I Voted!

I did! And I was very glad to! Will even went with me. He had already voted in his precinct. I have only voted by absentee ballot before, so it was exciting to vote in person! I got a sticker! It's really big!

I just want to wax happily on voting. I know America's got plenty of its problems. Our two-party reality (yes there ARE other parties...) doesn't always seem to be the best way to represent the populace anymore. But- right now- I'm very happy. I voted! There were times in this country I wouldn't have had a say- because I'm a woman, because I'm Asian, because I don't own any land, etc.

Had my life turned out a little differently, I might have grown up in Cambodia and Thailand, and while they are no longer monarchies, I doubt I would have been as independent and educated in my choices. This isn't a statement on either country as a whole- it's the life I think I would have had, with the family I have.

A generation above me, and I'd be fleeing my country as dictators took over and threatened my life.

Speaking of family, I was ragging on my little cousin K about not registering in time to vote (GASP):
Me, on K's page:
  just pretend I'm saying this in like, Uncle Sing voice, or the accent I'd have if I grew up with my dad more: "Nong K. We come to America so you can have the voice. So you don't have the communist dictators say to you, you cannot live. You must be an American!" (also cue tangent about also continuing to follow old Chinese traditions)

I'm totally that silly person who gets teary eyed when people are sworn in for their citizenship. My parents were those people. They came here (and stayed here) for a better life, for their children's future. And yet, the more I live and work as an adult in America, the less I feel the need to keep living here. It's an interesting little internal conflict.

I won't be leaving anytime soon though. It'll be some years in the future. But it'll be there.