Michigan's Messed-up Primary or Small Town Joys

Perhaps you've heard about the messed-up presidential primary in Michigan.  The State Party Muckety-Mucks, tired of having our ballots cast after all the decisions had already been made, stated that they would move our presidential primary to January 15th.  The National Party Muckety-Mucks, said, "Oh, no," and threatened to penalize the state, should the primary move.  

The primary moved; we've been penalized.  Oh look, cause and effect.  The only candidates who've been campaigning here are Romney, McCain, and Huckabee.  Let's just say that it made for some exciting TV watching this weekend.  NOT.  

It's not yet clear whether any of Michigan's Democratic delegates will be seated at the convention this summer, which is why the candidates aren't bothering to campaign here.  It's also why most Democratic candidates aren't even on the ballot.  And, apparently writing in my choice disqualifies my vote.  So, my limited presidential primary voting options are as follows.  (1) Vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton. She's on the ballot, but she's so not my choice for President.  (2) Vote for Dennis Kucinich.  He's on the ballot, but he's also not my choice (though he's a far sight closer than HRC).  (3) Vote for Uncommitted Delegate. There's absolutely no guarantee that the delegate will support the candidate of my choice, but at least I'm not voting for the candidate NOT of my choice, right?  (4) Say screw it and not vote at all.

To make matters more complicated, I left Ontonagon this afternoon.  Now, what you may not know about me is that I am a committed voter.  I don't skip elections.  I believe deeply that voting is a privilege.  But neither could I couldn't quite justify making an extra 232 mile round trip in order to vote in this debacle.  Especially not to vote for Mr. or Ms. Uncommitted Delegate.  So, this morning, I called the Town Clerk and begged to vote by absentee ballot, which he allowed me to do, about 20 minutes before he closed the office.  I LOVE living in a small town.  

I'm feeling pissed off about the whole situation.  I've been an Obama supporter for over a year now, and I feel ripped off that I didn't get to vote for him.  On the other hand, I did get to exercise my civic duty.  And, I suppose that's really what this is all about.  And, I got to appreciate, yet again, the joys of living in a small town.

A New Year's Meme

1. What did you do in 2007 that you have never done before?

Go on a cruise.  In general, I didn't really expect to like it, and I wasn't wrong about that expectation.  But, I traveled with four women I love (Mom, Anne Kirchmier, Linda Ricketts, and Liz Tunney) and that was terrific and worth all the things about the cruise I didn't care so much about (too many people, too much trying to sell me stuff I didn't want to buy).

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I'm not much for New Year's Resolutions, but I did want to try to live healthier in 2007.  I think I did fairly well in some regards.  Food allergies caused me to give up pop (soda to those of you living elsewhere!) and I've been getting more exercise.  I've vowed to continue this in 2008, as well as to get more in touch with my body.  I've signed up for a Yoga class.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No, though good friends did take in some foster children.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Sadly, yes.  I'm still deeply mourning my friend and bishop Jim Kelsey.  Additionally, Fran Robertson and Larry Livingston in Little Lake.

5. What countries did you visit?

I made several passes through Canada in 2007, and on the cruise, visited Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico, and the Bahamas, and all those (except Canada) were new to me.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?

And end to the war in Iraq.  

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched in your memory, and why?

April 17th - my first date with Michelle; June 3rd - the day that Jim died; November 12th - the day Michelle agreed to spend the rest of her life with me.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I can't think of one thing - but realizing that I had gained the trust and acceptance of the people with whom I live and work.  And hearing one individual telling me that I had exceeded his expectations for what an intern could do was very rewarding.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Rather than thinking of one specific instance - I learned over the course of this year, that I was not always speaking the truth.  Rather, I was deferring to those who seemed wiser or had more experience.  And on several occasions, that led to some disasters down the road, that might have been circumvented, if I'd spoken up in the first place.  Learning to better trust my instincts is one of my goals for 2008.

10. Did you suffer from illness or injury?

I developed migraines this year.  Yuck.  In the midst of trying to sort those out, I discovered food allergies - Dairy and Egg.  Blech.  I love Dairy.  And I love Eggs.  

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I new MacBook - with 2 gig of RAM and a huge hard drive.  YAY!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

My church's, as it took on the Millennium Development Goals with seriousness.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled or depressed?

My country's and my president's.

14. Where did most of your money go?

For gasoline.  Now, I must say, that while this statement is factually true, if I lived anywhere else in the world, even more of my money would have gone for gasoline, so this isn't really a complaint.  It's simply reality.  

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The fact that more and more people seem to coming to an understanding about climate change and our responsibility to do something about it.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?

Save the Last Dance for Me

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier, Thinner, and Poorer - but I'll take best 2 out of 3.

18. What do you wish you had done more of?

Relaxed.  Read fun novels.  Played.  I spent much of this year working way too hard.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Goofed off on the internet.  Attended meetings.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my Mama and with our good friends (and my colleagues) Manuel and Peggy.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?

Yes, and it was absolutely wonderful.  

22. What was your favourite TV program?

I'm not much of a TV watcher, but I take some  delight in watching Ninja Warrior on G-4 and cheering on those who are challenging themselves with that course.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you did not hate at this time last year?

I try very hard not to hate.  It's not an emotion I feel comfortable with.  But there are some people who evoke strong feelings of dislike in me.  When I can, I do try to effect reconciliation. That being said, there is a person I find terribly difficult and whom I avoid at all costs.

24. What was the best book you read?

I read a number of great books.  Certainly Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was wonderful - I read it twice, because it was so good.  I also adored Eat, Pray, Love and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Michelle turned me on to Joel Plaskett Emergency.  I'm not sure that I'd call them a musical discovery, but I really like them.  And, they have some really rockin' hummin' tunes that you'll find bopping around in your head.

