Another Week in the Life of a Conservative Activist
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
October 20, 2012 10:04pm CST
Sunday -- Signed up for a new website to start a new blog on California Conservative Politics. Installed WordPress on this new site with Blue Host because I wanted a dry run for the new blog I'll be in charge of for tomfolio.com later on. Wrote the first blog post after getting the site set up. Got to bed at 4 AM
Monday -- finished walking precinct for Paso Robles City Council Candidate Jim Reed. Edited blog. Did other things on line.
Tuesday -- Campaign Committee Meeting for Jim Reed followed by pizza party at Round Table to watch presidential debate with tea party members and Republican party people, including our candidate for 24th Congressional District. Last election we watched the debates at Republican headquarters and they served free pizza. Now the party is joining us at Round Table where we each pay our own way. Round Table gives us a group rate buffet that they probably give any large group that reserves the room. Shopped at Trader Joe's on the way home.
Wednesday -- Processed orders for my business. After dropping them at the post office, I attended a candidate forum in Paso Robles that turned out to be more unusual than anyone expected. One of the write-in candidates for mayor, JR, showed up late with a glass of wine in his hand. Moderators asked each candidate the same questions. JR had missed the first two, and came in and took his seat. On the third question, he had to have it repeated twice. Then he just stood at the podium for what seemed like an eternity before uttering a couple of almost incoherent sentences. He did this every time it was his turn. Toward the end he said he wanted to rebut what another candidate had said, but when he got to the podium, he couldn't think of anything to say except that we need lights for the baseball fields. For the closing statement he said something like "Lights for the baseball fields -- that's what it's all about " and then he just walked out. I knew the moderator and one of the people asking questions, and it was obvious they had no idea how to handle this very awkward situation. It's known in town, I guess, that JR gets mean drunk, not happy drunk. The moderator was a short woman, and she was hesitant to confront JR. There was no bouncer. After all, it was a situation no one expected to happen. Just about everyone was stunned, and after JR's third turn at the podium, people were having to hold in their giggles (of the nervous variety.) Then JR gave the audience an intimidating look and said "Why are you all laughing?" I think we were all relieved when he decided to go home. I was one of the last to leave, since I got a chance to talk to the other write-in candiate for mayor, GN, and I was pretty impressed with him. I went home and spent another couple of hours blogging about the forum. Got to bed around 2
Thursday -- took it easy as much as possible. It was a fun day. I and some other people who work together in politics all the time rode together to Santa Maria to attend a COLAB dinner conference. Jon Coupal (president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association) and Steven F Hayward ( a Reagan and Churchill biographer) spoke. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of grilled tri-tip, chicken, BBQ beans, garlic bread, and a fantastic salad. They served a marvelous chocolate cake for dessert and I had two pieces. I got up before the program started, to photograph the people at another table, and when I came back, someone had put another piece of that wonderful cake at my place. What could I do? Of course I had to eat it. After we left, we discovered the freeway home was at a crawl, so E, who was tipsy (they had served wine and beer with dinner) was directing the driver, R, to an alternate way home. It wasn't working well, and we didn't have great confidence in E's directions, so L, who was sitting in back with E and me set up the GPS on her phone and started directing R according to that. So for a while, R was having to listen to both E and L giving different directions, but he followed the ones L gave him from the GPS and we finally got to a main road back to the freeway in Nipomo. I think we got home about 10:30. I started a blog about the dinner.
Friday -- Slept in. Finished blog on COLAB dinner. Fixed a Quinoa Chicken Salad for Hubby, but I ate leftover chef salad with tuna, since I had gone to the other house and gotten on the scale. I was very good yesterday and today. Don't know what else I did on Friday, but it probably involved a computer. I think I spent some time trying to process the video and the blog had taken most of the day.
