V.O.T.E.

V. O. T. E.

Eligible ones plan to and go vote.

Things gettin spirited, rough, and exciting. Wow! Wee! My decision years ago that helped pull me into the good citizen category... watch the conventions, and debates, vote and work the poll when dragged into it by some needy friend, sister/cousin, you know the ones who sign up to do their civic duty and take their political captain job serious, and always need help at the last minute; so they call in old debts, and strong arm ya... in a loving nudgin' kinda' way (uh huh) to pay up, and come on over and help work the polls. Your excuses: I'm just gettin' back in town (true); I'm tired (true again) Don't have a way to get over there. Of course the site's 38 miles back in the neighborhood at my ole elementary school. Yeah... it's still standing,... bricks shifted and leaning ever so sightly to one side now. She volunteers to come and get you. She'll take care of all the details, anything to get you there. Food... Lively conversation and laughs... more food. So you say yes and try not get too worked up and rabid, or question why you accept her past acts of kindness you now have to repay. And you resist the urge to conjure up schemes of revenge. Now... I can get passionate when I need to. Oh yeah! A calm exterior... but a potential storm lays dormant inside. Bad thing is... that can be toxic, gets you twisted, bitter and leave a bad taste in your mouth, mangle your intestines, and even leave frown lines. That a fate worse than... you know. And nobody wants the dreaded... eek! "Winkles!"

Can't get rid of 'em. Maybe cover 'em over, zap 'em... but you can only go expressionless for so long. Be real. Newsflash! Go into your meditative state... lose the bitter stacado... BREATHE! RELAX! Close your eyes... only if you're not driving... Continue... stay with it... until things smooth out. Feel the tightness in your face release and relax... give a great big sigh. Awwww... Feel the energy work its way down your neck, shoulders... (Knead and plumb) Your breathing's less labored and quiet, limbs less tense, hanging loose, fingers relaxed, tummy, buttocks smooth, not taunt; legs sturdy but soft, fingers, toes relaxed. That exercise saved me so many days on my cancer journey, and now too... when things get shaky, uncertain and crazy. Stuff comes at ya, and it's hard to deflect it all. Gotta' use the armour you've got. For me it's prayer, not always a long labor intensive narrative. Most times it's only a few unintelligible, choppy sincere utterances that only The Supreme One understands. There's no formular, no code. Whatever's on your heart... let it flow. Speak it or just think it. Any way you do it will get it through... is okay. So-o-o... whatever the election results. Know you did your part... life goes on, and you can make it through whatever comes. Keep breathing and don't forget to vote. In love. Sue

Blame it on the State Fair of Texas

Got something new to add to my mile high list of need to's. More good and best foods to eat; what we need to drink; activities we need to do... Good stuff in and bad stuff out. I know, I know... I do get on my tower of righteousness and maybe I mighta' gon a little too far at times. Sure... I can do the salmon, the green tea, the ground flax seed... and even the exercising, though I admit befor' the Supreme One, and Country that I get off course... and... well... I can jus go hog wild at times. Like I been doin' for the last three weeks... There! I said it! But you gotta' understand... The Fair's in town. I mean... THE STATE FAIR...! ...OF TEXAS! And anybody who's from here knows what that means. Newspapers write about it, TV news and bemused shows talk and hawk it. No! Not Football! Although that's big too... Real big! Let's see... There's Grambling and PV. This yr they played the second week of the fair; and Texas - Oklahoma the third week. That's "Huge." We still need a game for that first week... Anybody? And then there's the food... no... not just food... there's a fried wonderland of delicacies... every day and night, and you jes gotta' try 'em. If you don't sample somethin' well-l-l... that's crazy... sad... unheard of... and un-american. So for now... diet, healthy eatin', prudence be darn. And so... even though I keep my ears tuned and open for whatever healthy info I can capture, and I feel guilty 'bout not exercising (walking, stretchin', palates, etc.) like I should and find every excuse not to do it. I know I need it, and that I need to eat right. So even though I'm not exactly on course right now I'll pass these tidbits on with the promise that I'll join you in the circle as soon as the fair's over. In the mean time... add these food to your diet: Beets: eat 'em raw. They fight inflamation. Swiss Chard - can help reduce the incidence of lung cancer. Ground flax Seed - reduces symptoms of menopause. Increases brain function. (Ooo... I know I need some 'a that) Cinnamon - helps with diabetes. Acai Berry - in paste. An antioxident. I'll be back on board soon... but fa' now I gotta' try this homemade cashew brittle. (Crunch!!!)