Talk About Something Else Tuesday
I am not saying this to denigrate the importance of voting--far from it. I believe that people who are eligible should do their research and vote whenever it comes up, and for a lot of people who read this, that's tomorrow. Hurrah for the free exercise of the franchise. Important stuff going on. Participation key to participatory democracy.
But. It is not a horse race. And I really feel that the horse race style coverage in the media is bad for many/most people's anxiety levels without providing any genuine value. If Kandiyohi County swings one way and then Blue Earth County swings another way--they are still going to need to count both. And then they're going to need to count the other counties. And for some things, the other states. The results will still be there on Wednesday. Some of the results will only be there on Wednesday. So unless you're one of those rare souls who can actually relax and find enjoyment in the horse race model--or unless you're out actually helping with the count or the polling places--I urge you to go and vote and then come home and talk about something else for awhile.
Some ideas, if you're feeling fidgety and don't know what else to blog about:
--the time that you and a friend or family member could not stop giggling and nearly disgraced yourself/woke somebody/etc.
--something small that improved your life recently in unexpectedly large ways
--your favorite charity/volunteer opportunity at the moment
--suggestions for how mrissa can get her local entertainments back improvements to the lockout situations for hockey and classical music; any brief treatises related to same welcome, especially if humorous and/or informative
--an amusing anecdote about voting or elections of the past, your first memory of being around adults voting or of your first voting experience--how you feel about it now--etc.
--all the usual things--food blogging, book/music/movie/TV reviews, cute pet/kid stories, awful pet/kid stories, current projects, whatever
--whatever ideas people put in the comments
Seriously. Take care of yourselves and those around you. Gonna be a very long day if we don't.
But. It is not a horse race. And I really feel that the horse race style coverage in the media is bad for many/most people's anxiety levels without providing any genuine value. If Kandiyohi County swings one way and then Blue Earth County swings another way--they are still going to need to count both. And then they're going to need to count the other counties. And for some things, the other states. The results will still be there on Wednesday. Some of the results will only be there on Wednesday. So unless you're one of those rare souls who can actually relax and find enjoyment in the horse race model--or unless you're out actually helping with the count or the polling places--I urge you to go and vote and then come home and talk about something else for awhile.
Some ideas, if you're feeling fidgety and don't know what else to blog about:
--the time that you and a friend or family member could not stop giggling and nearly disgraced yourself/woke somebody/etc.
--something small that improved your life recently in unexpectedly large ways
--your favorite charity/volunteer opportunity at the moment
--suggestions for how mrissa can get her local entertainments back improvements to the lockout situations for hockey and classical music; any brief treatises related to same welcome, especially if humorous and/or informative
--an amusing anecdote about voting or elections of the past, your first memory of being around adults voting or of your first voting experience--how you feel about it now--etc.
--all the usual things--food blogging, book/music/movie/TV reviews, cute pet/kid stories, awful pet/kid stories, current projects, whatever
--whatever ideas people put in the comments
Seriously. Take care of yourselves and those around you. Gonna be a very long day if we don't.