Before I begin, let me say this:
Go vote for Barack today (please). If you are in line at your polling place by 730, they have to let you vote.
Go vote for Barack today (please). If you are in line at your polling place by 730, they have to let you vote.
If you do it, when your friends ask what you've been up to, you can say: Baracking the Vote.
That being said, let me tell you about my day yesterday.
Woke up, did some quick work, emailed out my upper-division course's midterm exam, and then went with my friend Tina to spend the day hanging on the west side. We had a late breakfast at Grumpy's, where I enjoyed what quite possibly were the best scrambled eggs with cheese ever. Then we went out to Edgewater Park to soak up some of the day's awesome weather. Things were still pretty cool down by the lake, though, so we didn't stay long. We went by the old castle in Ohio City, the spooky and vacant one, then stopped off at Suite Lorain and the vintage supermarket. Then an hour at the market, followed by a jaunt up and down the shoreway for reasons I still don't fully understand. After that, Tina had to head home. I returned to my pad, fed the dog, did a little work, and then headed off to Collinwood for ...
...
... a free Arcade Fire show at the Beachland Ballroom.
Apparently, Arcade Fire has been touring Ohio the last couple days, playing free shows in support for Barack Obama. I support Obama and like Arcade Fire, though I think I'd have rather seen him talk than them play. But it was still cool.
I got to the Beachland about quarter to 5 and there was already a line snaking from the front door to the back of the Beachland's parking lot. I got in it, feeling secure that I was, at the very least, among the first 500 (which was capacity for the event). But then I heard there was a priority line forming at the discretion of the Obama campaign workers that would be allowed in before my line. And then I heard that at least 200 tix had already been given out at Case, earlier in the day. About this time I started to wonder if maybe I wouldn't get in. About this time it also started to rain.
As I started to mull packing it in and heading home, an Obama campaign staffer came out and started talking to us folks at the back of the line. He made us the deal that if we agreed to go canvass for an hour or so, we'd get to line up in the priority line. I figured, what the hell, I support Obama anyway, and I'd rather walk down streets than stand in a line. So myself and about a dozen other folks walked down the block to the Obama campaign headquarters for a quick and dirty orientation.
We were signed in, given manilla envelopes with door hangers and addresses, told to report back in a little more than an hour and we'd get our access. I was partnered up with Jen, this really cool and cute girl. (Naturally, it turns out she's moving to Oregon. At the end of the week.) Jen and I were assigned a few blocks around E 157th and St. Clair. Yeah, St. Clair, like, you know, gunshot St. Clair. This was gonna be interesting.
We found the area, and started knocking on doors. All in all, we got through about 33 doors and talked to about a dozen or so folks, the vast majority of which were Obama supporters and promised us that they'd be voting tomorrow. We eventually made our way back to Waterloo, killing some time in the car before going in to the campaign office so we wouldn't look like slackers. As we chatted, we realized we actually both used to live in the same building (the one I still live in), and that her apartment was above mine. Later, though a few hours and many drinks later, we realized that we had actually met once, when she said, "Wait, did you used to have long hair and a beard?" Small, small world.
An Obama guy came by selling buttons, and since I was the only one with cash, I bought a round of buttons for myself, Jen, and a few of her friends. Funnily enough, we all went with the same one, this early 70s play on Black Power, with a fist and a face. I was promised beers from each of the folks I bought buttons for, and a few minutes later when we were allowed in, we hightailed it to the back bar and let's just say promises were kept. About 45 minutes and 5 rounds later, the sounds of tuning could be heard, and we ventured back into the ballroom.
Win Butler and co. played a quick, kinda sloppy set, with about a half-dozen of their most popular tunes, as well as some choice covers including an Otis Redding gem and John Lennon's All I want is the truth, which incidentally The Polyphonic Spree played as they came on stage during their recent Fragile Army tour. Something about replacing Dubya apparently brings John Lennon to mind. Go figure. Here's a clip of Pearl Jam covering the tune. And here is a link to the lyrics, as you'll no doubt be unable to understand Eddie Vedder's singing.
The show was a lot of fun, and afterwards we headed back to Lakewood to get some grub at My Friends. It was tasty, pretty cheap, and I really liked this new group of folks. It is sad that Jen is moving away so soon, but her friends are cool and, maybe, will end up being my friends, too.
