Day in the Life of an Idiot

The sticker on my coffee cup lid this morning asked me: "Do you know who you're voting for?" On Facebook, I answered this way: "My answer: so many--my trans and queer friends and family, the immigrant and refugee students and their families that are my son's colleagues at school and who still want to come to this country to make it a better place, for women and men who have been abused and should be believed, for black lives that matter, the environment, democracy, and... oh, you meant on the ballot?"

Because, yeah, I've known who is on the ballot for some time and (thanks to naomikritzer), I've had a cheat sheet in my wallet for months.

The coffeeshop I got this cup at, Claddaugh, has a sign out that says, "'I Voted' sticker = free cup of coffee!" Mary, the owner, told me that someone harassed her barista and said, "You can't do that; it's illegal." Of course she can. Mary isn't telling anyone WHO to vote for and rewarding only the answers she likes. In fact, if someone looks at "I will reward you if you vote" and sees something partisan, that tells me A LOT about which side of the divide THEY are standing on. It's kind of amazing that one of the things we are fighting for right now in this election is the idea--which should be a basic and AMERICAN value--is the right for every citizen to vote. 

This morning at my polling place, I got a little teary-eyed. There were people occupying any space they possibly could to vote. Rather than wait to vote with a privacy screen, people were sitting on the floor and filling out ballots. This is _mid-term_, people. The last time I saw this many people so anxious to vote was in a presidential election which I don't want to name for fear of jinxing it (but which had the slogan HOPE). I was telling my friend in Wales that Shawn and I have showed up to mid-term elections (in a state that has one of the highest voter turn-outs in the nation) and looked around and wondered if we'd come on the wrong day it was so empty.  

The guy in front of me had his ballot rejected by the optical scanner. He was able to put it in and have it count, but the guy in line behind me (an older black guy) joked about a "conspiracy," we all laughed in a ha-ha-ha-TOO-SOON kind of nervous way, even though Minnesota is possibly the single safest place to cast your vote in the country because we DO have state-constitution mandated paper ballots that (as Al Franken well knows) can be hand-counted in case a recount is necessary. It can take weeks (even months), but voter intention is clear and preserved on PAPER. Frankly, I have no idea why other states don't insist on this.

We also have voting day registration, with some of the fewest requirements nation-wide. A REGISTERED VOTER who is your neighbor can vouch for you. That's _all_ you need, if you literally have nothing else. But, most people have some form of mail that shows where they live -or- a driver's license or student ID (or a provisional one) with their current address.

When people wonder why we have such good turn-out here, I'm sure that's part of it. It's ridiculously EASY to vote here. There is early voting, plus employers are required to allow all their employees time off to vote.

But, Minnesota is one state. I can only pray that the rest of the nation is doing its part.

Tonight, Mason has his very first ever sleep over at SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE!! His friend from Crossroads, Donte, called and they set up a time. Mason is supposed to bring along a pillow, his animal friends (a rabbit named "Sirralabwaydoh," after a girl in Mason's class, and a bear named what else but "Ted"), a couple of Star Wars Movies and some Harry Potter. Donte's mom checked in to make sure popcorn would be okay, and it sounds to me like it's going to be a fun-filled night. Fingers crossed that he doesn't do what Shawn and I both have done in our youth, which is freak out half-way through the night and call to get a ride home. But he will have his cell, and I let Donte's mom know that would be perfectly acceptable if he did want/need to come home. It happens to most of us some time, I think.

But... that means... Shawn and I have a childless house tonight. Even if he bails at some point in the night, we'll easily have several hours in which he will be happily occupied elsewhere.

AND, on top of that excitement, I just got a call from one of Mason's friends from kuk sool wan, Gregory. After class, Mason ended up bonding with Gregory over Pokemon and other DS games. They're going to have a playdate at his house... and the mom just said I could DROP OFF! OMG. Two hours to get errands done *on top* of getting to have some us-time with Shawn tonight.

Have I died and gone to stay-at-home parent heaven???

I may have. Now the question will be: will I use my powers for good or evil? Will I squander the opportunity or be ridiculously productive? And, really, which is better?? The bonus is, it looks like I have time to do a little bit of both. I mean, I can clean/errand/etc., and then goof off later tonight. How awesome is that???