Everyday Canvas

Sunday Musings

Voting:

Yesterday I received a letter through the snail mail. It said, in gist, that this certain group was aware I didn’t miss a vote, and since my voting record was so complete, they would call and talk to me after the election about my voting experience. It is true. I never miss a vote. I think the only two times were when I was out of the country, way back when, and even though I could do the absentee vote thing then, my vote would be counted way after the election results. So I had given up. But this group wanting to talk to me? This somehow didn’t make sense. Why would I discuss my votes with anyone?

As to the experience, the worst experience I had was 2012 when a top official in our state cut the number of sites and days allowed for early voting. I still voted even if I waited 45 minutes on line. This year again, the same official (I am guessing) minimized it again to only two sites. I voted again. Early voting favors the elderly and erases the mix-up due to crowding or missing the voting due to long-lasting lines.

Surely those who fear losing will do everything in their power, so we won’t vote. They just don’t know that I hate people who try to manipulate me. When I sense their intent, I’ll bring heaven and earth together to oppose them.

My E-Books Bias:

“Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in.”-Shannon L. Alder

I know bias, prejudice, or being opinionated does not a fair person make. Still, in view of the middle education in US, when I am buying E-Books published by the author or even a publishing company, as not all publishing companies are equal, I check the author’s credentials, a sample of his writing, and if any one of the reviews in Amazon mentions language deficiencies in the writing. Although, I make the UK and Australian e-books go through the same routine, I feel better about those writers because their use of the language is usually much better, again due to their education processes.

I have to be careful with this because the mind is like a sponge and it is very likely mine may absorb someone else’s mistake and repeat it. For that reason, if I am reading a book, which is great in the sample and later on I find mistake after mistake, I delete that book without finishing it, and if a book appeals to me somehow, I try to let the author know, which doesn’t sit well with her or him some of the time.

I know this is my quirk, but as a reader I need to be careful, even if, in general, I enjoy e-books and understand how difficult it is to write any book.