"Yes We Did!"

GOBAMA BAROCKS!

It's official. I voted. Yay. And the polling station I went to wasn't all, "you have a what? Absentee ballot? George, what do we do with those? Oh, we have a special box for that. Yes, just put it in that old card board box, over there."

Apparently those days are over for me. But maybe not for everyone. There were reported voting issues throughout the country ranging from soggy ballots jamming voting machines to five hour voting lines to polling stations opening late.

Did someone just ask, "why does she drop off her absentee ballot? I mailed mine in weeks ago."

Well, it is no secret that I'm not Miss Organized, right? I always think,"this time I'm gonna mail in my ballot, like everyone else." The problem is I'm not like everyone else. The final day to mail in my ballot always comes and goes without my noticing.

Besides, I like dropping off my ballot. I don't feel like I voted without my "I voted" sticker. My Mom always wore her sticker proudly. And she always votes. And who can resist getting fresh baked homemade cookies and coffee after dropping off a ballot weighed down by too many propositions? Not me. Yeah, I'm just like Pavlov's dog without all the drool.

While most polling stations don't offer refreshments, I happen to know a few that do. Is there a better way to teach my kids to vote? Vote and get dessert for breakfast! "When are we voting again?" is second only to "when is it going to be Halloween again?"

It seems to be having a positive effect on my Mom too. She voted earlier saying, "I like going into the booth and voting," but came along for the cookies and coffee. Adding, "my polling station didn't have any treats." Then in her "times just aren't like they used to be," voice said, "the reason there were treats is because the old people made the treats. I like old people."

"Mom you like old people, because you are old people," I remind her.

"Don't remind me," she says.

There were a couple of Wayne's World guys chatting outside the polling station. They were around my age and I thought I overheard one say, "well things aren't going so well, but I thought I'd vote. There's going to be this big change and it was better than killing myself."

Well I hope, for his sake, he is right about the change because his other option isn't very lively.

Yes, I was eavesdropping and I may have misunderstood the conversation, but from where I was standing that is what it sounded like. Suddenly, I was preferring the company of old folks as well. No wonder I hang out with the grandparent pack at Gio's school.

Other election day conversations I eavesdropped on were, "I have a Master's Degree in Science and I didn't understand some of the propositions. I had to use a dictionary and the Internet to vote."

"I'm just glad it's over,"

But really, I think we've just begun.

"How's it going with Obama?" Gio asks inquiring on the Presidential race.

"I hope Barack Obama wins," says Vinny. He's been for Obama for the last year. Even when I was for Hillary. And he voted for him in the mock election at his elementary school.



"Yes We Can!" Nice job, America!