Today, Saturday -- Am taking a break from politics today. Went to Farmers Market in Morning after sleeping in again. Fixed lunch. Took some autumn nature pictures around my yard. Noticed the walnuts are ripe and collected a full lug of them. There's still a lot on the upper part of the tree, and there's one more full tree to go. Hope it doesn't rain before I get the nuts in. I think with all my available choices, I'll share a picture from my walnut tree. I think I'll write a hub about it. I will be so glad when the election is over and I can lead a more normal life again.
4 people like this
8 responses
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
21 Oct 12
What a busy week! I wonder why someone didn't tell JR "we're laughing because you're drunk and incoherent and making a fool of yourself". I would have. What a disgrace.
I'll be glad when the election is over, too. The right to vote should not bring violation of privacy with it but it does. Every day the damned phone rings at least twice with pollsters, RNC, DNC and others thinking that I need someone to tell me how to vote. I'm very rude to them. I say things I'm ashamed of. I ask God to forgive me for the way I treat those people--at least the ones I answer because if the TV is on (after 5PM) I can see the number and don't answer those I don't recognize. It's torture to be a voter in this country, at least one with a phone.
I may just un-register after this election so I can live in peace. This constant barrage of harassment is no way to live.
1 person likes this
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
21 Oct 12
I haven't been harassed by people calling me about the elections. I think that maybe it is because of the fact that I am registered on the national do not call list. Of course I also screen my calls so I don't have to waste time with people calling me wanting me to vote for their candidate or proposition. I don't want to give up my right to vote...we're getting enough rights taken away from us already. From having our lives run by the establishment...I am referring to the right to determine our medications and how much we need them. I feel like I am being treated like a two year old when it comes to our medications and how and when to take them.
We were recently forced into having to carry our own bags to the stores, and what is interesting about the fact is that all the stores have included the price of the bags in the cost of the goods they are selling. The cost of the goods we are buying hasn't been reduced since the companies don't have to provide the plastic bags. So now, if you forget your bag,they are "selling" brown paper bags to the consumer...which is now causing more trees to be cut down to manufacture paper bags. The money from the sale of the brown paper bags goes to the county... More and more people were recycling their plastic bags, I would go into the various stores that had containers for recycling plastic bags and the containers would be packed full of returned bags. I am a recycling nut, and recycle nearly everything that I use...so having to carry my own bags is a bit of a frustration and irritation. I not only recycle the plastic bags after I have used the daylights out of them, but I use them around the house constantly. I start by using them for holding the teddy bear parts (I make teddy bears), then the parts when they are sewn together, and then the finished bear. I use the same bag at least a dozen times. When the bag is in shreds I will package it up and take it in for recycling. We weren't given an option on that matter, our elected officials took that in hand...
By allowing your voter registration to lapse, you are giving up your voice and the opportunity to change things. You are giving up the heritage that our forefathers fought for valiantly through through the Revolutionary war, the war of 1812, WWI, WWII, and so much more. We fought for these rights and personally I am proud of the opportunities provided by the loss of our forefathers lives. I am proud of the opportunity given to me that I can go into the polls and cast my vote for the person or measure of my choice... I figure that if it is answering a call from someone who wants to make sure that I use my right to vote is a small price to pay for my freedom. Look at the number of countries that don't have the freedoms that we have. Look at the previous Soviet Union and Communism. My cousin who lived through Hitler's reign still shudders and is panic stricken if you say ANYTHING against the government or the country's leaders. She and her husband suffered through the war, and was fortunate enough to be on the right side of the Berlin wall but she still was frightened out of her wits because of the Communists. We, as Americans, have the right to vote, complain about the existing officials, and even confront those officials about things that we disagree with. Giving up the right to vote is giving up our right to our freedoms.
Sorry about the lecture! I am getting a bit rabid about giving up rights that I haven't even had a chance to voice my disagreement about. I hate the fact that the government is stepping in and running my ability to deal with MY medications and have the government tell me how much I can take, how often and then tell me that I have to make my medication last for a specified period of time whether the pain that I live with is increased and I need a bit more medication than usual... I am old enough to take care of myself, and if I feel that I need a keeper to make sure that I don't "harm" myself, then I will hire one. OOPS! I am starting to get back on that soap box...sorry about that!!! I better go feed the cats!!!!
