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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Friday, August 04, 2006
Vote Early! Vote Often!
The voting went on and on last night. I didn't realize how lucky we were to leave around 9:00 pm when I heard that some people were still voting way after 10:00. Mother said she heard midnight. Marilyn was right about its not being a good idea to introduce the new voting machines at the same time we had the longest ballot in eight years. Local elections always bring out the voters, and we had a few that were heavily contested. At the Board of Education where I vote and worked, we had around 458 voters using three machines. Those will be sufficient in November when the ballot is short, and we'll have gubernatorial and senatorial elections which I hope people are interested in as much as the local, but that's not always the case. Almost everyone liked the new machines and said they were easy to use. With all those appellate judge reviews on there, the e-slate machine had eight or nine screens of candidates, depending on if they voted in the city election or not. Then the summary page of candidates was four screens! Attitudes were good while voters waited in the hot room (there was a/c but with the door opening and closing so much and crowds, it couldn't keep up) for anywhere from twenty minutes to over an hour and a half. Apparently we had it easier than some places. People chatted and were polite and considerate of each other. Maybe I'm used to large groups of high school students which is why I noticed that.
I was exhausted last night when I got home and was greeted with no electricity because it went off on our street. Brigit kept meowing to me as if to complain about my being gone so long and then stumbling around trying to make my way in the dark to light some candles. I went outside with a flashlight and encountered the neighbors across the street who told me it hadn't been off but about ten minutes. We have suicidal squirrels in our neighborhood who short out the utility wires now and then. Other neighbots and I called the electric department, and they sent a truck out. The electricity was back on around 10:00 pm. I fell into bed around 11:00 and got up this morning at 7:00. I called Mother, and she asked me what I was doing up so early. She's definitely a morning person and gets up around 5:00 all the time (which comes once a day as far as I'm concerned, but I had to get up then yesterday to be at the polls at 6:15). She used to tell me I missed the best part of the day, so I told her to tape it for me.
I'm still tired today from standing most of the fifteen hours I was there and explaining how the new machines work. Also not eating anything but a light breakfast and sandwich for lunch didn't help. I needed something else around dinner time.
I did really enjoy this, though, and am impressed with the organization and efficiency of the election commission. Way to go, Luanne Greer!! (my cousin) The official at our site, Vanessa, was calm, efficient, and organized, too. I believe in voting and am glad to participate in the process. Quite a few of the ones I voted for won but there were some disappointments. Based on my past voting choices, this turned out better than I was afraid it would. Now if only the national elections will follow suit!
11:06:00 AM
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