Tis the season

No not the December holidays. The other season - Pinktober followed by Electionovember. I can't wait. Actually I can wait. Maybe I'll leave the country for a few months. I wish. Then I would have to reschedule a whole bunch of doctor appointments.

So during Pinktober, I pledge:

• I will not purchase anything pink
• I will not donate to anything pink
• I will not raise any awareness for breast cancer

Pinkotober and pinkification has actually turned me off from the whole cause. It has become a money making  bonanza preying on the emotions of the public. There are so many products that are pinked that actually send only pennies for each item purchased to any kind of cause.

A product may sell for $20 and a portion of the manufacturer's profits go to breast cancer research. So the whole sale price is $10. The manufacturing costs are $7 which leaves $3 in profit and if 10% is donated, that is $0.30. You are better off sending the $20 directly to an established non profit.

And never mind pink lights on building, pink sports teams, pink garbage cans, pink fried chicken buckets, pink hats, and more.

As far as Electionovember, I pledge:

• I will vote on election day
• I will not dominate conversations with political rants
• I will not allow myself to be subject to anyone else's political rants
• I will make up my own mind on my votes

I am so sick of the political ads and bashing, mudslinging, and polarizing that makes up politics these days. They don't talk about their issues, they talk about how the others are wrong and lie about each other.

I think all politicians should be required to talk about their stance on issues and not be allowed to bash the other one. I mean they should be free to say things like 'my opponent disagrees with my position but I believe it is correct because...' but they should not be allowed to say things like 'my opponent is a liar and will contribute to the end of the world because they are wrong about everything'.

What if politicians had to take lie detector tests? Would that help?

In the meantime, feel free to join me in an unpinked and politic-free season.