In the last election cycle, I mentioned that lacking money to donate, I would donate time to help elect my chosen candidates. Five days before election day, I found myself in the Emergency room of the nearest hospital, hooked up to many machines, unable to move or control my left side.  I thought to myself, “Thank goodness I voted early!” 

My episode resembling a stroke kept me from volunteering during the weekend of action, a big one. I’d already given many hours of time to prepare volunteer packets for the day. I managed to stop by the office downtown and donate chocolate to keep people happy during their full day.

I have regained control over the left side of my body, but I’ve had other problems since fall of 2012. With all of that in mind, I need to set myself some definite boundaries for this fall election cycle.

To maintain my physical and mental health, I will NOT:

• forward candidates’ posts on Facebook: as hard as it is, I aim to keep my FB page personal in nature. Maybe. This will be the hardest point on my list.
• sign online petitions. It’s too easy, and therefore often meaningless to those in power.
• forward emails that call themselves Memes. It’s a chain letter, people, don’t kid yourselves.

To further maintain my physical and mental health, I WILL:

• learn about the candidates and become an informed voter
• vote and encourage my family members to vote, too
• remind friends and coworkers to vote (even on FB)
• donate small amounts of money to candidates I support
• for good vibrations, wear my Team Obama t-shirt from fall 2012
• blog!
• keep calm, and garden on. It’s cheaper than therapy, and in the end I’ll have tomatoes.