Rockin' the vote

So, after all my fear about waiting in line for 5 hours only to be frustrated by touchscreen voting booths, I walked straight into my polling place this morning - no line - and was handed a paper ballot.

Just as Oprah mentioned on the show today, I thought there would be quite a wait. I came prepared with my iPod, my phone, a journal, snacks, reading material, kleenex, a beverage, and the list goes on. I didn't even have to open my bag once!

As you know, I voted how Oprah directed, but felt really lucky not have the added pressure of voting for a candidate I didn't believe in. I wonder if my commitment to my project would have given me the strength to vote against my will, but I was absolutely let off the hook and didn't have to contend with a huge moral issue. I'm relieved, of course. While I fulfilled an Oprah "assignment," I didn't really have to vote entirely according to someone else's ideals or pressure (which, I think, sadly, isn't too uncommon). I felt so emotional over the whole thing, as I was standing in my booth, I kept tearing up and sniffling. I was so proud to vote. I remember going into voting booths with my mom when I was a child and that excitement, that buzz, continues for me almost 30 years later. What a great thing we get to do.

Like many of Oprah's Skyped-in guests, Jim and I are throwing an election night party. Many of our friends are going downtown (where Oprah will be) to attend the Obama rally. It's a longtime tradition in my family to have an election party, so I didn't want to break with convention. Plus, I can't deal with crowds. I go crazy with claustrophobia.

Anyhow...I'm a bit of a dork. I had no idea who the "house band" was on Oprah's show this morning until it was announced and explained. I had definitely heard the name before, but had never heard them play. Once again, I prove I have my finger on the pulse of what's hot.

As you might imagine, Oprah's main assignment today was to VOTE. She said it in many ways, many times. She even told her at-home audience to turn off the TV and go vote, if they hadn't already. I'd already cast my ballot by the time I watched this morning. I was a bit disappointed. That would have been fun - to be ordered by Oprah to turn her show off and have to comply. Ah well.

For those of you who have seen the show (or will see it later): what was up with Tyler Perry? I thought it was fabulous he admitted he was a first time voter in order to get other's to come to the polling place. However, was it me, or was he cutting in line? He kept talking about how amazing it was that other people were waiting for hours, but it looked like he was even escorted past the elderly people in wheelchairs! I mean, Oprah Winfrey waited in line when she could have jumped past everyone - it might have been better form for Perry to do the same. But perhaps I missed something and you saw something different that I did? Please let me know!

Oprah had one last bit of advice for us all. Because tonight would be a tense evening in front of our televisions, she suggested that, "Nobody should watch alone." Check.

Here's what I believe...everything is going to be ok. No matter the outcome. I don't know if it's Oprah's assignments impacting me, but I just believe that everything happens when it's supposed to and we'll all be all right.

Ask me tomorrow if my heart is still bursting with rainbows and unicorns.