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
22 Oct 12
Loverbear, I practically live on my own soapbox so don't worry about it. I'll still vote but I need to vent and make empty threats every so often. When I move back to where my kids live I'm not getting a land line and when I start getting sales/political calls I'll change my number of my cell phone or buy a throw-away.
I'm on the do not call list but charities and political groups, for some reason, are exempted from the rules. What a crock of crap. As you can tell, I'm still angry and will probably remain so until election day.
1 person likes this
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
21 Oct 12
You also need to add that there was a really good earthquake at around midnight on October 21! I checked the computer and it registered at a 5.3 in King City California, which is around 44 miles north of Paso Robles. (I live 30 miles west of Paso Robles.)
I have gotten to the point of taking earthquakes in stride since the one in 2003, but this one sent dogs and cats flying through the house with the greatest of speed! It wouldn't have been so bad except that I had just crawled in bed and I had my own personal tsunami! I sleep in one of the old fashioned waterbeds that isn't waveless.
I start my work on the elections starting Monday. I am lead inspector for the elections on November 6th. I have two classes to attend, supplies to pick up, cookies to bake, and the polling place to set up. Like you I will be very happy when things return to normal after the elections...well as normal as my life gets!
1 person likes this
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
21 Oct 12
Actually working the polls doesn't take two classes, I go to the clerk class with Bill (my fiance), if I don't go he doesn't go. I go on the 29th, for class and to pick up the precinct supplies.
Lead inspector picks up the keys for the polling place, makes sure that the poll is set up properly, and answers any problems that the workers have during the election. They also make sure that there aren't any people electioneering in the building, that there aren't any people electioneering outside the building (within the 100 feet) and otherwise play election cop.
Working the election is fun! I've been doing it for the past 20 years (plus or minus a few years). My Mom and I started doing it just after I moved in in 1983. I got to do one election and the second one was a real farce! The inspector had just lost his wife, and was extremely depressed and wasn't well anyhow. He opened the polls and then disappeared for several hours...turns out he was in his car taking a nap. I called the office, rather concerned because we were working in the dark...there were three people working: My Mom (who had one election under her belt), another lady who was working an election for the first time, and myself. About noon (five hours after we opened) he came in and the office called asking for him. He blew up at Pam Weaver about the call and stormed back out to his car for another nap!!! Around 2 p.m. he came in and told us that he was going home that the whole job was ours. Turns out he had to go home as he had peed his pants...anyhow I called Pam again and she wanted to know if we could handle the situation. I figured we could and told her so...she told us to select a new inspector and keep trudging along. Mom and the other lady both pointed to me when I relayed the message to them, and stated loud and clear "YOU'RE IT!!!!" I knew nothing about doing elections but everything balanced within one ballot, and we got the job done. I've been an inspector ever since.
You really need to give it a try, if you want to volunteer and I'll work at getting you on our team. We have a ton of fun and I really take care of my people! If you're out and around stop by Plymouth Congregational Church on 13th street and nab some cookies and some coffee or tea and get to know us. We welcome poll watchers too. (I call them poll sitters...no offense, it's just a natural thing that came from my mouth.) I am sure you would love our team too, we're all really great friends and are very caring about each other and others assigned to our team. I also make sure that each of my workers gets an hour lunch and the only three rules I have is that the workers are to have fun ,that they leave the building during their lunch so they get away from all the hub bub, and that we respect each other and are kind and nonjudgmental.
I used to love walnuts, but while I was in a youth organization we cleaned walnuts to sell during the prime baking season. I developed a serious allergy to walnuts and can't even use anything that contains walnut oil! If I touch a walnut my tongue swells up and I can't breathe and I turn scarlet... So I don't have anything walnut in the house.
