Graduating from being "done" to just being

Ah, if only I got a dollar everytime I've been asked if I'm ready to be an empty nester. I could buy myself a "Colorado State University Mom" shirt! Since Erin's going to be living at home while she goes to CSU, I guess we've managed to delay thinking about the inevitable a wee bit longer. Besides, I'm still too busy sweeping up twigs and broken egg shells from Erin's graduation party May 22. I did have time to record my May 26 "Coloradoan" column on the subject, though, if you've got 3.5 minutes.

Graduation_5-2010.mp3

With Molly over at UNC in Greeley and our standing Wednesday lunch dates, I feel like the luckiest mom in the Poudre School District flock to have both my chicks so close to home. Here's to all the birdies who use their strong wings to likewise carry themselves home.

Thanks for listening to me flap!

No such thing as "normal," anyway

The Coloradoan did a bang-up job covering the aftershocks the economic collapse has had on the area. If you've got a minute - or three - listen to my song and dance about "the new normal," as I wrote in my April 28, 2010 community column:


The_New_Normal_4-2010.mp3

While "loss" is difficult, we sure can't allow a return to "business as usual" now, can we?

If you listened to the above, you know how much I value your time...Thanks a bunch!

Making Sense of the Census

Ah, yes, it's that time of the decade again! Take 3:23 and hear what I wrote about everyone's favorite decennial exercise in the March 24th "Coloradoan" by clicking below:


Census 3-10.mp3

I appreciate your time and effort in standing up to be counted. Now sit down and relax, won't you?

Life goes on...

Losing someone you love is never easy but as one of the Hospice nurses told us, "It's special when it's Dad and his girls." Click on the following link to hear about my father Robert Rader's passing as written in the February 24th "Coloradoan."


February 2010 .mp3

Long live "Good King Robert," as his two granddaughters dubbed him years ago. I love you forever, Dad.

Lame ducks no longer dead ducks

Politics schmolitics! I agree in my January 27th Coloradoan newspaper column with outgoing CO governor Bill Ritter: family should indeed come first. To hear all about it, click here:

Lame Duck 1-10.mp3

Thanks for not, ahem, ducking the important issue of election reform.

Avoiding an apocalypse then and now

Such a merry topic, eh? And yet...

Click below to hear my predictions for 2012 and beyond as expressed in my community column for the 12/23/09 Coloradoan:

Happy_New_Year_2009.mp3


Here's to the brightest (in every way possible) New Year ever! 2010 will be zen!

Love to you and yours.

Thankful for location, location, location

Me and mine are grateful that Colorado State University is in our proverbial backyard even if others can't see how lucky we are. To hear more from my 11/25/09 Coloradoan column, click here:

CSU 11-09.mp3

Thank you for caring enough to listen, and for listening to those you care about.