Seemed Like the First Time

As I write this Tuesday evening, the election results are coming in and it appears that Barack Obama has retained the title of president of the United States. Disappointing to some, exhilarating for others.

Regardless of the outcome and despite political leanings, I think I join a gigantic percentage of the population when I say thank goodness this political race is over. This has to be one of the most contentious election seasons ever. From the state assembly race to the propositions to the presidential contest, what a bunch of nasty campaigns we were subjected to!

Whether it was the residue of campaign mudslinging or my over 50 eyeballs, I couldn’t seem to cast my ballot correctly Tuesday morning when I made my way to the La Crescenta Library.

Pulling into the parking lot Tuesday morning, I was downright excited to see the number of cars filling the parking lot and the voters waiting to check in at the two tables inside the community room. So often these last several years the poll workers looked bored to pieces due to the low volume of voters they processed. But Tuesday morning, things were humming when I saw poll worker and neighbor Clair Ross inside the library. At that time – around 9:15 a.m. – she estimated that over 150 ballots had been cast.

Pleased with that number, I took my official ballot and headed to the booth.

Armed with my sample ballot, I began marking my choices with the stylus provided. For some unknown reason, though, I totally marked the wrong candidate for one of the offices. In the 34 years that I have been voting, this had never happened to me.

Naturally, I was appalled when I realized my error and had to return to the table to get another ballot.

The ladies were gracious and issued me another. Back I trotted to my booth where I again inserted my ballot and began making my choices.

You are not going to believe that I again marked the wrong choice. I stood in the booth for a second debating whether or not I should face the ladies again or just forget about the wrong mark and keep moving along. But darn it, my vote did count and I wanted to make sure it correctly reflected my thought out choices. So again I handed over the incorrect ballot and got another.

Thankfully, I was capable of filling that one out correctly.

I don’t know if it was my old eyes or that I used a pencil rather than a pen to mark my sample ballot, but the mistakes were ones I hope never to repeat.

So, for better or worse, my ballot was accurately tallied with the rest.

The next four years will reveal how wise my choices were.

______________________

On Saturday afternoon, I headed to south Glendale to the former site of the historic Seeley Furniture building at Brand and San Fernando for an artwalk. The property management company Live Work Loft apparently owns the property and donated the space for dozens of artists to exhibit their work.

Unfortunately I couldn’t stay for much more than an hour, but in that time my Art Center College of Design roots were reinvigorated (I was in the Communications/Public Relations Dept. there from 1996-2000). I find it interesting to see the different viewpoints that are communicated through art and it’s always a pleasure to talk to the artists.

Of course, the Seeley building itself – built in 1925 – is a piece of art that reflects its Art Deco renovation of the 1940s. Having the chance to walk through the building with historic photos on the walls that shared space with today’s artwork was an experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.

To learn more, you can read Ashley Filipek’s story on page 7.

  robin goldsworthy