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Getting Political

The day after the election and the solid beating that the Republican Party took I made a blog post about about getting involved. Since I am a firm believer in walking the talk not just talking the talk I headed out to the first political meeting of my life this morning. I did not go alone though. Ron Davis went as well since he is tired of the same old politics and is on a personal mission to see Saxby Chambliss unemployed next year. While I may not see eye-to-eye on everything with Ron it was nice to have someone to go with.

Overall the meeting was interesting and I learned alot about issues I did not even know where issues in Georgia. Maybe I will post more on that at a later time. Suffice it to say... did you know that we have been in a border dispute with Tennessee for over 150 years? Yeah, me neither.

There was also lots of talk about the run-off election that will occur for Georgia on December 2nd. Saxby Chambliss is in a serious fight for his job and his re-election chairman for Paulding county was there to urge us to vote for him. He said that Saxby got the message and that he plans to return to fiscal conservatism and to fight for the conservative values that the Georgia people want. I want to hear it from Saxby though before I will believe it. Ron talked to the guy on the way out the door but I will leave that for him to comment on his blog.

Overall my first trip into politics was enjoyable and I plan to go back for the next meeting. If you live in Paulding county and want to get involved in something other than armchair politics then let me know and I will make sure you get the details on the next meeting.

Blank Sign

I passed a church the other day that had a sign that can be changed each week to make an announcement or display some cute message like, "What is missing in CH -- RH... U R". However, in this particular case the sign was blank. I couldn't help but think this sign was screaming, "Keep driving... nothing going on here". To make matters worse, this was the church that my family had recently left after attending for over 7 years. If you passed a church with a blank sign out front, what would the sign be saying to you?

So, what now?

I think there are a lot of republicans are scratching their heads this morning. I think we expected Obama to win but not in the landslide victory that we saw. What happened? What do we do now? I've given some thought to this and here is what I have concluded so far:

1. The people have spoken. The democracy that makes America great is also the thing that allows the "other guy" to win and it is also the thing that I have had a friend die fighting for and that John McCain spent years as a POW for. While I may not have voted for Obama, or even really like him, I can give him the respect that his position deserves... and I will.
   
   
2. Get involved! I am as guilty as the next person of playing arm chair politics. With the Republican party in a shambles this morning it is time for young America to get involved again. Find your local party office and see how you can help. Run for office. Donate. Attend rallies. Educate yourself on the issues. Do something... not nothing.

Today I am just as proud to be an American as I was in 2000 when President Bush was elected. It's the other party's turn now. It is their turn to celebrate like I did in 2000 and 2004. However, when the celebration dies down I hope that the rights, the lefts, the Christians, the Jews, the Catholics, the Blacks, the Whites, and everyone else can just be Americans and work toward a better tomorrow.

My Vote Is In

I decided to wait until the official election day to vote. Some said I would pay for it based on the turn out they were seeing for early voting. I still decided to take my chances. To make matters worse my wife was sick today and I had to take the 8 year old and 2 year old with me. I pulled up to the school (polling place) at 1:06 and pulled away at 1:33... 18 minutes to stand in line and vote and 9 minutes to walk to and from my car. Why can my gamble never pay off when I am in Vegas?

I will probably be up late watching the returns come in but in the end it does not really matter. The candidates are not that far apart and Washington is so screwed up right not that neither of them will likely come through on most of their promises. Major changes are needed not just another middle-of-the-road democrat or republican.

One a lighter note my eight year old had these comments on the election:

"Don't vote for Obama because he will make me go to school on Sunday and will raise taxes"

"Don't vote for Bob [Barr] because he is going to lose anyway"

"Dad, did you vote for all the Republicans?" This was said in his "outdoor voice" while I was voting!! And, no I didn't... take that Saxby!

Almost Done!

As many of you know I spent this week in Pensacola helping my parents with the new daycare center they are starting... Kidz Academy. Mainly my work has been construction as well as misc office tasks that needed to be completed. I am nearly done and ready to go home. I figured out a few months ago that 3 nights is the point where I am ready to get back to my life with my family. Things are going good here at the daycare center and I think they are on track to be doing really well by the end of the year. The worst job of the week... climbing around in the ceiling pulling an ethernet drop to the front desk. Some moron decided to put spray insulation down on top of the drop ceiling. Needless to say, I am little itchy and dusty right now.

Personal Records

This week I have set a PR in a few areas. I know that this is not as big as a WR or an OR but big to me none the less.

1. This is the 18th post for October. This makes it my most posted month. I am really getting into the blogging thing and enjoying it. Someone should've thought of this a few years ago.

2. I ran a 5k in 26:50 last Saturday. This is 40 seconds faster than my previous PR for a 5k and on a very difficult and hilly course. I think a sub 26 minute 5k is possible very soon. I also ran the first mile in 7:47 which is over a minute faster than I have ran any mile in a 5k. All around a good day even though I had to walk some of the final hill.