Early Voting

Early voting is a blessing for folks like me who cannot stand in line very long. At the Edmondson Library, I got it and out in less than 15 minutes.

Another blessing of early voting is that you get it over with early and don't have to stew until Nov. 4. If you did not see Colin Powell's interview by Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press concerning his endorsement of Obama, go to Phil Wilson's blog--about two days ago he carried the transcript. I like Powell and admire him ( he did lose a little luster in the Iraq War debacle). His measured, reasoned, thoughtful statements why he. a Republican, will be voting for Obama struck a chord with me. He put into words all the ideas that had been floating around in my head for months.

As one who grew up in the "yellow dog Democrat" era in Texas, I have voted Republican twice--both for Bush--and look where that got me. He was a good governor (although he beat my vote for Ann Richards). I do think he has gotten abysmally bad counsel these eight years and will probably go down as one of our least effective presidents. I personally think he is probably a nice man who personifies the "way over your head" syndrome. I know he will be very glad to be rid of all the ridicule (which I think is so unAmerican and unChristian), the negative press, and the load of the presidency. Who would want that anyway????
Perhaps Obama and McCain are both masochists in desiring the office. Whoever wins, I will wish him Godspeed and good
advisors. Obama has already named some of those from whom he will seek advice. As far as I know, McCain has not.

At any rate, I can hardly wait until November 4th!

Media Saturation

Well, the debate last night proved that some people do not translate on TV. Just as Nixon did in the past with the medium, McCain probably lost the election last night--he was nervous, awkward, abrupt, sometimes tongue-tied, and seemed not to know where the camera was. Besides going over his time often! He has a warm, emotive voice--but seeing him just gave me the creeps. He seemed to have no confidence at all, even though he had begged for the format used last night. (and his use of "that one" was disheartening). My take on it, as a Senior Citizen, is that he simply forgot Obama's name, as we are prone to do in the heat of battle. It was not meant as racist, nor was it dismissive, as the press would have you think. Just wish the press would show a little common sense and shut up about some things.

While Obama seemed calm, dignified, confident and straightforward, McCain was peevish, priggish and (my word) "slumpy." Too bad--it was his time to show that he had plans for the future--real plans apart from the Bush Adm.... I predict he will drop even farther in the polls.

Did you notice how nice the stage looked last night and how beautifully the Curb Center and the bell tower were draped? Probably not, but Brandon's company did all that--and it looked really good. (See Brandon's blog for pictures). Musick and Nashville got a lot of press this week--so glad.

Sam and Other Happenings of the Day

Yesterday I sat with Sam briefly before he went to school. Sam is a story teller like his Poppy--he was full of his experience with the first fire drill at the school. I heard about it in detail. He was quite impressed with the whole thing. They watched an "Arthur" movie about fire and fire drills, then marched out one by one to the playground and waited silently until the all clear bell sounded. Brings back memories of corraling 5th and 6th graders at Dyess across from the school in an 80-mile an hour wind praying for that bell to blow.

Again, the weather is Chamber of Commerce perfect and there are some leaves flying--I don't know if they have let go because it's fall or because of the lack of rain.

In a restaurant I watched a black family do what all good families do as they eat--teach the children manners (there was a two-year-old boy and a younger girl--so precious.) and converse. Both the mother and father had flash cards to play with the boy-- counting cards with various animals and insects on them. I complimented them as I left, and the mother said that they had gotten the cards at a meeting for the parents of autistic children (they have another son who is stricken), but the two year old was just eating up the learning with them. I said a little prayer for those who are researching autism as I left.

Then Doris and I want to see Richard Gere that afternoon--Nights at Rodanthe. The reviews have been mediocre. We enjoyed it--guess we are suckers for romance movies. This one harked back to the old Cary Grant--Deborah Karr flicks. The photography was beautiful of Cape Hatterus and the ocean. Reviews called it treacly, and it was , but we liked it. Diane Lane is beautiful at 48 and of course Richard is beautiful at any age. (now 50, I think).

Then the evening ended with the debate. I thought the oft-described as "eloquent" Obama was slightly off his game and missed several opportunities to jibe McCain. McCain impressed with his tales of world travels, meetings with heads of state, and his general knowledge of foreign diplomacy. I think he won this one. Both were somewhat tongue-tied when it came to what they would do with the financial crisis. That does not bode well. But it was fun to watch them together for the first time and to compare.