2012... some things never change

Hi,
the calendar has flipped over. It's Day #3 of 2012 but other than that, not much has changed. All the news wants to talk about is the Iowa caucus that votes today. Nothing else is going on in the world except who wants 'Mitt' and who wants 'Newt'... or maybe I should root for 'Ron'? Does it really matter? Trust me, it isn't going to make a hill of beans difference and no one is paying attention in China or India.... and that counts for almost half the planet.

I'm down in "not so sunny" Florida. The politics here are very different to those up by our house. Here the term "Liberal" is a dirty word, said with a sneer and a shake of a head. Anything other than a 'good ol' white boy' is barely tolerated and that's only because it's against some stupid law to do other wise. Bigotry, racial profiling, narrow mindedness and down right hatred own this part of the state. It's ugly to try and join in on a conversation by the pool. I can play the innocent Canadian and stay out of most of it but I get suckered into talking about health care and  it can come to blows if I don't walk away. Having had the misfortune of experiencing health care on both sides of the 49th parallel I feel I am qualified to talk about both sides strengths, and weaknesses.... of which there are equal amounts. A woman in the pool the other day was hell bent on converting my opinion to hers about the terrible state of 'socialized' medicine in Canada. It doesn't work, everyone dies in waiting rooms and all Canadians run to the USA to get free medical attention on her dime & dollar. No, she wasn't kidding. Yes, she truly believed this. I got out of the water before I drowned her right then and there.

On a brighter side.... the beach is still awesome. Today is very, very windy and rather cool (high 57°) but that will not deter me from wandering out there and looking for seashells or watching for dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico. I can't take being indoor even in crappy weather. The constant blare of CNN from my dad's TV is enough to drive me out even in a hurricane. I don't want to hear another statistic on the vote this evening in Iowa. There are still 9 more months of election crap to live thru and I may not survive it. I think I would be a fantastic political pundit for the networks to interview, but I haven't the hair-do for it and James Carlivale has the bald look all sewn up. I guess I just yell into the wind today. Maybe the seagulls, pelicans and terns will care to listen to me.

xox
m