I Voted Today

 

This is the first day of early voting in Texas.  I took a short drive to the closest early voting site: The Turkish Community Center on West Bellfort,    The parking lot was pretty full, but the line was moving pretty well, maybe because of the 30+ voting machines, and a large number of voting judges and staff.   

The elderly Vietnamese gentleman in the lobby was overseeing some kind of papers, but he directed me directly to the entrance.   After providing my picture ID (I was ready with drivers license, military ID and current passport) I was sent to a voting machine.   These new machines (ok, they are several years old) are so much better that the old ones with the magic wheel that I could never understand.   The gentleman supervising the actual ballot box greeted me with a wonderful African accent.   I saluted the box and inserted my ballot.   He replied "America!" with gusto!

The polling place had only been open for two hours, but everything seemed to be running smoothly

As I passed through the lobby on my way out, I noticed an elderly Orthodox jew, with yarmulka, having a very pleasant conversation with a Muslim lady who was wearing a nice hijab.   America, indeed!

I would have loved a picture of the two, but am pretty sure pulling out my camera in a polling place is "frowned upon in this establishment!"  (Quick, name the commercial)

I had several choices for voting.   I could have voted by mail, waited for election day, or voted at my leisure on a day of my choosing.    My problem with voting by mail is that is how we voted for 20 years while stationed in Germany, El Paso, and California.   Gore V Bush highlighted my concerns about voting by mail, when it came out that standard practice was to shove absentee ballots in a corner, and maybe count them a few days after the election.  Assuming my ballot actually got there.  Thanks, NO, I want my vote to count.

I calculated that this was my 14th presidential election, and my 26th congressional election.   I tried to figure out how many senate races, but my head started to hurt.  Google says seven senators have been elected on my watch.

So, I voted.   How about you?

End-of-September Trip

 

It's October 2, 2024 and I am back home after my 15 day trip to New England and Eastern New York.

My posts the last two weeks were all composed and published on my iPhone.   I made extensive use of the dictation feature, but you doubtless noticed it produced a very sloppy product.   I am now sitting at my home computer with a decent keyboard, and will attempt to make these posts a little closer to MLA (Modern Language Association) format.   As always, I welcome constructive comments.

Of the 46 American Presidents, I have now visited some-kind-of site for 34 of them.   Presidents Obama and Biden have not yet opened their museums, and the only Trump site, to date is his un-marked boyhood home in Queens.  

I will also assert that I have now visited 45 of the 50 US states, in my lifetime.

I am hoping to visit Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Kentucky, this coming Spring.

Dan