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A Mormon, a Mennonite, and a Unitarian walked into …
A Mormon, a Mennonite, and a Unitarian walked into a historic inn and gave me hope. I am in Laurel, Maryland, staying at a lovely historic B&B. This morning at the breakfast table were two other couples. Holly and Dave (all the names have been changed) are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of […]
I really don’t get it
This weekend I participated in a march and rally, one of many “Bans Off Our Bodies” events to protest the anticipated Supreme Court ruling to overturn women’s right to privacy and to control of their bodies. And then I heard the news about an 18-year-old boy who was able to acquire body armor and tactical […]
Love, Loss, and Taxes
Earlier this week, someone I’ll call Lucinda (because I don’t actually know any Lucindas) lost her husband. No, he didn’t wander off into the woods – he died. He fell, perhaps because he had a heart attack or a stroke, lost consciousness, and could not be revived. It is tragic and heartbreaking beyond words. Lucinda […]
Moving on, part two
January 6 has passed, but we can’t move on without completing the investigations, prosecuting the perpetrators, and changing our laws and practices to try to prevent further erosion of our democratic system and to protect the integrity of the voting process. I think a lot about what I can do, as one person, to support […]
Moving on … part one
A month ago we moved on. We sold our beautiful two-story, five-bedroom, three-bath, seven-closet, three-car-garage home and moved to an equally lovely one-story, three-and-a-half-bedroom, two-bath, four-closet, two-car-garage house less than three miles away. We gave up stairs, rooms, and closets; we gained a pool and a community center. This move required downsizing – shedding furniture […]
Reality Check; California Dreaming
I worked as a mail ballot drop-off monitor for the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. That means I was one of the people tending a big red ballot box for the last four weeks while we wasted $300 million verifying that we really did want Gavin Newsom as governor. California makes it very easy […]
How do you know what’s true?
In my last blog post, I asked how we can be educated about important issues and feel confident that we are getting fact-based information. I have several recommendations, none of which are my own unique ideas. Check your sources. Who is writing or speaking? Instead of reading someone’s interpretation of a new policy or a […]
“I don’t pay attention to politics”
I met a young man, a recent MBA, working for a financial advisory company. In his attempt to establish a connection, he asked if I was a fan of the Golden State Warriors, since I live in California. He is in the midwest. I laughed a bit and said I wasn’t even sure what sport […]
Jeff Bezos and me
My book is now available on Amazon. I didn’t want to do it. I did not publish the book through Amazon, but I just released it through IngramSpark, which is a publishing site linked to independent bookstores, and it also distributes through Amazon. So you can click here you can order the paperback version. I’m […]
Why I Teach
I haven’t posted anything recently, until today when I had to brag about Sheila Kennedy’s shout-out in her blog. I’ve been busy. I teach “Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility” (oxymoron 101) at UC San Diego, and this quarter I tried something new. I asked students to sign up to play the role of a […]
” …thoughtful, civic-minded people are engaging, and in very productive ways.”
So says Sheila Kennedy in her blog where she provided a review of my book. “Shaffer and Barth have done a fantastic job. They have anchored their guidebook in the importance of three things: civility, clarity and communication. They explain why and how to properly define the problem–it isn’t always what it seems. They also […]
Why Bother?
Another book, more advice, really? Do I need this? Well, here’s what one local resident said after reading my book. “Lisa’s book, “Potholes, Parks, and Politics: A Guide to Getting Things Done Locally (without Having to Run for Office Yourself)” shows a depth of experience, knowledge, and insight about how to solve problems at the […]
Everyone’s Getting Onboard
This book is about how to make change. Senator Bernie Sanders has shown that change is possible. Even though he didn’t win the nomination for president, his participation on the process made a huge difference. My book explains that even at the local level, just by engaging in the process, you make a difference. Your […]
Getting Personal
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, added $67.9 BILLION to his net worth this year, during our pandemic. This is why I don’t sell my book on Amazon. I believe that every dollar I spend is a vote in favor of the organization I’m buying from. I haven’t totally avoided shopping on Amazon – sometimes it […]
Making Change in 2021
The Encinitas Advocate wrote a lovely review of the book. “In a newly released book, “Potholes, Parks, and Politics,” Shaffer distills her knowledge and experience from the council into a guide that equips residents with the know-how to make a bigger difference in their communities.” I’m about to order the 3rd printing. Get yours now […]
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