Early Voting

You know, I wish people like me would just do a little research before they start blathering on ...

Did you get the email from Gov. Crist about the extended early voting hours? That's fine. I tried to do it the other day, but the line was more than a block long, and they weren't standing single-file, either. The thing is, I don't even know WHY there's early voting or WHY Obama wants me to do it. I just know THAT. I think I've been given the idea that my vote will somehow count more if it's early. I mean, there's a weaker chance of my vote being lost or crumpled or erased or tucked under a couch cushion if it's early. Is that possible? Is that why we're supposed to vote early?

Interestingly, you Republicans (and you know who you are) don't seem to be interested in voting early -- just often. Heh. Heh. A little Election Year humor here ...

I know early voting started in 2005 and that's all I know about it. That's not really handy information, is it?

Fine. Then let's move back to the Festival of Reading, where I saw, but managed to avoid meeting, The World's Youngest Writer. Yeah. The poor thing appeared to be maybe seventeen. Her dad and uncle were accosting everyone who walked by, forcing a bookmark on them. Come on, guys. This is the Festival of Reading. We're a little more gentile here. It's not a carnival with a freak show. Sit back, like we graciously did, and tacitly offer red-and-white peppermint candies. Don't hawk, for goodness sake!

I couldn't stand the lie of it. When I first read the bookmark, I yelped out to the guy, "You can't say that! You can't know it's the world's youngest writer! I'm typesetting a book right now by a nine-year-old!"

Then I remembered that I was there under the aegis of an elegant, restrained (occasionally) woman, so I back-pedaled. I smiled and made a remark about the World Series which is open only to United States ball clubs. I was pretty sure there weren't any Rays fans listening.

I know there are Rays fans reading, though, so now, for the first time ever, it's The World's Youngest DOUBLE Back-Pedaler!

Interesting, too, that I'd made a poster for our booth: The PERFECT Holiday Gift. I don't mind claiming perfection, which cannot be proved, but I object to the youngest, which can.

Here's a picture of Mittens sitting in a small basket full of newspaper pulled into strips for my papier-mache projects. Well, about a third of her is sitting the basket. Cats like to be in things, even if they don't fit. She reminds me of me and my pedal-pushers ...