Election Day 2008: Live Blog
6:00am
Woken up by my phone ringing and shaking off the table. I couldn't answer it in time, but excitedly checked the message thinking my long overdue pregnant friend finally went into labor. No. It was my credit card's fraud department calling to check if I had purchased thousands of dollars of Liz Claiborne and QVC Cosmetics merchandise this morning at 4am. For the record, I hadn't. Interesting way to start Election Day...with fraud. I guess that's better than ENDING the day with fraud, like in 2000!
8:00am
Finally got out of bed, checked my email, and was greeted with this amazing and uplifting (and hopefully prescient) video clip:
8:30am
Working from home today so I can go to the polls at an off-peak time, and so I can be here in front of the TV at 3 when they start announcing east coast results. Did some real-American work, like a real hard-working American. Did not go so far as to put on any Bruce Springsteen music, but did play Hulk Hogan's theme "I am a Real American."
9:30am
Time to set the voting mood! I have very little patriotic music, so I opted for my mom's old baton twirling record that has lots of brass heavy marching band music on it:
10:00am
Time to suit up. From top to bottom:
10:10am
Time to go do this!
10:15am
Started a load of laundry on my way out to the polls, because real Americans are multi-taskers!!! (I think that is a verse in the Hulk Hogan song?)
10:17am
On the way to the VFW, listened to one of the few political songs I have, a personal favorite called "Jimmy Carter Says Yes":
(download here...)
10:25am
Had to step over some drunk hobos to get to the door of the VFW, where I was promptly greeted with a large American flag and a smiling woman. She directed me to the proper line, and I was checked in.
10:30am
Surprised to see that all the voting booths were paper-based, except for one lone electronic booth. I chose the lone electronic booth.
10:38am
Ballot cast!! Slightly disappointed no one offered me a congratulatory "I VOTED TODAY!" sticker. I loitered around for a minute thinking someone would offer me a sticker, or at least some candy. Nothing. I returned home, listening to the Violent Femme's "America Is..."
3:00pm
Decided to consult my new Tandy Executive Decision Maker (which is essentially a 70s corporate version of a magic 8 ball) on whether or not Obama will win. It wishiwashily predicted victory:
5:00pm
Leslie and I went on a run to Cupcake Royale to collect our complimentary babycake cupcake in honor of Election Day. I picked up this sticker to make up for the lack of stickers at the polls:
There was another that said "I support frostitution," but this one seemed more historically appropriate for today.
7:00pm
Refreshing nytimes.com every 12 seconds to see the latest scores.
7:45pm
Starting to feel the swing of the pendulum, excitement building...it is a wonderful feeling to know that your vote actually counted. I have never felt this emotion before, as Texas has gone Republican every presidential election since I was born. It's fun living in a blue state! Whoo blue!
7:50pm
Can't decide which network to watch, I've settled on ABC for the moment because I like Gibson, Sawyer, and Stephanopoulos. I just flipped over to CBS to check on Katie Couric, and all I saw was a chicken walking down the street at night, so I immediately changed back to ABC.
8:00pm
The Peruvian shamans hex on McCain worked!!! Barack took him! Holy shit, America!!!!! I haven't felt this proud of America since the Supreme Court upheld Larry Flynt's first amendment rights!!!!!
8:02pm
Good job, America. And good night.
Woken up by my phone ringing and shaking off the table. I couldn't answer it in time, but excitedly checked the message thinking my long overdue pregnant friend finally went into labor. No. It was my credit card's fraud department calling to check if I had purchased thousands of dollars of Liz Claiborne and QVC Cosmetics merchandise this morning at 4am. For the record, I hadn't. Interesting way to start Election Day...with fraud. I guess that's better than ENDING the day with fraud, like in 2000!
8:00am
Finally got out of bed, checked my email, and was greeted with this amazing and uplifting (and hopefully prescient) video clip:
8:30am
Working from home today so I can go to the polls at an off-peak time, and so I can be here in front of the TV at 3 when they start announcing east coast results. Did some real-American work, like a real hard-working American. Did not go so far as to put on any Bruce Springsteen music, but did play Hulk Hogan's theme "I am a Real American."
9:30am
Time to set the voting mood! I have very little patriotic music, so I opted for my mom's old baton twirling record that has lots of brass heavy marching band music on it:
10:00am
Time to suit up. From top to bottom:
- Star sparkle dangly earrings
- Red bandana kerchief
- Blue tshirt
- Blue ski jacket
- Red skirt
- Blue tights
- Gray cowboy boots
10:10am
Time to go do this!
- Driver's license? Check.
- Voter registration card? Check.
- Ballot research crib sheet? Check!
10:15am
Started a load of laundry on my way out to the polls, because real Americans are multi-taskers!!! (I think that is a verse in the Hulk Hogan song?)
10:17am
On the way to the VFW, listened to one of the few political songs I have, a personal favorite called "Jimmy Carter Says Yes":
"Can our government? Be competent?
Jimmy Carter says yes, Jimmy Carter says yes.
Can our government? Be honest?
Jimmy Carter says yes, Jimmy Carter says yes.
Can our government be decent and open?
As the 39th president...he has spoken, yes...
Jimmy Carter says yes."
(download here...)
10:25am
Had to step over some drunk hobos to get to the door of the VFW, where I was promptly greeted with a large American flag and a smiling woman. She directed me to the proper line, and I was checked in.
10:30am
Surprised to see that all the voting booths were paper-based, except for one lone electronic booth. I chose the lone electronic booth.
10:38am
Ballot cast!! Slightly disappointed no one offered me a congratulatory "I VOTED TODAY!" sticker. I loitered around for a minute thinking someone would offer me a sticker, or at least some candy. Nothing. I returned home, listening to the Violent Femme's "America Is..."
3:00pm
Decided to consult my new Tandy Executive Decision Maker (which is essentially a 70s corporate version of a magic 8 ball) on whether or not Obama will win. It wishiwashily predicted victory:
5:00pm
Leslie and I went on a run to Cupcake Royale to collect our complimentary babycake cupcake in honor of Election Day. I picked up this sticker to make up for the lack of stickers at the polls:
There was another that said "I support frostitution," but this one seemed more historically appropriate for today.
7:00pm
Refreshing nytimes.com every 12 seconds to see the latest scores.
7:45pm
Starting to feel the swing of the pendulum, excitement building...it is a wonderful feeling to know that your vote actually counted. I have never felt this emotion before, as Texas has gone Republican every presidential election since I was born. It's fun living in a blue state! Whoo blue!
7:50pm
Can't decide which network to watch, I've settled on ABC for the moment because I like Gibson, Sawyer, and Stephanopoulos. I just flipped over to CBS to check on Katie Couric, and all I saw was a chicken walking down the street at night, so I immediately changed back to ABC.
8:00pm
The Peruvian shamans hex on McCain worked!!! Barack took him! Holy shit, America!!!!! I haven't felt this proud of America since the Supreme Court upheld Larry Flynt's first amendment rights!!!!!
8:02pm
Good job, America. And good night.
Leave a comment