I voted today.

Okay, I know many people are very secretive about their votes. But freedom to vote includes freedom to share and I choose to share that fact that today, I voted for Barack Obama. Hopefully that won't scare off too many readers. Or if it does ... well, that's a whole other can of blogworms I suppose. There is something so contagiously inspiring about the man. I am encouraged by the large numbers of new voters he has brought to the table. There, I said something about him that moves me and is yet fairly non-controversial. whew. Please note that I don't intend to turn this entry into all the reasons why I think you too should vote for Barack.

But I do urge all of you to VOTE. This country needs your vote.

But anyway. One of the things I dislike about Oregon is here one votes by mail. When I lived in California (most of my life save the past couple of years), my entire voting experience occurred in the SF bay area. In fact, two locations that I could walk to. My last several votes occurred a short walk from my house. An old couple from the neighborhood conducted voting day in their garage! They had done so for decades. The neighbors would gather, catching up on local gossip and such. Prior to that, the voting was in a local church where again, we all convened chattering and becoming acquainted through the years. Occasionally, a brief discussion of the candidates or issues would develop ... but always with a degree of respect and congeniality.

I find this concept of voting by mail so freaking Anonymous. and bland. Kind of like my experience living here. There, I said it. Now I have many readers that are Oregonians that I know and like very much. Don't take this personally. Especially YOU. You know who you are! (smile). I don't think the small number of friends I've met here are bland. or anonymous. But I do think those are two words that would characterize my living experience here very well.

Still, in thinking about my vote today I realized that my voting experience going forward may be somewhat like Oregon. Hopefully not bland. But likely anonymous. I do have to investigate more about how an expatriate votes abroad. My hope is it can involve a trip to Paris and rubbing elbows with newfound expat friends. But who knows?

What's exciting is it will be yet another new thing to explore. and possibly write about!