It's Election Day in the USA - VOTE!

If you're in the USA and you haven't already voted in the national election, then PLEASE go out and vote today. I'm not going to ask what candidate you'll be voting for, or what platform you prefer, I only care that you exercise your hard-fought right to vote. That goes double for all of you who are women. We fought damned hard for the right to vote. Don't ignore the sacrifices of your ancestors by minimizing their risk and strength and turning your back on the opportunities that they gave to you. 

This photo is from a Nazi rally from 1935! Long before the 
actual war began. Don't kid yourself. It's really easy to 
get pulled into rhetoric and chants, to feel united with the 
person standing next to you, and to paint those who are 
not in the stadium with colors of treason. It's always easy 
to blame the other guy for your own troubles. 

I'm not fond of a lot of what's been going around in this country for the past six-eight years. I don't believe in the conspiracy theories. I don't believe in the rhetoric or the dogma. I believe in an individual's right to act according to their conscience so long as that will bring no harm to others. I'm not dogmatic, nor do I support those who are. But when I look at the nation today, and look at Germany in 1936, I see horrific similarities, and it frightens me. 

Lest you think Nazi rallies drew people only in Germany, 
here's a photo of a Nazi rally in Madison Square Gardens 
from the 1930's. Hitler had plenty of support from the 
USA for quite a while there, and really didn't get the 
justified paintbrush of hatred until after the death camps 
were completely disclosed. There are those who still 
believe that the Camps were a falsehood, a "big lie". Tell that to my 
grandparents who lost their lives in Auschwitz. 

How can I compare 2022 America with 1936 Germany? Unfortunately it's relatively easy to see the similarities when viewed with the eyes of clarity. I may not care about your individual vote because you have the hard-won right to choose whomever you prefer in the ballot box. But it's not much of a stretch to envision storm troopers of our current day marching down the streets of Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles. It's times like this when I'm grateful that I'm in my latter years. It I was 30 again, I'd be frightened - very frightened. 

I voted early this year, for the primary and again 
in the general election. I don't have to worry about 
getting in and out of the polling place and still 
getting to work on time. DH is off today, so he'll 
go around mid-day instead. Less of a crowd to 
deal with. 

The only way to speak for the future you envision is to vote. I voted several weeks ago, and DH will be traveling to vote in person either at 11:00 am or 1:00 pm (he's uncertain which time will be better for him, but he'll be there voting - we never miss an election). So please, vote. I may not agree with your choices, but it's not for me to decide your platform; we all have to live with our personal decisions. Have an excellent Tuesday, I'm off to the pool. I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

Voting - Do It! - and Some "Me" Questions

Hubby had me awaken him at 5:00 am today. He wants to be at the polls by 6:00 am or so, hoping to be out of there in a reasonable time. He's determined to vote in person, although he might hop onto the early voting or the vote-by-mail (or dropoff) options in the future. No matter what, though, he's going to vote. We've never missed an election, even municipal or primary. I voted early, so I can stick with my usual schedule and not worry about time frames. My ballot has been received and counted and will be downloaded along with thousands of others after the polls close tonight. 

Please vote today if you haven't already placed 
your vote through the mail or in early polling. 
Every vote counts, and you are entitled to cast 
your vote - a hard-won right if you're female. 

Tempers are running high this election, so I'm urging all of my friends across the USA to be cautious today. Vote, if you haven't already cast your ballot, but be careful. You don't want to be injured just because you believe in democracy. 

Vote and be patient with those waiting in line alongside 
you. Politics aside, all of you are involved in something 
quite special - you are deciding the direction of this 
nation for the next four years. 

I'm in a mood for some meme today, so I'll grab the "me" meme bleodswean posted the other day. 

I'm not necessarily good with memes, but I enjoy reading 
them if they're not too long. This one wasn't horrid, and I 
can easily split it into several days. So here you go - 
Day 1 of 3. 

What's on your bucket list?

Retirement. I want to have my days to myself again after years and years of working. I want weekends where I don't have to be in the shop, and I want time for my personal projects instead of just a few stolen hours every week. 

If you win 5mil dollars tomorrow, how would you like to spend the rest of your life?

It wouldn't really change much for me. I'm pretty content with my home and my life just as it is. The house could use new siding and windows, and an updated HVAC would be lovely, but that's a drop in the bucket of 5 million. 

