With the primary election behind us, and school in session again we're headed for the quiet time of year here on the island. There is a hesitance to admit that, but it's the truth. Some businesses choose this month to shorten their hours or close for some sprucing up. Businesses would like to see more activity, surely. But there is no doubt that our community has a seasonal cycle to it. No one is hesitant to admit that in March, we're all crazy busy, so recognizing that we're not in September shouldn't be difficult. We don't have snow or changing leaf colors to mark seasons, we have visitors and tourists. And while we do see some visitors this late in the summer, and they are certainly welcome at any time of year, their numbers are low about now. Which makes this a good time to talk about community, our island community.

What makes a community? Chances are, if you're reading this, you do. Take a look around, it's the folks next door, the ones you pass every day on the street. The server who brings you lunch. That guy who lets you into Estero traffic. The lady who holds the door for you at the library. This time of year, with fewer visitors, it's easier to see just who forms the backbone of our community. And it's a great time of year to reconnect with your island community.

So, how's your post-election hangover? Not the usual kind of hangover, I'm talking about the too many commercials, too many yard signs and way, way too many attack ads kind of hangover. I was beginning to worry that Morgan and Morgan might have a hard time getting ad time. Some races are settled, others will be back for an encore in November. But hopefully, we all get a breather for at least a brief spell before it all starts up again.

I wonder about the aftermath of campaigns, especially the ones that grew vicious over the course of the campaign. The winners and sometimes the losers are faced with dealing with their opponents in the course of their service on public boards. How effective can they be when a few short days ago they were pointing fingers and calling each other liars. I'm pretty sure that they can all put on a happy face and play nice in public, but there can't be much trust or respect, which would go a long way to effective governance. And you have to appreciate the humor of politics. Right after last week's primary win, Republican nominee for governor, Rick Scott, who treated us to some of the most vicious attack ads, stated that he had spoken to the Democratic nominee, Alex Sink, and they agreed that their campaigns would be "about the issues", which is code for no mud-slinging. Let's see how long that pledge lasts. I won't be holding my breath.

Our culture puts a premium on individuality. Other cultures have more of an emphasis on the group or society as a whole. Here in the US, we're all about how we each are unique and have the right, if not the responsibility to exercise that uniqueness in all that we do. While this is an admirable concept, sometimes I think it's taken a bit too far. We hear of young adults entering the workforce who have been ceaselessly showered with praise for their uniqueness to the point that they can't imagine that an employer might expect them to do something unpleasant or worse, something that is not "interesting.”

Generally, these pampered individuals find their way to independence after a few jobs and bosses help them to learn that work is, well, work, and not entertainment. If they have any innate intelligence, they do find their way, leaving their baffled parents in their wake, wondering, often while still doing the kids' laundry, why everyone is treating their little Muffin so rudely.

These naive folks are just an indicator of a problem and not it's entirety. I don't want to see American culture abandon it's emphasis on individuality. It certainly makes life more interesting. But a little correction on the extreme end of things might be in order.

Recent notice of an upcoming Friends of the Mound House event to mark the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, has me thinking about how we take the right to vote for granted. It's only been 90 years that women in all states have had the constitutional right to vote in elections. The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments in 1865-1870 clarified civil rights and suffrage to all US citizens, though we all know the fight for those rights continued well into the 20th century. And those amendments did not include women.

One of the rites of passage for me at age 18 was the right to vote. I was excited about the chance to vote in my first presidential election, featuring Richard Nixon and George McGovern. Wow! I was a real adult! I'm sure my parents tired of my excitement quickly. There is nothing so tiresome as the idealism of youth. Ah, but where would we be without that idealism?

There is welcome news flowing from the Deepwater Horizon Unified Command these days. This week, finally, it was announced that the static kill operation had managed to equalize the pressure within the well and they were pumping cement into the well, which means that the chances of additional oil leaking into the Gulf at this point are very small. They've chosen their words carefully-no mention of a permanent stop or zero chances of more oil pouring into the water. Those phrases will be held for the completion of the relief well in several weeks. And by that time, those involved in the project are unlikely to be trumpeting their success more than 3 months and millions of gallons of oil after the well began leaking. So, I'll take this moment to reflect on the experience.