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October 13, 2004
Happy Columbus Day
Here's what we did on our day off...
We took Gus to daycare, had pancakes at IHOP, then went to IKEA and finally found a tv/media shelving solution for our cord woes.
Oh, does Gus love the cords. He's addicted.
We came home and assembled and moved and moved and moved stuff all around. If you've been here before, you'll notice a difference.
Gus has the best hair...and a possible top right tooth making its way in. He hasn't slept through the night since, oh... last week. I'm tired, but I love him.
I was talking to a co-worker about voting memories. Not memories of ourselves voting, but of going with our parents to vote. I remember going with my mom to the polling place, a church, about two blocks from our home. There were always very old women sitting at the table, ready to check to see if your name was on the register. Sometimes there was a line. Sometimes it was empty, particularly on voting days where it rained. People can't be expected to vote when it rains, right? My strongest and first voting memory is of the 1980 election, Regan vs. Carter. I went in the booth with my mom and was able to close the curtain by pulling the lever (with some help, I'm sure). This was the kind of booth where the tabs had to be flipped by hand on the panel in front of you. Such a loud, snapping sound...you could HEAR the voting. Talk about visceral feedback! When we got home, I promptly called my grandma. I asked her who she voted for. She said, "Carter." I went on to tell her that she had voted for the wrong person, she was supposed to vote for Regan.
I was six. JUST BARELY six.
It wasn't until I was in junior high that I realized that my own political leanings were similar to my grandma's. Some reasonable things just skip a generation (*wink wink*, Mom!).
I'm excited to expose Gus to voting. He went to the primary with me, he'll be there on November 2nd. The booths are just so lackluster now.
I do predict that Gus will be voting on a computer by the time he's eighteen. Doesn't seem like such a leap, but I think it's going to take a while before they get the system down.
So when will he vote for his first president?
2004: 11 months old (prediction: Kerry by a hair...or a chad!)
2008: Almost five years old (Kerry is re-elected, defeating Arnold Schwartzenager, who miracuously was made eligible to run)
2012: Almost nine years old (Hilary as Pres, Obama as VP, although Edwards may make a run for it too)
2016: Almost thirteen years old (Hilary re-elected)
2020: Almost seventeen years old (Wow...someone who was born in 1974?)
2024: Almost twenty-one years old (Zeppo for president!)
Posted by janna at October 13, 2004 12:25 AM
Comments
Hmmmmm, we have an "almost" tooth coming in? preceding an ear infection? hmmmmm, I feel somewhat better. I know it is crazy, but my kids were always sick prior to a new tooth even though sometimes the tooth would peep out a tiny bit, then hide beneath the gums for a week or two. With Alex it was always just a day or two and with Kersten it would be an ear infection (I always thought that it was so unfair that she had to experience ear pain...) a week to 10 days before a new tooth. I know that pediatricians tell us we are silly and there is no connection to the experiences, but I have many "mom" friends who will argue the point.
Way to go, Gus! Let me know how voting goes for you little buddy. We still have a church a couple of blocks from our house where the same older ladies are working each election. Uncle Ken always makes the same jokes with them and then we vote. Kersten and Alex have both gone with us several times and hopefully they enjoyed it too.
Can the "political learnings" skip a genetic family and a generation? I think it can.
love your hair, Gus. Aunt Deb
Posted by: Aunt Deb at October 13, 2004 05:03 PM