It's Election 2012 in the USA Today!

Good Tuesday, everyone! Hope and pray that you're doing more than okay. I'm doing well, thank you.

Yesterday, I wasn't in the mood to write my blog post. The truth is, I got lazy. Well, you know, my dear folks and friends, that there are times when you feel like not doing anything at all, except to pray and to just loaf, letting the day go by, unmindful of time and what's happening around us.

So, what did I do yesterday? I did actually do something. I prayed my rosary, prepared my bills and mailed them to the nearest post office, and went to the bank to take care of some stuff, and endorsed the check my wife Freny gave me for our anniversary Saturday (which was spent out of town). Back home yesterday, I prepared/cooked something for dinner, using that vegetable ("tabungaw" in Ilokano) that Freny's FilAm friend at school gave her. With it, we have a vegetable stew(?) with sliced onion, leftover sausage and beef, with a can of salmon, and spoonfuls of olive oil and oyster sauce. With steamed rice, of course. For dessert? We have that one medium-size aluminum tray of glutinous rice cake that my sis-in-law Rose ordered from her co-worker and friend. Yummy! And, of course, I always eat after cooking. That's just me. I always savor first what I myself cooked. (By that time, Freny was on her way home from school-work.) After dinner, it was soap opera time for me, on YouTube. From the kitchen, I continued my watching videos upstairs. In our bedroom, that is, where I could just relax and rest until my eyes were heavy and tired. Thank you, God. And thank you, Jesus.

That was my Monday, yesterday, another blessed day for me..

Now, today is Tuesday, it's Election Day in the US of A. This morning, I wrote on my Facebook page, this note: "Encourages all fellow Americans, of all colors and creeds, to get out and vote today, Election 2012," after using the restroom, and praying and meditating the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our heavenly Mother and Mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Afterwards, I got stuck on YouTube, listening to Church songs and hymns and music of such composer-musicians/priests/theologians/monks as David Haas, Marty Haugen, (Jan) Michael Joncas, Gregory Norbet, and John Michael Talbot. (As I'm writing this blog post, I've been listening to the latter's music playlist, via YouTube. Thanks to YouTube and to the uploaders of those videos I watched and embedded in this blog post. No copyright infringement intended.)

As far as voting is concerned, I have to wait for Freny when she gets off from school-work this afternoon. We've planned to go together to cast our votes in the designated voting place, our closest is the elementary school which is just a stone's throw away from our house. BTW, our daughter Tintin has already voted last week, she said, on absentee ballot. Meanwhile, for our son Andrew, I learned last night that he's coming home, after work, this (late) afternoon from The Capital just to exercise his suffrage. I don't know if he's gonna spend the night with us. I just heard from Freny that he's going back to DC after casting his votes. What a trip, huh? Well, I understand he's focused in his work. That's good.

Just a thought, this morning: I wonder why is it that on Election Day, especially General Election such as today, there's school and work, for all employees and workers (salaried, especially). If government officials are concerned about voters turnout in the polls, why can't the powers that be declare a special holiday on Election Day to encourage more electorates' participation. My point is that, there's no reason, excuse or alibi why registered voters did not or were not able to vote. Do I make sense here? Of course, I do. If maximum participation of the population is expected, then, by all means, we should have a day off from work, I believe. Except for those states' Election Board registrars, supervisors, canvassers, employees and volunteer poll watchers, if there's any, because this is their show and they have to man polling places and count or tally votes afterwards once the polling places are closed. I understand we have this so-called freedom, whether to vote or not. But as American citizens (by birth or through naturalization, as in my case), we know that it's our duty to select or elect our leaders. We're fortunate to have this right of suffrage, and to exercise it. Not everyone, on Earth, can exercise this right because of varied reasons. There those who committed crimes and have paid their dues for what they did in states, and back to society for their integration but cannot vote. Their voting rights were not restored because of their criminal records. As for me, I personally believe that they should be given a second chance to participate in the election by casting their votes.

Well, my dear folks and friends, I have to sign off now. As an undecided voter, up to this time, I need to do a little praying by asking our loving God to help, guide and enlighten me. My faith, as I've said, comes into play as I cast my vote this afternoon. I am for Life! I hope and pray that I'd make the right decision to elect the right people to lead our country and our city, when my wife and I go to the polls this afternoon.

I know, change is inevitable in life. That's the fact of life. We have to embrace change to be able to live in a digital world. Despite all the changes and challenges we face, we have to move forward if we want to get better in life. Our country undergoes changes to meet/suit the needs of the electorates and the world, as a whole. On the other hand, we believe that nothing is permanent, on Earth, except God, our Almighty Father and Creator of Heaven and Earth.

This is all for now. Until next time around, my dear folks and friends. Thank you for your time with me. Take care and have a wonderful day, everyone! Again, to my fellow Americans, let's get out and vote today, Election 2012. Thank you. As always, May God bless us all!-chris a. quilpa, 06Nov2012

P.S./Update:

Finally, this afternoon, after forty-five minutes of waiting, in a queue of varied voters inside a school gymnasium, Freny and I did cast our vote. Our son Andrew, who drove all the way from DC, arrived home and did vote, too. Now, let's wait and see about the results. We do hope and pray that whoever wins will deliver his/their promises. Congratulations, America! Democracy is alive and well! Thank you, God. And, God bless America!-chris