I should go outside and see if there's a line yet.

Can you leave a space on a ballot unmarked?

Yes, FTR.

On the not telling kids they are wrong thing, I heard something interesting at work about how, in sports, kids learn to work through failure and get better, but a lot of them don't learn that in school. This was in the context of poor kids who fail once and figure it's all over, but I think also applies to smart kids who get told they are great constantly. It doesn't help anyone actually learn if they never hear "that's wrong, but you can work to get it right." I'm still grateful I took the hard Physics class in high school and learned that lesson then.

Question for the (other) political tragics: which websites will you be obsessively refreshing today/tonight? My websites skew to the wonkish:

Sam Wang: [link]

Nate Silver: [link]

Electoral Vote: [link]

That last website is promising to update its maps (Presidential and Senate) as results come in. Could look pretty skewy when you're at, say, 3% of the vote counted; but should be interesting to see the picture unfold.

My mom voted at 6:30 and got in and out, no line. In another county, but still. I am eating a bagel and then going to go vote. And then have the jitters all day.

Unrelatedly, I had a dream last night that the Beatles were performing with a marching band, playing "Light My Fire." Even within the dream, everyone knew that was a world of wrong.

In Rochester I have never experienced lines. I just voted and I was number 22. I miss the old style voting machines

God, that's an excellent point, Jesse. When a kid shoots a soccer ball and misses no one yells, "GREAT GOAL." The feedback is instant on got it or didn't.

Also, in my class, if we are reading something challenging, which happens a lot, and a kid gives an answer that is a misread and I say, "Interesting thought. Anyone else?" It's already obvious that the kid is wrong. The interesting thought bit is just...pandering.

I'm up because Grace's alarm has been going off intermittenly since 3:00. I also have to give grades today which is bleh.

Florida turning blue is a very good sign. It means that pollsters have been talking to people who have already voted, and they have been adjusting their assumptions of who or who isn’t a likely voter.

God, that's an excellent point, Jesse. When a kid shoots a soccer ball and misses no one yells, "GREAT GOAL." The feedback is instant on got it or didn't.

And if you can't run a mile today, the conventional wisdom is that if you work at it, you will be able to mext month (or whatever). Even within the context of different starting points and natural ability, you can work to get better.

Voted. Line was long, but we went earlier than usual.

Sorry if you read my FB statuses but...

Guys, I run for almost NOTHING. Not muggers, probably zombies or a hurt person, but really. I run for jack shit. I HATE it. So I got everything for my voting, stood in line for 35 minutes (I was there at 6:02 WTF?) and was five people from the table when I realized I had put down MY WALLET WITH MY ID when I put my jacket on.

A very nice gentleman was like, I'll hold your place. And readers, I RAN back to my house. Drove back like a bat outta hell, to see Hold-My-Place guy outside the school. I was like "KHHHAAANNNN!" (yanno, internally) but he was all "Talk to the blonde girl and they'll let you back in line; I explained." (I'd also asked one of the workers about my problem.)

So I got to vote without waiting for another hour, by the looks of the line at 6:45 am.

Also: the things I will apparently actually run because of: zombies, fire, for good cover if someone is shooting at me, to help a hurt person, to break up student fights and voting. ·