8: Thinking Out Loud #27

Hey friends, grab a cup of coffee and let’s have a chat! How is everyone doing? Especially my fellow NaBloPoMo participants? I am taking the opportunity to link up with Amanda from Running with Spoons for Thinking out Loud again today and share some random thoughts that are on my mind.

+ NaBloPoMo-ers, you’ve almost made it one week. Does it feel easier or are you already struggling? I admittedly always have to plan out my posts in advance. I don’t actually write them in advance, but I brainstorm post ideas in advance and then also see what comes up organically in the moment. That has worked out well for me so far throughout the years.

+ What do you say about the election results? It’s a bit of a mixed bag, isn’t it? A blue swell, not so much a crashing wave. I am super-stoked that so many Democrats flipped the house seats and that so many women got elected, but seriously, what happened with some of the Senate races?

I am still trying to wrap my mind around it because it seems so “contradictory” to me when so many Democrats won congressional districts. (I know, it all has to do with how districts are drawn and how many people actually voted in each district. But to think that a majority of people in TX, FL, and GA actually ended up voting the Trump ticket again is disturbing.)

+ Now I’m curious about the overall voter turnout. I know it was reported that turnout was great for a midterm election, but does “great” mean there were just more people than usual (which historically weren’t that many to begin with) or does it mean there was actually a substantial uptick in participation?

+ Remember how I recently had a health insurance claim victory after being on the phone with them on and off for 15 months? Yeah, the next claim I submitted (same service, different date), they declined. So, guess who’s going to be on the phone raising hell with them again? (I am so over this.)

+ My co-worker has brought in a bunch of serrano peppers. Who can share a tried and true salsa recipe (before I employ the help of the Interwebs)?

+ I think I am going to start cooking more soups again now that we’re entering the cooler season. I am making this recipe this weekend.

What’s on your mind today?

  1. I feel more positive about the election this time than last time! I think we’re slowly turning things around. If I ask my husband I can get you a good salsa recipe!

    1. I agree, it’s a step in the right direction… but it’s turning around too slowly for my liking ;) LOL
      That would be awesome if Nate had a great salsa recipe for me :) Thanks in advance!

  2. It’s definitely soup season here as the highs are going to be in the 20s over the next several days. Burr. Winter has arrived sooner than I would like.

    I was pretty disappointed with the election results. I was happy that the dems took the house but it sucks that the Republicans won some key senate races. I knew that Heidi Heitkamp would lose in my home state of ND but it was still disappointing. i was proud of her for voting against Kavanaugh because that likely put the last nail in her coffin but at least it showed that she has principles. I was really hoping Beto would pull off an upset in TX. I can’t stand Ted Cruz. He came so close, though, so maybe in the future he’ll win a senate seat?

    1. Brrr. It’s cold where you are.

      I really hope that Dems will have more chances in Senate races in the future, although it bugs me that there are still so many people supporting openly hostile and racist candidates in 2018.

  3. I’m a positive person in general, I want to see the good! So I will take the midterms as a good start…… let’s hope it’s going to be big one day / soon!!!
    On my mind today are all these innocent people who lost their lives at the Thousand Oaks shooting last night. My thoughts are with their friends and families! What are we going to wake up to tomorrow? When will it stop? I just don’t get it!

    1. You know me, I am a glass-half-full kinda person also and I definitely take the wins for the Dems! I am just worried about the Senate and more SCOTUS appointment that will have impacts for decades to come!

  4. I think it was a great night for dems! We got the house. Trump cannot pass legislation without the blessing of Nancy Pelosi. We have subpeona power. THIS CHANGES THE GAME!!!

    1. It’s definitely a step in the right direction! No more free rein for the manchild.

  5. I’m so happy about the House, but the Senate is still quite depressing – I mean, it’s a big deal for Texas to be that close to electing a Democrat for Senate, but I’m still really upset that Cruz won. I just don’t get some of the voting choices people are STILL making. I’m not sure on the number, but I feel like more people voted this midterm than they normally do, but I don’t know by how much…I like to think it helped though!!

    Great job on blogging every day. I’d definitely have to think ahead, and blog ahead too!

    -Lauren

    1. I was shocked about how close some of these races were… literally a few thousand votes. That’s so crazy to think about.

  6. I make a vegetable/chicken soup with lots of tomatoes and cabbage. So good. In fact, we just finished up the last bit. I love cooking! The recipe for that will be on http://www.dackelprincess tomorrow.

    1. Mmh, I’ll look for that recipe! thanks!

  7. Yeah for one week of NaBloPoMo. I have to admit I am struggling a bit. I haven’t prepared as much as last year so I am basically down to no more prepped ones. We’ll see how that goes. On another note I am so with you on the soup thing. The soup looks good. Might give it a try too.

    1. You can do it. I am here to cheer you on!

  8. There’s no hope for Texas. I lived in that stupid state from 1991 until May 30th of this year. I knew back in my late teens that someday I wanted to leave Texas. It just took a couple of decades to do it and honestly, I thank Trump and the crazy religious conservatives in Texas for the newfound sense of urgency. I voted for Beto in the Texas primaries and while he had the best shot, I knew there was no chance he’d beat Cruz. Here are some stats: out of a voting age population of 20 million, roughly 16 million are registered to vote. Of the 16 million, a little over half voted on Tuesday – keep in mind, Texas has a full two weeks of early voting so those registered should’ve had no excuse. In the end, 43% of the voting age population voted. That’s pathetic. Meanwhile, in my new home state, we elected the first gay governor (out of the closet anyway), abolished slavery for prisoners, and allowed for gender non-conforming to elect “X” on their state IDs. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this.

    1. It’s mind-boggling how different the different states are and how many “liberal” pockets there are across America. I don’t think I knew that you lived in Texas for that long, but I can see why you finally left. It’s depressing to see so many people either vote for someone like Cruz or squander their right by not voting at all.

  9. I am disappointed in the way FL voted in the midterms, but happy with some of the amendments we voted for (restoring voting rights to ex-felons and outlawing greyhound racing). I’m also feeling good about flipping the House and some of the governorships that were won. Plus, a lot of the Republican candidates that won, won by such a slim margin that I hope this bodes well for 2020. Florida is still in the recount process, so I’m crossing fingers and toes.

    1. I was shocked how close so many of the races were…. that tells you how divided the population is in many places.

  10. What a bummer re: having to call your health insurance again. The good part is that you’ve had success in the past with a call, so that’s a good sign on coverage this time around, even if it means more work on your part. :/

    The end of this week was hard for posting, but I am catching up! :)

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