Peace and solace to you and yours, Frank.

So I voted! I had to run out and get cash, and decided to go past the EV polling place. The line was a third of what it was this morning and moving, so I figured why the hell not. It took a little over an hour, which granted, is longer than I think I've ever waited on election day. Of course, people are freaking out about the storm and there are only 5 EV polling places for the whole city, rather than a bajillion. It was a great cross-section of Baltimore society. People were running into old (sometimes REALLY old) friends, people were talking with strangers. My line-neighbor and I got to talking gay marriage (one of the issues) and while he was a weak pro, I think I got him to pro! Volunteers were holding places in line for those too weak to stand in line, ushering them inside to the lobby (League for People with Disabilities) to sit.

What was also really cool was that some of the Election Judges were members of the League (their buttons said so, though some did have visible disabilities.) Plus, there were various inspirational bios of people who they've helped lining the walls, much more interesting than cafeteria menus.

Also, vacuumed the first floor, second load of laundry in, plant moved inside, tarp upstairs secured, Target and pedicure achieved.

That sounds like a good voting experience, sarameg.

(OK, I waited 1.5 hours at local precinct in 2008, in the morning. My current precinct has always been faster, but I've always gone before or after the evening rush, when there are lines.)

Frank, I'm so sorry.

My sympathies, Frank.

Today I have scrubbed my tub and bathroom sink, done laundry, taken out the trash, and gotten a haircut. That's enough chores for first day of vacation, right?

Because I'm not having a good enough time this week, my credit card got declined when I was paying for a prescription at Walgreens. I got the automated call describing it as "suspicious", so I called them and asked why, this amount, this time, at my normal pharmacy was suspicious?

Oh, because that's the exact same amount of money you spent on gas yesterday.

Gas? Yesterday???????

Turns out there's at least a week's worth of fraudulent charges in one of the weeks when I've left the house the least. And a fuckton at gas stations, although not just that.

I hate how there's no way to tell what the leak was. Is it one of those times it was taken out of my sight when I was paying something? Is it one of those times it wasn't, because they still have my CC#? Onine? Offline? Never will know. But if those gas stations are in LA, I will suspect meatspace, but probably never know for sure.

And if my meds hadn't cost precisely $100, when exactly would I/they have noticed? I'm not exactly in a statement reading mood right now...

Ugh, what a PITA, ita !! Glad you got the call, slightly boggled that that's what triggered it.

One thing I found interesting was how much support within earshot there was for in-state tuition for illegal students who meet certain eligibility requirements-taxes for a number of years, attended a certain number of years, have established residency, legal or not for a certain period, etc. It's such an explosive issue all over the country, but just about everyone I heard talking about it was pretty strongly for it, almost indignantly so. The requirements are pretty stringent (for one, they have to apply for permanent residency as soon as they are eligible to) but achievable, which I think is fair.

It just surprised me, considering the virulent YELLING from the opposition. It sounded like some of the thinly veiled racism hit a nerve with some.

The universe needs to leave ita ! alone.

My mother voted for Obama. It's possible that the world is coming to an end. I think the last Democrat she voted for was Adlai Stevenson.

Oh, ick, ita!

OH! More election carrots:

Cars driving by were slowing to take pictures of the line. And blowing the horn the whole way and yelling out support for various issues and candidates. People were posing with the cop there as well as the volunteers managing the line. And I can't tell you how tickled I was to watch SEVERAL elderly couples stop someone to ask to have a picture taken of them.

Plus the kid who planted the "I Voted" sticker on his forehead and fist pumping as he strode out "First time, man!" (got several amused 'Kids these days' from the line. ) He was stopped by a really elderly woman sitting in her walker thing. She'd voted, but was waiting for her ride. "Young man, I want to take a picture of us with our stickers!" she said, her voice wobbly and thin but Authority. And she whips out her iphone, and he grins and kneels next to her, baggy jeans, boxers showing off, bling, sticker on his forehead. She's all tiny and slumped and cataracts in a lilac suit and granny shoes and pillbox hat. Picture taken, he takes her phone and sends the picture to his phone "So you'll know who I am!"

Lady in front of me "I think I wanna cry, that dumbass punk!"