We think of Muhammad Ali as a champion fighter. But he was a thought-filled man, as today’s Thursday Thought quote demonstrates.
Archive for October 15, 2020
Ballot Errors
Be absolutely positive that your ballot is counted. Each year, some ballots are discarded because of simple mistakes people make. Especially be sure to avoid these four common errors so your voice is heard.
- Use only blue or black ink to mark your choice. No red ink.
- Use a ball point pen, not a crayon, pencil, or felt-tip marker that can bleed through to the other side of the ballot.
- Use the envelope your ballot came with, not another one, because that’s part of the validation process.
- Sign the ballot envelope, and use the exact name that you signed with on your voter registration card so they can match up the two signatures. No initials (J.J. Smith) or nicknames not on your registration card (Sammy instead of Samantha).
Remember that you don’t have to mark a choice on every single item and office. If you don’t understand a proposition, don’t vote on it. You won’t be penalized for not voting on everything, and your ballot won’t be tossed out because of that.
If you’re voting from home, you can mail in your ballot, but allow a couple of weeks this year because the post office may be slowed down due to political pressures. Better still, drop it by a local election office, a library, community center, or city hall. Look for the list of drop-off places that comes with your ballot.
In short, be sure to vote. Each and every vote counts. Think of the simple math: 1 vote + 1 vote + 1 vote… can equal a landslide.
How I Am Voting
I’ve looked at all the issues and weighed the pros and cons. I’ve waded through the Presidential debate and conflicting views of candidates running for other offices. I’ve used my brain, my heart, my gut, and my common sense. Now I know how I’ll vote.
I’m going to vote to preserve America’s soul, conscience, and well-being.
Always Drink Responsibly
Drink responsibly EVERY DAY! You go to meetings, coffee breaks, PTA functions, and soccer matches, accompanied by the ever-present cup of coffee or bottle of water. You stop at Starbucks or 7-11 for coffee. You jog with a bottle of water. So, care for our planet by lessening the amount of Styrofoam and plastic on the roadsides and in the landfill. Keep a coffee cup at your desk at work and a commuter mug in your car for use at meetings or filling at Peet’s. Fill a water bottle on your way out to a game or run. Keep a couple filled, in the refrigerator or freezer (great for a hot day at an arts festival). Just be sure to rotate your cups and bottles often, bringing them home for a thorough cleaning to avoid bacteria growth. This keeps both you and the Earth healthier.
An Approach to Voting
I’m not going to tell you WHO or WHAT to vote for, but I am giving you some advice to ensure that your vote will truly make a difference.
I’ve noticed the all-or-nothing attitude of people around me and people in general. That is, vote totally one party or another because they’re conservative/liberal/not socialist/progressive/whatever. Or vote for one candidate because they’re anti-abortion or pro gun control or some other single issue.
One problem is that no party is fully conservative/liberal/whatever. In the olden days they were more unified in a political direction. Today, though, both major parties have several wings.
Which brings me to the other problem. Voting straight party ticket does not guarantee that your main view will be pushed. Sometimes, for example, a representative will be against your view on civil rights and someone from the other party would have been more in line with your view. Or the candidate who is stanchly for that one view may go against your other important issues.
The best way to vote, then, is to figure out what you think would make this overall a safer, happier, more just country, then evaluate each candidate’s previous actions and stated goals, and vote accordingly, no matter what party they belong to. And examine your own moral stance not just over one issue but all that affect the common good.
In short, vote to strengthen the basic American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
A True, Controllable Virus
As I look around me at the increase in violence, bigotry, rumor-spreading, and other non-Golden-Rule actions, I see the reason this virus is spreading, as expressed in today’s Thursday Thought quote.
Ghost of Christmas Future
October 5. I just saw the first Christmas ad on TV. For Disney World.
Sigh……………………………..
Well Wishes for Our President (non-political)
Please, Mr. Trump, take better care of yourself. The Pres. is our leader, our role model, the anchor of The Good Ship America. On that balcony, I saw your brave face but also saw how often you supplemented your normal breathing by pulling in extra air through your mouth. I know you’re not feeling too bad, but, then, you’re on steroids that hide or lessen symptoms. You want to reassure us, but that doesn’t mean you must climb steps unnecessarily to stand on the balcony, or weaken yourself by taking a car-ride to wave to us.
In fact, you don’t need to be brave for us. We don’t think you’re weak when you wear a mask or take time off to rest or follow the medical advice of the best doctors in the world who are treating you. No. Instead, that makes us think you care enough for us to take care of yourself, that you’re being conscientious so you don’t infect others, and that you’re being a strong role model for us to prevent the spread of the virus and show us how to recover from it if we get it.
Please, Pres. Trump, take better care of yourself and, in the process, take better car of Americans.
A Good Time for Child Health
It’s the First Monday in October, meaning it’s National Child Health Day. It’s a day established in 1928 to promote our children’s physical health, but why not focus on their mental and emotional well-being, too? We can play a few active games with them, take a walk or bike ride together, or team up to clean up the garden. We can also spend some extra time with them, maybe having a little picnic in the backyard, doing some chores together and complementing them on their help, giving them a few extra hugs, talking to them, one-on-one, about friends, school, activities they’re involved in or a movie you saw together or an incident when you both saw someone acting as a bully. Yes, these are things we should be doing every day with our children. But this is a great time to redouble our efforts–for the good of our children.
Accolades for Nordstrom
Nordstrom has been banning animal fur and exotic animal skin on their own label but is now expanding that policy to all labels it carries either in-store or online. This applies to all of its branches, including Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Last Chance, and Nordstrom websites. It doesn’t take effect until the end of 2021, but it’s an important step foreword.
Thank you, Nordstrom.