BarbD

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  1. Pride and Patriotism Doesn't Come in Blue or Red, Left or Right

    7/19/10 3:07pm by BarbD
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    This post of mine (under a headline I did not write and that made me cringe -- "A Leftist Mom’s Pride in Her Enlisted Son”) was recently published on a conservative blog:  Read more >

  2. To Serve and Protect

    5/20/10 12:03pm by BarbD
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     “I want to save lives and serve my country.”  Read more >

  3. Why Won't They Listen?

    2/26/10 6:45am by BarbD
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    Why don't people believe climate scientists that anthropomorphic global warming is real and a growing threat?This question puzzling scientists comes as no surprise to social scientists. NPR's All Things Considered ran a recent story highlighting research that shows a belief in climate change hinges on a person's world view. From NPR's story:  Read more >

  4. And Now, A Word From Our Sponsors….

    1/23/10 9:08am by BarbD
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    I guess I’m not done yet with this topic of the Corporate States of America.  Read more >

  5. The Best That Money Can Buy

    1/22/10 4:03pm by BarbD
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    Coming on the heels of dire warnings that a 41st Republican Senator would most certainly derail health care reform, the Supreme Court -- acting against 100 years of precedent –- ruled that the government cannot ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections.As I posited on Facebook, “does anyone else wonder, with yesterday's Supreme Court ruling granting corporations First Amendment Rights, whether we've officially ceded the US government to corporate interests?”  Read more >

  6. A Poignant Lesson on Attachment and Loss

    1/7/10 11:51am by BarbD
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    This past Monday, I left my bracelet in the locker at my gym. Taking it off in the first place was a hard habit to get into; I never remove it except when I must -- my few hospital stays, airport security checkpoints and now, when I go swimming.But that day, I left it behind when I gathered my things. I realized it was missing about an hour after I got home, and rushed back to retrieve it. It was gone: whoever found it did not turn it in, nor has it shown up in the days since.  Read more >

  7. “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night….”

    11/16/09 3:22pm by BarbD
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    I had lunch last week with some former colleagues, all of whom – like me -- accepted an early retirement package our company offered to qualified employees.Even without that incentive, it has become common practice for people to leave our company by age 55 because of the generous retirement benefits, including health insurance.  In fact, as one of my lunch companions told me, the system had evolved over time to implicitly encourage this trend.  The buyouts simply accelerated that process.Some of us skipped out joyfully; some of us looked around and realized that -- ready or not -- it was time to go; some of us left kicking and screaming. The common thread?  Whether it was seeking full-time or part-time re-employment; consulting, or working on contract; starting our own companies or buying a franchise:  many of us weren’t ready (or able) to stop working. The latest exodus of early corporate retirees join a flood of 50+ adults losing their jobs due to the punishing recession. Any way you look at it, there’s an amazing number of highly skilled, hard working people looking for ways to continue being productive. And yet connecting people in this age group with opportunities is difficult.  Read more >

  8. A Conversation on Climate Change

    10/15/09 3:42pm by BarbD
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    It started off simply. An email from my conservative brother, distraught about cap and trade legislation that had passed the U.S. House. Just another in a long-running policy debate between him and his liberal older sister.  Read more >

  9. Who Does She Think She Is?

    7/18/09 8:17am by BarbD
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    Were I to answer that question today, I'd say "I don't know."  A few weeks ago, I might have answered differently. Then I saw "Who Does She Think She Is?"    Read more >

  10. Another Parenting Milestone

    5/9/09 10:35am by BarbD
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    In less than a month, my son will graduate from college and leave for Alaska. Whether it's his launch into full-blown adulthood or the nearness of Mother's Day, I'm awash in parental nostalgia of the teary-eyed variety. On a cold and snowy February morning just over 23 years ago, I learned the child we expected in March would make an early appearance.  Read more >

Barb D

Full Name
Barb D
Member Since
July 2008
About Me: 

January '09 came and I turned 55.  I find this hard to believe ;-)

After 33 years in the corporate world, I accepted an early retirement package in January '08 and decided to try the world of independent contracting.  Great timing!  Fortunately, I found work right away, although it's not enough to keep me from tapping my nest egg from time to time.  

I'm a writer/editor/web communicator so it's natural that I've been involved with blogging from early on, both personally and professionally.  I'm erratic though -- I haven't yet developed the discipline to keep the pipeline filled.  I hope to register my blog on Blogher soon, and contribute more than the occasional comment to others' blogs.

I'm divorced and my only son is 24, a college graduate and about to enter the Coast Guard.  I have the luxury of time I lacked as a single parent and full-time employee. 

 

I'm still a little lost as I try to find the passions to fill this next third of my life.   I expect I'll be exploring that.

Location Tags: 

china,guangzhou,la,cincinnati

Employers: 

pg

School Tags: 

college of mt st joseph

About Me Tags: 

blogher,current events,buddhist philosophy as it relates to everyday life

Causes Tags: 

education,the arts,world events,peace,equality

Favorite Tags: 

connecting with people,my siblings,my clown,my son,music,politics,theater,my mom

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