I am not a political creature. My theory about how this country runs is that it really doesn't matter who occupies a particular office. A crisis will be over when it is ready to be over and good fortune will eventually be squandered by the powers that be.

The partisanship that currently plagues our nation has become a great hindrance . Why? Because the members of those two parties know that they do not have to budge from their official platforms. If they do not get voted in one year, come next election they probably will. When you come right down to it there is very little difference between the operations of Democrats and Republicans. It is all for one and one for themselves. It is power.

How do we stop the selfishness? What changes are needed to open minds and come up with real solutions to today's issues? We need new blood and new ideas. I am not talking about finding new candidates to the old parties. I am talking about expanding the two party system to include more views and factions of this country. You add the fear that a party can lose it's overwhelming power by refusing to relook at its mindset, you will get an honest effort to try. There would be an oh no attitude that could actually break down barriers and open the door to cooperation and useful work.

This would only be successful if the candidates of all the new parties are treated with the respect, interest and hullabaloo of the two we have now. They should not be considered as an also run . Involved in all debates,and equal media time. Of course it would only be fair if those candidates had serious ideas, a sizable following and their leaders believed in the way the United States was meant to be.

Of course this is just my opinion and I may be wrong. But at least I am thinking about it. How many officials of the Democrats and Republicans are doing the same?

In March of 1997 I bought a webtv set. A computer was out of my budget at the time and I wanted very much to get on line. With the purchase of a new webtv I was given a free month of a personal ad site. Living at home with my parents because of a severe back injury I was lonely so I gave it a try. After 3 weeks of being hit on by men wo were interested only in a cyber relationship a guy wrote to me with a friendly attitude. I was so disgusted with the replies I was getting that I let him know gently that I had had enough of what I was reading. Surprisingly he wrote back saying that he only wanted to chat, nothing more and that he would respect my wishes. I couldn't refuse that so we started to talk back and forth and when my free membership was up we exchanged e-mail addresses and continued to be in contact. As time went on we realized that we had a lot of the same interests, baseball, music, movies, travel, etc. We were becoming friends and I looked forward to his communications. One day he wrote to tell me that he was having more feelings for me than just friends, but if that made me feel uncomfortable e would never bring it up again. I realized that I felt the same way so I allowed him to call me. Before that to put any fears to rest he gave me his address, the address and phone number of his mother and told me a great deal about his life. Our telephone conversations were great. He did Ross Perot impressions that were just so funny. In June I decided to go visit him in the St. Louis area. It was hard to make up my mind because I knew what I could be in for but I have a friend that didn't live very far from him and she gave me a means of escape if things didn't work out.

In the mean time I was on my way to Walt Disney World in July for a birthday vacation with my sister and 16 year old cousin. While I was down there he mentioned that his back was very painful and nothing was helping. By the time I got home his mother called me to let me know that he was in the hospital with diverticulitis and that he needed emergency surgery. I was paniced because here I was starting a new chapter of my life and it may have been cut off before it began. He came home with a temporary colostomy and of course was very concerned about how I felt about it. It didn't bother me at all and I went to St. Louis at the end of August six weeks after his operation.

My plans was to stay for 2 weeks. One week didn't seem like enough to get to know him but then I didn't want to over stay my welcome either. Before leaving my mother asked for his picture. Her reasoning- just in case he was an axe murderer she wanted something to show the police.The first time I saw him he was sitting in the airport as I got off the plane (this was before 9/11) wearing a red St. Louis Cardinals tee shirt and had a red rose in his hand. I knew that even before I spoke with him that he was THE one. We became instantaneous friends. I enjoyed being with him and he me. The first night we were together he started to cry because he thought he would never be so happy again. How could I not fall in love with a man like that? I met him mother and daughter who were wonderful people. Very accepting of me. The 2 weeks ended up being 5 and the only reason why I went home was to find a place for us to live. For you see he wanted to move to Massachusetts because he knew just how much my family meant to me. Right after I left he had a revision of the colostomy and I did apartment searching. By mid November he was healed, I had a place for us to live so I flew back to St. Louis to help him pack up and come here.

