Trying to Stay Calm

 It's election day here in the US.  Many of us have already voted (mail in or early voting was available), but if you haven't and are eligible, get your butt to the polls and complete your civic duty.  It is one of the greatest privileges we  have; so don't throw it away.

With that said, this election season (which seems to have been going on FOREVER)  has been pretty crazy, divisive and anxiety inducing.  I don't think I've ever felt as nerve wracked during and election as I am during this one.  And who needs that?

I am of the mind that we all need to cast our vote, let all the votes be counted (and that takes a while...there are a lot of people voting) and when the results are finally in (it won't be tonight folks),  we will  need time to process and move forward.  (That means no matter what the results turn out to be.)  If things don't turn out "our" way, we need to take some time to access what that means for each of us and then move forward.  The wonderful thing about the privilege of voting is that we have the ability to elect our leaders every several years (depending on the term of the position).  It is something we cannot and should not take for granted.  We each have a voice and it needs to be heard with our vote.

With all that said, the craziness has definitely gotten to me and I personally have decided that I need to tune out all the "noise" that will be going on.  While I can't tune out the "noise" of the day to day (like work), I can try to focus on calm...when I can.

I know my plans for this evening include a glass of wine, a hot shower and a climb into bed where I will watch something funny and/or mindless.  No news.  No drama.  (Even though some of my favorite shows are dramas.)  I plan an evening of sitcoms and/or rom-coms.  It may be I Love Lucy,  The Love Boat or Airplane.  Or it may be something else.  But no drama and no news.

And if that's not possible, I'll take a look at some of the photos I have taken recently while hiking.  (In honestly my hiking is really walking with some minor terrain  challenges.)  Just this past Sunday, I went on a new path (yes, I went somewhere that wasn't Skytop).  It was a cool, but beautiful afternoon.  The path was relatively easy (my challenges were tree roots and rocks) and a good way to "get out of my head".  If you need to get out of your head right now, here are a few photos.  (I know I'm no photographer, but I just can't resist!)












Note:  There weren't all from a hike.  After I was done, I went to the local library to return a book.  The library wasn't open, but it gave me the chance to walk around and take in the exterior of the building and the landscape that surrounds it.)

Whatever you need to do today to keep calm, do it!  There is no right or wrong here.  There is only the need for sanity.  Take deep breaths and focus on you.

The chaos and crazy will always be there.  Don't let it overwhelm you today (or any day).  Focus on you.  Be well.  Be rested.

And then we will be ready to face whatever the future may hold.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We Have Taken America Back

Image
Back to a time when all men (and women) are not created equal.  Where women's healthcare is determined by men's laws and not by medical professionals. Where education tells only the "winning" side of the story and truth does not matter.  Where banning and burning books is a social event.  Where people who are "different" than those in power can be mocked, shunned and hurt with no real consequences. Where lies are acceptable and integrity is  just a word on a page We have moved into a time where rage is the rage.  Where hate is not just normal, but accepted and even cheered. Where leaders can ask to have their "enemies" killed and no one will bat an eye.  Where it's "funny" to see someone struggle.  Where felony is applauded. Where compassion is not shown and caring for others is looked down upon. We have taken America back to a time of pain and suffering for many.  Back to when the "haves" can have and the have nots don'...
Read more

It's Not About Starbucks (or is it)?

Image
  About a block and a half from my home in a major intersection.  At the southeast corner (which is nearest to me), is an empty building.  Back in 1995 it was a Bank of NY (I remember this because they didn't shovel/de-ice their parking lot well and my husband fell and broke his ankle one Monday morning.  I recall this clearly because we were not yet married and it was the first day of a new job for me.  I had gotten on the bus to work and he was catching a later one; only he never got there.  Instead he ended up laying on the ground until an employee came to open up the bank.  Then he had them call an ambulance AND my mother who took control of the situation until I arrived home that night blissfully unaware of what had happened that day.)  It eventually became a Chase Bank; the second one in my small little town.  It eventually closed.  I'm not sure when but it's been empty for quite a long time.  (I do know that it was open in 20...
Read more

As Is

Image
  Today I want to discuss what I think it is a relatively simple concept, but may be difficult for some, even an attorney who might have once, over a decade ago won a  prestigious award  for young lawyers .  That term is "AS IS." As you may know, I volunteer in a thrift shop.  Everything we sell, from all the donations we receive, is "as is."  The items are not brand new.  They are not perfect.  That doesn't mean they aren't any good or worth something. They are sold "as is."  Buyers should go in knowing that. (After all you are shopping in a thrift shop!)  In some cases, particularly when we are offering higher end products, we will actually write on the price tag, "as is." Such is the case of two designer purses that I purchased from there this summer.  (I'm a purse-aholic!  Don't look in my closet.)  They were reasonably priced (especially when you consider the name brand), but each had an "as is" clearly marked o...
Read more