What person has given you the best advice about your life?

I can't say it was advice as much as a lifestyle choice - my father adored books, he always was reading and when he retired, he wrote them. I also love books. From the moment I could read I always have had a book in my hand, and having ebooks on my phone makes that even easier. 

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?

Probably flying, I love to be in the open air, listening to the trees and the birds. 

What happens when your alarm goes off?

I get up. Isn't that the purpose of an alarm? I get up, change into my exercise clothes, and hit the treadmill for 1.5-2 miles before getting into the shower and starting to catch up on my emails and orders. 

That's enough for today. I have two more days of the "Me" questions meme, so I'll continue with another 5-6 questions tomorrow. I'm pretty easy to understand, though. Highly scheduled, well educated, well read and passionate about the things I love. What's not to like - LOL. (On the other side, I do have a temper, I'm stubborn, and I'm very detailed oriented so mess bothers me even though my house defines the word "mess".) 

Have an excellent day, please vote if you haven't and if you are able to, and I'll be back tomorrow. Be kind, stay safe, and please wear your mask. 

The Great Debate and It's a Wash(er)

I had no intention of watching last night's Presidential candidate debate. I've already voted, for me it was wasted air and broken promises. But DH wanted my company and promised me I could fall asleep on his shoulder while he watched, and I couldn't turn that down. So, we hunkered down and watched the debates - he watched, I drifted. I was able to ignore most of it, although it seemed as if the moderator did a much better job in this debate than the earlier debate. If the mute feature was used, it wasn't blatant, and it seemed as if actual issues were being discussed without too much mud being flung from one side of the stage to the other. 

I liked the fact that Biden was in a blue tie and Trump in 
a red one. I think it was the opposite in the last debate 
(I'd have to check photos to be sure). I wonder if their 
stylists bring a selection of ties to each event for them 
to make last-minute decisions. Of course, the ubiquitous 
and obligatory flag pins were precisely placed on 
the lapels. Cookie cutter politics at its best. 

I have no idea who DH will end up voting for. We're generally diametric opposites - his yin, my yang. I keep joking that I was put onto the earth to void out his votes, and that's probably not too far off base. But he's not enthralled with our current President, and really doesn't care for Biden either. I suspect he'll choose the lesser of two evils, and that's a horrible way to have to cast your vote. We see more eye-to-eye for local politics and rarely disagree on our state and local elections. But for nationals - we are rarely in step. 

Maybe make your decision based on the women behind 
the candidates. I'll pick Team Joe any time! 

I am relieved, however, that I've already voted. I checked the progress of my ballot and it was received, approved, and scanned in. The actual vote won't be counted until Election Day when the data banks of absentee ballots will be added into the election totals and we'll have an accurate count (under ideal conditions). What I care about is that I did my civic duty, and I won't have to stand in the cold November morning, waiting for the doors of the church to open for voting. I think that mail in votes and early voting is becoming more popular this year than ever before, so it will be interesting as the votes are tabulated and counted, since many states won't have final totals until 1-2 weeks after the election. 

The YiREGO Drumi is a portable washing machine that is operated 
by using the foot pedal in the front. The clothes go into the 
large stainless steel ball, with the detergent in the very 
top of the ball. It's very cleverly designed, made in Canada. 
I ordered it quite a while ago, so it wasn't fast delivery, 
but there are things I want to wash in it that I really 
can't or shouldn't wash in my regular washer. I'll 
be using it a lot. 

In other news, I received my YiREGO Druni foot-operated washing machine yesterday. I have to admit, I'm really happy with the design. It's quite clever and if I take care of it, it's going to do everything I purchased it for. I wanted it for hand-washables - delicate fabrics and fleece that I couldn't trust to my larger electric washing machine. The Drumi is made for small loads, minimal detergent, and foot-operated agitation. I'll get exercise at the same time as I'll get clean clothes or clean fleece. I can use it in my laundry room with the floor drain, or if I prefer, I can use it in my shower with that floor drain. It's a separate wash cycle, rinse cycle and spin cycle, all powered by me. It's only 20 inches high, and I think it will j-u-s-t fit underneath my laundry tub next to my washer and dryer. I'll bring it home from the shop on Wednesday morning and see if it will fit - it will be tight, but I'm crossing my fingers. 

