{shaking hands & kissing babies}

Well, election day is {finally} behind us! Hope everyone got to the polls yesterday. Like any good citizen, Connor voted early & often...first with my mom in the morning, then hitting the polls with Shawn and I in the evening.

I think the particular act of voting is exciting, but, in general, abhor politics. I don't believe a single thing that any politician says in a campaign, and resent being campaigned-to as if my brain has already been preserved in a jar of formaldehyde. I'm a registered Independent, and loathe both the the Republican and Democtratic parties for multiple reasons. As you might imagine, hating everyone and discounting everything that everyone says can make deciding who gets my vote a bit challenging.

Several weeks ago, at our town's fall festival, Congressman Jason Altmire's campaign team gave CP a balloon. Connor loved that balloon. So, I figured I'd vote for Jason Altmire.

Then, last week, Jason Altmire sent us a campaign brochure. CP picked it up off the couch, carried into the kitchen, and unceremoniously dumped into the trash. So, I thought- maybe not, Altmire.

The one thing I will sincerely miss about this election season: the nightly automated telephone calls to our home from the candidates. Shawn got in the habit of answering our home phone with an exuberant: "hello, Joe Sestak!" before he had any idea who was on the other end of the line. Shawn would talk-back to the automated messages until I was rolling on the floor laughing. Example:

{ring, ring, ring.... where's the phone?? oh, Connor hid it under the console table...}
Shawn: Good evening, Joe Sestak!
Candidate: Hi, this is Jason Altmire!
Shawn: Hi, Jason!
Candidate Hi, this is Jason Altmire!
Shawn: um, hello.
Candidate: Hi, this is Jason Altmire!
Shawn: Does this thing re-start every time I talk into the phone?
Candidate: Hi, this is Jason Altmire! I'm running for re-election because I'm just as disgusted with Washington as you are!
Shawn: Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and call me personally!
Candidate: As a member of Congress, I'll make sure to always listen to you.
Shawn: Jason, right now is not a good time-- I'm on the crapper.
Candidate: I ensured that the Mexican border fence was made with American steel, not Chinese!
Shawn: That is totally irrelevant. And again, I'm on the crapper.

Now the only phone calls we will get are ones from Verizon asking us if we want to upgrade to Fios.