Servicing your country is good and patriotic!
So.
Polling Place Working aka Servicing My Country Report:
Putnam County, FL Precincts 17 and 18, located: Wesminster Hall of First Presbyterian Church, Palatka, FL
So Caitlin and I get there at seven in the morning, just as it's opening (HUSH NO I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE AT SIX-THIRTY YOU ARE SILLY), and there's already a line of like ten people out the door, giving us dirty looks as we go by. I'm thinking WOADIE SON this is going to be so hectic and crowded all day, specially since Mama waited to vote for an HOUR at early voting the day before-- but it really wasn't particularly.
So.
There is nowhere near the abundance of sweet, bready goodness-type food there was last time, but there are mini-donuts, some of which I scarf. I'm partnered with this old guy, Mr. Stoll, who's nice and interesting and intelligent and all, but he smells like 1) smoker and 2) old person and this displeased me.
Anyway, Mr. Stoll and I were working Precinct 18, which contains, in its totality, all of-- prepare yourself--
FORTY-FIVE PEOPLE
And assuming all of them vote (which they did not), that means an average of 3.75 people an hour. That's .0625 people per minute. We were not busy.
Next to us at the table was Precinct 17, which contained three hundred and forty-something people, 339 of which who voted, and they were significantly busier. People in that line would come to me, thinking I was working the same place, and have me look up their name, only for me to find them not and say "I'm sorry, sir or ma'am, you're right there with her in Precinct 17."
That's what you get for dodging the old guy, Caitlin. ^^
SO
I did a lot of reading. I completely read On Love, by Alain de Botton, which is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Having now read two of his books (the other was The Consolations of Philosophu), I can assuredly say I love him.
I also read just over half of Ethics for the New Millenium, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama [Daisy, can you GUESS where I obtained these reading materials?], which isn't so much a revelation to me as has me going THIS MAN IS RIGHT I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS AHHHHHHH and he comes across as so gentle and kind and sensible. What I love is that he never leaves simple discernment or common sense out of the question of ethics. People have to do a little thinking to determine appropriate responses to situations. I love the Dalai Lama.
Crazy Characters we encountered during the day:
MANY people who were utterly confused by
in Put-man county, we fill in bubbles. with pencils. like on a standardized test. The format is thus: CHOOSE ONE CANDIDATE BY MARKING IN THE BUBBLE NEXT THE CANDIDATE'S NAME [example printed]
George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
John F. Kerry
John Edwards
etc. then
Should Judge ____________ of __________ Precinct be retained in office?
YES ( )
NO ( )
then
AMENDMENT ___
blah blah blah blah explanation that's not too too easy to read blah blah blah
YES ( )
NO ( )
WHICH ARE NOT DIFFICULT. Caitlin and I were and are very distressed that these folks are CHOOSING OUR PRESIDENT.
at least two Drunks/Winos
The Woman From Sugar Hill [read: GHETTO] who Did Not Put Down Her Address When She Registered to Vote via Clipboard-bearing Woman and Thusly Was Not Assigned to Any Precinct (yes she was allowed to vote)
Chef Bjorn (okay he's not crazy, he is just sort of attractive, plus he has adorable children BUT THEY WERE NOT WITH HIM YESTERDAY)
The Woman Who Spoiled Three Ballots and Thusly Could Not Vote
The Unmarried Couple With the Same Address (I just thought it was funny that she was like "Yeah I live with Mike)
The Woman Who Disputed Her Middle Initial (see, guys, when you get married, your maiden name BECOMES your middle initial. If you want to keep your old middle name, you have TWO middle initials. This woman was all disputing Caitlin's write-in as Martin, Sherrell Cooks because her middle name was JANE (or Jeanne maybe) BUT IT WAS SHERRELL COOKS MARTIN ON HER DRIVER'S LICENCE HELLO WHAT DOES SHE WANT, MARTIN, SHERRELL J. C.?)
The Last Man To Vote in Our Precinct(s) Who Also Spoiled a Ballot and Wanted to Just Erase
holy cow. My county is teh_cray-z
And so is my state.
