The Election

If you voted and you're happy say amen.

If you voted and you're not happy you'll probably be saying quite a lot things--just be nice.

If you didn't vote, don't say amen. In fact, please say nothing, zero, nada, zip, no mas. Just hush.

Those who are eligible to vote and don't, don't deserve to complain, cheer or anything in between. But, of course, they always do.

Frankly pholks, I probably will have mixed emotions with this general election outcome. Since I'm writing this prior to knowing the results, due to my deadline, there is nothing for me to discuss except that I'm very glad this whole thing is done.

We've survived the attack of the campaigns. Now comes body count time, assessment of the wounded and the political diagnosis and the prescription of what pills we all will have to swallow, what kinds of injections we will face or what surgeries might be forthcoming. Could be we might have to face someone pulling the plug on the life support for our favorite political party or movement. The 2010 vote is done and I have to tell you the darned election has me tuckered out. My thumb was so weak from trying to escape the tsunami of television political ads I was afraid I would have to go to the doctor. Switching the radio dial didn't help my condition. I skipped over reading some of the redundant print ads and avoided website locations as much as possible.

I voted not just because I care and cherish my right to do so. I voted because I was willing to take my chances with the voting process. The process also relieved some of the pent-up mental stress inflicted by weeks and weeks of campaign wars. Whether there was any gain resulting from my pain will depend on the results and, of course, each of us will have our own measure of pain and pain relief.

There will be dozens of “experts” to give us their takes on the whole mess and throw some of us into relapse. The approaching onslaught of the holiday frenzy will provide some variety to the attack.

Thank goodness the World Series, college and pro football and the opening of the basketball season buffers all of this madness. But even those activities are becoming more and more like political campaigns. Name calling, charges of wrong doing, fines and other issues continue to mount, taking the “game” aspect away from us all.

Like politicians, more athletes, team owner and even coaches are betraying the trust of those who help make them what they are.

If I seem to be getting more and more cynical, perhaps I am. I have tried for some time to be more optimistic and see the glass half full rather than half empty.

There has been some progress, at least in my mind, but it seems like election campaigning blurs my vision.

And to be honest pholks, I'm not counting on my upcoming cataract surgery to solve that problem.