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This morning, ladies and gents, was the first time that I have ever voted at a polling station.* I've been voting for a dozen years, but Oregon votes by mail and before it did that, I voted by absentee ballot (when I was in college or living abroad).
It was kind of cool, actually, more community that your standard vote-by-mail solitary event. I think the election volunteers were entertained when I announced that the ballot machine was groovy.
The morning was also notable for no less that three unusual bird events. Firstly, a fluffy dark bird with a white breast decided to take shelter from the cold by perching on our year-round strand of lights where it passes under the covering. It was maybe a yard away from where I was sitting and having breakfast inside the window. It was fluffing and puffing up it's feathers in a determined way, but I'm still not sure if it was to impress the bird in the glass, impress me, or improve the warmth factor.
Second birding event: spotted a hummingbird flirting with a flowering bush on the way in to the voting center. (Yes, this is California, we have flowering bushes year-round.)
Third birding event: half a dozen small bushtit-like fluttery things nearly dive-bombed me on my way back to the car as if to say 'OMG, WHO DID YOU VOTE FOR???'
I didn't tell them. It's supposed to be secret, or so the secrecy folder told me. I suppose that's so that I don't get jumped on my way out of the community center for voting against party lines, but clearly, no one told the birds.
*unless you count those times I walked into the booth with my Mom or Dad when I was little and scampering about in green kilts and sneakers (I was helping!) Those booths were neat and loud with distinct switches to vote on... why don't we kick it old-school like that anymore? None of this hanging-chad business.
It was kind of cool, actually, more community that your standard vote-by-mail solitary event. I think the election volunteers were entertained when I announced that the ballot machine was groovy.
The morning was also notable for no less that three unusual bird events. Firstly, a fluffy dark bird with a white breast decided to take shelter from the cold by perching on our year-round strand of lights where it passes under the covering. It was maybe a yard away from where I was sitting and having breakfast inside the window. It was fluffing and puffing up it's feathers in a determined way, but I'm still not sure if it was to impress the bird in the glass, impress me, or improve the warmth factor.
Second birding event: spotted a hummingbird flirting with a flowering bush on the way in to the voting center. (Yes, this is California, we have flowering bushes year-round.)
Third birding event: half a dozen small bushtit-like fluttery things nearly dive-bombed me on my way back to the car as if to say 'OMG, WHO DID YOU VOTE FOR???'
I didn't tell them. It's supposed to be secret, or so the secrecy folder told me. I suppose that's so that I don't get jumped on my way out of the community center for voting against party lines, but clearly, no one told the birds.
*unless you count those times I walked into the booth with my Mom or Dad when I was little and scampering about in green kilts and sneakers (I was helping!) Those booths were neat and loud with distinct switches to vote on... why don't we kick it old-school like that anymore? None of this hanging-chad business.