Things I just don't get

People pulling out in front of you at the last possible secord and then driving 15 mph. Are you in a hurry or not?
Receiving a hand-delivered (not mailed) flyer for vinyl-siding when my house is already vinyl-sided.

My dog (Jekyll) burying his bones and then acting like he's struck gold when he digs them up later.

Driving 45 mph in the fast lane and being totally oblivious to the string of cars behind you.

Young, pretty girls whose dream it is to be a porn star.

Election Day 2004

I've never seen such passion regarding an election as I did this year. Most people who voted relied on their emotions rather than their intellect. While I may disagree with many of you, I respect your opinion and your ability to vote as you choose.
As election day neared, I was amazed at the number of undecided voters. Considering the vast differences between the two major candidates, this seemed hard to believe. This changed on election day when I spoke with 3 voters who were, you guessed it, still undecided. All three said, in so many words, they couldn't decide on a candidate so they figured they just vote for George W. The undecided voters that I spoke with were not aware of the issues. Kerry was a mystery to them. They voted for Bush by default. It was not an emotional or an informed vote.

I was wrong, very wrong. There were plenty of people without strong convictions who voted for reasons that might seem trivial to some but naturally, that is their right to do so. If they choose a candidate based on the length of their fingernails, so be it. That is their choice.

Yet it leads me to believe that these late decision makers did not follow the issues or the candidates closely. They made their decision on information sound bits, only remembering those things they can easily understand such as abortion, gay marriage and morality. Issues that require some level of understanding such as Iraq, Afghanistan, the economy (unless they are unemployed), the deficit and national security did not factor into their decision.

I honestly believe that if every voter took the time to learn all the issues and where each candidate stood, the outcome would have been very different. There are certainly those who are well-informed but still agree with George W. Would they feel the same about the war in Iraq, for example, if Bush approved of gay marriage and a woman's right to choose. Tell me, doesn't each issue deserve to stand on its own?

Flu Shots

1. Have you received flu shots in the past?
I have asthma so my doc always makes sure I get one. As long as the doctor doesn't start quoting death statistics on asthma patients with the flu, I will decline it this year.
2. If so, did you ever have a bad reaction?
I love how they tell you all the things that can go wrong right before they plunge the needle into your arm. It usually ends with 'And it can result in death'. Oh gee, thanks. Now I really want one.
I never got sick from the flu shot but I did get sick from a pnemonia shot I received a few years back. My arm turned bright, make that very bright, red. I had a fever to boot.

3. Are you concerned about not receiving one this year?
Not really. I only recall getting the full blown flu once in my life. I had the flu, bronchitis and an upper Respiratory tract infection. The timing was either very good or very bad - exam week in college.

4. Are you concerned that someone you know needs to receive one and might not be able to be vaccinated?
Yes, I'm also concerned about the people I don't know.

5. How do you feel about members of Congress who don’t meet the Center for Disease Control guideline being vaccinated?
Some got the flu before the shortage. I'll let that slide. For anyone else, I highly recommend they get sick, very sick.

6. Would you pay to take a special cruise if it included a flu vaccine shot as one of the perks? (I’m not sure how this happened, but I saw this on the news).
I'd say this stems from the hundreds of cruise line passengers who got sick with the flu last year (?) and had their trips were cut short. Still, this is beyond bizarre.