It's Primary Election Day - Get Out and Vote Today!

Today is Primary Election day here in the USA, so if you haven't already voted by mail, get out to the polls and cast your vote. I know primaries aren't as "important" as the general election in November, but really, the candidates on the November ballot will be determined by today's vote. I registered to vote by mail a couple of months ago and sent my vote in almost a month ago, so I'm set. I did leave DH a note to vote, and also to let me know if he wanted vote-by-mail for November. Today is the LAST day I can get him signed up for that.

I've voted by mail several times in my life, but made sure I signed
up and voted in the primary more than two months ago. 

Of course, there are problems with vote-by-mail too ... an overloaded Postal service and the fact that  things can be "lost" in the mail, etc. But there are also things like chads or malfunctioning voting machines on election day that can cause problems in any election. Nothing seems to be foolproof, so we do the best that we can. I didn't feel like I wanted to play the "stand in line, socially distant" in our November temperatures. I've done the waiting game in sub-zero temps (as well as on "warm" days) for the general election in past years. It wouldn't have been terrible to stand in line in August, but I took advantage and voted by mail.

The race of the day is Ilhan Omar v Antone Melton-Meaux. Although
I think either candidate would be good, I suspect Ilhan will be
moved on to the general election in November. Minnesotans might
be "Minnesota Nice", but we like a spitfire now and again, and Ilhan
Omar is certainly that. 

The big election in our area is between Ilhan Omar, the current Representative, and her opponent, Antone Melton-Meaux. Omar is a firebrand - outspoken and somewhat divisive, but always interesting and someone who makes a lot of waves (unusual for Minnesota Nice). Melton-Meaux is what's called a "progressive Democrat" and has come across well in commercials and articles. His campaign is well funded and this should be quite the battle. I didn't get to vote in this particular election - they're part of the Minneapolis districts, not the St Paul ones. My Representative is Betty McCollum, and I voted for her again because I've liked her through the years. But, five of our eight Representatives were newly elected in 2018 (taking office in 2019), so it's a position that has had a lot of turnover.

• Minnesota's 1st district: Jim Hagedorn (R) (since 2019)
• Minnesota's 2nd district: Angie Craig (D) (since 2019)
• Minnesota's 3rd district: Dean Phillips (D) (since 2019)
• Minnesota's 4th district: Betty McCollum (D) (since 2001)
• Minnesota's 5th district: Ilhan Omar (D) (since 2019)
• Minnesota's 6th district: Tom Emmer (R) (since 2015)
• Minnesota's 7th district: Collin Peterson (D) (since 1991)
• Minnesota's 8th district: Pete Stauber (R) (since 2019)

Regardless of your location or political beliefs, you owe it to yourself and your neighbors to get out and vote today, if you haven't already voted, get to your polling location and vote! ESPECIALLY if you're female! It took women more than 60 years to finally get the right to vote. Don't waste the opportunity to make a difference in your government. 

On that note, I'm out of here. Have an excellent Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. VOTE, Wear a MASK and please, be kind to one another. 

It's Super Tuesday - Vote If You Can

It's Super Tuesday, and I live in a Super Tuesday state, so I'll be heading to the polls on my way to work this morning. It messes with my schedule a bit, but since it's a primary (and our first primary in my state - we used to do things via caucus instead of a direct vote), I don't expect it will take very long. The hurdle here is that they require a party declaration which then opened the voter up to mail and phone calls from that party as well as anyone else they sold the list to. I think that got blocked by the legislature and they can no longer sell the list. Either way, I vote. It's important. 

Up until this election, my state has decided their candidates
via caucus. That has now changed and the populace can
cast a vote for their candidate of choice for their declared
political party - Democrat or Republican. A party affiliation
MUST be declared to vote in the primary. 

I admit, this is a Primary, not the November General Election. To some people that may mean this election is less important than the nationwide Presidential election. I have to disagree, however. All elections are important. Every single one of them, if you're a female in our world today, is exercising an option that wasn't even possible barely a century ago. Since those old days, women have managed to get themselves legally thought of as people, not just appendages and reproductive machines. It's been a long and hard-fought battle that still is being fought in parts of the world today. I would be shaming my outspoken ancestors if I ignored my opportunity to cast a ballot. 

