Since I left October ’til the last day, I thought I’d get a jump on November and put something up on day number one. Well, there I go thinkin’ again. But if I didn’t get ‘er done on the first, I’m at least getting something up there in the first week. And just in case you’ve somehow missed the memo, today was the end of Daylight Saving Time. Or yesterday was – depends on how you count I guess. At any rate, don’t forget to set your clocks back an hour and be sure and change the batteries in you vibrators. I’ve read that some states are now looking at staying on DST all year ’round, which would be fine with me. I honestly don’t give a crap if there’s more daylight in the morning – I’d like to to see at least a few minutes of sunshine on my way home from work. Especially as the temperatures turn from cold to frigid. Though if asked to pick between extended DST and legalized pot for NYS, I’m going with pot. Of course, nobody cares what I think.
Speaking of nobody caring what I think, we’re just a couple days away from what id probably the most important election day in my lifetime, if not the history of the United States (not to be overly dramatic or anything). And I have to sadly predict that there will be a great deal of anger, frustration, and deep disappointment (depression, even) come Wednesday morning. From what I’ve read, there appear to be a great many close races around the nation, and that of course means Republicans will win them all, because they cheat. It’s an unfortunate reality that in order for Democrats to win, they need to win by huge margins.
That doesn’t mean you’re absolved from your responsibility to vote, however. Whereas as I generally tend to find Democrats annoying at best (and repugnant at worse – don’t give me the “but the Republicans are worse” shit, either. That goes without saying. Republicans are in a whole other class of loathsome), I usually look to vote for other candidates if it looks safe or at least for a way to vote for Democrats on other lines if possible. Not this year, though. This year I’m voting Democrat straight down the line (which is nowhere near as fun with the SAT-style ballots as it was with the lever machines, when you could flip one switch and knock down the whole row). It’s time to send a message to Republicans, even at the risk of also sending the wrong message to the likes of Andy Cuomo (or Kirsten Gillibrand, who I still haven’t forgiven for her part in chasing Al Franken out of the Senate).
Not that I expect my little vote to make much of a difference, but, hey, you do what you can.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention Syracuse football, even though I know nobody but me gives a shit (not just in this venue, but also at my house). They’re currently having their best season in a lot of years (7-2 at the moment, and ranked #22 or #19 – and they should go even higher when this week’s polls come out. UPDATE: #13 on both polls – highest since 1998, in case you were wondering), and I feel the need to say something before reality sets in and they go on a losing streak to end the season.
So we’ll see what happens with them, and with Election Day. Beyond that, I don’t know. I have real doubts about the future of this country (and the world) if some sort of check (no matter how feeble) isn’t put on Trumpelstiltskin and his ilk. And, more selfishly, my own personal future. I’m having a hard time seeing how I’m going to survive another four years of working until I can retire as it is – if these people take away (or delay) my Social Security, I’m kinda screwed.
So I guess we’ll see how things go. For now, I guess it’s time to go around and set a few dozen clocks to EST.
An awful lot of celebrity types keep telling me to vote. Thanks guys and gals, but I haven’t missed an election in longer than I can remember (of course, at my age, that might not be as long as I think it is).
OK, I voted, so you can quit nagging me now. Quite a crowd, too (by our standards – not exactly a high population density area out here in the sticks), despite the less than stellar weather.
Voted! I “spoiled” my first ballot. And there are a LOT of black squares to fill in and I had to do it twice. One pen line accidentally through a Rethug spoiled my ballot. Apparently, we have great optical readers of our paper ballots.
Our polling place has loads of cardboard stalls and the wait has never been more than 5 or so minutes. Today, the wait has been from 45 mins (Mr. FK when they opened) to 35 minutes for moi. When I left, the line was even longer. My elderly father early voted and the lines were massive. He jumped the line because he’s disabled. Well, not really, he just has a disabled parking sticker. But he jumped the lines.
Not sure what all this means in Okie land, but it sure is a turn-out in my area.
Way to Go Syracuse!
Seems to be big turnouts all over. Hopefully they’ll actually let everybody vote. And hopefully it’ll mean the Democrats at least take the House.
I’ve been watching a lot of man/woman “in the street” (and at the polling place) interviews. Perhaps they trying to be fair and balanced but, damn, there are an awful lot of dumb and discouraging people out there in ‘merica.