Monday, October 27, 2008

Please Let the Election Be Over

And please let it be over in a good way.

I called Indiana today. Last week, at the MoveOn Party, I called Virginia. 4 sheets of names, 14 names per sheet. I only ended up talking to about 10 people. I want to tell MoveOn--people have Caller ID. I wouldn't answer either. (Although Egg did answer the phone yesterday all willy nilly, no caller ID checking and they--of which I am one-- called to see if I'd go to New Mexico. I told them I couldn't do that but that I'd make calls from here.)

Still. I got two volunteers although one was only 16. I wonder if she showed up at the volunteer office.

Today I called 25 women voters in Indiana. It's getting easier. It's funny how much shame I was living with--either from being from the Reddest State or from the bad turnout in the last two elections. But I'm getting prouder. So I made calls without sweating as I dialed. It seems most of the women in Indiana had been contacted before. I talked to about half of the people--which is surprisingly good odds. Most were sick of being called. A few were strong supporters. Most I just tried to convince to vote early. One still hadn't decided. I went over my handily available WashingtonPost.com tax information with her telling her unless she made over $600,000, her taxes weren't going up. She still wouldn't decide. She said she'd read everything she could get her hands on and had watched all the debates and still hadn't decided. I kind of admire that--waiting to get into the booth to commune with whatever is holy to help you decide. She was 82. I said I'd keep my fingers crossed that she'd vote for Obama.

I went to see my Ob/gyn today. She says she's a one cause woman. She'll vote democrat until she dies to keep women's right to choose. She gave me hope too. I reminded her to vote early.

So even though the bad news is that the rangers who protect the gorillas in Virunga have been flushed from their posts by Congo rebels and the habitat for Orangutangs in Indonesia is being destroyed at 1 football field per hour in Indonesia, some of the information I received today was good news.

My blood pressure? Not such good news. I blame it on the election. And the stock market. And Z's cough. And the 17 meetings I have scheduled this week. Maybe they could take my blood pressure when I'm on vacation. Or in a coma. Perhaps next time, I'll take Xanax first.

3 comments:

Lisa B. said...

After next week, your blood pressure will go down by quite a bit, I predict--you'll have the blood pressure of a woman sipping something delicious on a chaise by a pool. In June.

Hope Z feels better right away.

word verification: bingsful. Doesn't this imply that life is a bowl of cherries, and thus, Obama is certain to win?

Dr Write said...

I'm with you. I spent way too much time yesterday and today obsessing, checking the internets, checking the polls, doing deep breathing, and hoping the Republicans don't manage to Floridaize this election too. Or is that Ohioize?
I feel hope, but it's pressed down under a growing sense of dread. Maybe a beer would help?

susansinclair said...

I'm so glad you're doing this, but I have to admit that I'm one of those people who hasn't been answering her phone. I mean, my only phone is my cell, and while I have friends all over the country, they RARELY call me, so when I see an area code I don't recognize, I figure whoever it is can just leave a message.

I do feel popular, though! Makes me wish I were undecided so it would be worth everyone's while to call me...