I don't expect a long line or huge crowd, and my polling location
is usually very efficient, so I should be in and out quickly. 

So, if today is a Super Tuesday in your state, I hope you exercise your right as a voter, go to your polls and cast your vote. As I said above, it's important. Have an excellent Tuesday and I'm off to the pool. Yippee! 

Changing One For Another

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a wrist fitness unit that I hoped would help me keep track of my steps, my general fitness goals, heart rate, etc. It actually was pretty good, and at under $30 (plus shipping), it was affordable. I've wanted a FitBit or something similar for several years. So I purchased the FitFort Fitness Tracker, synched it to my phone with Bluetooth, and wore it 24/7. Unfortunately, over the weekend the Bluetooth decided it would no longer cooperate and after a frustrating 48 hours of trying to link back up, I decided it wasn't worth the anguish. 

I really liked my FitFort fitness monitor. It had a few issues,
though, and needed to link to the Bluetooth app on my
phone. It just wasn't linking properly, so I'm sending
it back tomorrow (I'll pack and label it today). Amazon
 will refund the cost to me. 

I contacted Amazon and arranged to return my FitFort, printed the return shipping label, and I'll drop the box off at UPS tomorrow while doing errands. I really loved the concept of a wrist-worn fitness tracker, however, and was right back on Amazon's website last night, ordering a different brand of a similar item. I won't actually receive it for another week or so (wanted to take advantage of free shipping), but I'll soon have a different fitness band to wear. I chose my new one based on the exercises I do - walking/running, stationary bike, floor exercises, and daily general on-the-move activities. I'm hopeful that my new "toy" will work better. I guess I'll find out. 

The LetsCom fitness tracker I ordered last night tracks many more
fitness options than the FitFort did, but it doesn't do blood pressure.
That's OK, though. The blood pressure reading on the previous band
never was accurate anyway. I'm hopeful I'll get a better read on
my activities with the new band, but I think most of them are
quite similar, and may actually be made by the same Chinese company. 

I did manage to finish the ornament portion of my holiday cards yesterday morning. Well ... I ALMOST finished. I still need to punch the hole at the top, thread it with glittering thread, and stamp and decorate the mini envelope, but in essence that part is complete. Today I'll rearrange my work area and start working on the actual cards, beginning with the front. Tomorrow I'll hunt for my twist drill in my tool boxes to get those final steps with the ornament completed. With luck and some time, I might be a step or two ahead by the end of the week. 

I don't think I have any of the pliers-style jewelry punches
in my tool kits. The tips tend to loosen and break on those
too quickly, so I shy away from them. I do have at least
two of the twist-style punches, however, and those I use
quite often. I need to grab one to finish the actual ornament
in this year's holiday card. 

Today is Chickie's final "day off" for the year. Normally I don't even allow staff vacations during November/December, but circumstances got our of our control and she ended up with her final day scheduled today. It's also Election Day, although most of the elections are simple local things like members of City Council or, in the case of St Paul, a rather contentious garbage issue that's had the residents in a bit of an uproar for more than a year. I suspect the polls in St Paul will be well attended today, while the rest of the greater Metro area polling places will either be closed or sparsely visited. 

If your area is having an election today, make your voice
heard. My area doesn't even have a Council vote today, so
our polls are closed, but Chickie will be voting in the
St Paul garbage collection issue which has been very
contentious. 

On that note, I'm off to the gym. Today is a fast-walking day - 2 miles in 30 minutes. It's a good workout and I'm already missing my fitness monitor. Oh well, I'm looking forward to the new replacement. Have a great Tuesday, stay warm (or cool if you're one of my Southern Hemisphere friends), and I'll be back tomorrow. 

Election Day - Photos and a Bit of Rambling

It's Election Day here in the US, and if you're not a friend of mine who lives here, I apologize, but these days Election Days are fraught with angst and a bit of danger. Oh, not physical danger, at least not where I live. Danger because the future of our nation is in the hands of people who can't look farther than their next paycheck or their next meal. People say "These are scary times we live in." They mean it. Well ... I'm saying it too. These ARE scary times we live in. Votes cast today will have repercussions years from now. 

The women of 1918, as pictured in this photo from Minneapolis archives,
were activists trying to get the right to vote. Today women express their
political views throughout the world. 

