Two big items on my agenda today.
I'll go to town and pick up my two flower baskets to hang from the deck.
And, I'll vote early at the Bonner County Elections Office.
I'm hoping that both efforts will produce joy and satisfaction for months to come.
There is no guarantee on one of the two, but knowing that part of the money devoted to the beautiful baskets will help feed the scholarship fund for Ponderay Rotary brings me instant joy.
Moreover, if those flowers thrive throughout the summer, putting out beauty as they hang on the deck, they can certainly bring immense daily joy.
As far as voting is concerned, joy will come if sensible, moderate and decent candidates win in the primary.
We all, as voters, need to be aware that this year's primary will most likely determine the winners for several local and area offices, causing the general election for those positions to be pretty much a moot point.
So, after today, I shall have done my civic duty early and can happily toss those full-color political fliers that keep coming to my mailbox into the trash.
We received two of them from the same candidate yesterday, which amounts to three for the week so far.
As Bill says, the fliers provide information all right, as do the "grades" imposed upon candidates by certain organizations.
In some cases, both the fliers and the grades issued give us clear reasons not to vote for the individual.
As a teacher, I know the value of grading and that it takes some expertise.
In education, high grades result from tangible examples of superior work.
Low grades most often indicate a need for more work.
In the political arena, however, high grades given by one-agenda organizations immediately send up red flags to me as a voter.
Low grades issued by the same organizations say to me, "Now, that's a candidate I need to consider."
In the case of political grades, those issuing them are relying totally on the stupidity of voters. That in itself is certainly deserving of a low grade in my teacher's mind.
Also, as a teacher and journalist, I learned a long long time ago the importance considering a variety of perspectives, not only with how I wrote a story but also with how I viewed my students each year.
I consider this discipline, learned and instilled at a young age, to be a gift in both arenas which has continually enriched me as a thinker and a human being throughout my life.
That does not mean I have to accept everything that comes down the perspective assembly line, but it does mean that I can freely make my own choices, thanks to my independent thinking skills.
So politically-influenced grades aside and without concern that I'm going to Hell as a voter because I do not accept the dogma of certain candidates, I'll go today and proudly fill in the boxes.
And, my primary voting will be done.
BTW: we can vote early from May 6-17 at the county elections office in the Federal Building on the Dover Highway or ask for an absentee ballot through May 10 by going on line to elections.sos.idaho.gov
So, make sure you vote in any of the three ways---absentee, early or at your respective polls.
That's all.
Looking forward to smelling the flower baskets and not having to plug my nose when the election results come in on May 22.
Happy Wednesday.
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