See? BAD ASS.
We stay in hotels for two things: central heat (or A.C., depending on the season) and cable. So once we got in the room, we only left it for a brief foraging expedition for food and drink. We returned with a huge bottle of Lambrusco (fizzy, sweet Italian red wine) and settled in for a night of "Cash and Treasures."
We're such hermits.
Next day, we stopped at a couple of random places on the way home, but nothing very exciting. And that's that. Moving on now.
So. Yesterday, my perusal of various news sources and even some personal blogs in the morning kept turning up stories about HUGE CROWDS at polling places and a great sense of camaraderie and civic pride amongst these HUGE CROWDS surging out to vote. I was all worked up to go vote. I would be part of the great and passionate American electorate! I would be part of the HUGE CROWDS!
Then I went. No huge crowds, no camaraderie and civic pride. Granted, I live in a place where a "huge crowd" means three people in line at the post office, but still. After all the hype, it was underwhelming.
Did you experience HUGE CROWDS, camaraderie, and civic pride yesterday when you voted, or is this yet another example of hyperbole in the media?
No huge crowds left in here in upstate NY. Economy is so bad the last one out already turned out the lights. My polling place had a steady stream of people trickling in, but myself and my 3 adult voting children were the biggest crowd there (we went en mass)
ReplyDeleteSince the 4th was also my birthday, we did a major celebration after voting, we went and bought bakery dough nuts! Don't we live exciting lives.
Sheila Z
My polling place is small & usually not very crowded, but there were relatively long (yet quick-moving) lines early yesterday morning...and much bigger crowds elsewhere in the city. There was definitely a different vibe than I've felt at other elections - no impatience in the lines, just smiles. I think the media was being straight with you on this one.
ReplyDeleteUnusually long lines in Scipio at five of five. It was downright cozy in the barn... (I mean, hardly a three hour wait or anything, but still)
ReplyDeleteTotal hyperbole, at least in our part of the country. (I did see lines on TV in places other than Tucson, which I don't think were computer generated.) However, when you live in the foothills, expectations are somewhat different. Walked in, voted and walked home. Same, same, but it matches the environment, so what can I say. Actually, I like the environment, so that's a good thing!
ReplyDeleteI'm in a pretty sleepy town and there was a line of about thirty people at 7am when the doors opened. I managed to get in and get out in about hour though. Definitely the first time I've ever had to wait in line to vote...
ReplyDeleteI was at the voting booth at 7 a.m. (believe it or not...and I ran there!). There was a guy in the booth, so I had to wait about 30 seconds. No lines here, but I felt a lot of civic pride! Yes we can, President Obama!
ReplyDeleteI live Mon-Fri in Chicago, so well, it was like nothing I've ever seen in the 20 years that I've been voting.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Sheila! Doughnuts sound like a fantastic way to celebrate a birthday to me.
ReplyDeleteNo huge crowds here because we vote by mail. It SUCKS. I miss seeing the little old ladies at the church we voted at, I miss signing the voters roll, I miss the free cookies, I miss the "I voted" sticker, I miss going in with my kids and making a big deal about voting, and I miss the cookies...did I mention that?
ReplyDeleteI waited in line for two hours. I like people watching, so it wasn't that bad.
ReplyDeleteno long lines but a very steady stream of people coming in and out and walking around the neighborhood to go and vote. no one drove. our poll workers were grouchy though, no stickers.
ReplyDeleteI'm a small island community, and we had a HUGE line when they opened, and steady stream all day.. there was a line when I went, about 3pm, but only about a 5-10 minute wait.. But, that's totally unusual for out here. I've never seen a line here!!LOL So, they were being straight about some areas..
ReplyDeleteJean
Sorry, I'm not a small island community.. I'm IN a small island community.. duh...LOL
ReplyDeleteJean
no lines in my part of the world, which means the whole town showed up at once.
ReplyDeleteI got there 15 minutes before they opened and was done in about 45 minutes total.
ReplyDeleteMostly what I experienced was a whiney girl behind me whining to her mom to go get McDonald's. The whole time. I kid you not.
Okay, I have to admit, when I went to vote (go blue state in the midwest :P) there were people wrapped around the astonishingly large Cesar Chavez Center .... I think we waited only 20 minutes when we went back (that afternoon - because apparently no one in our actual ward cares to vote, but the district as a whole put up a good show) but that morning it was taking as long as 2 hours for some people.
ReplyDeleteJust to, ya know, restore your faith in humanity :)