Ramble Ramble

I’ve tried 5 times to write a post today. I’ve tried to encourage others to go vote. I’ve tried to sum up my feelings about this particular election. I’ve tried to lay out my feelings of civic pride, and the way that I get a little choked up in these moments where we as a nation give a crap instead of being apathetic. I’ve tried to talk about my sense of the historic elements of this election. I’ve tried to write about my frustrations with those on the other side of some of the things I believe in.

I can’t do it though.

Maybe because I’m spent. Maybe because everyone else has already articulated everything else I think. Or maybe it’s just because I’m too distracted by the tv, twitter, cnn.com, blogs, and my google reader. I can’t do a non-political post, not today…but I’m without the words or brain power for a political post.

So instead, I’m going to go watch the results with my husband and friend (we’re a bi-partisan house tonight–proof that the world doesn’t end if Obama and McCain supporters share the same space), and hopefully celebrate later tonight when two races in particular are called.

I hope you voted (or are on your way to do so). I hope you thought through your choices. I hope that when we wake up tomorrow, the world will go back to normal…at the same time that it changes.

Well, it’s Monday and you know what that means…time for another list!

Since election day is nigh, I figured it’s only appropriate to do a public service post on voting. In fact, I was going to make today’s list all serious about the top 5 reasons to go out and vote tomorrow. Of course, then I thought, nah, you good people are all with me on that one already. So instead, I’m going to do…

The Top 5 Excuses for NOT Voting on November 4th!

1. Um, hello, I’d much prefer to just bitch about the state of my city/state/country rather than do something about it.
2. Well, my vote doesn’t count anyway because I a) don’t live in a swing state, b) would be voting for the Marijuana party not one of the two “major” parties or c) am a felon, so why bother?
3. It’s raining/snowing/windy/perfectly still/sunny/the apocalypse has come.
4. Since I don’t like either of the presidential candidates, why bother voting for any of the local/state elections or propositions that could affect my day to day life? The presidential election is the only one that counts.
5. Ooh, sorry, I wish I could but I um….well…honestly, I just don’t care.

Seriously, just vote tomorrow. Take a neighbor who doesn’t have a ride to the polls. Remind your forgetful grandma that she needs to vote. Whoever you’re voting for, whatever you’re voting for, just go.

And in the meantime, head on over to abdpbt for some more list-y goodness!

The countdown to the end of this campaign cycle has begun, and not a moment too soon. Once again, politics in this country has become too nasty, ugly, mean-spirited and divisive and I’m just ready for it to be over.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m hugely invested in this years campaigns, on the national, state and local levels, and I have some pretty strong opinions on many of the major races. I’ve taken the time to inform myself so I can make decisions based on what’s important to me, and I strongly urge everyone else out there to do the same.

But there’s something about the way our country does politics that makes me sad…sad for the way we look at each other with such distaste, distrust, disgust for having differing opinions and thoughts. It comes from both sides, too, no one party can claim to be better than the other about it. Oh, and I’m right there–my anger with supporters on the other side of Prop 8 in particular has flared up on many an occasion and made me that thing I dislike–so don’t think I’m just casting stones at others. I look in the mirror. I know that I can be that ugly thing as well.

Part of me wonders if we’ll ever be able to do it differently, if we’ll ever be able to work together politically without calling people names and resorting to the lowest part of ourselves. We all talk about how we don’t like negative campaigning, but it works for a reason–because it feeds into the base part of ourselves that we sometimes can’t help. We allow the negative ads and words and looks to become our own, even if only subconsciously.

It all settles down again, for the most part, after the election is over. Most of us go back to paying attention without being rabid, to following what’s happening without having it make us these political junkies. But for the period of the campaign, particularly every four years, we become a nation that I’m not sure recognizes itself. And I can’t wait until it’s over, and the Mr. Hyde in the mirror turns back into Dr. Jekyll.

At least until next time.

Woohoo, I’m back to the land of the (mostly) living, courtesy of a weekend full of sleeping, lounging, and pretty much taking it easy. Thanks to everyone’s well wishes, they cheered me up greatly (side note: how cool is this blogging thing where I can complain about something on one coast and get happy feel better notes from folks I’ve never met on a whole other coast? Freakin’ sweet I say.)

Of course, I decided to go and take my feel-better-ness and throw it out the window this morning. How did I ruin things so quickly you ask? Let’s just say that lately, I have a talk radio problem. Isn’t that explanation enough?

So yeah, lately I’ve been listening to the talk stations on my Sirius when I’m in the car alone–this election and the financial meltdown have me glued to news via the interwebs and satellite radio. To (attempt to) be fair, I’ve been listening to a broad spectrum of sides, BBC, CNN, NPR, Fox, CBC, Bloomberg, and one station aptly called Left, and one station annoyingly called Patriot. I’m trying to be fair in my listening habits.

And you know what, this morning I heard so many things that pissed me off that I’m tiptoeing past my no-politics rule on this blog. And to tie into Anna’s weekly attempt at eradicating listlessness, I’m doing it list style. So may I present:

The 20 words/phrases that make me wish I could just nap until the election is over

1. Maverick
2. Joe SixPack
3. My friends
4. The Left
5. The Right
6. Measuring the drapes
7. Rhetoric and record
8. Main Street/Wall Street
9. Hockey mom/soccer mom
10. Red state/Blue state
11. Dow plunges (pick your number)
12. October Surprise
13. Troopergate
14. Un-American
15. The Heartland
16. Mainstream media/liberal media
17. Out of touch
18. Washington outsider or its companion Washington elitist
19. My opponent
20. Any word or phrase that ends with a g but no longer has that letter attached