That being said, let me tell you about my day yesterday.
Woke up, did some quick work, emailed out my upper-division course's midterm exam, and then went with my friend Tina to spend the day hanging on the west side. We had a late breakfast at Grumpy's, where I enjoyed what quite possibly were the best scrambled eggs with cheese ever. Then we went out to Edgewater Park to soak up some of the day's awesome weather. Things were still pretty cool down by the lake, though, so we didn't stay long. We went by the old castle in Ohio City, the spooky and vacant one, then stopped off at Suite Lorain and the vintage supermarket. Then an hour at the market, followed by a jaunt up and down the shoreway for reasons I still don't fully understand. After that, Tina had to head home. I returned to my pad, fed the dog, did a little work, and then headed off to Collinwood for ...
...
... a free Arcade Fire show at the Beachland Ballroom.
Apparently, Arcade Fire has been touring Ohio the last couple days, playing free shows in support for Barack Obama. I support Obama and like Arcade Fire, though I think I'd have rather seen him talk than them play. But it was still cool.
I got to the Beachland about quarter to 5 and there was already a line snaking from the front door to the back of the Beachland's parking lot. I got in it, feeling secure that I was, at the very least, among the first 500 (which was capacity for the event). But then I heard there was a priority line forming at the discretion of the Obama campaign workers that would be allowed in before my line. And then I heard that at least 200 tix had already been given out at Case, earlier in the day. About this time I started to wonder if maybe I wouldn't get in. About this time it also started to rain.
As I started to mull packing it in and heading home, an Obama campaign staffer came out and started talking to us folks at the back of the line. He made us the deal that if we agreed to go canvass for an hour or so, we'd get to line up in the priority line. I figured, what the hell, I support Obama anyway, and I'd rather walk down streets than stand in a line. So myself and about a dozen other folks walked down the block to the Obama campaign headquarters for a quick and dirty orientation.
We were signed in, given manilla envelopes with door hangers and addresses, told to report back in a little more than an hour and we'd get our access. I was partnered up with Jen, this really cool and cute girl. (Naturally, it turns out she's moving to Oregon. At the end of the week.) Jen and I were assigned a few blocks around E 157th and St. Clair. Yeah, St. Clair, like, you know, gunshot St. Clair. This was gonna be interesting.
We found the area, and started knocking on doors. All in all, we got through about 33 doors and talked to about a dozen or so folks, the vast majority of which were Obama supporters and promised us that they'd be voting tomorrow. We eventually made our way back to Waterloo, killing some time in the car before going in to the campaign office so we wouldn't look like slackers. As we chatted, we realized we actually both used to live in the same building (the one I still live in), and that her apartment was above mine. Later, though a few hours and many drinks later, we realized that we had actually met once, when she said, "Wait, did you used to have long hair and a beard?" Small, small world.
An Obama guy came by selling buttons, and since I was the only one with cash, I bought a round of buttons for myself, Jen, and a few of her friends. Funnily enough, we all went with the same one, this early 70s play on Black Power, with a fist and a face. I was promised beers from each of the folks I bought buttons for, and a few minutes later when we were allowed in, we hightailed it to the back bar and let's just say promises were kept. About 45 minutes and 5 rounds later, the sounds of tuning could be heard, and we ventured back into the ballroom.
Win Butler and co. played a quick, kinda sloppy set, with about a half-dozen of their most popular tunes, as well as some choice covers including an Otis Redding gem and John Lennon's All I want is the truth, which incidentally The Polyphonic Spree played as they came on stage during their recent Fragile Army tour. Something about replacing Dubya apparently brings John Lennon to mind. Go figure. Here's a clip of Pearl Jam covering the tune. And here is a link to the lyrics, as you'll no doubt be unable to understand Eddie Vedder's singing.
The show was a lot of fun, and afterwards we headed back to Lakewood to get some grub at My Friends. It was tasty, pretty cheap, and I really liked this new group of folks. It is sad that Jen is moving away so soon, but her friends are cool and, maybe, will end up being my friends, too.
UPDATE: I found a clip of John Lennon performing the aforementioned song on youtube: here it is. You should definitely check it out, there is some interesting footage of John and Yoko protesting, recording, visiting art galleries and installations, and other stuff.
Do it.
And also, please, Barack the Vote. 
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