26. What did you want and get?

A wonderful woman to love.  A dog.  A computer that works.

27. What did you want, and not get?

An end to this senseless war.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  In a more serious vein, I thought that Blood Diamond was wonderful.

29. What did you do for your birthday, and how old were you?

I had dinner with my friend Ginny.  I turned 41.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

This year was actually quite satisfying.  I met the girl of my dreams.  I do work I love.  I enjoy my life on most days.  It's hard for me to imagine one thing whose magical application would make my life immeasurably more satisfying.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?

Blue jeans.  

32. What kept you sane?

Michelle.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Barak Obama.  But not in that schoolgirl crush kind of  way, which is what the word "fancy" makes me think of. Rather, I believe the man has integrity.  Or, at least as much integrity as you can manage to hold on to and be a political candidate in the year 2008.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Climate change.  Global poverty.  Consumerism.

35. Who did you miss?

Jim Kelsey.  But in terms of those who simply live where I don't get to see them very often, but thankfully get to email, and chat with and see periodically: the residents of Wayfarer House.  

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Michelle - and the very interesting group of people that she hangs out with.   

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.

Life is short and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us - so make haste to love and be swift to be kind.  This was one of Jim's favourite blessings.  I think it makes good sense.  It's a good idea to make sure that the folks you love know that you love them.  

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Hey Good lookin' Why the frown? 

It always looks better when it's upside down,

You say you got nowhere that you're going to

Can I go nowhere with you?"

-From "Nowhere with You" by Joel Plaskett Emergency

It was a good year.  But I shed alot of tears, too.  Grief sucks.  And I'm still in the midst of it.  We sang this song alot.  And it always made me laugh, even in the midst of tears.

book pushing

I've been doing a great deal of reading, what else do you do in the winter in the UP.  And actually, some of what I've "read" I've listened to in the car.  For months after Jim died, I didn't have the concentration for audio books; all I could manage was some nice, soothing folk music.  Or loud, pounding rock.  But not a plot of any kind.  

But, thankfully, that's changed.  So, let me make three very different recommendations for your reading pleasure.

(1) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.  Set in Afghanistan, this novel spans several generations, and begins sometime in the late 1960s, and ends in the present day.  The writing is clear and concise, the story is gripping, and the characters will grab your heart and break it a few times.  I've not read The Kite Runner, which is Hosseini's first novel (or, perhaps his first one released here?), but it's not on my list.  I listened to this one with a sense of real foreboding.  Tragedy is around every corner in this book, but Hosseini creates such empathy that I really fell in love with the women in his novel.  Additionally, the novel taught me much about Afghanistan.  I know there is a danger about learning about contemporary politics from a novel, but if the novel reflects the contemporary situation in any way, then it's no wonder that the situation there is such a mess.  And, it's no wonder that they have such hatred for Americans.  Read this novel, friends.

(2) Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.  This novel's been around a while, having been written nearly 20 years ago, though it's getting big press, since Mr. Follett finally released the sequel folks have apparently been begging him to write for years.  I picked it up about a month ago at the airport, when I finished all my work, unexpectedly, and it looked like the least grim in a series of bad airport newsstand choices.  I was so wrong.  It's wonderful.  Follett has written a novel about 12th century England, and the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge.  It's by turns funny, gripping, and suspenseful.  It's a real commitment, weighing in at nearly 1000 pages, but if you like historical fiction, this one is good, and well written.  And while I am no British historian, it rings true.  It's a real treat.  I don't get to sit and read for pleasure much, and I resent the time I'm away from this one.

(3) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. This book is some odd combination of travelogue memoir confessional spiritual guide, written by a woman who's about my age.  Liz sets out to spend a year in pursuit of pleasure, God and balance, having survived a brutal divorce followed immediately by another broken heart.  She realizes that she must get her life in order.  So she goes first to Italy to learn Italian (something she has always wanted to do, simply because she finds the language beautiful).  Next she heads to the ashram of her guru in India.  Finally, she goes to Indonesia, where several years previously, she encountered an Indonesian medicine man who tells her to come back sometime and visit him.  

Liz Gilbert reads the audio version herself, which is great, because she's got an ear for accents, and her ability to relay conversations with Richard from Texas or any number of the folks she encounters is worth the price of admission on the audio book.  But the book is worth a read, or a listen, for more than this.  The questions that she raises about life and love, and the energy that she devotes to her spiritual practice put me to shame.  This woman meditates for hours every day.  And she's funny.  Gut splittingly funny.   And poignant.  There were times when I was crying so hard that I might have been dangerous, as I was driving down the road.  There were also times when she was a bit self-absorbed.  But hell, it was her book, so I think she gets the right.  I actually ordered the book tonight.  Because I liked it so much, after listening to it, that I want to read it.  I want to hold it in my hands, and underline things.  I want to write quotes down.

And, I certainly want to encourage some of the people I love to read the book.

Getting Hitched

It's official.  Michelle and I are getting married! Or, in the official lingo of the Episcopal Church (gotta love church politics) we're having our "relationship blessed."  The date is April 18th, which we love, because we're hopeless romantics, and it happens to be exactly a year and a day after our first date.  

And, this picture, posted here, was taken exactly thirty seconds after I asked her and she said yes. (You've got to love the wonders of modern technology - I had a digital camera in my pocket, have a blog, and the whole world - or at least our friends scattered hither and yon - can share our joy!)

So, save the date.  And given our seriously limited financial resources, look for an e-vite coming soon!