Perhaps your grandmother, great-grandmother, or
great-great-grandmother pushed for voting rights. 

In 1919, women were given the right to vote in America. Today I'm celebrating 99 years of activism and the legal ability to cast votes here, and in other nations. It takes courage to cast a vote in some places in this country and in some other nations around the world, but women always step up and heed the call. I may not agree with all of them - in fact, I can guarantee that I don't. But I'll fight for their right to help determine their own destiny. 

As we go to the polls today, it's pretty easy and safe here in the US. Here,
in Pakistan, it's less safe and easy, but still, women line up to cast
their votes. They want, and need, to have a voice in their future. 

Often the votes of women of color are under-represented. That needs
to change. To change the future, you need to take action in the
present. Casting a vote for change can be enabling for the next
generations. 

So ... if you have the opportunity to vote today and haven't already voted early, get to the polls and cast your vote. No excuses are acceptable. 

Women around the world need to be encouraged to cast their votes
in local and national elections. This right, fought for so hard by our
ancestors, should not be minimized. 

The simplest thing can create the largest wave. Without using your
voice, expressing your power, you are powerless to effect change.
Go Forth and VOTE. 

I'll be back tomorrow. Have an excellent Tuesday and I hope you've enjoyed some of the pictures I've pebbled today's post with. Now ... GO VOTE! 

Today Is A Day To Vote

Today is voting primary day here in the Frozen Northlands. I wish I could claim this would end the non-stop political advertisements and phone calls, but I know better. This is merely the precursor to thousands of ads and appearance tweaks before the actual election in November. Then we may have six months of relative silence before it all begins again. Do any of our elected officials really care about anything except getting re-elected? 

It's important to vote, even if it is in a primary election. Voting
is a privilege, not a right. 

Nonetheless, I'll drop by the polling station after breakfast, before I head to the shop for the day. It's a bit of back-and-forth, but I doubt there will be major crowds of any kind and it won't take long to cast my ballot. Will my vote make a difference? At this stage of the game, probably not, although I expect our actual November election will be rather tight in some of the races. 

Sometimes it seems that the candidate with the deepest
pockets or the loudest voice is the victor. Not
necessarily the best endorsement. 

I was raised by immigrants from World War II - Jews who were able to (barely) escape the Nazi war machine. Having a voice through the election process is almost sacred, or at least that's what I was taught. Politically, my parents were liberals and I was raised to reflect their ideals. I do, almost all of the time. I voted Libertarian once, and Independent another time, and even voted Republican once, but most of the time I'm a staunch Democrat. But I vote the person, not the party, and sometimes the person is on the other side of the fence. I vote my conscience. 

I wish that we actually had a system of ranked
voting. Ranked voting pulls things away from
party lines and says the person with the most
votes goes against the person with the second
highest total. Period. It's so simple. 

This is a primary election, though. This will toss some of the chaff into the air so that the November election will be a bit cleaner and have more positional clarity. Today's election will merely narrow the field. That's necessary, though. For example, right now there are three different candidates for my little suburb's mayorial position. After today's vote there will be two candidates remaining. Then the real fight begins. 

The major and minor political parties have permanent booths at the
State Fair (here's the DFL booth from a few years ago). Individual
candidates also, often have booths with scheduled "Meet the
Candidate" times. Here, Tim Walz is running for Congress. This
year he's running for Governor of the state. 

The fun part of election season are the various meet-and-greets that take place at the State Fair in a couple of weeks. All of the Statewide and the major City candidates will have booths at the Fair and will make personal appearances. If you have a specific question for a candidate, the Fair is a great place to make your query. 

And, I'm off. Adding voting into my schedule today means a very busy early morning for me. I'd probably better get my act together and head out to the pool. Have an excellent Tuesday, and if you have an election in your area today, go vote! 

Net Neutrality - Gone In A 3-2 Vote

Apparently, yesterday, net neutrality was overruled by a 3-2 vote. For most of us this won't mean much of anything, but it closes the door on total open internet access for all and means that your internet provider/portal can cut off or charge more for access to parts of the internet that previously would have been easily accessible. As I said, for most people that won't mean anything, but for people who are fighting in the trenches to keep access available for splinter groups or subcultures, this may mean a lot in the long run. 

