Regular American Writers will recall this comment of mine not so long ago.

I am referring to this part of the comment in particular:

I know fo no democrat who is a friend of my children…therefore my statement about Flores, who is a Democrat, holds true. It’s not hostile. It is fact. (more…)

“It is compassionate to actively help our citizens in need. It is conservative to insist on accountability and results.” – George W. Bush

For a general and relatively brief exploration on the history of the “idea” of Compassionate Conservatism, this Wikipedia entry is actually pretty accurate.

Go ahead. I’ll wait (more…)

Regarding the 12/22/07 Homeschooling for Life with guests, Jim Bob Howard & Steve Murphy Program.

Since the request for review was made on a Yahoo! homeschool group, I thought I would give my two cents’ worth.

I listened to the podcast of this program and throughout the broadcast I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the crucial, critical element to be revealed in the message of Steve and Jim Bob. It was nice to hear Dads from the community and that, in and of itself, made the program refreshing. (more…)

Some topical conversations, and most everything else on a majority of Yahoo!-based and other on- and offline homeschool communities, seem to express a concern for or addresses the Moms who are homeschooling but wholly leaves out the Dads – or even complains about them. (more…)

Roller coasters.

You think of them and a smile comes to your face. Even if they make you sick, there’s something exhilarating about them. Even if you can only watch while others take their ride, it’s a metaphor for life that everyone has to ride. Roller coasters make you feel so alive.

Right now, we’re watching David & Susan, sitting in the seat right behind Cole, as he takes a ride on a coaster you and I would never sign up for, no matter what. (more…)

I am a Knight of Columbus. A Mason made me do it.

For years David Cooper (Union Dave, Cole’s Daddy) had been telling me about the Masons, and I was familiar with them enough because of the long history on my father’s side of the family back East. David had honored me many times by telling me I would make a great Mason and I should join. It seemed every time David and I were together we’d talk about his Lodge, and we’d visit about the fine men of the Lodge he knew and if I joined he’d vouch for me and get the other good ol’ boys on board to approve my application, too. (more…)

Background: My Mother-In-Law is very dear to me, closer than any other woman except my wife and sister. She is very smart, loves everyone, and cares about people to a fault. She is a teacher by training, now retired. She loves all 12 of her grandchildren (born in the last 8 years!) and her three daughters, three sons-in-law, and one son. She is the epitome of what a Mom should be, and makes Mother-In-Law jokes seem just so foreign to me.

Perhaps her only challenge is (more…)