My vote is cast!

I spent the morning checking my usual political blogs, reading the stories and comments from readers about their polling experiences. Four-hour waits or more in Park Slope and downtown Brooklyn. Lines extending around a whole block. Well, looks like we should pack a bag: cards, a book, iPod, magazine. Just need some breakfast and coffee and we'll be good to go.

After breakfast at the local diner, Karel and I headed to the vocational high school a few blocks west of us to cast our vote. The line, at around 11:30, was about 60 deep, and we ended up leaving the polls after an hour or so. We were lucky compared to other polling locations. Everyone was cheerful, in high spirits, generous, friendly, talkative. The energy was overwhelmingly positive. The woman behind us in line said she had voted in every election, presidential or otherwise, since 1968, the last decade in this neighborhood, and had never encountered a line, never mind one 60-deep. Her sentiment was echoed by a few others. It feels nice to be taking part in a positive part of history.

I had anticipated tearing up a bit when I cast my vote for Obama. I always get a little nervous before I vote for some reason. The polling machine was the type I remember from accompanying my mom when I was a little girl: the kind where you pull the big lever to one side, flip the switches horizontal for whomever you want to elect, then pull the big lever back. I was so concerned about not casting my vote for the wrong person (RI ballots now are the paper kind where you link the 2 sides of the arrow, so I'm not used to this newfangled-- well, oldfangled?-- stuff) that I had no emotional reaction whatsoever.

And that was that. History is already being made with voter turnout. It will be made later tonight (well, let's hope tonight), regardless of the winner. I hope we continue making history for the next 8 years. Plus I really hope to be able to afford health insurance in the near future.

Now I'm watching footage of Obama at polling stations in Indianapolis and wishing, for once, that we were still there. Bah!

At any rate, anyone reading this from the New York City area, look forward to seeing you tonight at Hop Devil, at St, Mark's and Avenue A, from 7 PM on!