ACT, My Ass

So I'm royally super mega fucking pissed.

I am officially unable to vote this election.

About three or four months ago, I dutifully filled out my voter registration form at a booth being run by ACT Ohio (America Coming Together)--I was previously registered at my mom's, but had moved since, so I needed to update my address. Last month, I called the Board of Elections and they informed me that they had not received my registration form. My friend Maura also called (as SHE'D filled out a registration form at the same table), only to receive the same response.

I immediately called Mac's Backs to find out the name of the group who had been in charge of the registration forms when I'd signed up. The woman kindly gave me all the information I wanted to know, informing me that the table had been run by ACT Ohio, and I contacted the head of this group to find out more information. He responded with a billion and one lame-ass excuses (see email exchange below).

I called again today because one of his excuses had been that they were royally behind in registering people, so I figured I'd give him the benefit of the doubt--perhaps they WERE just behind and hadn't yet entered my info into the system. Instead, I found out that they had never ever ever received the damn form. This time it's absolutely certain. Not only that, but my registration at my mom's address has currently expired which the Board of Elections also failed to mention the last time I called.

Incompetence on top of incompetence with a side of even more incompetence.

So it's official. Despite my best efforts, and despite a group that alleges to be out there specifically to get America to come together and vote at this most important of elections (to "Build Victory One Voter At a Time"), my hands are tied behind my back and I will have the joy of watching America go down in a big burning ball of flames without having had the chance (or at least illusion) to have tried to help and change this.

So please please, if you have a few moments and are feeling inspired, drop the head of the Cleveland branch of ACT Ohio a line and give him a piece of your mind (Julian Rogers: jrogers@act4victory.org) and/or contact the general email address (web@act4victory.org) or any of the following contact points as well.


EMAILS:

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From: l_____ s_____ [mailto:l______@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wed 1:09 PM
To: Julian Rogers
Subject: concerning voter registration



Hi.

I am just writing to make you aware of the following information:

A couple months ago, the Cleveland ACT group had tables set up in front of Mac's Backs bookstore on Coventry, complete with voter registration forms and petitions. (I contacted the store and spoke with someone to make sure that it WAS in fact your group that was out there at the time.) Anyways, I filled out a voter registration form because I'd changed addresses and wanted to make sure I was registered with the correct address. I called the Board of Elections just recently to doublecheck and make sure that I WAS in fact registered only to find out that my voter registration form never got to them. A friend of mine who ALSO filled out a voter registration form at the same table ALSO was not registered at her new address either--with my prompting she also called them only to find out the same information.

This is a bit upsetting seeing as a) I'm sure that there are obviously others whose forms were not turned in as well and b) there are people out there who obviously were taking action to MAKE a difference and vote, and there's the possibility that their registration forms never reached the appropriate place BECAUSE OF a group whose goal is to MAKE a difference with these issues.

Anyways, the Board of Elections asked for the information as to whom gave us the forms and collected the forms, and this information will be forwarded along to them.

I just wanted to make you aware.

Thanks.

L______ S_____

__________________________

Julian Rogers wrote:


Hello L______. Thank you for registering at Conventry. There could be a number of reasons why you are not currently on the rolls at the Board of Elections. During the time of voter registration, we would send our new registration to the board of election every day. There have been so many new registrations that the Board of elections has had a tremendous back log of entering the data. They have been at times weeks behind in entering the data. They still have tens of thousand of registrations that need to be data entered.

I would keep checking at the board of elections to see if your name has been added yet.

Also, they have hired 36 temp workers to enter the data. If by chance, they were to mis-spell your name by accident or have a typo in the data entry, say L____ S_____, when you call, your name would note show up, but you could very well be on the rolls under the incorrect name or address.

I advise you to keep calling the Board. They have until October 11 to finish entering the data, so there is a chance that your registration is sitting in a pile at the Board. We forwarded all of the registrations from the people we registered to the Board of Elections.

