I said I'd blog again when something good happened. Here you go. Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States of America. Thank God for large miracles.
I am so proud to have worked at the polls yesterday. I arrived at 6am and helped set up polling booths and tables, signed official election documentation (I was an inspector and 'board member', how cool is that???), and started reviewing my section of registration documents and marking off everyone who had voted early, which was 56% here in Duval county. There was a pretty significant line outside at 7am, people waited I think up to about 40 minutes. That was as busy as we got all day! I guess since I was a first time poll worker, they put me at a teeny tiny little easy precinct, 04T. It was at the Windy Hill Community Center on Anders St. here in Jax. That was quite a relief to see...I scoped out the location the day before to make sure I knew where I was going. The building is about the size of a small house.
I was an inspector; I handled everyone with a last name starting with A-E that came in to vote. I verified their registration against my list, checked identification, sent people with any issues to the help desk, answered questions, and handed out the actual ballots, complete with fancy secrecy folders, to each person. There was a little bit of confusion at my location; there were actually 2 precincts in the same tiny building, and many people's actual voter registration cards had the incorrect precinct listed on them; I had to send almost half of everyone who came to me, to the other side of the building, including one half of a married couple, who lived together at the same address! She voted on my side, but her husband had to go to the other side...weird. And many of the people who came to me had already been to the other side. But that didn't seem to cause any hard feelings or big issues throughout the day, either. There was only one big bubba at the beginning of the day who got irate because he had to walk an extra 100' to the other side to vote; there was a deputy in the kitchen (which was right next to me, go figure..) and I kinda grabbed his attention when I saw the guy escalating...fortunately the guy went ahead and just went to the other side and voted. And fortunately I didn't have to interact with him at all.
As far as I saw, only two people all day did not vote after arriving; one was a young woman who was referred to the help desk because of an address discrepancy (which was easily remedied by going to the help desk and filling out a form). She wasn't mad; seemed to me like she was very reserved and was scared of people and uncomfortable being there in the first place. Don't know how I would be able to detect that off of someone who I didn't even speak to... But anyway..she said she was going to go and we all encouraged her to not to, that it was easy to fix and it would just take a second, but she left anyway. That made me a little sad. That's me sometimes. Not capable of dealing for another single second. Been there and done that. And there was one gentleman at the very end of the evening who was listed as 'ineligible' on the registration roster. Of course he went to the help desk...they did everything they could for him, and he really didn't fight it very hard...he and the precinct manager talked for a minute or two but the gentleman just went ahead and left. He wasn't nasty at all either. I think he probably knew what the issue was and decided to just be decent and not make a stink about it.
That was my biggest worry about yesterday. Based on all the things I'd heard, I was afraid of having to deal with a lot of people who had been in line for 2 hours, were having all kinds of problems, etc. but it wasn't bad at all...everyone was pleasant and happy. Everyone was proud and excited to be there. And the people I worked with were great! That made all the difference; even those people who did have small issues or discrepancies were handled politely and in a positive, reassuring manner and that made all the difference. That and the 56% early voting rate. We had fun and laughed all day, and of course there was plenty of food and drinks and Halloween candy. Three guesses as to who brought the Halloween candy. Personally I sampled the Krispy Kremes and coffee in the morning, homemade chili, homemade red rice and sausage and shrimp, and a slice of pizza at lunch. Plus some Halloween candy.
SO many young people (kids to me, any more, but I don't want to disrespect..) were there, and proud that it was their first time voting. Telling us it was as they came up. It was great to see. People of all kinds of backgrounds, ages, etc. doing their thing and it was a great atmosphere. Oh and one lady who came to the desk thanked us all first thing for being there. That was really really nice. I think she thought we were unpaid volunteers, but it was a nice thank you anyway, and I would have done it anyway even if it was an unpaid thing. So we smiled and thanked her for her thanks. Nice.
I was very happy to see that at least at the precinct I was at, things were done according to the law and in an orderly and efficient manner, in a very laid back but supportive and professional environment. I was surprised and excited to see that I was able to see the complete results of my precinct at the end of the night; as a board member, I had to sign off on the ballot machine ticker tape in the morning as 0's and at the totals at the end of the evening. The precinct I was at was in a neighborhood that voted 2 to one for McCain. I commented to fellow poll workers (the ones I knew agreed with me, which was almost all of them), 'Don't worry; this is a podunk little redneck neighborhood and it will come out in the wash.' Sure as heck did!!!!! And I am proud and happy to have done it no matter how the voters at my location went; I participated and did what I could to ensure fairness and honesty in what I did, and that is all that mattered to me. It certainly worked out well. And...we all got to leave around 8pm after packing up the machines and signing off on stuff and everything. Not bad at all.
