direct and he made the points that have been needed to be made for quite some time.

It’s amazing the highs and lows one can experience in the span of just a few hours. Today was definitely one of those experiences for me.  Charlotte continues to be extremely challenging – from the torrential downpours to some of the most frustrating logistics I’ve encountered – it’s been difficult to say the least.  But, that being said, despite the fact that we had to stand in the pouring rain waiting to get into the arena, it was also a bonding moment for the faithful.

Greetings Y’all from soggy Charlotte, North Carolina.  It’s all convention, all the time in this town…the welcome mat is out and despite the damp weather (remnants from Isaac still plaguing the south), it’s clear that folks here are excited to be hosting the convention. It’s definitely a different feel than Denver 4 years ago, but I suppose that’s to be expected. The stakes seem higher and the tone is markedly less optimistic – it’s more like manning the battle stations.  I’m also not 100% sure that Charlotte is ready for all this.

It seems to be the question of the moment according to most news outlets.

Am I better off now than I was four years ago? Absolutely. Will I be better off in 2016 than I am now? Absolutely. Better off in 2020 than 2016? Absolutely.

“Hangin’ tough…” The New Kids on the Block knew what they were talking about! Why does doing the right thing have to be so difficult? Think about it. From childhood, we are taught right from wrong, and we pass the lessons on to our own children.

I wish people would stop telling women what they can and can't have...  From the sound of it, Ann-Marie Slaughter did exactly what she wanted, needed or was driven to do, in her story; "Why Women Still Can't Have It All." We live is a world of customization and have been saying for decades one size doesn't fit all.

This morning, the hot story everywhere I turned was about the American family’s drop in net worth. Data provided by the Federal Reserve shows that the median net worth (as in “assets minus liabilities”) in 2001 was 106,000 dollars. In 2010, it dropped to 77,000 dollars, a fall of almost forty percent from a peak of more than 120,000 dollars in 2007.

Do you have friends or family who work at a local school? If so you might volunteer to be part of career day or even speak to an individual class. For example, most teachers must teach Social Studies, even if they are a Math, Reading or Science teacher.

I often times sound like a broken record to my close friends and family. Give me any political issue and I’ll show you exactly how money in politics plays a significant role in its outcome. I’ll spare you my long lecture about how the role of money in our political system degrades the health of our democracy (maybe I’ll hold that for another Working Mother post) and get right to what’s been on my mind.

There was big news last week but you probably missed it.  With all the focus and controversy about the Time breastfeeding cover, there was little attention to the announcement about an issue that we can all agree on.