Feeling Earthy

Patch of earth in L.A.Today. Earth Day.

Me being a non-practicing environmentalist (you know, ideologically in full support of all green initiatives but in practice only implementing one or two), I decided to commemorate the occasion/save the planet by leaving two fans on all night, driving rather than walking my 3/4-mile commute and getting my car washed.

I wish I were kidding. I suck. I did wear green today -- though that is true roughly 60 percent of the time. I have a lot of green shirts. I like green. And I like shirts. It's a good match. Like denim on denim.

Having an Earth Day is great, but it kills me how corporations are now running commercials touting how green they are becoming while urging us, the attentive public, to follow suit (ya hear me, Fox?!). Um... they are only hopping on this green train because enough of us have been throwing a fit for the past decade or two -- enough so to, among other reasons, elect a better administration.

(This just in: Wal-Mart reverses policy, will now allow minorities to work at store locations. Company board yet to decide, however, if women should have right to vote.)

Look, it's great that they are on the bandwagon, as they -- with the public following -- are the biggest perpetrators (aside from this guy)/can make the most difference. But why take so long to hop on board? They saw how cool us (non-practicing) environmentalists are, how much fun we have and became... wait for it ... green with envy?

Awful.

Anyway...

Work had a contest/raffle today. If you did something green (carpool, turn out a light, plant a tree, murder the captain of a whaling vessel), you got to enter the raffle. The winner got a $100 gift card for Southwest Airlines. So... be green, get a free ride from an industry that burns about 384.25517 quadrillion gallons of fuel per year. Good stuff. OK, to be fair, Southwest is pretty environmentally conscious, including being at forefront of adopting new GPS system that could save insane amounts of fuel each year. And really, I have nothing against airlines. I'm just being cheeky.

Recycling Coke addict.(Incidentally, was at a wedding a couple of summers ago where one of the guests found out I lived in L.A. She said, "I'd like the weather, but I wouldn't be able to stand all those environmentalists." Kinda funny. In a horrifying sort of way. Yes, they roam the streets, eat granola, have sex with trees and drink their own urine. Or maybe each other's urine. To each his own. Or the other's own. It all depends.)

By the way ... a couple years back a coworker left our group, but described her replacement as being "earthy." If that's a synonym for snotty and condescending, right on. But otherwise ...

So... this entry puts me waaaaaay over my "being political" quota for the year. So next time we can talk about chickens -- more useful alive or dead?

(This just in: Wal-Mart prefers chickens, among many other things, to be dead. And not have the right to vote.)

It pays to procrastinate

Waiting to vote here in a local nursing home. Volunteer says line now (10:40) shortest it has been all day.

Those motivated and responsible early birds who showed up at 7 were greeted by a line halfway down the block.

Suckers.

One of those suckers who waited 90 minutes to vote made an Albertson's run and brought chocolate for everyone. This election brought to you by Hershey's Bliss.

On today's for this establishment's residents? A coffee social, bingo/stimulation and group chatter. Oh, and presidential triva, of course.

Overheard while in line...

Person A: Do they check ID?
Person B: I'm sure they do.
A: OK, I wasn't sure. Almost left home without it.
B: At least I hope they do. Otherwise someone might have voted for me.
A: Someone dead.

Nice comment, especially considering where we are right now.

Meanwhile, I get my ballot, but another poll worker accidentally almost rips my receipt part off prematurely. She said, "It's dangling, but it's OK." My reply: "Dangling? I've already been disenfranchised!" Laughing, she said, "It's OK, I trust you.

Her mistake.

By the way, that chocolate was insanely good. Appropriately named, indeed.

Oh, and voting was pretty damn fulfilling, too.

Vote Day

Typed out a whole long rant about politics, about which issues are truly important, about people calling either candidates ridiculous names or labeling them with ridiculous tags. It was cathartic. But I'll refrain from posting it here. Trying to keep this a happy place -- especially if Julie Bowen shows up.

All I'll say is this: I truly believe that one candidate (who does care deeply about this country) is trying to win an election while the other is trying to change this country for the better on a fundamental level.

One candidate wants the best for the U.S. but doesn't always understand how to best accomplish that goal, while the other is logical and levelheaded enough to push for policies that really will make a difference.

Personally, I have nothing against the former -- his horrifying running-mate choice aside -- but I hope his supporters are able to take a step back and see what happens should the latter happen to win this election.

It might just turn out OK, Red Staters. Many, in fact, believe it will turn out far better than OK. And after these last eight years, hope and belief ain't such bad things, are they?