HOLY CRAP I HATE AMENDMENTS
besides DEAR GOD PLEASE REPEAL THAT STUPID BULLET TRAIN OH GOD WE CANNOT PAY FOR IT AND IT'S STUPID AND NOT SMART OH PLEASE MAKE IT GO AWAY I hope you all voted 'yes' to whatever amendment REPEALING THAT AMENDMENT was
although the fact that it is A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT illustrates my point exceedingly well. Holy crap. These are not AMENDMENTS. THEY ARE NOT. Pregnant pigs, bullet trains, minors' parents having to be informed of termination of pregnancy unless in case of an exception, minimum wage, physicians with three or more malpractice cases being forbidden to practice, attorneys getting no more than 30% of claimants' money up to 250,000 dollars and no more than 10% past that, slot machines placed in greyhound racing tracks and jai-alai places and then taxed-- all of these things are ideas that may or may not be good. They may be wonderful.
THEY DO NOT GO IN MY STATE CONSTITUTION.
According to the precincts where I was, most of them will, actually.
THAT REALLY ANNOYS ME
I think citizens should be able to change the government. I don't think they should be able to stick ANY OLD THING on the FRAMEWORK for our government. I really don't. I wanna know what jackass (pardon the language, although Lindy and Caitlin shouldn't be reading this, it's political) figured out that he can put anything he wants on our constitution if he gets enough votes. And the state has to figure out how to pay for it. Because I hate him. I hate him very much. How does a citizen change the statute books? Because things GO IN THE STATUTE BOOKS. THAT IS WHERE THEY GO. Someone educate the masses. I don't even know how to change the statutes, and I am part of the masses, so EDUCATE ME SO I WON'T BE AN IDIOT AND DECIDE THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD WE HAVE A BULLET TRAIN THAT DOESN'T TOUCH MY COUNTY AND ONLY HITS THRE CITIES, WE SHOULD MAKE THE STATE PAY FOR IT EVEN THOUGH THE STATE CAN'T PAY FOR WHAT IT HAS TO DO ALREADY, LIKE LOWER CLASS SIZES, AND ALSO THE STATE SHOULD LOWER OUR TAXES.
The end.
SO THEN
I came home and watched some election results and went to help Hardy with homework I didn't understand myself then went to sleep.
TODAY
WE HAVE NO PRESIDENT TECHNICALLY
I LOVE WHITAKER
Emery is a loozer and is silly to think Whitaker is an idiot just because he teaches here.
So. It appears Bush is our president once more. [IN CASE YOU ARE READING THIS ALREADY CUT AND CANNOT SEE MY CUT, THESE ARE POLITICAL WORDS!!!] If he'll just stop -CENSORED- the environment and pissing off every industrialized nation besides Britain, Japan, and Australia, I'll not complain.
Although I really feel like I will be doing a great deal of complaining. If he's victorious, that means he's been right for four years, and if he's been right for four years, there's no reason to change his policies, and in fact, he ought to take them further.
I will be so mad if, in the next four years, all forms of gay unions are utterly forbidden, and I might have to raise some holy hell about it somewhere. Maybe. I don't know if I really can.
Oh can't he just moderate himself a little bit? Only a little?
Lastly:
How to make an eiennoyasumi
Ingredients:
5 parts jealousy
3 parts self-sufficiency
5 parts
Method:
Blend at a low speed for 30 seconds. Top it off with a sprinkle of curiosity and enjoy!
Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com
How to make an Etsuko
Ingredients:
5 parts mercy
5 parts courage
5 parts beauty
Method:
Blend at a low speed for 30 seconds. Serve with a slice of lustfulness and a pinch of salt. Yum!
Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com
How to make a Bailey
Ingredients:
3 parts competetiveness
1 part ambition
5 parts leadership
Method:
Add to a cocktail shaker and mix vigorously. Top it off with a sprinkle of fitness and enjoy!
Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com
None of these are really like me... Etsuko maybe... unless they are and I don't know myself?
So I'm going to do some physics now. Over 'n' out.
