What do you think of compulsory voting? It saddens me that so few Americans vote, but I can often understand their reasons, and I can't understand the rationale behind mandating it.

I think the question is one of benefits. It is certainly no greater infringement than paying taxes, so the question is does it have benefits that outweight that infringement. Or to put it another way are there social costs to not having mandatory elections? I think you could argue that there are; poorer and younger people tend to vote less than richer and older. It skews the process towards the haves.

I doubt mandatory voting is in the near future in the U.S. - so I would agree with a four day voting period - Friday through Monday. Also same day registration. (Same day registration brings higher turnout than vote-by-mail.)

I can't read The Velveteen Rabbit. I can't even describe it or explain the plot to someone else, because I get very very emotional about it.

The hardest for me is In Which Christopher Robin and Pooh Come To An Enchanted Place and We Leave Them There. I can't read it without sobbing, and it's only getting worse as these children are getting older.

Yeah, but you get to put in a stealth adorable and get a delayed narrow-eyed squinchy face from Pete.

More of a 'single raised eyebrow' look really. Still, I'm not comforted by the escalation of squinchy-inducing to a tactical level.

Hey, Fay! So, I see you're unsure what you'll do if your boss refuses to let you come. I say come here, then couch-hop around the U.S. until it's time to fly to your new job.

Okay, it's not very realistic, but it is a GREAT idea.

Here is my plan: request 17th - 25th off. (7 working days). If that's a no, I try to negotiate 5 days (because if it's less than 5 days, the flight is way more expensive) and ask my travel agent to try and sort that out for me. If they're not prepared to let me have 5 days, I maybe try for 3? And if it's just no no no...well, at that point I have to ask myself whether I'm prepared to say "Well, I love my job, and I've really enjoyed working for you, even though you've screwed me over in several interesting and creative ways over the past year, but, bottom line, I'm going to this event. You can just deduct the missing days from my salary (keeping in mind that I've only taken one sick day this year, and have been a good and conscientious worker at all times), or you can sack me. Your call."

And that would be really dumb. I'm due salary through to August and my flight back to the UK, so I can't just walk out.

And yet, if it comes right down to it, I may. Because I really, really really want to be at the F2F, and I don't think I'll get the chance again for a very long time. I'm not a class teacher. My absence WILL have a negative impact upon children, but I'm not their primary educator - I'm a support teacher. In the future, it's just not going to be an option if the F2F is during term time (which I guess it always will be).

Er. So - who knows, there may be a Fay Grand Tour of the US, if I end up having to pull a Thelma & Louise.

Yes! Or, or, you and I could team up, find a middle school teacher, and we'd be like traveling schoolteachers of the Old West. Hired Chalks, they'd call us. We Fight Crime! And ignorance.

Now THIS I like the sound of...

I just told my boss about turduckens. She is horrified. "Turkey is awesome, duck is awesomer, and the chicken is just a waste. Chuck the turkey, chuck the chicken"

"You want a duck in a duck in a duck?"

"Yes!"

"How about a duck in a duck in a goose?"

"Duck duck goose!"

Upon further discussion, we decided that pate in a duck in a goose could work as well.

Could NEVER eat that. Blech. Having new empathy for vegetarians who torment me over my sandwich meat just thinking about it.

Apropos of nothing, over in LJ-land I just saw a friend describe a really bad cheeseburger as a "grease-soaked cheese food with bread-like handles." Yum. Just had to share.

I can't even describe it or explain the plot to someone else, because I get very very emotional about it.

I remember the day my boss was telling a recap of the story and everyone in the office was bawling by the end.

Dude...don't give up the day job to be a food critic, okay? Although my beloved literary boyfriend George pulled something like that by having a character say his chicken was so tender he could fuck it. And then another character took an extra plate in case the gf wasn't in the mood that night. Ew. But I still love him anyway.

Um...there was stuff. I read it, and I felt for people and bad shit happened, and I cared. And then I forgot what it all was, 'cause I suck! So, hugs and kisses all around.

Hey, vw, mind if I tag?

Absolutely not! Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. There was NYC, then there was a bus ride, then a nap. Now I’m functional.

{{{Cass and niecelet}}}

Owen’s such a cutie!

Deena, have I seen pictures of Aidan in his glasses before? ‘Cause if I have, I’m forgetting. He looks SO CUTE!

I don’t think I’ve seen Lilo and Stitch. Now I don’t think I can.