Walked down to my polling place today. The line snaked outside the building even more than it did for Bush v. Gore (and I think Clinton v. Dole, but that was when they were rehabbing the church basement and we were rerouted through the kitchen). Fifty-60 deep outside, then nearly the same snaked once you got inside the door. Took me about 90 minutes to get through.
It was early in the morning, but I was still struck by how quiet the line was. No one spoke. Definitely got the sense people were being respectful (we really CAN all behave like grownups ... away from the Internet and cable news). Also got the sense people were on a mission. Saw laborers looking at their watches, hipsters interacting with their iGadgets -- but sensed a common determination of "I'm here, it's taking a looong time, I'm late but I'm voting, dammit."
I love these settings where I can observe and take in people from all walks of life. Common, cohesive threads (even if only marginally so) are nice to find.
When I hit the polls, once I get inside the 25-foot green zone Radiohead's "Electioneering" always comes into my head (There's a sign announcing 1-year imprisonment and/or $2500 penalty for electioneering within). But today, reflecting on the last eight years -- and then about the last 28 -- Killing Joke's "Empire Song" came into my head.
More so for the art on the single than for the melody or lyrics. Although it is all part of the same coin, capturing the same regretful tone.
As you may have noticed, the site has changed. Sampa, the free-site host, did a version 2 of some sort.
Despite an FAQ that made it sound like allowing one's site to go through v.2 surgery would be okay, there were several flexibilities that surprisingly disappeared with the click of a button. (e.g. I cannot believe sidebars like this one are even narrower than before.)
And I'm told -- miraculously! -- that the conversion cannot be undone. Truth be told, I'm actually quite pissed. But free is free. Sampa has otherwise been good to me.
So I need to sort through site "features" to see how I can make do. Except that I don't have the time at the moment, in the middle of graduate classes and Lighthousehockey.com. (btw, I've removed that Lighthouse RSS feed so that you're not clogged with random Islanders hockey gibberish).
But I promise to touch up the accessories when I get a chance, and return to irregularly scheduled blogging.
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-- and then about the last 28 -- Killing Joke's "Empire Song" came into my head.
February, 2008