Columns

Our nation is polarized and angry unlike any time since the Civil War. It seems that we are shouting at each other in person and online. Nobody is listening to one another unless they agree with their opinion. Social media and the 24/7 news cycle magnifies this tension. How do we lower the volume, stop shouting at each other, or get through a dinner with our family or friends without it ending in a fight or someone leaving angry? These are just some of the questions that I am frequently asked when I do transformational listening workshops. People ask, how do we lower the volume and listen with the current discord and political divide that currently exists in the United States?  Peop...

When it comes to thrill-seeking, I’ve always embraced being one of the wimpiest of the wimpy. Why ride a roller coaster when you can watch all the fun from the sidelines? Rhetorical question, to be sure. Let’s just say I’ve been at peace with being a sidelines gal. My family is the op...

Packrat likes Prius. Wonderful engineering, mysterious passageways, fun, twisty-turns, tubing, wild sculpture unheeded expressions of unhinged art; must be a wonderful nesting opportunity somewhere in here, if she could only find it.  And so she looks, she’s young, the world is hers for explori...

Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Incredible Hulk all possess superpowers, but I enjoy supremacy even greater than x-ray vision, unlimited strength, or the ability to fly. My capabilities come from grocery lists in my pocket and canned goods on aisle seven. It’s the power of food acquisition and I’...

I have a confession to make: I love whiteboards. Even as a child, I was completely transfixed by the infinite possibilities they presented. I even remember asking my parents if I could cover all the walls of my room with whiteboards when I was around 11. Not surprisingly the answer was “no,” but ...

I think the difference between a politician and a statesman is that the people believe a statesman will do what he or she believes is the right thing regardless of the political consequences.When it gets down to it, a statesman would rather be right than reelected. It is generally accepted that Mike Mansf...

I like my phone. I rely on my phone. I truly appreciate my phone (and you, too, Siri!) but beyond that, well, my phone is just a phone. She does for me what I ask her to do, when I ask her to do it and as long as that consistency in our relationship exists, I’m good. We’re good.  But when...

Americans are divided over just about everything today. From politics to sports to entertainment, Americans do not agree on anything, except for their dislike of career D.C. politicians in Congress. Poll after poll indicates that over 80% of Americans support term limits for Congress, regardless of political...

Congress has an opportunity to pass legislation that benefits all local citizens, businesses and even protects our democracy. The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, LJSA for short, should be included as part of any upcoming reconciliation bill that Congress is considering. The LJSA is a well-thought-out bi...

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) held their Bison Range Restoration Celebration May 20-22, 2022, which was a monumental day that represented the righting of a terrible time in our U.S. history by restoring and honoring a broken treaty and returning the land and bison back to the CSKT. This ...