canvassing
I've lived in this apartment for about five years now, and somehow I've managed to avoid any appearance by any politician or petition or anything of the sort. Until this week.
A few days ago, a kid from Jim Martin's US Senate campaign* stopped by. He seemed completely taken aback and confused when I told him I was already planning on voting for his guy in the primary (in two weeks, by the way - and early voting starts Monday). After stammering a bit, he asked about volunteering (no can do) or donating (no way can do), and that was that.
Just a few minutes ago, two kids stopped by from the Human Rights Campaign. A tall, lanky black guy in khakis and a golf shirt and a cute little hippie girl who looked like not a few girls I went to college with. "Ah, yes," I said. "It's that time of year, isn't it?" I have no problems with the HRC (just with HRC), but I don't have any money for them, either. That threw off the guy, but Hippie Girl was undeterred. After some blah blah about yet another bill before Congress (couldn't tell you which one, and does it really matter?), I signed their mailing list thing and yet again pled poverty on the money.
I also suggested they come back when there are more cars in the lot. The rundown of tenants in this building: two straight guys, one gay guy, and three lesbians. Oh, and three cats and two Jack Russells. Plus any number of chipmunks and squirrels, at least one rabbit, and several hundred thousand mosquitoes.
I have yet to see any local candidates for anything. I see state Senator Nan Orrock's signs all around the neighborhood, but not here. There might be some confusion about which state House district this block is in -- my voting card says District 58 (Robbin Shipp), but around the corner along the park the homes all have Margaret Kaiser (District 59) signs. Last week's Creative Loafing had an article about the US House District 5 race that mentioned how John Lewis was just down the road in East Atlanta Village -- at the Earl, no less! -- but I never saw him. I have no idea who my Atlanta City Council rep is. Or school board. And only a vague idea about who to vote for for county sheriff (not the guy "running" things now).
This will be my fourth election cycle here (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008), and only in the last few days have I seen anybody other than kids selling magazines or people assuming I'm the building manager and can they have a rent application?
This election might be even more interesting than I thought.
* Martin's logo looks awfully similar to someone else's, no?
A few days ago, a kid from Jim Martin's US Senate campaign* stopped by. He seemed completely taken aback and confused when I told him I was already planning on voting for his guy in the primary (in two weeks, by the way - and early voting starts Monday). After stammering a bit, he asked about volunteering (no can do) or donating (no way can do), and that was that.
Just a few minutes ago, two kids stopped by from the Human Rights Campaign. A tall, lanky black guy in khakis and a golf shirt and a cute little hippie girl who looked like not a few girls I went to college with. "Ah, yes," I said. "It's that time of year, isn't it?" I have no problems with the HRC (just with HRC), but I don't have any money for them, either. That threw off the guy, but Hippie Girl was undeterred. After some blah blah about yet another bill before Congress (couldn't tell you which one, and does it really matter?), I signed their mailing list thing and yet again pled poverty on the money.
I also suggested they come back when there are more cars in the lot. The rundown of tenants in this building: two straight guys, one gay guy, and three lesbians. Oh, and three cats and two Jack Russells. Plus any number of chipmunks and squirrels, at least one rabbit, and several hundred thousand mosquitoes.
I have yet to see any local candidates for anything. I see state Senator Nan Orrock's signs all around the neighborhood, but not here. There might be some confusion about which state House district this block is in -- my voting card says District 58 (Robbin Shipp), but around the corner along the park the homes all have Margaret Kaiser (District 59) signs. Last week's Creative Loafing had an article about the US House District 5 race that mentioned how John Lewis was just down the road in East Atlanta Village -- at the Earl, no less! -- but I never saw him. I have no idea who my Atlanta City Council rep is. Or school board. And only a vague idea about who to vote for for county sheriff (not the guy "running" things now).
This will be my fourth election cycle here (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008), and only in the last few days have I seen anybody other than kids selling magazines or people assuming I'm the building manager and can they have a rent application?
This election might be even more interesting than I thought.
* Martin's logo looks awfully similar to someone else's, no?