Happy New Year!

It's almost Halloween. Which is almost Thanksgiving. Which is almost Christmas. Which means the year is basically over. 

Okay, maybe not. Maybe there are still two and a half months left in 2022 but I'm having a hard time not moving on to 2023. 

This is the time of year that I am usually working on wrapping up the goals I set for myself and just starting to think about the next year and what I want to do. Fall is always a big goal setting time for me. So many years in school that Fall feels like a start of a year instead of the end of another. 

But this year it's a little different in feel. I don't have any real goals to wrap up. My reading goal was low so that won't be an issue. I didn't set a writing goal past the month of January so that's done. I've pretty much stabilized out my weight within a 5 pound range that part of me thinks should be 5 pounds lower but we know that the path to madness lies in 5 pound increments. The house is what the house is. Slowly getting things done but still progressing. 

And I'd just like to skip the election cycle. 

I know that's a part of it. Oregon has a real chance of ending up being a republican or mixed governed state for the first time in a VERY long time. With all of the worry about the current state of US politics I've been using the "at least I live in Oregon" mantra as my soothing balm. If that falls I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Maybe look at moving to Canada?

And the national elections are just more worry. I just do not understand how anyone votes republican right now. I mean that. It's not a difference in economics, it's not a difference in the size of government, it's not a discussion that can be held about high level things. It's a basic the head of the party is Trump. A majority of the people running for election are still saying the last election was stolen. There is a movement in that party to make sure that if a situation like Trump happened again that the election could be decided by them, not by the votes. I know people in that party roll their eyes at the suggestion but it really is a difference in do you believe in democracy and our republic or don't you? 

For me and my family, of course, the social issues are also important. The fact that all across the country books are being pulled from libraries. Teachers are being told they cannot discuss "gay issues." Words like groomer are being tossed around pretty recklessly. There is a push to make being trans illegal. Or at least seeking the medical help you need if you are trans. There is a push to get rid of marriage equality. There is a push to force everyone back in the closet. I cannot understand how anyone who claims to love me and mine votes republican. 

Not right now. 

So yeah, I'd like to fast forward to the new year. I'd like to live in my dream world where everyone realizes that right now what we need to do is purge the republican party of white christian nationalists and make what they are trying to do a losing proposition. We need to save the country's foundation. Then we can go back to arguing over tax percentages. Then you can go back to calling me a socialist for believing in the safety net and that in one of the richest countries in the world we shouldn't have a houseless problem or kids who don't get enough to eat. Fine, whatever, great. But first we need to get away from people who believe the only fair election is one they win. People who want to see my child dead. People who want me to live by rules in a book I don't believe in. Rules that they themselves pick and choose which ones to follow and which ones to pretend aren't there. 

So join me in saying Happy New Year! 2023! Woo!!!

Or just putting our heads down and pushing forward as best as we can. 

Whichever works for you.