Polling Place Working aka Servicing My Country Report:
Putnam County, FL Precincts 17 and 18, located: Wesminster Hall of First Presbyterian Church, Palatka, FL
So Caitlin and I get there at seven in the morning, just as it's opening (HUSH NO I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE AT SIX-THIRTY YOU ARE SILLY), and there's already a line of like ten people out the door, giving us dirty looks as we go by. I'm thinking WOADIE SON this is going to be so hectic and crowded all day, specially since Mama waited to vote for an HOUR at early voting the day before-- but it really wasn't particularly.
So.
There is nowhere near the abundance of sweet, bready goodness-type food there was last time, but there are mini-donuts, some of which I scarf. I'm partnered with this old guy, Mr. Stoll, who's nice and interesting and intelligent and all, but he smells like 1) smoker and 2) old person and this displeased me.
Anyway, Mr. Stoll and I were working Precinct 18, which contains, in its totality, all of-- prepare yourself--
FORTY-FIVE PEOPLE
And assuming all of them vote (which they did not), that means an average of 3.75 people an hour. That's .0625 people per minute. We were not busy.
Next to us at the table was Precinct 17, which contained three hundred and forty-something people, 339 of which who voted, and they were significantly busier. People in that line would come to me, thinking I was working the same place, and have me look up their name, only for me to find them not and say "I'm sorry, sir or ma'am, you're right there with her in Precinct 17."
That's what you get for dodging the old guy, Caitlin. ^^
SO
I did a lot of reading. I completely read On Love, by Alain de Botton, which is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Having now read two of his books (the other was The Consolations of Philosophu), I can assuredly say I love him.
I also read just over half of Ethics for the New Millenium, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama [Daisy, can you GUESS where I obtained these reading materials?], which isn't so much a revelation to me as has me going THIS MAN IS RIGHT I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS AHHHHHHH and he comes across as so gentle and kind and sensible. What I love is that he never leaves simple discernment or common sense out of the question of ethics. People have to do a little thinking to determine appropriate responses to situations. I love the Dalai Lama.
Crazy Characters we encountered during the day:
MANY people who were utterly confused by
in Put-man county, we fill in bubbles. with pencils. like on a standardized test. The format is thus: CHOOSE ONE CANDIDATE BY MARKING IN THE BUBBLE NEXT THE CANDIDATE'S NAME [example printed]
George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
John F. Kerry
John Edwards
etc. then
Should Judge ____________ of __________ Precinct be retained in office?
YES ( )
NO ( )
then
AMENDMENT ___
blah blah blah blah explanation that's not too too easy to read blah blah blah
YES ( )
NO ( )
WHICH ARE NOT DIFFICULT. Caitlin and I were and are very distressed that these folks are CHOOSING OUR PRESIDENT.
at least two Drunks/Winos
The Woman From Sugar Hill [read: GHETTO] who Did Not Put Down Her Address When She Registered to Vote via Clipboard-bearing Woman and Thusly Was Not Assigned to Any Precinct (yes she was allowed to vote)
Chef Bjorn (okay he's not crazy, he is just sort of attractive, plus he has adorable children BUT THEY WERE NOT WITH HIM YESTERDAY)
The Woman Who Spoiled Three Ballots and Thusly Could Not Vote
The Unmarried Couple With the Same Address (I just thought it was funny that she was like "Yeah I live with Mike)
The Woman Who Disputed Her Middle Initial (see, guys, when you get married, your maiden name BECOMES your middle initial. If you want to keep your old middle name, you have TWO middle initials. This woman was all disputing Caitlin's write-in as Martin, Sherrell Cooks because her middle name was JANE (or Jeanne maybe) BUT IT WAS SHERRELL COOKS MARTIN ON HER DRIVER'S LICENCE HELLO WHAT DOES SHE WANT, MARTIN, SHERRELL J. C.?)
The Last Man To Vote in Our Precinct(s) Who Also Spoiled a Ballot and Wanted to Just Erase
holy cow. My county is teh_cray-z
And so is my state.
