The Civic Duty Post

As I often lament; I can’t vote. Not that I really do a very good job of keeping up with anything political, or that I feel that my opinions are valid enough to really have any right to make any political statements. It doesn’t usually bother me to be honest. Though it is the ONE thing I can’t do in this country that all you with your fancy-shamnsy citizenship can, and the appeal of wanting something I cant have stings a little. I have to say though voting impotency is a nice card to pull as a back up after I say something politically boneheaded; “Well I cant vote anyways, so you win” always ends the awkwardness pretty quickly after I mix up left and right-wing or say liberal when I mean conservative. (Don’t even pretend that stuff isn’t confusing at times!).

Anyway this election I have been following the primaries relatively closely and actually feel like I have a vested interest in seeing this one though more than elections past. While I lean both ways as far as being a donkey or an elephant* on different issues (I want my stemcells researched whilst keeping my money to myself thank you very much) I find the war in Iraq being my main issue of interest this time around. I wont even present to have a complete understanding on what’s going on there at this point, but all I know is I have a little brother with sand blowing in his face and the potential to bring him home sooner than originally anticipated. After looking at who’s left in the scrum I have to say I would like to see Barac come out on top. Being that I can’t vote for the guy I decided to make a donation to his campaign instead. While this is pennies to the overall cost of these political machines I feel that I am doing my part in voicing my opinion, possibly even more directly than a ballot check does. In all honesty the money I send their way is probably just going to be enough to employ the person who ends up sending me junk mail all the way up to election day… but whatever. I did my civic duty. Or at least I’m going to tell people I did. Now I need to find one of those ‘I voted’ stickers…

*If I ran the country these lame animal icons would have to go. They would promptly be replaced with an acid-breathing robot dragon and a 50-ft gorilla with a cannon for a head.

The Send Off Post

Last weekend I made a trip back home to spend time with the family before Stefan heads to Iraq. While I am generally opposed to all things Iraq at this point I have to say that I have a lot of respect for Stefan and his willingness to do his part in the Reserves. He seems to have a really level head on about the whole ordeal and look sat it all in an optimistic but realistic light. I wanted to be there to see him off in his last few days before getting shipped out, and spend time with the family together. Great news from Stefan was that he gets some time back home mid-tour in the summer, and that he will potentially be home for Christmas, for good. Which is phenomenal news and a lot less time than we where all originally anticipating.

He will be serving as a medic in one of the detainee (not prisoners- ‘we cant call them prisoners’) camps over there. I am glad that he will not have a directly combatative role, but of course its hardly a resort he’s heading to and he will be called on to do whatever is necessary, no doubt. He was regaling the family over brunch on Sunday how he has to ‘watch out for Chi-Rockets’. Which are homemade projectiles that the detainees like to toss at guards. Apparently when you add any liquid to chi-tea it turns solid- this is news to me. But apparently not to the prisoners, who like to piss and vomit into their tea and make a nice rock out of the result. This lovely lump is supposedly terrific fun to toss at prison guards. I’m sure this is among the tame things he will have to experience over there unfortunately, but I have faith he’ll pull through and come home safely.

I wish him all the best over there and can’t say enough how proud I am of him.