Over the past several years, the extent to which government action and inaction can directly influence our daily lives has become more visible. — We’ve heard about the big things the Biden administration and current congress have gotten done. The American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Law, first federal gun law in thirty years, large SSI increase, CHIPS and Science Act, and most recently, the Inflation Reduction Act now making its way to Biden’s desk, to…

It’s time to quit being offended by common sense — When I say gun people, I don’t mean regular gun owners, who hunt or used to hunt or inherited their dads’ guns, or even have guns for target shooting. I’m referring to people who think everyone should be legally allowed to walk around with a loaded gun in Walmart, city…

Water can make exercise almost feel like relaxation — I love changing up my workout routine seasonally, and summer is my favorite time of year because of all the possibilities. Even when it’s hot, I prefer to work out outside if I can. The easiest way to make an outside workout on a humid 95-degree day bearable and even…

We just have to stick together and demand it — Late last week, I replied to a social media post without first having either read or paid attention to the news of the day. I had just gotten back from a hiking trip, and still in vacation mode hadn’t yet learned that the Supreme Court officially overturned Roe v Wade…

Let’s take a bird’s-eye view A Republican friend mentioned something interesting the other day. He said it’s starting look to him like corporations are raising their prices on purpose to screw Biden. I’m starting to wonder if he might be on to something. It’s not that I don’t think things…

Looks become a secondary concern — Swimsuit season is finally here. For a while, I’d been expecting this year’s hunt for new suits to be harder for a couple reasons: supply chain problems and the age-related changes my body is going through. This past spring, while trying on the limited supply of matching, appropriately sized tops…

Don’t underestimate the benefits of adult friendships, even if you’re a loner — Over the past few years, I’ve made three good friends. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve met women with whom I connect and have easy conversations, who like doing the same things I do, and who enjoy lively conversation. Only one of my decades-old friendships…

The people who most loudly claim to value freedom are usually the ones voting against it — Republicans claim to stand for individual economic freedom. They say they don’t want “big government” meddling in our lives, but I never hear anything from them about big business meddling in our lives or curtailing our freedoms. They complain about gas and formula prices but then vote against laws that…

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But what if your preference is different than most other people’s? — The three types of empathy recognized by psychologists are cognitive, emotional, and empathetic. One of the characteristics of a lot of people on the autism spectrum is a lack of what psychologists call cognitive empathy. This type of empathy is defined as “…simply knowing how the other person feels and…