Our children grew up thinking that Rancho San Antonio was their playground, all 3,988 acres of open-space preserve, combined with the adjoining 165-acre county park.

After a few years at daily newspapers, I had the opportunity to join the Town Crier, a weekly, in 1993. In addition to working with a classy group of people, I was interested in returning to a weekly, where the editorial staff performs a variety of tasks as opposed to the more limited roles on dailies.

We were assured that competition is good and that Silicon Valley Clean Energy would be way better than the “dirty, bad old PG&E.” In essence, all SVCE is doing is forcing its choice of which “clean” energy it deems best, rather than what could save us money.

We can be horrified at the Parkland massacre. We can be outraged. We can be sickened. But we can no longer honestly be surprised. Can we?

The shootings in Florida are of the same ilk as the ones in Aurora and at Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, Columbine and all the rest: a young man full of anger, heavily armed, with nothing but despair in his heart.

When I first heard about the Brock Turner sentencing, like a lot of women I know, I was outraged and reacted emotionally. I had read about the case and was horrified by the crime and felt empathy for the victim. I quickly jumped on the bandwagon behind the Recall Judge Aaron Persky movement, by signing the petition and lending my endorsement. Since that time, I have spent more time thinking deeply about the situation and regret my haste in making a judgment about Persky.

A few months ago, when I started questioning my decision, I decided to research the issue more thoroughly. I read that Retired Judge LaDoris Cordell was against the recall. That gave me pause, because I know her reputation to be a fair judge and a champion of equal justice and opportunity. I spoke with many attorneys I know, including a few in my own family and some who work as prosecutors of sexual assault. I read about Persky’s career; that he spent six years prosecuting violent sexual offenders and served on the executive committee of the Support Network for Battered Women and on the Santa Clara County Network for a Hate-Free Community.

It was early December and we were in get-ready-for-the-holiday-season mode. We were looking at early deadlines, some much-needed vacation time and visits with family.