Individual No. 71

I Voted.

Although I have to admit I didn't have any idea what lever I was going to pull at the polling machine, I did go out and vote tonight for Hillary Clinton.

I have to admit until a few days ago I would have never thought I would be a Hillary Clinton supporter. But I listened to great deal of Hillary speeches, studied out her platform, and thought carefully what really mattered to me. I swallowed my pride, and I pulled the Hillary lever and voted for her delegates including Mayor Jennings (bigger gulp!).

A lot of my friends and colleagues voted for the other guy in the Democratic Primary. I just felt Barack Obama was wrong on so many issues, including nuclear power, coal, and the whole issue of global warming. He also was wrong on health care, and just didn't come off as particularly inspiring.

Obama was better on second amendment issues, although I'm sure Hillary will get better when she faces a national stage running for President. And it would be good to get even more of an outsider then Hillary in Washington, as it's been a long time with Bush-Clinton-Bush and now possibility another Clinton.

I would be happy with either Democrat winning and look forward to the coming race. Who I ultimately will vote for in November, will be based on a weighing the candidates as it gets closer to the election—I'm not promising to vote either for the Democrat or Republican for the President in November.

I still hope the Republicans choose Mike Huckabee. I was very impressed with him, particularly his moral conscience that is so lacking in politics today. He just seems like a good guy, somebody who regardless of his beliefs, would help take our country in the right way. I'm not sure if I'd want him with a Republican Congress though—he could screw things up badly on his own and is wrong on many issues like most Republicans are.

Getting Rocky Mountain High.

I was listening to John Denver's 1974-hit song in my truck the other day and was thinking how much fun it would be, for the summer of 27th year of my life (the summer of 2010), to go out west in my truck to the Rocky Mountains and maybe even in Colorado.

It would be so much fun to do that, driving west on both Interstates and US Highways whenever possible, and seeing all those small towns. I'm sure it's changed significantly since my dad did this in the early-1970s, but I'm sure there are still some truly amazing places out west.

This music video with a live soundtrack isn't as good as the real CD version on a good sound system like my truck has, but it's worth a listen.

In case you don't remember this John Denver song, here are the lyrics:

He was born in the summer of his 27th yearComin' home to a place he'd never been beforeHe left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born againYou might say he found a key for every door

When he first came to the mountains his life was far awayOn the road and hangin' by a songBut the string's already broken and he doesn't really careIt keeps changin' fast and it don't last for long

But the Colorado rocky mountain highI've seen it rainin' fire in the skyThe shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabyeRocky mountain high

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds belowHe saw everything as far as you can seeAnd they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sunAnd he lost a friend but kept his memory

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streamsSeeking grace in every step he takesHis sight has turned inside himself to try and understandThe serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado rocky mountain highI've seen it rainin' fire in the skyYou can talk to God and listen to the casual replyRocky mountain high

Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fearOf a simple thing he cannot comprehendWhy they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple moreMore people, more scars upon the land

And the Colorado rocky mountain highI've seen it rainin' fire in the skyI know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle flyRocky mountain high

It's Colorado rocky mountain highI've seen it rainin' fire in the skyFriends around the campfire and everybody's highRocky mountain high

This summer I'm thinking of taking a trip down the Southern Tier, and spend a night in Pennsylvania's Appalachian Country, or maybe even into North-Eastern Ohio. It will be a great deal of fun.

For that experience, I even have another old YouTube video to watch:

Of course, I would recommend the real CD for this again. It's such a lost when Jim Croce died so tragically 36 years ago in a plane crash.