The Great Debate

I hate to keep saying this, but my life is crazy. Trying to run a business and live my life is hectic, to say the least. Now I am getting a loan from the bank across the street to pay for the first half of the practice. This was originally paid with the equity line on my house. I am going to pay off the equity line and move everything over to the office.

In order to get the awesome rate that I got, I agreed to move my banking from one of the BIG banks to this small, service-orientated bank. We are moving all the deposits and credit cards to this bank. What a huge undertaking! I never knew it would be this complicated. Any automatic withdrawals have to be changed and we have to leave a little money in this bank just in case things come in. We have to get new checks. Ugh. But this will free up equity in my house so that I can refinance it. I know this is a good thing, but it is making my life crazy.

I want to talk about politics today. I am not going to try to sway you to a certain way politically, but it is something that affects us. I have a free-standing building on a corner lot. My lot would be an awesome place to put a sign endorsing a candidate, but I have reservations about that. Listen, I live in a staunchly republican small town. They did a political hobnob here, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, complete with a fake election. Romney won with 86% of the vote. I wasn't kidding when I said staunchly republican.

I try to stay away from using my property as space for signs. I want to be neutral about this stuff at work. When I was younger, I did not have any problems talking about politics, religion or sex in the office. Now, I shy away from it. I don't want to offend anyone. Listen, I am a person that can help you with your teeth. I don't want to turn you off in anyway. I don't even have any college affiliation stuff around here because people get sensitive about it. In the south, if I put Gator stuff all over, I might just turn off a Seminole fan or an Alabama fan (I don't really care if I turn off any Miami or Georgia fans).

I had a guy come in today who said that he is moving. He is 80 years old and he said Florida is too conservative. He said Florida doesn't care about the poor or education. He dropped off his lawn mower at his normal mower place and when he went to pick it up a couple weeks later, they had a big sign outside endorsing a guy he doesn’t agree with. He picked up his mower and told the owner that this would be the last time he did business there. This is what I am trying to avoid. Maybe I am at an age where I need all the patients I can get. I can lose patients that like me; how easy would it be for them to leave if they didn't like me? I don't talk about politics or religion at the office any more. I am not putting a sign up endorsing any candidates this year.

Maybe I won't care about pleasing everyone when I reach my dad’s age. Maybe I won't care about people leaving and the days of me wanting to please everyone will be gone. Maybe I will even stick a huge endorsement ad on the corner where everyone can see. But today, this empty spot on the corner is advertising me.

What do you guys do? I know you care about the election, but do you care about it enough to throw a sign up?

I have pretty strong opinions about the way the country should go. I have to admit that, if I went to a place of business that endorsed the "other guy," I might consider not going back there. When I drive in my neighborhood and see people who agree with me, I give a little tap on the horn. When I see people with opposing signs, I pretty much lay on the horn (because that might change their mind). But my business is sacred, and I leave it alone. How about you?

Have a great Wednesday.

john