Couple of funny things...one young gentleman with his bling and baggy shorts and corn rows and graphic jersey...and pink glittery bedroom slippers over black knee socks. And there was one write-in ballot submitted at our location: someone put down Biden/Palin. Not quite sure what they were thinking, but it was documented and handled correctly and turned in at the end of the night. Oh and was there ever some eye candy there! And the best one of the day came back twice!!! And talked to the lady next to me!!! And me by default :-) Nice. She noticed him first! Of course they were all too young for me..but it was nice to see. Especially Mr. Bodybuilder blue shirt man. Wow. I actually had a hot flash while he was there (both times); that was the finest man I have seen since before my surgery, I guess. I told the lady next to me about it later, and we cracked up and spent the rest of the day commenting on the hot guys. It was great. I normally don't even like the bodybuilder types but this one had a really nice face and demeanor to go along with it...hehe. It was the day of hot guys and great bags, too. Lots of chicks had really cool bags. Oh and one hoochie came in! Acid washed jeans
short shorts, a black tank top that didn't make it down to anywhere near the top of the shorts, and black fuzzy knee boots with heels. And all of these items were two sizes too small, she was poofing out a little (or a lot) everywhere around the edges. Muffin top, as it were. Perfect voting attire. I didn't notice her bag.
Matt Lauer said this morning that for a first time voter this time around, it must have felt like getting a hole in one the first time you ever pick up a golf club. That really does sum it up for me. I am so glad that a majority of America was smart enough to see through the mud slinging and fearmongering and outright lies and deception. I am glad America got motivated to do what we needed to get some change. And I am glad I participated. And let me say this: unlike many bitter, nasty McCain fans (and I have already encountered a couple of them, both in person and online..good grief) I am very happy with the results, but if things had gone the other way, I would be OK with it. It wouldn't have been the end of the world some closed-minded, unenlightened people would have us believe that Obama being president will be. I think McCain would have been an OK president if he had put a little more thought into his VP pick, and won. Not a great president, not my choice regardless of VP pick, but OK. I think he has very misguided but good intentions...we all know what the road to hell is paved with, don't we?
I have the utmost respect and appreciation for McCain's military career and service to our country and the time he spent as a prisoner of war and all of that. I truly do. He is a guy I might want to fight a war for us. But Obama is the guy I want, to keep us from going to war in the first place, and get us out of some of the situations we are in now, and straighten out the healthcare and pharmaceutical fiasco we currently have, and the financial issues that need to be fixed, and the rampant corruption and a hundred other things.
I think Obama will be one of the best presidents we have ever had. I would have been disappointed, VERY disappointed if McCain had won, but quite honestly my life is always going stink no matter who is president. I would still have all the problems I have now, just as everyone else would, no matter who won. It's really not going to help me much personally on the level that I need help on, and the little help it would have brought me will come a year or so too late, but it is one of the best things that has happened for the United States, ever, and I am thrilled for that and for how this historic event will improve life and world relations for future generations of Americans.
Have this many people around the world been so happy about a president being elected that they are brought to tears and celebrations on a scale that has never been seen? Doubt it. I still have goosebumps. My Obama t-shirt finally came day before yesterday...can't wait to proudly wear it all day today and go celebrate with like-minded friends tonight. This is the best thing that has happened in years.
In other news....
If you do something that hurts someone, you should apologize. Even if what you did was inadvertent. This applies to two people in particular, and they know exactly who they are. If you have any doubt at all about who it is, it's not you, so don't worry and don't feel bad. If it is you, well...if you do something that hurts someone, you should apologize. Maybe you should try to apologize before it is entirely too late...and that particular window of opportunity is closing faster than you want to admit, even though you know it. I'm not kidding. Then again...who wants an apology they have to ask for anyway? Just as empty and meaningless as any words can ever be.
OK...next blog the next time something good happens. I wouldn't recommend holding your breath. Thanks to everyone for reading. I love you.
