A Season Has Changed

The trees are in Spring bloom, the robins build nests, Drudge remains merciless, anti-Presidential billboards go up in Atlanta, and we are no less divided than before the election. So much misinformation abounds that it's no less grievous. Makes me wonder if anybody on the right goes straight to the source, whitehouse.gov, for each "writer's embellishment" correction. So much is wrong; the bright spots of economic improvement die quickly ignored; this is such an unprecedented upheaval that the Depression of our parents was only documented in those black-and-white photos in those long lines and shabby clothes looking worse for the available technology. This is worse.

There is only so much news I can take. Yet each next day, I remember our parents who came through the grief: how they coped, how they did their dead-level best for our sakes as we skipped outdoors playfully, the same as we each continue to fare now. The mistakes Obama makes, as judged by our authors of conservative think tanks, our economists leaning right, still by comparison are nothing compared to the previous eight years of incredibly wrong-headed, mammoth undertakings.

Anyone following each day's next events doesn't need me to give examples. I keep in mind that democracy is loud, messy, and that when we began, Congress members actually shot each other on the floor. The wealthy are outraged at helping the poor, calling it socialism. Where is their character?

It gives me peace to know goodness almost always prevails.

Been awhile. Coming away from the excitement of the new President, all the changes and efforts, the oversights and huge move against him, keeping abreast, but branching out now into other matters in the interest of mental health. :)
Main daily news-reading is the recession. How it's affecting friends and family and everybody else in the country. An unprecedented mess, not comparable to that of the Depression so often referred back to. The anguish, loss and panic changing everything for so many is only tolerable to me in doses. As antidote I've turned my attention to home projects, better home maintenance, undertakings I'd postponed.

Election Day '08, Blue Ridge Mountains

About quarter to seven, starting the wipers to clear the condensation on the front and back of my Jeep, I set out toward drive-thru breakfast and decided to check the Civic Center first. This is a very small town, our Civic Center holds 600+ for such events as voting, and the wipers intermittent, I kept the glass clear for maneuvering. The chilly air, the bright yellows and reds of hardwoods in the ascent of sunrise, the necessity of headlights so others with condensed side windows could see and be seen, a snap to the moment, the familiar Election Day rumbling, electricity, anxiety, hope and intent made the trip wholly inhaled.

It was now ten til seven. The grade down and around the curve brought the first blue flashing sheriff's parked car, well above the Center, two officers in orange cross-body straps, one holding coffee, stopping me to let a voter cross from the parking lot, a small, early gathering in the foyer stood behind the front door entrance, and another sheriff's flashing blue car on the other flank. The morning was clear, beautiful, and it heartened me to see the seriousness with which this monumentally important election was being overseen.

Here We Go. Countdown to November.

Well, here we go, folks. Countdown to November. You think it got ugly? We ain't seen nothin' yet. This ole ringmaster has seen a lot of elections, but none as unprecedented. It's far more than race or age, left or right. It's vastly different perspectives on how to bring America back to itself. It's being pitched in dirty ways already, with incredible venom, at the same pitch since that September Tuesday in '01, heightened with Afghanistan leading to Iraq, and now the ungodly deterioration of the dollar, the home floreclosure crises, and the others we can all count and list. Unprecedented.

We need unity, vision, stamina and boxing gloves.

Entry Four

Here we are again, with our economic realities making more headlines than our candidates. Let's tackle those.

How to weather what's coming: [any suggestions welcome]
Lose the car, find the bus.
Lose the makeup, find the skin care.
Forget the credit card, remember the coupons.
Join freecycle.org and the library.
Fill the freezer, get a good haircut.
Draw, paint, pot, sculpt, or whatever other quality investments.
Keep the television on the comedy channel.
Put a funny poster in your closet.
Make faces in the mirror.
Remember there's dust everywhere else, too, not just under your monitor.

Entry Three

Another week, another set of blow-ups and defiant claims. Ain't life grand. I could get punditish here but won't. All we need is another rant. We've got our balloons and cotton candy and ring leader. That will suffice. Not gonna root for my choice, just cross my fingers. I root elsewhere anyway.

I send out the same hope: that you're paying attention to this race, that you're thinking seriously, that you're aware of your importance and use your citizenship power to get us out of these eight years with honor.

Entry Two

Now we're at Sunday the 6th of April, early morning. We've moved from the tent to articles and coverage online. We've got this many more accusations and claims and retorts and constructive efforts, posings and heartfelt logic. Before the birds start their pre-dawn symphony, I send hopes that you reading, continue fervent participation in this, arguably the most formidable challenge any candidate has faced in my lifetime, in this year of economic horror stories each next day. To withstand what's coming, we've got to keep a steel will, a strong back and a perspective graced with humor.