Polls among the population proved that keeping Net
Neutrality was extremely popular among the people, but
apparently that was not shared at the corporate level. 

This vote is political. When consumers are polled, they generally don't approve of constricting web access at all, instead voting in favor of net neutrality. But because of this vote, broadband providers may now block websites, charge for higher-quality service, and/or regulate internet high-speed delivery. It seems to reflect the belief that unregulated business will stimulate innovation and help the economy. I'm certainly not saying that may not be a by-product, but I'm also saying that your internet provider is now going to muddy the water and have different tiers of service, blocking accessibility in some instances completely, based on their personal political and commercial platforms. 

Is your internet one of the Big Four? Your internet content
and access may end up restricted or more expensive because
of yesterday's ruling. I admit, I'm a Comcast customer, but
that doesn't mean I want them regulating my internet access. 

Regulation isn't always positive, but to me it seems as if we are being tossed back into the ages of a single long-distance carrier and dial-up phones with expensive bills. I remember the monthly phone bills while I was in in college; how just one weekly hour-long conversation with my boyfriend (who lived in Tennessee at that time while I was living in Colorado), resulted in bills of $60-$80/month. It was a serious hit to my college budget. There was a single phone company - AT&T, and no choices for any communications across long distances. Now, although I'm still paying that $60-$80/month for a phone, I can call anyone anywhere in the world and I can surf the web, read a book and double-check facts - all on the phone that I carry in my back pocket. I don't want to return back to the stone ages of monopoly and restrictions, paying for every crumb thrown my way. 

It may not be quite this bad, but it could be and that's worrisome.
There's no oversight against making the internet tiered and forcing
everyone to pay more for access in the "fast lane" as depicted above. 

We're all going to have to watch very carefully to see what repercussions and ramifications this 3-2 vote will actually cause. It's not going to be instant, but I'm quite sure the internet providers and portals have had plans in place for a long time that began to be instituted the moment the vote became final. The vote went along party lines - 3 Republicans vs 2 Democrats. Want to know what Net Neutrality really is? Here's a quick video from the New York Times that might help. 



Is this vote all bad? Probably not. But right now Big Business is in the driver's seat in Washington and that's not always a good thing. Big Business answers to their Boards of Directors and the stockholders, and common sense and the common man are often completely forgotten in the pursuit of profit. I'll hold out hope that things, essentially, won't really change, but I have fears about this vote. 

Have a great Friday! We got some snow last night, so I'll have to clear the driveway before getting to the gym this morning. The things I do to get into the pool at 5:00 am. LOL Sorry for the political rant, I usually try to stay away from politics in my blog, but I share my thoughts and this is the direction my thoughts took me. 

VOTE!!!

Today is election day in the USA and although I've already voted, I know that many of you will be heading to the polls today to cast your votes. It's been a contentious and hate-filled election, and without a truly viable third party, we're pretty much stuck choosing between two evils - the one we think we know, and the one who presents a great unknown. I voted several weeks ago via absentee ballot, and most of my friends in the area also voted early via absentee ballot or at one of the early polling places, but I want to emphasize the following to all of you today.

VOTE. 

I don't care who you vote for and I don't care what your political leanings are. Just VOTE. When I look at the things we do in this nation that we can be proud of, voting is high on that list.

Women didn't win the right to vote until 1918, less than 100
years ago. They were beaten, arrested, and some even died to
obtain this right for women. 

People died to get the right to vote throughout the world. Women died, people of color died, even men died. The right to vote is not a given, it doesn't just happen when you are born and take your first breath. Even today, in some parts of the world, there is no voting permitted. Even today, people die fighting to obtain the right to cast a vote on a ballot. Yes, elections divide people, but they also provide a means to unify people behind the winning candidates. Complaints are loud, but if you didn't vote you have no platform for complaint. Most importantly, however, elections provide a method that allows the people to speak and direct their political course through the next period of years.

As recently as the 1960's some areas of the nation made it almost
impossible for people of color to cast a vote. Once again, people
died to make sure that ALL people in the USA had the right and the
ability to vote on election day. 

In the USA we don't vote for President. Of course, we'll be marking Clinton or Trump on the ballots today, but we actually are voting for a candidate that our electors will cast their ballot for in the Electoral College. It's cumbersome and rather ridiculous in this world of almost instant communication, that we don't elect a President via popular vote. But we don't, and that makes certain states more important than others. Thus the multiple visits and rallies in places like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.