HOLY CRAP I HATE AMENDMENTS
besides DEAR GOD PLEASE REPEAL THAT STUPID BULLET TRAIN OH GOD WE CANNOT PAY FOR IT AND IT'S STUPID AND NOT SMART OH PLEASE MAKE IT GO AWAY I hope you all voted 'yes' to whatever amendment REPEALING THAT AMENDMENT was
although the fact that it is A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT illustrates my point exceedingly well. Holy crap. These are not AMENDMENTS. THEY ARE NOT. Pregnant pigs, bullet trains, minors' parents having to be informed of termination of pregnancy unless in case of an exception, minimum wage, physicians with three or more malpractice cases being forbidden to practice, attorneys getting no more than 30% of claimants' money up to 250,000 dollars and no more than 10% past that, slot machines placed in greyhound racing tracks and jai-alai places and then taxed-- all of these things are ideas that may or may not be good. They may be wonderful.
THEY DO NOT GO IN MY STATE CONSTITUTION.
According to the precincts where I was, most of them will, actually.
THAT REALLY ANNOYS ME
I think citizens should be able to change the government. I don't think they should be able to stick ANY OLD THING on the FRAMEWORK for our government. I really don't. I wanna know what jackass (pardon the language, although Lindy and Caitlin shouldn't be reading this, it's political) figured out that he can put anything he wants on our constitution if he gets enough votes. And the state has to figure out how to pay for it. Because I hate him. I hate him very much. How does a citizen change the statute books? Because things GO IN THE STATUTE BOOKS. THAT IS WHERE THEY GO. Someone educate the masses. I don't even know how to change the statutes, and I am part of the masses, so EDUCATE ME SO I WON'T BE AN IDIOT AND DECIDE THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD WE HAVE A BULLET TRAIN THAT DOESN'T TOUCH MY COUNTY AND ONLY HITS THRE CITIES, WE SHOULD MAKE THE STATE PAY FOR IT EVEN THOUGH THE STATE CAN'T PAY FOR WHAT IT HAS TO DO ALREADY, LIKE LOWER CLASS SIZES, AND ALSO THE STATE SHOULD LOWER OUR TAXES.
The end.
SO THEN
I came home and watched some election results and went to help Hardy with homework I didn't understand myself then went to sleep.
TODAY
WE HAVE NO PRESIDENT TECHNICALLY
I LOVE WHITAKER
Emery is a loozer and is silly to think Whitaker is an idiot just because he teaches here.
So. It appears Bush is our president once more. [IN CASE YOU ARE READING THIS ALREADY CUT AND CANNOT SEE MY CUT, THESE ARE POLITICAL WORDS!!!] If he'll just stop -CENSORED- the environment and pissing off every industrialized nation besides Britain, Japan, and Australia, I'll not complain.
Although I really feel like I will be doing a great deal of complaining. If he's victorious, that means he's been right for four years, and if he's been right for four years, there's no reason to change his policies, and in fact, he ought to take them further.
I will be so mad if, in the next four years, all forms of gay unions are utterly forbidden, and I might have to raise some holy hell about it somewhere. Maybe. I don't know if I really can.
Oh can't he just moderate himself a little bit? Only a little?
Lastly:
How to make an eiennoyasumi
Ingredients:
5 parts jealousy
3 parts self-sufficiency
5 parts
Method:
Blend at a low speed for 30 seconds. Top it off with a sprinkle of curiosity and enjoy!
Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com
How to make an Etsuko
Ingredients:
5 parts mercy
5 parts courage
5 parts beauty
Method:
Blend at a low speed for 30 seconds. Serve with a slice of lustfulness and a pinch of salt. Yum!
Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com
How to make a Bailey
Ingredients:
3 parts competetiveness
1 part ambition
5 parts leadership
Method:
Add to a cocktail shaker and mix vigorously. Top it off with a sprinkle of fitness and enjoy!
Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com
None of these are really like me... Etsuko maybe... unless they are and I don't know myself?
So I'm going to do some physics now. Over 'n' out.