Right after Thanksgiving mentioned that he wanted to go to the Mall. I knew this was odd because he was not a shopper. We went and he directed me to a jewelry store where he told me to pick out an engagement ring and wedding bands. He said nothing else. That afternoon he took me to see my parents where he asked them permission to marry me. We then went to a pond that I had described to him in one of my e-mails, he got down on one knee and proposed. We were married on May 4th, 1998 and next month will be celebrating our 13th anniversary.

I am very lucky. Charles Maurice Wills turned out to be an extraordinary man. He treats me like a queen, is concerned for my welfare and understands my problems. Just recently he suffered from chest pain. I took him to the hospital and watched as he was being checked for a heart attack. I was never so frightened in my life. Thank God that the problem was nothing more than severe heartburn. In such times you learn exactly how much someone means to you. My life is his and I can't begin to think about being without him.

I love you Chuck...forever.

I am truly lucky.

Due to occurances wth a family member right now I have come to be thinking about my grandparents frequently in the past week or two.

I did not know my maternal grandma and grandpa very well. They lived in New york City and we were here 200 miles away. I have no recollection of ma's dad as he passed away when I was 2 years old. All that comes to mind for her mother was a frail old lady who had no patience for her own 10 kids but her grandchildren was a whole different story.

On the other hand, my paternal grandparents lived right next door to us. They were my refuge from a highly volitile, extremely angry mother. I knew I could go over there and be assured of the warmth and comfort every child craves. When my grandfather came home from work he would routinely eat his supper and then lay down for a while to read the newspaper and take a nap. All I had to do was walk in the door and he'd get up and we'd watch TV together or just talk. It was a joy.

My grandmother would want me over there for lunch. She would make us her famous vegetables and cottage cheese. She'd want to know what was going on at the house and had lots of hugs when mom was on a tirade. We'd share a secret or two and we'd have a special chocolate bar in her stash.

She lived until 1974 at the age of 76. The last few years of her life was difficult. She became anorexic and very ill.

My grandfather lived 12 more years. He found another lady after my grandmother died and he married her in 1980. She took very good care of him and for that I am very grateful. Sadly she did not fit into our family well and once he passed away our relationship became strained.

I still miss them after all these years. Because of them I was able to cope with my home life much better than if I didn't have them.

Grandparents are important. Cherish yours if you are fortunate to still have them with you.

As most of you know the congress and president have been battling out a bill to reform how the citizens of the United States gets health care. It is a fact that keeping ourselves healthy and being treated for an illness has become increasingly expensive. So much so that people who have health insurance are having to give it up and those who don't have any coverage have to go without medical care. It is a problem that has been long ignored and one that is quickly becoming a crisis.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think making sure everyone here is getting the best care they can should bankrupt our country. I do beleive however that it is a RIGHT not a privelege. Something has to be done and the Republicans and Democrats must work TOGETHER to come up with a solution.

One thing that can be said for President Obama is that he is forcing an issue that should have been addressed many years ago. It won't go away by ignoring it.

Do I think the elderly will have to go through "death panels"? Vehemently NO! Do I think we will have to adapt to a new way of doing things? That would be a big yes.

So instead of everyone getting up in arms as to what they think will happen or reacting negatively to rumors we all must come together and help reach a good compromise that will suit as mnay people's needs as possible.

Over this past weekend a well known professor at Harvard University of African American decent was arrested while attempting to get in his own home.
According to the professor he had lost his key and was forcing his way in using another device. A neighbor saw this, thought it was an illegal and called 911. By the time a solo police officer the professor was in the house already and refused to show the officer his identification. After a lot of back and forth discussion and warnings from the officer the professor was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Is this racial profiling? Fact one- a neighbor called the police to the house. They didn't take it upon themselves to harrass anyone because of their heritage.
Fact 2- The professor could have easily put everone minds at ease just by obeying the request of the officer and quickly take out prooof of residence (i.e. driver's license).
Fact 3- The professor assumed the worse and became increaingly uncooperative.

To prevent a big deal (which didn't work) the Cambridge Police Department dropped all charges even though they really didn't have to. The man was definitley disorderly.

So who was to blame here? The police officer checking on an illegal entry call, requireg ID of someone who did not have a key to the house? Or was it the professor who thought the worse immediately took umbridge and got himself into trouble. All he had to do was keep calm answer the officer's questions and that would have been the end of it.