Articles written by Melanie Saxton

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About me - Melanie Saxton

Hi - I am a professional writer, editor, journalist, and blogger with work published in magazine and online venues. I have a degree in English from the University of Houston and enjoy working in the world of words. As the Houston Single Parenting Examiner

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Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: True dog hero stories: 1 of 90
It took some begging. The ball of wiggling, blond fur delighted my daughter and melted my reserve. There was just something special about this Labrador puppy - I felt it in my bones. I did not know then that this adorable beast would save two little girls from a horrible fate. What I did know was that the little stray was fat... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Death Penalty Arguments in favor of the death penalty: 2 of 39
No one forces the murderers in our society to kill innocent people. Murderers choose to shoot, stab, strangle, drown and beat us - their victims and potential victims - to death. Their choices have consequences.When I hear of a death row case, especially involving murder, I feel relieved that the convicted killer will eventua... More..
Education > Distance Learning How an online degree is increasingly legitimate: 2 of 30
Online or Traditional - A Degree is a Degree.Now, more than ever, earning a degree can mean the difference between a job and a career. Recent highschool graduates are challenged to jump into the college pool. Older people are challenged to return to college to finish degrees. A degree should help increase a worker's earnings ... More..
Jobs & Careers > Jobs & Careers (Other) Why do people work so hard just to stay poor?: 2 of 28
Dave Ramsey. Famous for making rice and beans the meal of choice in many households. Famous for the "one year of subsistence living" mantra. His Talk Radio show airs because people work so hard ... just to stay poor.How the truth hurts. People in denial are addicted to spending money they don't have. We can all plead guilty -... More..
Relationships & Family > Cheating & Trust Issues Can a relationship with a cheater work out?: 4 of 44
On the cusp of my wedding, my mother said, "It's not too late. You don't have to do this." How oddly comforting, these words of love and concern from a parent who had already bought and paid for a wedding. Regardless of how kind, sincere, and angelic he was, both my mother and I knew my husband-to-be had cheated during his fi... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Styles (Other) Is it better for children to be raised by stay-at-home parents?: 8 of 85
We can all accept there are good and bad parents with a variety of life challenges. We all know that some parents must work, especially single mothers, because there are mouths to feed and bills to pay. Conversely, a small percentage of parents stay at home because they are unemployable, drug-addled or unwelcome in the commun... More..
Pets & Animals > Horse Care & Health Understanding a horse's desire for companionship: 1 of 10
In the handling of equines, a certain amount of psychology comes in handy. Understanding that horses are hard-wired to be social creatures is an important component. Their primal instinct is to band together, for two main reasons: 1.) Safety, and 2.) comfort. Understanding the desire for companionship is the key to being a be... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Behavior & Discipline (Other) If children behave badly, who's to blame: Parents or child?: 14 of 103
If children behave badly, who's to blame? Some children are born with mental and physical disabilities. Some have psychological imbalances. They may be affected by autism, ADD or ADHD, fetal alcohol syndrome, shaken baby syndrome or a host of other disorders. Some may suffer severe emotional trauma, nutritional deprivation or... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory Atlas Shrugged: Ayn Rand, Communism and Capitalism: 1 of 7
In studying the political philosophies of Ayn Rand and the symbolism of her last novel, "Atlas Shrugged," novel, I was struck by the enigmatic nature of both. Hers was a capitalistic world view, which might lead the uninitiated to assume that Ayn Rand supported our present day concept of democracy. But not so fast! In order t... More..
Home & Garden > Home Repair (Other) Top things to consider before hiring a contractor: 4 of 24
It's a fact of homeownership: Contractors are a necessity in maintaining a home and retaining or increasing its value. Weather, age, insects, and animals all wreak havoc on domiciles. Wind and rain ruin roofs and siding. Plumbing backs up, foundations settle, and windows leak. Worse, termites eat framing and bees colonize in ... More..