fearlesstemp

Voted! I recommend it as an experience. It's very satisfying to click those levers into place and hear the mechanic CLANK of your vote registering, and know that when you look at the final tally (whenever the final tally is done), you will be able to think, "Well, if not for me, it would have been XX,XXX,XX7 for my guy instead of XX,XXX,XX8! Go me!"

Provided, of course, that the machine doesn't get pushed into the Hudson (as one of them did in my little home city in the 1930s, which led to an era of chaos and fun in which there were two people claiming to be the righteous head of the City Council. Upstate New York: Old School Election Fraud, Shameless and Stylish).

I actually got up early to vote, which is a big deal.

Other events I have happily gotten up early for:

-Christmas,
-NSYNC tickets, and
-I'm blanking on a third.

That is how dedicated I am to Kerry! I got up early! Maybe they could use that as a last-minute campaign slogan, or headline for tomorrow's local newspaper should there not be a clear winner. "KERRY GETS JESS UP EARLY! See A3 for details."

My polling place was pretty quiet and I didn't have a line at all when I went in at 7:45 or so. I love the little old ladies manning the tables on election day. I want to be one of them someday.

One more election note: Last night I was driving home and thought to myself, "You know, self, what's important is that we keep discourse civil. Don't try to browbeat people into thinking the way you would want them to think. What's important is that there's an open, respectful discourse, and that we respect other people's rights to make their own choices, even if they are different from our own. Perhaps especially if they are different from our own."

Cut to: Two hours later, my mom on the phone with my aunt Maureen, a very sensible, smart, non-Republican who is, nonetheless --

Mom: -- voting for Bush.

Self: WHAT?!

Mom: (to me) She is! (into the phone) Maureen! I just don't understand!

Self: GIVE ME THE PHONE!

I got a hold of myself after a minute or two, and didn't yell at my aunt at all, really. But I couldn't help a couple of, "But. But. I just don't UNDERSTAND" comments getting through.

In non-election news: Tonight I have my second tutoring session with R. for Literacy Volunteers. I meant to type up a post about my first session, but last week was too busy. I went all nerdy last night, drawing up a detailed lesson plan and cards and handouts and stuff that I'm sure I'll finish using in the first twelve minutes of the session (as happened last week). I was lucky that R. really liked one of the exercises I'd done and we were able to work on that for the rest of the lesson.

He's a nice guy, early fifties, worked his whole life, clearly smart. And he's a complete non-reader. I'd seen his testing and after I'd talked to him for a few minutes, I thought for sure there'd been a mistake. But there hadn't been. I'm kind of nervous because even though I've done the requisite training, part of me is all adljag!! and afraid I won't be able to help him the way he needs to be helped. Especially considering the fact that his job is on the line.

But no pressure or anything! Geez Louise.

Anyway. I have to go do some work. In closing: Go vote! It does a civic spirit good.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I miss the big hulking machines with the dozens of little levers and the big satisfying CLUNK it made when you pulled the handle. We have optical scanning, which means basically a big scantron sheet. I felt like I was taking a test. "What if I go outside the lines! What if I make a mistake! I can't erase this! aaaaah!"

my brother is voting Republican. Our family is mindboggled by this, but we forgive him because he works for a defense contractor and has probably been brainwashed. :)

Scantron! I haven't thought about those since, well, I can't remember when. Whenever I have to fill them out I get nervous too, and hear the voice of my third grade teacher saying, "Make your mark heavy and dark."

Ah, memories. As for the CLUNK machines -- I love them and never want to part with them, but as I walked out of the polling place I did pause for a second because there's really no paper trail for them. Or at least none that I (as a voter) can see.

Condolences on your brainwashed brother, also.

LOLOL The phone call with your Aunt sounds a lot like the conversation I had with my mom. <.g> But it ended up being a good discussion once I got past the "WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!" bit of it. <.g>

Mine settled down after the initial histrionics too, but I don't think it changed her mind. I seriously don't know how people in swing states do it -- I'm all twisted up inside about my aunt and grandmother's votes for Bush even though they didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, since we live in New York State. I don't know what would happen if we were in Ohio!

We have push-button thingies here. No clunk :( Only my paranoia and quadruple-checking all my green-lit arrows to make sure they're in the right place before I push the final button to send my vote omg the pressure!

The pressure!! I always have to double- and triple-check too. Can't be too careful and all that.

Literacy volunteers! Go, Jess!

Anyway, I know I'm used to work with the 6-9 year old crowd in this area, but if you need anything literacy related, let me know. I've got a ton of materials and some knowledge in the area (one would hope), and I'd be happy to help out of you need anything.

Also, voting! Woo! Except that NY didn't send me my ballot, grumble, grumble.

work=working

*sigh*

So much for my own literacy. :)

I read that about your ballot earlier this week! That totally blows.

And thanks so much for the offer re: literacy -- I may have to take you up on it, because I feel pretty clueless a lot of the time.

Also: I love both of the icons in this post. Satchel!

I know, stupid King County Board of Elections. (And why is it that Queens County is actually called Queens as a borough, but Kings County is, well, Brooklyn? I'm constantly fascinated by the inane questions in life . . . :)) I'm placing bets now on whether it will ever show up. Mine personally is that it WILL, only, you know, it doesn't matter so much anymore. :)

I'm happy to help you out any time. Just let me know. I really admire both you and the man you tutor; it's got to be hard to go that far in life not reading, and then say: Hey, I don't care how old I am, I need and want to do this, and I'm not going to be embarrassed about it. That rocks.

And thanks re: the icons. I know H/HR will never happen in canon, and I'm not super attached to it, but I like being all defiant every once in a while. :) And as for Satchel! He's Satchel! Cute puppy!

We still have the CLUNK machines, too. I remember going to the polls with my mother and thinking that voting was SO COOL, because you got to pull things around and hit levers, and it was like a dump truck! Dump trucks basically defined cool for me at that age.

I think you're doing a fabulous job for your student by caring. That's half the battle, and if he puts in the effort, you'll be fine.

I used to go with my mom and dad too! One parent would take my brother in and the other would take me, and if I close my eyes I can see it: looking up while my dad hit a bunch of levers all in a row, so fast it didn't seem like he was making a decision at all. Now I know he was just voting the Democratic ticket, like I do every time.

I am sending you far too many LJ replies all at once; my apologies. My mother used to smush the levers down all at once with the side of her hand, which I found unbelievably hilarious. Still do, actually.

Thanks so much for the comments about my tutoring thing -- last night went well, but it's still a little worrisome. I don't like responsibility! I avoid it at all costs! Hence the crazy temp lifestyle.

I was actually v. impressed by your taking this on, as I would have thought about it and then chickened out. If you ever want to chit-chat about whatever it is you're worrying about, feel free to email me. I like pondering that sort of thing.

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