July 2012

Are You Glued to the Olympics? What Do They Represent for You?

I’m not  sporty person, but like millions, I’m transfixed by the Olympics. I consumed every moment I could of the opening ceremony, quietly teary as the athletes of the 204 competing nations entered the stadium. By the lighting of the cauldron I gave up all pretense of not crying. It was a monumental moment. “As […]

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It’s More Than Just Your Vote — Why Citizen Advocacy Matters

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I’ve lived in four democracies and one partial democracy in my life. As a child and teen I had a handful of opportunities to visit with elected officials. It always felt very special and rarified. As I got older and more cynical, the exercise felt less valid. And I stopped. After a hiatus of more […]

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This Will Not Be Tolerated in My Home

You’ve all said, or heard another mother (my own mom for sure!) say, “that will not be tolerated in my home!” This weekend I attended a global poverty conference in Washington DC organized by a grass-roots advocacy group, Results. One of their keynote speakers was Marianne Williamson, author and speaker. She talked about being part of a […]

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Is Life About Being Happy?

I have been on and off the road all month, for lots of wonderful opportunities and experiences. I am grateful for each of them. But right this minute, I’m tired, and I miss my family. I had a conference in Washington DC over the weekend and first part of this week — and brought them […]

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Anne-Marie Slaughter and the Trade-Off Ratio of Work Life Balance

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Recently I was invited to apply for a CEO position for a very cool start-up targeting new mothers. I pondered over it for 24 hours, googled everything I could find on the company’s founder and backers, and thought long and hard about two key questions. Was something I could do (did I have the skills […]

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When Big Girls Have Slumber Parties

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Women sitting around a resort in the mountains bonding over blogs, twitter and motherhood at a social media conference can beg the question – is real business being done? Like any self-respecting corporate golf tournament, dollars and cents conversations are happening, deals are being struck and deep networking happening. It looks prettier and there’s way […]

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3 Reasons Why A Woman Who “Waited” Til Marriage Still Needs Contraception

When I began my family in my mid-thirties, I was in a hurry! I was sure there were four children meant for our family. My husband and I come from a strong Christian religious tradition and “waited” until marriage. My body handled 6 pregnancies and 4 safe births in just over 6 years — I got […]

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