vote

If you are legally able to vote in the United States and do not vote in this election I hope you have a good reason (in a coma?) or are not that interested in being my friend, because if you do not vote then we can't talk about politics for four years and I kind of like to talk about politics. Also I kind of like to talk to people I respect and not voting is stupider than not washing your hands after.

In order to vote this year, I had to call the county office a couple times, because apparently they'd unregistered me for some complicated reasons not my fault. They were extraordinarily decent about re-registering me by phone (possibly "Hello, I am calling from the Czech Republic" was effective) and e-mailed me a sample ballot, which they accepted as real when I mailed it in. I get really pissed off that my vote counts the same as that of a person who was dropped frequently as a baby, but I am so thrilled at the lengths that the county went to to make sure that I could vote, and that my vote would count, that maybe it all balances out in the end.

Voting is not effortless, and this vote was a little more complicated than usual, but like: the people at the other end worked harder, and they worked for me. So if you have to stand in line or whatever, remember that there's somebody who took the whole day to be there for you to stand in line, and you know: throw back your shoulders and be proud to vote. If it's raining, remember that in some countries you could wind up in a hail of bullets for voting, and stand up straight and vote. If if if — my point is, no matter where you are, if you haven't already voted like those of us overseas have, then PLEASE go vote today. Make time for it and go. And take a book just in case.