If I must write, and I must, why not a blog? It’s what all the self-absorbed are doing now. And I need the writing practice. Vince Lombardi supposedly said something to the effect that “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”  I’ll shoot for that.  Now, there’s some pressure.

Unlike most bloggers, I’m not doing this to build a following. I’d be happy if just one editor from one respected national publication saw one post and hired me to write a weekly column that would be read by millions of smart people around the planet. Call me ridiculous, but I want to make some kind of difference with my writing. This blog will help me explore how I might accomplish that.

I commit to being truthful and thoughtful .

A little personal background that would put some of what I write in context: I’m married to Tom, a man 23 years my senior.  At 75, he’s survived a couple cancers, open heart surgery and is now recovering from a complete knee replacement. I have lupus, a bad back, just had sudden hearing loss in my left ear and, just in the last year, have become a skin cancer magnet. Tom and I both are falling apart at the seams, it seems. That’s age. It sucks.

I also have 2 dogs (Roxy the insane dog and Cade the charmer), 5 stepchildren, 8 grandchildren, 7 nieces and nephews with kids of their own, some great friends and a bike I call Gabriel. They’ll all show up here periodically I’m sure.

Finally, I should tell you, I’m a bitch. At least according to 2 of my 3 siblings and probably more than a few former colleagues. Let them say what they will. I’m a woman with goals and a point of view and I don’t apologize for it. Anymore.

OK, here it goes.