In 1868 hangings and riots killed almost 300 black men for registering
to vote in Opelousas, Louisiana. Want more information on this dark
day in our history? Here's the link. 

The election system isn't broken, but it's a creaking behemoth. It's time to look into changes to the methods used in elections. But whatever methods are used, the right to vote is one that is cherished in countries throughout the world. Don't waste your voice. VOTE.

In 2015 the women of Saudi Arabia were granted the right to vote and
eighteen women were elected into public office in municipal
elections. It was the first election open to female candidates and voters. 

Have a great Tuesday. I'll be lifting a glass tonight in celebration of no more election ads for at least one week. Hallelujah!

Back to the Eye Doctor and VOTE!

Today I have the followup appointment with my eye doctor to see what can be done about my inflamed eyelid. It's better since I first saw him three weeks ago, but it's still somewhat swollen and even though it doesn't hurt as much, it isn't cured. The doctor had me on a two-week course of antibiotics along with an antibacterial ointment to be applied twice daily. The ointment drives me crazy because everything is blurry, but I've been good and have been putting it into my eye regularly. Blurry or not, I need this infection conquered.

I'm really tired of the ointment and seeing blurry. *sigh*

So after I vote today, I'll head over to my eye doctor. My manager will come in on his day off to unlock the store and get the computers up and operational, and I'll be in as soon as I can to let him go and take over for him.

Get out there and VOTE!

Speaking of voting, if you are in the US, today is election day. I'm as tired of the vitriolic campaign commercials as any of you, but I won't miss this opportunity to cast my vote. Why? Because if you don't vote you truly are abrogating any right to attempt to change policy. Also, as a woman, I treasure the opportunity to cast my vote. Voting rights confer individual political rights, meaning that I am a person under the law, not just an extension of my father or my husband.

Women were beaten for demonstrating for the right to vote. Don't
ignore their sacrifices. 

The right to vote was fought for at the turn of the 1900's. That's not that long ago. Your great-grandmothers and great-great grandmothers fought with everything they had to obtain the right to vote. They were imprisoned, they were beaten, and some even died for this right. Don't ignore their sacrifices. Exercise your right to cast your ballot. Will you be voting with the same political pathway as I will? Maybe, or maybe not. But I will vote to zero out the votes of my darling husband, so all will be well with the world.

At least one woman died in prison while being force fed
while on a hunger strike for the right to vote. Voting is
an honor and a civic responsibility. 

Have a great Tuesday, and get out there and VOTE!

Praise the People - Praise Them With Great Praise

(Photo courtesy of ABC News)

And the People Spoke. From their farms and houses, their factories and schools, they gathered into their appointed locations and spoke their Will and the Will of the People carried... Barak Obama was again returned to the White House.

Praise the People - Praise Them with Great Praise

And the People Spoke. The rights of all People were acclaimed and preserved. In the great lands of Maine and Maryland, all People of any sex now have a right to wed. In the great land of Minnesota the State Constitution may NOT be amended to state that marriage is only legal if it is between one man and one woman. The People in these states recognized and acknowledged that gay and lesbian relationships are legitimate in the eyes of the law.

Praise the People - Praise Them with Great Praise

And the People Spoke. In the lands of mountains - those lands named Colorado and Washington, the People may now possess a small amount of marijuana for recreational use. The measure didn't pass in Oregon, but baby steps - large baby steps - were taken.

Praise the People - Praise Them with Great Praise

And the People Spoke. In the great land of Minnesota the two ladies - Amy and Betty - were returned to Congress. People who care, people who respond and people who vote with the voice of their constituents are increasingly rare. Amy and Betty do that, and they do it well.

Praise the People - Praise Them with Great Praise

And the People Spoke. And in my household joy radiates (from me) and sorrow spreads (from my DH) because the Blue's have it!

Praise the People - Praise Them with Great Praise

This is my blog post for today. It's my day off and I'll be working on my NaNo for the day and attending my first NaNoWriMo Write-in at my local library tonight. It is my first and may also be my last social NaNo gathering, but I am actually looking forward to it. Have a phenomenal day filled with joy, hope, and accomplishments.