Quizzical Wednesday: What Office Should You Be Elected To?

You Should Be Elected Mayor

You're the type of person who will never forget where you came from. Roots are important to you. When it comes to what's important, friends and family always come first. You believe charity starts at home. You tend to know what's going on with everyone in your neighborhood. You aren't a gossip, but you are involved. You are proud of where you come from, and you're dedicated to making your hometown a better place.

What Office Should You Be Elected To?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

I Voted!

My favorite thing about voting at the polls was proudly wearing my "I Voted" sticker for the remainder of election day. Since King County votes entirely by mail now, there are no more visits to the polls and no more stickers. :-(

Imagine my delight when I discovered that the fun folks down at King County elections created a virtual sticker so I can still declare that I've voted! :-)  Yay!

2008 - The Top 10 Highlights

It’s hard to believe but another year is coming to an end. As a child I remember my folks complaining about how quickly the years went by; I was unable to relate because they seemed to just drag on for me. But at the ripe old age of 35, I get it. The years pass by in an instant and with each one that passes the speed increases.

When I began thinking about 2008 my initial response was negative, thankful that it was almost over. After all, my faced another fight against cancer, my brother Jimmy had one of those “one bad thing after another years,” my job was more frustrating and challenging than previous years, my birthday sucked and Thanksgiving was a family drama nightmare. But then I decided to list the “highlights” from 2008 and my list numbered 15 after only a few minutes of brainstorming. Feeling better about my outlook on 2008, I decided to create a Top 10 list of my favorite 2008 memories, and here it is:

10. Replacing my 13 year old mattress with the most wonderful mattress in the world, even if it’s so tall that I can barely get up on it.

9. Being able to see clearly following my eye surgery in June. I had no idea what I was missing and I love being able to drive at night again.

8. Having my mentor, Pauli Marr and my mom in town at the same time, we laughed until we cried, we laughed until it hurt.

7. Creating a wonderful birthday celebration for Jimmy’s 30^th in May.

6. Sharing Seattle with my Cuz (Karri) and her Huz (Dale). We soaked up the sun, ate too much, drank too much and had a wonderful time.

5. Getting to know Barney, the cutest Beagle in the entire world.

4. Rejoicing on Election Night with the rest of the country as history was made and the wave of change swept across the country.

3. Paying off my debt to Oregon State University and finally receiving my degree.

2. Celebrating my 5 Year Cancer Free Anniversary with laughter and tears and a trip to my favorite beach in the whole world.

And my top memory of 2008….

1. Surprising Don with tickets to Vienna Teng in San Francisco on his birthday. I’ll remember the look on his face for the rest of my life. And the trip rocked too.

Here is hoping 2009 is filled with as many wonderful moments! Happy New Year!

The Voting Test

You Should Be Allowed to Vote

You got 14/15 questions correct. Generally speaking, you're very well informed. If you vote this election, you'll know exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for. You're likely to have strong opinions, and you have the facts to back them up.

Should You Be Allowed to Vote?

VOTE!

I love to vote! I have always voted at my assigned polling location, never by absentee ballot. There is something I love about voting in person. I love signing my name, getting my ballot and closing the curtain behind me as I punch holes or fill in dots on my ballot. The whole process makes me feel very American, very proud. Plus I love getting my "I VOTED" sticker and wearing it for the rest of the day to remind others to vote.

I know many who hate voting in-person whether it be the long lines or the craziness of the whole experience and opt for an absentee ballot. My parents have already voted as Utah offers the option to "vote early" in numerous locations. I don't so much care how people cast their votes, just that they vote.

Voting has never been an "optional" thing in my world. My parents instilled the importance of voting when I was young. I remember them engaging my brothers and me in conversations about the candidates and issues when we were children seated around the dinner table. I remember watching as they sifted through the Voter Guide and made their decisions of ballot measures and candidates. And, I remember being envious of the process and wishing I were 18 and could participate for myself.

It is hard for me to understand why people don't exercise their right to vote and take the responsibility seriously. According to the United States Census Bureau in the last presidential election (November 2004) only 64% percent of voting-age citizens cast a ballot, and that was the highest turnout since 1992. In the previous presidential election (November 2000) only 60% of voting-age citizens turned out. Those that don't vote often have their excuses and reasons but if I were to get a few minutes with someone that I knew wasn't going to vote tomorrow I would share the following.

