Illegal Freebies

You’d think that it would be cool, even patriotic, for US retail merchants to offer freebies to folks who show up with an “I Voted!” sticker. Not so fast. The gubbermint thinks it is quite possibly illegal. Sheesh.

An Auspicious Beginning

There will almost certainly be a lot of firsts that occur in this election. Unfortunately, voter intimidation isn’t new. It’s still sad, just not new.

Feeling Good Five

Everyone is uptight today. The economy, the election, the hurricane, the football team… whatever. I’m firmly convinced that it’s because folks do not take the time to take care of themselves. Feeling good is something that you can do for yourself. You can spend lots of money or revel in the most basic, simple pleasures of life. Actually taking the time to do something good for yourself can be a huge problem for many because they just do not know how to relax. Or feel guilty doing it. Here’s a list of favorites. I’m probably going to turn it into a meme just because it may help some of you get some ideas…

• The full spa package. I’ve got to have “all you can eat” access to the sauna, steam room, whirlpool and cold plunge. This gets followed up with the full hour of deep-tissue massage. If I do not feel like and look like a strand of al dente’ linguini, it’s not been done right.
• Sleeping with an infant (preferably yours!) on your chest. Both of my kids are way past this size and I would almost certainly get a visit from Childrens Services for having a teenager sleeping on my chest, but I can conjure this memory in my mind at the drop of a hat and smile.
• Rote activity. I don’t knit, but I get it. It’s a repetitive task that allows the mind to detach and recharge. For me, it can be gardening or linking ammo or whatever. I just immerse myself in the activity.
• Baking. Let’s be clear: Baking is not cooking. It’s assembling according to a formula. If you ruin what you baked, it’s because you did not follow instructions. But baking is wonderful. You surrender control to those instructions and just do it. Hopefully, you’ll make a little mess and then your kitchen will become redolent with baking yumminess. And then you eat it.
• Getting a good report from the doctor. A lot of us have some kind of medical issue (or a few). Getting a good report is… good news! Whether it is the dentist telling you your teeth are great or your doctor telling you that your blood pressure meds are working… Let the good news be just that.