Politics, politics

I am one NH resident who will be glad when the primary is finally OVER! I'm averaging 3 - 5 phone calls per day which I am screening out on my caller i.d.; today's mail brought 4 pieces of candidate's literature, and I had a Barack Obama worker show up at the door. We had a nice chat, but I'm not convinced. From the environmental standpoint, I'm perturbed by all the print mail. It's not as if I'm not getting lots of campaign emails as well. Why both?
Back to the Obama canvasser. First, I admire him for going door-to-door in my neighborhood. He was Sudanese, graduated from USM in Portland, has become a US citizen, is a member of the Army National Guard Reserves (they paid for his education) and was deployed in Iraq from 2003-2004. He was eloquent about Obama, and mentioned how NH may well decide the next nominee in each party.
I think our political system is really broken if the NH primary really makes that much difference. Our state is not representative of the nation, and I don't think we should be deciding for everyone else. But, the Obama rep pointed out that the rest of the nation is watching us, and will follow our lead. I guess he's right about that, which places the burden of responsibility on our shoulders to make a wise choice.
I'm torn between Obama, Clinton and Edwards, and probably won't make up my mind until I'm standing in the booth. Obama is the most eloquent of the 3 and I like his message of unity; Edwards has the right take on the corporations, and I like his populist message; Clinton has the most experience, in my judgment, and has worked all her life for the underdog and to try to make a difference. Her gender makes her attractive to me. Plus, I think the Clinton political machine may be needed to counteract whoever the Republican candidate is. I think what scares me the most about this election is that it reminds me so strongly of the 1968 primary in California, where I was excited to cast my first vote ever and agonized between Robert Kennedy, who had the machine, the populist/socialist positions, and Eugene McCarthy, who had the right positions but no political machine. Kennedy was killed right after I voted for him, in front of all of our eyes right after his victory speech. This has no bearing, perhaps, but it leaves me with an uncomfortable feeling. The United States isn't Pakistan, but thinking back to that California night, I have to wonder.

Discipline

Today has been a day to exercise discipline. First, I made myself do yoga. Later, I made myself go for a walk in the falling snow (on slippery roads in hiking boots that collected snow in all the ridges so that eventually I was walking on stilts) and finally, I made myself sit down and try to write the next chapter of my novel. Yay me.

On my walk, I was humbled by following in the very-close-together footsteps of the ancient Chinese man who walks EVERY afternoon, no matter what the weather. He can barely take steps and is bent over and has to stop after every 3rd or 4th step forward. My stride covered more than three of his steps. And I should complain about walking in the snow?

According to the Brain show on PBS, I was building neurons like crazy in my brain, something that will help my brain stay younger longer. That's a good thing, because if I walk every day like elderly Chinese man, I am going to live forever!! Yay fitness.

I just finished my first try on a NY Times crossword puzzle. That could also build synapses, Probably not, because I spent the first half hour looking things up on the computer. No synapses built in those cases. But, who knew that Piz Bernini and Eiger were Alps??? or the name of the elder Saarinen? Come on! I still can't get the name of the Beatles' number one hit in 1964, and that one I SHOULD know. It was probably my favorite song of the year. More synapses may produce the right answer. It's I Feel ________. Any thoughts?

Post-Christmas blahs

Today was back to real life, starting with a call to the Boston Globe to ascertain why my mother had received a bill for a subscription to the Sunday Globe, considering that she didn't know she had subscribed.... I was informed that she had received a tele-sales call. I patiently explained that since she can't hear very well over the phone, that she must have misunderstood the caller and that indeed, she didn't want the Sunday Globe. The real live person I was lucky enough to talk to was willing to cancel the bill and close her account. I wish all my phone calls on her behalf were that easily solved.
Sarah and I went to try to buy her a sewing machine, but the store was closed. What kind of a retailer is closed on the second busiest shopping day of the year? Go figure!
To cheer myself up over being alone in the house again, I went shopping and bought some much-needed new boots. I also got the sand and salt washed off the car, though what good that actually does, with more weather crap on the way, I'm not sure.
I've put away gifts and stashed all the boxes which can be reused next year inside one big one and made a list of the gifts I received so I can write thank yous. I walked the loop around the neighborhood, feeling virtuous the whole way. Now, with my new CD, Raising Sand playing, I'm exercising my right to blog!! I actually jotted some notes for a new poem about dad's death, so who knows, maybe 2008 will see me return to my writing. I'm looking forward to watching the Kennedy Center Awards tonight and quilting whilst I watch.
Off to cook some dinner.......another day gone. I don't want to wish my life away, but this is a day I'm glad is over.

Christmas fun

We have had 3 days of Christmas celebrations because we are one of many families fractured by divorce. The constants throughout the 3 days have been my faithful and only daughter, Sarah and my 92 year old mother. Today, the actual day of Christmas, it was just the three of us, and I must say, we had a wonderful time. Stockings, presents, lunch and a game of Kings in the Corner, which Sarah remembers playing with her great grandmother in her nursing home, more than 25 years ago.
Together, Sarah and I had resurrected a family album quilt which I had made for my grandmother in 1975, to mark the bicentennial when we had a huge family reunion. My grandmother had the quilt on her bed until she died in 1985 or so. We presented the quilt to my mother to have on her bed and to remind her of all the members of her family. Her siblings have all died, and two of my cousins have died since the quilt was made so many years ago.
My mom pronounced this "the best Christmas ever," and that really says a lot!! After returning her to her assisted living residence, I reflected on the fact that I am happy that I have done everything I can do to help her have the best quality of life she can have at this stage. It isn't always easy, and there are plenty of times I am resentful of the burden. But today, in the spirit of Christmas, I am thankful for my daughter, and for my mother and that we could spend these days together.