Not only are we electing a President tomorrow but we are electing 11 Governors, 35 Senators, and Representatives for every seat (435) in the House. States will be voting on ballot measures that include issues like abortion, anti-affirmative action, immigration, same-sex marriage, renewable energy, transportation, drug policy, elections and campaign finance, to name a few. The men and women who will represent us and shape the future of our country will be elected (or not) tomorrow. When you think that one vote can't make a difference, consider the following:

• In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.
• In 1846, one vote started the Mexican-American War, which resulted in the U.S. gaining control of the territories of the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and California.
• In 1867, one vote ratified the purchase of Alaska.
• In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment.
• In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic.
• In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency of the United States.
• In 1920, one vote gave women the right to vote when Harry Burn cast the deciding vote in the Tennessee State Legislature, making Tennessee the 36th state to ratify the 19th amendment and finally ending the 72 year struggle for woman’s suffrage.
• In 1923, one vote gave Adolph Hitler leadership of the Nazi party and eventual control of Germany.
• In 1916, Woodrow Wilson defeated his opponent by less than one vote per precinct in a single state.
• In 1941, one vote defeated the bill to kill the draft law, three months before Pearl Harbor.
• In 1948, Lyndon B. Johnson became a U.S. senator by a one vote margin.
• In 1960, the presidential election, one additional vote per precinct in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and Texas would have put Richard M. Nixon in office eight years earlier.
• In 1978, one vote decided an Alaska state senate election.
• In 1982, In Illinois, Governor Jim Thompson defeated Adlai Stevenson by less than 1/2 a vote per precinct.
• In 1986, one vote raised Iowa’s drinking age from 19 to 21.
• In 1994, one vote would have decided a Wyoming state representative election. Instead, the tie-vote election and recount for the seat from the Jackson Hole area was decided when a ping pong ball, bearing the winner's name was pulled from the Governor's cowboy hat in a drawing before the State Canvassing Board.
• In 2005, one vote killed legislation banning discrimination against gays and lesbians in the state of Washington.

One vote can and has made a difference! Please take the time out of your day and exercise your right to vote tomorrow.

Why I'll be voting on Tuesday

I usually don't talk politics on this blog, but I just have to share this video that was sent to me by my boss. It's my worst nightmare coming true, that somehow the election would down to one vote and I hadn't voted. It's like Halloween a day early. Enjoy! :-) And don't forget to vote next Tuesday, November 4th!

Weekend Wrap-Up

I'm actually posting this on time, that never happens! It was a productive and busy weekend, here are the highlights:

• Took Barney to the vet for his second distemper vaccine.
• Relaxed at home and caught up on the backlog on my TiVo.
• Waiting anxiously for my new cell phone to arrive.
• Played with my new phone for hours. It's so different, but I love it.
• Ran to the grocery store to pick up a few needed items.
• Organized my contacts and synced them to the phone.
• Spent 30 minutes on the phone with Verizon to see why my short code messages aren't coming through and in the end they couldn't figure it out.
• Set the new phone down long enough to get some sleep.
• Deep cleaned the dining room and living room.
• Watered, fertilized and shined the leaves on all my plants.
• Finally watched the second and third Presidential debates. Now I finally understand why everyone was so annoyed by the "Joe the Plumber" references.
• Ran to the grocery store, again.
• Baked a carrot cake from scratch and made Chicken Enchiladas.
• Hosted a birthday party for my friend Christy.
• Stayed up past midnight which is a very rare occurrence for me, man am I getting old.
• Took Barney on a long walk around the Seattle Center and enjoyed the sunshine and fall leaves.
• Deep cleaned my bedroom.
• Organized the magazine holder, I still had magazines from 2005.
• Cleaned the fans (which I have to say is a truly disgusting job) and put them away for the season.
• Got ready for the week ahead.
• Relaxed on the couch and watched Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy before heading to bed.

How was your weekend?

Register!

Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

--George Jean Nathan (1882-1958)

Today is the last day to register to vote in King County (Seattle), Washington and a few other places around the country. If you aren't registered PLEASE take the time to do it today. If you live in King County you can find information here, if you don't live in King County you can find information here.

Wish List

Things that are currently on my *wish list*:

• A manicure that would last longer than 3 days.
• An end to the political ads for the 8th congressional district race since I don't even live in the 8th district.
• A magic cure for Barney's separation anxiety.
• A new toaster at the office. One that would actually toast things.
• An end to the budget creation process at work. Ugh!

Who to vote for?

According to this candidate matching quiz, here are the candidates that I best matched with:

76% Hillary Clinton
76% John Edwards
76% Bill Richardson
75% Barack Obama
70% Chris Dodd
69% Mike Gravel
67% Joe Biden
61% Dennis Kucinich
53% Rudy Giuliani
47% John McCain
44% Tom Tancredo
41% Mitt Romney
41% Mike Huckabee
31% Fred Thompson
30% Ron Paul

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

QotD: Happy President's Day!

Vox Question of the Day: Ever run for office? (School, club, organization, politics, etc.) Did you get elected?

In high school I ran for Women's Association Representative and lost in the primaries. It was really quite a pathetic attempt.

In college I ran for student union Vice President and won. Some of my best college memories are from the year that I served as VP. I learned a tremendous amount about myself and many thing that have stuck with me to this day.

Originally posted on my Vox site. Full post moved here September 7, 2010 in anticipation of Vox's closing.