I volunteered at the Beagle Freedom Project on Saturday, as this extraordinary group had just gotten in 10 dogs from a San Diego lab and most were not fostered out yet.   We unpacked the generous donations of dog food, bowls, beds and treats so many people had given through BFP’s facebook page .  I was thrilled to see the beagle I fostered last year, Javi (now named Cooper), with his wonderful adoptive mother Maria.  He is so different now from the terrified, timid lab dog I knew back then! Needless to say, I immediately fell in love with Beckett, who tried to get in my lap almost as soon as I walked in.  I impulsively asked Shannon if I could foster him, and I took him home that afternoon!  He is such a lovely boy.  Quietly adoring of Ian and me, he follows us around the house.  He is curious about our cat Hallie (he probably has never seen a cat before), and baffled when she hisses at him.  He is not housetrained (wou... Read more

Last year I bought myself a present: a tread desk. A whaaa? you say. It’s a treadmill under a standing desk! I often spend several hours in my car and several hours checking email each day, so my sitting time has increased markedly in the last decade. Although I have a very nice desk chair, I found that my back hurt, my legs felt swollen after sitting too long, and I was often antsy in the evening from not moving enough. Studies show that, even exercising an hour or more daily, like I do, does not mitigate the unhealthy effects of being sedentary the rest of the day. So even though alot of people (Ian included) thought I was nutty to purchase a walking treadmill, I have to say it is the best present I have ever given myself. It is easy to read emails on my computer while walking, and I find I write better too. I now only sit at my desk to write bills. This is not exercise for me, it just makes me feel better to be moving. I walk ... Read more

When one of my favorite non profits, Population Media Center, asked me to cast one of their radio dramas being produced in Sierra Leone, and coach the actors there, I jumped at the chance. Population Media Center produces radio and tv dramas with storylines dealing with real life issues of family size, women’s equality, birth control and health care. What I love about PMC is that they deal directly with the issues that cause large families. Sounds boring, but believe me, these soap operas are riveting human drama and they are hugely popular around the world . In Ethiopia, over half the adult population in the region listened to the local PMC radio drama and the results are staggering for all the productions: thousands of people have their attitudes and behaviors changed for the better after listening or viewing these series. Some people call them “Soap Operas for Social Change”. The Sierra Leone production was funded ... Read more