Happy Election Day fellow Americans! I wasn't really planning on writing anything about Election Day. I mean, what is there left to say after months and months of primaries and ads and SNL skits? But I ran into my friend and blog reader Joe and I promised him I would BLOG about my voting experience.
Joe was serving his country as a polling volunteer. If I had my act together, I probably could have done the same. But that would have severely cut into my couch time. Anyway I was so happy to see Joe! But then I PANICKED because I didn't know if I was allowed to speak to him**. But then I was HAPPY when he saw me and said hi! But then I was PROUD when I got assigned my voter number 402! But then I was STUPID when I didn't know where to go and had to ask! But then I was EXCITED when I got to vote! As you can see, I cycle through emotions pretty quickly***. Oh and Joe, I apologize for not saying good-bye when I left - you were assisting someone and I didn't want to yell out at you in case that was against the rules.
So this Election Day was a little tough on me. I still haven't let go of the dream of the first woman president. But then I got home from voting, made myself some lunch, and sat down to watch some CNN. I happened to turn it on in the middle of an interview with an African-American grandmother who was talking about the days of segregated water fountains and marching with Martin Luther King. I got a little misty-eyed and realized that whatever happens at the end of this day, it will be a historic outcome. It feels a little like being at the top of a big hill on a roller coaster -- scary, thrilling, and a little pukey :)
It goes without saying, of course, that I voted Democratic. I can't say that I am an Obamamaniac, though. I have been a Democrat since before Democrats were cool**** and to that end I align with Obama's positions. But many of the reasons people like him are the exact reasons that he turns me off a bit. For example, my mom described Obama as "unflappable." Others have said he is measured, calculating, intense. Frankly, I like my presidents to have some humanity. I thought John McCain was HILARIOUS on Saturday Night Live, because for once he didn't take himself seriously. Maybe I am naive (in fact I am pretty sure I am), but I like my Commander in Chief to be a little bit like me - you know, human. With killer fashion sense.
Oh, and those are indeed hearts I drew around Joe Biden in the picture above. He is C- to the UTE!
**Always the consummate rule follower.
***One of many reasons Steve is on deck for Sainthood.
****Ok. I guess technically that would be pre-FDR days. I am not that old.
3 comments:
Love this post!
I was so delighted to see you, Jenelle. Voting is supposed to be this community activity, right? It's why we all vote on Tuesday (or are supposed to vote on Tuesday), it's why we have local precincts, etc, etc. I was really amazed at the number of people I knew yesterday (I mean, it was like three, and one hadn't lived in my precinct for two years). It was cool to be in my neighborhood polling station becasue I saw neighbors, friends, fiancees, etc. All in all it was a neat experience.
I didn't know if I was allowed to talk to Joe either - mostly because I wasn't even in the second-half-of-the-alphabet line (which, by the way, is SO much shorter than the first-half-of-the-alphabet line)! But I did it. And in fact I even brought him coffee from Dunkin Donuts. Screw the rules - anyone who gets up at 4:00 in the morning (but really gets up at 3:00AM because he forgot to change his clocks the weekend before) to serve his country, deserves a little New England fuel, in my opinion.
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