Thoughts from the Mountain Top

Since this last election, there have been many cries for the Electoral College to be abolished.  That's something I'm not in favor of, despite the fact that a simple popular vote would have meant the candidate that I voted for would be in the White House right now. A little history for those who forget: the Electoral college was part of an agreement between the states (then colonies) to ensure the smaller states would have a voice in electing the President.  States with smaller populations would not be represented much at all without that as well as the way Congress is structured.  Candidates would only visit areas with a higher population and ignore the smaller, more rural areas of the country.  States like California, New York, Texas, and Florida would be the ones deciding the Presidency while other states would have only a small part in the process. It might sound fine on the outset if that's "your candidate" that would win in that scenario.  I'm hesitant...

Let me first disclose, for those who don't know, there is no one who takes the opioid epidemic more serious than I do.  I lost my oldest child to the epidemic.  She was smart and beautiful.  She had everything to live for and was maintaining a 3.62 GPA in nursing school while also working a full-time job.  She was not the image most people think of when you think of "heroin addict."  But here I am, with it going on five years since her addiction became undeniable and instead of getting help for it she chose to commit suicide.  Not a day goes by that I don't wish she was still here. With that in mind, I read about Donald Trump's appearance yesterday (March 19, 2018) in my state.  You know, New Hampshire.  The "drug-infested den" he describes the state as.  And drugs are truly a problem in rural areas, but that's another post. Trump came to New Hampshire, a state that is still very, very white, and pointed the blame for the drug epidemic ...

My family has enjoyed Disney World vacations for close to 30 years now.  My husband and I spent our honeymoon there in 1993.  I've been known to hop down there for a weekend to see a particular band during one of the festivals or join a group of friends who are there. I've watched the nickel and diming increase through the years.  We stayed at the Yacht Club for our honeymoon in 1993.  Including airfare, hotel & tickets it was around $3000 for 10 nights.  Nowadays they advertise "specials" that a family of four can stay at a value resort for four nights, complete with tickets, for "less than $2000."  That doesn't include airfare.  I watched park hours cut in favor of time that people could pay to be there for special events that were an extra charge.  We found ways to afford our vacations, staying in timeshares outside of Disney that gave us more options.  When the family was older and we came into a bit of money, we bought into the D...

Since joining a couple of Facebook groups for cruises I'm going on in the future. I've seen the great debate about dress codes rear its head every few days.  The lines I'm cruising on in the future - Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines - have "suggested" dress codes for formal nights, but allow most anything in the Main Dining Rooms except shorts, tank tops, and flip-flops.  That is about the level I enjoy which is why those lines are good for me and my family. On Royal Caribbean, it's "suggested" that on formal nights women wear cocktail dresses or evening gowns and  men should have a suit and tie or tuxedo.  It's suggested, not enforced.  I will have dresses with me - not cocktail dresses, but comfortable dresses and sandals.  My son is accompanying a group of friends and myself on a 12-night cruise this summer.  He will have khakis and a polo shirt or a button-down shirt with a Pokemon tie I bought him.  That's about as formal as we...