A Year Ago...a little over

Trying to get back into blog writing, I was reviewing entries I had written before. I found the following from last Thanksgiving. I thought I'd post it today while I am still thinking about what I want to write about...

Today is Thanksgiving.  It is also the anniversary of JFK’s assassination. As I watched the CNN news this morning it was all about the current sexual harassment accusations that have come to light this past week. Mostly in the Congress, but also TV news and entertainment. I saw nothing about Kennedy. No one, I think, knows where these are going, but it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. One wonders if this would have surfaced a year ago what effect it would have had on the presidential election. Or would it have not made any difference? One can only wonder.

What effect would this current atmosphere have had if it existed when John Kennedy was president? Or even before he was elected? Would have the newspapers kept it quiet because he was the president? He was not tremendously popular before he was the candidate. Johnson surely would have tried to use Kennedy’s womanizing to his benefit. Kennedy wasn’t really in the running at the start of the Democratic convention. The only thing that might have helped him, and it actually did, was the unpopularity of Nixon. While Eisenhower was a popular president, for the most part, that popularity did not extend to his vice president. After that first debate where Nixon sweated and looked for the most part swarmy, it was really a lost cause. However, in the end, the popular election was very close. I can’t remember what that the Electoral College results were. What if Nixon had won? Would we have had Vietnam? Would he still have instigated Watergate? Some interesting scenarios could be developed about later events.

I am disappointed that no one seems to talk about the Kennedy assassination. Even talking about him as a president today would be interesting to listen to the various arguments pro and con. But back then even the press was different. Many men, and usually they were all men, were given a pass on what they did out of the view of the public. When did it change? Watergate? That was only a few years later? The Pentagon Papers? That was about the same time. Iran-Contra during Reagan? Or did it hold off until Bill Clinton? Or maybe the press corps just crept along, growing bolder and more investigative along the years.

Just too bad this all didn’t happen earlier.

A Seinfeld Kind-of Day

With all that is going on right now, I think a day of nothing is appropriate.

I was thinking about fruit cocktail Jello salad this morning. I remember my mother making it for us. I seem to remember it was always in red Jello. A simple dessert, but very good. Here is a picture I found on Pinterest.

Cleaning out the box we keep in the GMC's rear storage area the other day, I found the piece of wood that caused the flat tire. I had forgotten that after I pulled it out, I kept it.

Next week is our final Books & Brews meeting for this year. We are discussing the book "Grace" as well as choosing the reading order for 2019. I have two books selected for next year; "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks, and "The Lost Painting" by Jonathan Hart.

Voting Day 2018

Did you vote? I did.

Watching the news this morning, it was a record-setting off-year election from the standpoint of voters - 113 million. This was the largest ever recorded.

We went to a new voting site for us this year. It was in a nearby school. But we almost didn't make it. We followed Google Maps, but there was a road detour because of road work. So after following the detour, we finally made it to the school.

The school had lost power earlier in the day and was operating on generator power. The line was long. I timed it and it only took 22 minutes from entering to exiting. Not bad, but not as organized as down in Lexington where we used to vote.

After voting, we went out to The Cheese Shop to get some candy and try the new donut shop. Wife said they were good, but still not the cake donuts she is hunting for. The search will continue.

Last nite we spent catching up on TV shows we had recorded because of football games and other conflicts. Still have to watch a slew of Anthony Bourdain's final episodes.

A New Month, A New Start?

Well, let's see if this month is better than last. It hasn't completely started out as well as it could of, but we'll see tomorrow. We got the Saturn back from a $600 service. But the GMC is still in the body shop because the paint is not completely dry. Supposedly, I am going to get it tomorrow morning first thing and return the rental. Then I have to get ready for my afternoon SJH shift.

In the midst of all of the car shenanigans today, I had two doctor appointments. Can you figure one of them out?

The podiatrist yes. And the dermatologist this morning.

My goal is to write something every day, however short or silly. Just write to get back into the habit. Hopefully, it will improve. For tonite, this appears the best I can do. Sorry.