I hope you will stop by the church and visit on the 6th. I am sure you will like the collection of assorted people that I work with. Plus it isn't too often that one gets to meet someone from the Lot in person.
I remember when I was 10 and we had a serious earthquake. I flew out of bed and raced for the living room. Mom came out and tried to get me to go back to bed...about the time she has succeeded in getting me aimed back at bed we had an aftershock. I was back on the couch!! Mom worked hard at getting me to go back to bed again and had finally succeeded when we had yet another aftershock. Mom was getting frustrated, especially when I told her that I wasn't going back to bed because if I was going to die in an earthquake I wanted to be awake to watch! At least we were fortunate enough to not have another quake last night. Of course if we did I slept through it.
I suppose I should get busy, I have two little dogs nagging for breakfast and I need to get dressed and start studying for my mid terms. I also have some teddy bears in the process of getting sewn together. Seems like the work never ends!!!
Mom worked hard at getting me to go back to bed again and had finally succeeded when we had yet another aftershock. Mom was getting frustrated, especially when I told her that I wasn't going back to bed because if I was going to die in an earthquake I wanted to be awake to watch! At least we were fortunate enough to not have another quake last night. Of course if we did I slept through it.
I suppose I should get busy, I have two little dogs nagging for breakfast and I need to get dressed and start studying for my mid terms. I also have some teddy bears in the process of getting sewn together. Seems like the work never ends!!!@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
21 Oct 12
I'm not in bed yet, and I'm a bit hesitant still. Don't want to have to leap up if there's an aftershock.
What does a lead inspector for an election do? If it takes two classes, I'm glad I didn't volunteer. I'll be working more on poll watching, I think, and getting out the vote. I've walked my legs off already and by now a lot of people in the precinct I was walking have already voted. I don't like doing phone back duty much either. I hate getting calls myself and so I hate to be the one disturbing others, especially if they may already have voted. I'm getting tired, and may just risk going to bed now. I don't want to be too tired to pick nuts tomorrow afternoon.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
23 Oct 12
Ah yes! It is good to take a break from all these things! Hope you had a fine day all day long! Yes, I will be glad when the 2012 election(s) are over as well, except if the incumbent wins we will hear more love affair from the media for him, and if the Mr Romney wins we will be in for the media ripping him to shreds every chance they get and making chances when they don't!
Like we did for the eight years of the previous administration. Remember how loong Abu Graib was in the headlines, always hinting how it was the administration's fault, and now we hear about nothing about fast and furious or the security around our ambassador in Libya debacle.. And the false reasons put out by the administration for about two weeks!! Just imagine the raving the press would be making if such occurred under a republican administration!! But now some in media are saying it's a non issue!
Like we did for the eight years of the previous administration. Remember how loong Abu Graib was in the headlines, always hinting how it was the administration's fault, and now we hear about nothing about fast and furious or the security around our ambassador in Libya debacle.. And the false reasons put out by the administration for about two weeks!! Just imagine the raving the press would be making if such occurred under a republican administration!! But now some in media are saying it's a non issue!@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
24 Oct 12
I went to a Republican Women's Luncheon today because a friend dragged me to hear a speaker on using social media for politics. She called, told me about it, and told me it was $18 (ouch!) and I needed to reply right away, so I told her to go ahead and RSVP for me, because I did want to learn more. When she sent the confirmation with the information back, I was pretty upset because it turns out the speaker was one I'd heard at a different meeting for a different group back in July, and he didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. Useless. I was hoping it might be a more useful presentation.
