Sometimes the old ways are better: Since elections have been turned over to electronics and computers, I for one wish we could go back to the “good old days.” You walked into a private booth, shut the curtain and no one knew how you voted. Today, the people who run the precincts walk around behind you while you’re voting (illegal) and you’re less than six inches from the person voting next to you. I reported this several years ago as a poll watcher and absolutely nothing was done about it. Privacy went out the window when they went with this new system. Before, you just filled out your blue or white slip and went in and voted. Today, the person sitting at the desk has to feed in all kinds of information on a touch screen computer before you can even be given a “card” to vote. Lines back up because of this. Old people, disabled people and tired people who have worked all day are made to stand in ridiculous lines for hours. And why, oh why, are jurors’ names taken from voter lists? Does anyone at the courthouse realize why we don’t have everyone in this county registered? I’ve been called for jury duty three times since I moved to Liberty County and had my entire day wasted - all three times - to be told the attorneys settled the dispute. “You can go home now,” I was told. That, alone, is enough to make someone not register to vote.  They need to come up with a better system of picking jurors and they need to give us voters our privacy back.

Changes in our language: It seems like Webster’s keeps adding new words to the dictionary every year and we just can’t keep up. Even terminologies keep changing. Used to be that when someone was arrested, they were a suspect. Now they are “persons of interest.” The personnel department is now “human resources.” And how redundant is “I approve of this message?” If it’s on TV or in the newspaper, we know they approve of it, so why do they have to say it? And how about how we pronounce words depending on where we’re from? Mirror has two syllables, yet some people pronounce it “meer.” In the South, we say, “I’m fixing to cut the grass.” In other parts of the country, they say “I’m going to mow the grass.” The word jewelry is mispronounced as “joolaree.” An teacher’s aide is now called a paraprofessional. Can you keep up? How about viaduct? It is now pronounced “vi-dock.” 

Coastfest 2008: I will once again be assisting Nan Page, director of Sanctuary on the Sapelo, at this year’s Coastfest. She will bring some of the rescued animals and I will have native and non-native plants for sale, with proceeds going to Sanctuary on the Sapelo. This event is for families and offers lots of things for children to participate in. Adults enjoy all the exhibits and there’s always plenty of food and drink for sale. Every booth offers free items for everyone. It takes place at the foot of the Sidney Lanier Bridge at the DNR headquarters on Oct. 4.  There will be signs to direct you. Parking is separate from the festival, however, shuttles are available to get you to the site. Hope to see you there.
New entrance: I have to compliment the landscapers who designed the new entrance to the Villages of Limerick. With all the palms, plants and sod, it is a masterpiece. Drive by and take a look.

All about seafood: If you have a computer, you must go to this site and see for yourself the recommended seafood that is safe to eat.  Type in Seafoodwatch.org, click on Seafoodwatch-mobile guide, then click on #5 Southeast Guide. Three lists will come up — a list of seafood to avoid, a list of good alternatives and finally, the best choices for safe seafood. For those of you who don’t have a computer, the library has computers and you can use. Go there to see these lists.

Woodland Lakes sale a success: Thanks to Beautification Chairman Phyllis Griffin and her “posse,” the yard sale last Saturday was a success. Shirley Taylor sold hotdogs, chips, sodas and desserts all day, while Maude Thompson and Phyllis sold items for the club. The “posse,” Mary Miller, Maude, Shirley Tapley, Shirley Taylor, Barbara Beecher, Linda Rahn, and husbands John, Gene and JC, had things so organized it made shopping a pleasure. Hundreds of people attended and had a grand time going through all the bargains. A beautiful handmade afghan was donated by Phyllis and was won by Cindy Newham of Pooler. Big items were auctioned off by auctioneer Roy Joyner. There were 12 vendors set up selling everything from furniture, grills, household items, golf cart wheels and birds. When it was all over, the Beautification Committee boxed up all the leftovers and donated them to the Walthourville Baptist Church. It was a great day and no rain.