Monday, October 27, 2008

I was a good citizen today!



Whew, it feels good to sit down after an afternoon of running around!

Guess what we did on our first stop? We voted, baby!

And we had to wait in line for a while! I was so excited to see that many people there, and we didn't mind waiting at all. Things moved really quickly. I asked the lady that I checked in with about the turnout, and she said it's been that way every day. Ken said that his lady told him it's been that way since October 6. I told my lady that if this is any indication, there is going to be a huge turnout for this election. She agreed, but said that she read in the paper that they are anticipating that one-third of voters will vote early.

So is that cool, or what? I know this might sound weird, but I actually got verklempt when we were there. We are so privileged to be able to vote this way, and I love exercising my right and duty, and being a good citizen! After I filled in my ovals, I looked at my ballot for a moment, and got verklempt again. What an amazing and historical election this has been, and it's not over yet. We're going to see history made.

I suspect that our county (St. Joseph) will break for Obama. We have a fairly large black population, and there were plenty there today--I'd say about half of the folks voting were black. Maybe not quite that many, but close. The county also leans Democrat, and the city of South Bend is definitely Democrat. Around us, I've noticed a lot of McCain yard signs, but in town, there were plenty of Obama ones. In the primaries, St. Joe county went for Obama over Clinton by a narrow margin.

Anyhoo, it felt great to vote today, although I'll kind of miss our usual polling place--a former elementary school that is now a church. We vote in the tiny gymnasium, with its brick walls, and the booths (all three of them) are out on the basketball floor. It seems kind of appropriate for Indiana!

Then it was on to our other errands. Our main goal was to find exercise equipment for our new workout area, and after looking at a few places, we went back to the first place we stopped, Dunham's. We got a weight machine and an elliptical machine. Ken also got an incline bench, but we got that at Dick's. All I can say is that I hope I get as much exercise using the equipment as I got when we unloaded the elliptical from the truck! Yikes! That was not fun, but we got it done. (It reminds me of when I had a townhouse in Indianapolis...I had an exercise bike, and I always said the most exercise I got with the damn thing was when I carried it from downstairs to the spare bedroom upstairs! I'll do better with this, because I don't want to "puff up" now that I'm not working. So far, so good, but I know I need to be more active.)

I'm not going to get all muscular, because that's not my goal, and it can be hard for women to do that. Although when I was in college, I built up enough muscle that my friends would say, "Do the shoulder thing!" and I'd flex like bodybuilders do...arms curled in front so that the muscles in your neck pop up. It cracked 'em up every time!

We did have a bit of difficulty finding a weight machine that would work for both of us. On many of them, the bars for chest work were just too high up for me! I told Ken it makes it kind of hard when there's a foot difference in height between us! But we found one. It's not the exact one pictured, but close enough for rock and roll.

So it's nice to be home. I have no idea what I'm going to do for dinner, but it will be something involving ground beef. Ha ha! Hope you all had a happy Monday.

Oh, and we watched it snow a little bit a few minutes ago. Yuck. But it's not cold enough to stick yet. It feels good to be cozy inside!

17 comments:

  1. I know how much we both hate to shop, and especially multiple stops. Thanks for hanging in there with me buddy :o)

    P.S. - This is why we do most of our shopping on the Internet :o)

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  2. Sound like a great day all around! Take care with hope your tomorrow will bring with it a Smile! :o)
    Katie

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  3. Glad you got to vote early. I voted via absentee ballot weeks ago.

    Your purchases today reminded me that I have to exercise more.

    Hugs, Rose

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  4. Snow? Wow, we are under a freeze warning tonight. We went from Summer to Winter... I always enjoy the whole voting scene too. It's kinda exciting...

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  5. I love the whole voting process and the passion that people are feeling for this election. I am so proud that my two older boys have already voted... it was a first presidential election for both of them... I hope to vote tomorrow morning when I get my tag, unless the line is too long. I am loving this cool weather here!

    *hugs*
    heather

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  6. Could have made mexican casserole with that beef. :)

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  7. My husband voted about a week ago. I think it was just because he didn't want to deal with the long lines after work on election day. I'll be voting on election day as I've always done. But I don't have to do it in South Bend, I still go to N.C. (the small town in to the middle of the corn...).

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  8. I mailed my early ballot, and Glen mailed his about 2 weeks ago. Glad its done! Sounds like you got your workout in! Now, if I just stay off the computer, I can too!

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  9. good for you for voting!!!! It amazes me to read how many people do not vote

    enjoy your new exercise equipment :)

    betty

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  10. Hi Beth,
    Good for you. I'm still reading up on all the local issues so I'll be ready for next week!
    Best,
    Marty

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  11. So wait, who did you vote for? Ha ha. Just kidding!
    Like I said over at Ken's, I love the elliptical, it is my favorite machine ever. My gym has this new generation one that kicks your butt, but I have used many different types and they are all great.
    Enjoy yours!
    L

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  12. I had a workout machine delivered about a year and a half ago.It is the best work out machine I have had ever had, it is called the MJ 2007! HA HA

    "Power to The People"

    I would vote earlt too, but have to search the rest of the house for my voters card. I put it somewhere trying to be clever, and can't remember where it is? It is one of those cards that is way too big to fit in the wallet!

    Have a wonderful day tomorrow!

    Peace&Love
    Wes

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  13. I wish I had the room in my house to make a workout room! That would be so awesome. Linda

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  14. You go, girlfriend! voting early, shopping, lugging in the goods, whew! I'm exhausted just writing about it here. :)
    Karen

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  15. Well done on the voting - our polling place is a crappy little firehouse that smells like mold and all 10 of us will be there when they open to cast our votes.

    The exercise machine sounds great. We have quite alot of equipment in our home "gym". I did get pretty bulked up using free weights but I was training with a professional body builder so he pushed me hard to get bigger & bigger. I had at one time thought about going into couples competition with him but I opted not to go that route, I thought I was getting way to manly. LOL.

    I love boxing, if you want to have something fun get yourself a stand up bag (bottom filled with sand or water) or hang one, get some gloves and pound away. It is a great workout and talk about a stress reliever!!

    Enjoy!

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  16. best of luck with the exercising!
    Most of my friends voted early. Not me. I will be there at 6:30AM on Tues with the hundred other old people waiting in line. XO

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?