Guess what, he didn't show. So a local person who's active in Atascadero politics spoke impromptu, on the state of our military under this administration. He is a retired military officer, and keeps up with what's going on. His assessment was that if O serves one more term, it will not only destroy the economy, but perhaps even the country. It appears our commander in chief is dismantling the military, and our Navy is down to pre-WW1 levels and our Air Force to pre-WW2 levels. Our weaponry is obsolete and we can't renew our atomic weapons or test them because he won't do it. In a few years, we may have no more viable nuclear weapons left, yet Russia and China are both building new ones. Meanwhile, O wants to dismantle our system to intercept missiles coming toward us. In other words, without a change in administration, we may be defenseless agains the nuclear weapons of other countries and because we may not have any of our own left, we have nothing to deter others from attacking us. I made a video of the speech, but I haven't posted it yet because my husband thinks I should get his permission first. I think every American needs to see it. People just don't realize what this man is doing to our country.
@GardenGerty (169568)
• United States
23 Oct 12
Honestly, that is much more politics than I have the stomach for. I am surprised that the one person is allowed to be so intimidating. I am grateful for people who do get involved, though.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
24 Oct 12
I would never be able to run for public office, nor would I want to. I'd rather support good people who have the courage to do so. I have finished two of my three scheduled meetings for this week. One more to go tomorrow night.
I did visit a couple of vineyards on the way home from this morning's meeting, so that I could get some blog pictures for autumn in the vineyards. I discovered I could see my house from a hill in the Rotta Vineyard. You can see it, too, in the middle of the picture behind the tall Italian cypress trees.
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
21 Oct 12
I think it's English. The nuts on the other tree are smaller, but I think they aren't black walnuts either. I'm a bit distracted. While I was writing that the room shook for a few seconds. Scary! Got to see how big it was and where it was centered. Don't you just love living in California?
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
22 Oct 12
Yeah, I'm less cool about the quakes than I used to be. Can't keep nice glassware around any more, lol. Usually I log on after one and check to see what other people are saying.
Some other plants will not grow near black walnut trees, I have heard, but don't know if that is also true of the other varieties...
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
23 Oct 12
And here in the last discussion that I just responded to I was saying that I will be happy when this time next week has rolled around because things are going to be a lot more calm for me then. As I'm not going to have to be doing the running that I am having to do right now.
However, everything that I have going on in my life doesn't make me even one third as busy as you are right now. I suppose that your time to rest is going to come after the election is over?
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
23 Oct 12
I hope I'll get some rest them, or at least get to use more of my energy for unpolitical projects like nature walks, non-political blogging, and Squidoo, HubPages, and Zazzle. I am weary of politics. i'm a bit down since the debate tonight.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Oct 12
wow yo are one busy lady. that one candidate that came in drunk and made an a.s.s. of himself reminded m e of our Tustin Counsel and Mark Kennedy who was another o ne like yours
. He listened to one of the citizens give her input
on a law they were wondering then he jumped up
and yelled"sit down old lady nobody cares what you
think." the astounded rest of the city counsel Pucket,
Potts and Prescott, the three p's. pulled him down and shoved him into his seat and apologized to the red faced woman who
was frozen to the pulpit. this guy Kennedy had the guts
to run for congressmaen in our area and he got fifteen
votes. we expected most of those were from his large family.
I also will be glad when the election is over and people
can talk about other things than what they think Obama
had done lately. I know I am on the wrong party to trust any mylotter to talk voting with.Some nice people turn bit.ch.,y
when they get into the politics interest.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
22 Oct 12
I told it mostly easy today. Slept in, as did Hubby, so we didn't make it to church. He napped some more after breakfast. About 1 we left to go shopping, since I hadn't had time for grocery shopping last week except for a quick trip to Trader Joe's. Shopping without Hubby takes about half the time, since I don't have to keep looking for him. I circled Vons twice trying to find him for checkout. And that was the third store where I lost him.
When we got home, he cleaned the green skins off the walnuts while I fixed lunch. Then I rested for a bit until he emptied the lug of nuts I picked yesterday. Then I went out and gathered another lug, and I was ready to hit the shower. Now I can blog, myLot, and Facebook for the rest of the evening. It's nice to have a day with no deadlines, since I have four meetings already scheduled between Monday - Wednesday.
