On Voting

Today, I'm thankful to be able to cast a ballot for Barack Obama.  I'm thankful I live in a country where I can do this without fear of reprisal.  I'm thankful for all the people who have bravely fought and shed blood and tears and life for my right to do this.  I'm thankful for each of you who have the guts to go to your polling place and make a decision between the candidates.  There is never going to be a perfect choice and all men are flawed but if you choose to not exercise your right to vote then, IMHO, you lose your right to complain.

Please, if you disagree with my choice of candidate, then tell me by exercising your right to vote at the polls and not via the internet.

We need to become a country once again bonded together and not divided.  We need to think about what it is like to be in someone else's shoes and not just our own. We cannot assume we know what it is like to not be able to put food on the table for our family or go to the doctor if we truly have never been in that situation.  Most of us truly haven't.  Many of us might think we have, but in reality, haven't.

We need to pick candidates based on the overall sum of their values and their ability to get things done and not simply on their party.  Be brave.  Be bold.  Don't let a single TV station tell you how to think.  Do your own research.  Watch two conflicting stations and find a medium ground.  Form your own opinions.  Do not allow yourself to become a lemming.

Let's find people and put them in office who are willing to cross party lines and get things done.  Let's pick people who are willing to make sacrifices and find middle ground on the big issues.  Let's elect people who will save our country and make it a better place for our children and grandchildren.

Today is the end of an election cycle.  Today we elect a president for the next four years.  Today begins the time when we need to be looking for the best candidate for the next election.  We need to find people who meet my above criteria.  Keep your eyes open ... maybe if we all try, we will be able to find a perfect, unflawed choice.

Go forth and vote.

On Patience

Supposedly it is a virtue. However, I think it's mostly just a thorn in my side. I'm not naturally a patient person. When I decide I want something, I tend to want it now. However, once I decide I want something, I don't tend to give up easily.  Ask my family.  Ask my friends.  Or rather, don't.  You might find out just how impatient I actually am.  :)

I hate learning patience. I'm jealous of those for whom it's a natural gift ... Those for whom being patient is as simple as being impulsive is for me. I'll try to continue to learn to be patient, but I'm pretty sure I'll struggle with it for the rest of my life. If anyone has great advice on how to teach yourself to be comfortable with patience, please let me know.  Please.  For the sake of the whole wide world!

There are so many things in my life forcing me to be patient right now.  I have to be patient to find out where I will get to interview and then to find out where I will match and spend the next four years of my life.  I have to be patient to find out what I'll get for Christmas.  I have to be patient to find out so many things right now.  Its driving me crazy!

This past weekend, I stopped being patient and bit the bullet and I took a mini-getaway to VaB. It was wonderful. For the most part, it was an incredibly calm weekend. One not so calm night was spent with old friends and the others were spent with family.  Some time was spent at the beach ... once at the playground watching my cousin's kids play and once on a long walk with a dear friend.  There is something about friends with whom you're able to pick up exactly where you left off ... however long ago it was.  I'm so lucky to have so many friends like this.  I'll always treasure this particular friendship for countless reasons and I wish that we weren't separated by so many miles.  This weekend was all I expected and nothing I expected.  It was perfect.  There was lots of crab dip.  How can a weekend full of crab dip not be perfect?

This month has been an incredibly busy month!  I have so many posts rolling around in my head but they deserve a significant amount of time and effort before they are published.  Hopefully, in the next few days I'll get something out about my feelings on the voting process.  Its gonna be a good one!