Julian

_________________________

From: l_____ s_____ [mailto:l______@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wed 10:09 AM
To: Julian Rogers
Subject: concerning voter registration


So I'd just like to cordially thank you and your group for rendering me completely incapable of voting at this most important of elections this year. As I stated earlier (and despite all your excuses), the Board of Elections never did receive the registration form I filled out at your booth about 3-4 months ago. And despite your attempts at rationalizing, they also failed to receive the registration form of a friend of mine who ALSO filled out the form at your table--so I'm highly doubting that this is just some sorta typo error on their end as you claim, seeing as it affected two separate people. I really thoroughly am disgusted with the fact that your group, alleging to be out there in an attempt to get people to vote and bring about change, has managed to do just the opposite through complete incompetence. I hope you all are proud of yourself and what you stand for.

Thanks again.

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"How am I not myself?"

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Quote of the Week

"Most people are bastards; bastard-coated bastards with bastard-filling."

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How YOU doin'?

So this weekend I swung by Marc's with E to pick up some ingredients for a pasta dish I was making Saturday night (which ended up turning out pretty damn good actually). As I was perusing the produce area for some basil, this little kid (maybe 2 or 3) who was sitting in a cart being pushed by his mom shouted at me: HEY! Not unusual for a little kid as they seem to like to get attention from strangers--the occasional wave or hi or whatnot. So I looked over to give him a smile or something, and when I did, his face suddenly got all composed and serious and he did one of those "I'm bad-ass" chin-thrusts that guys do when a) they're checking out a chick and wanna let her know that they notice her (usually accompanied by a wink) or b) when they are walking by another dude and wanna do the macho "I acknowledge your existence" non-verbal Hello.

I just about busted a gut.

Someone musta taken the time to actually TRAIN this kid on how to do that, and he was spending all his grocery store time trying it out on people. E walked up to something a minute or two later and the kid again shouted "Hey you" and when E turned to smile, the kid again suddenly got this bad-ass facial expression and gave him the macho-nod. The rest of the grocery-store, I could hear the occasional HEY YOU's shouted out at random unsuspecting grocery-shoppers and just picture the accompanying chin-thrust.

What a pimp that boy's gonna be.

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Read Between the Lines

Things I'd tell my ex- if he actually read this blog and/or cared:

You know how we kept having to make up those elaborate scenarios each time my car would break down so that we could get it towed for free through your AAA (since I was too cheap to get my own)? Well, turns out my car insurance has covered towings all along. Go figure.

Hudson Haunted House is $10 fricking dollars now! And Bloodview's $12!

Ruby Tuesday's no longer has their kick-ass veggie burgers--they now have those lame-ass sad flaccid semi-cooked Gardenburgers like everyone else. *SOB*

I smelled you at the grocery store a couple months ago. Turned out it was 300 lb. dude that looked nothing like you.

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Keyword: Mother Focker

This is WAY more entertaining than it should be. For those of you who haven't already reaped its infinite joys:

Angus Intervention

Thank you, Lyndsey Lantz. =)

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Sucking on Oven Fumes...

Hmmmmm, methinks Hootie may NOT be the way to go, Michele. ; )



Tears Fall Down
(Hootie & the Blowfish)

Now I see the time we had before
is just a passing moment that we can't share anymore.
And I've learned that written words are not the same
as when you take the time to say it
and let the clouds release the rain.
And I wish my dreams alone would bring back my old friends.
Yesterday's just something I can't mend.
And I broke down for my lost brother and I've died for mama, too.
Now my tears fall down for you. For you.
And I say one thing each day before I lay me down.
I thank god for your sweet smile although you're not around.
And I can't overcome your memory in my mind.
It's a bridge I'll never cross until the end of time.
And I wish my dreams alone would bring back my old friend.
But, yesterday's just something I can't mend.
'Cause I've broke down for my lost father and I've cried for sister, too.
Now my tears fall down for you. For you. You.

* * * *

When I'm Lonely Lyrics
(Hootie & the Blowfish)

Eyes like an infant
Staring me down
She'll take anything that's tied up
In my glorious past

It's just 4 days 'til Sunday
When I say that I'm gone
Little one screams you cry
Tell the pain to leave me alone

It's just 2 days 'til Monday
Another week 'til the 4th
Is anyone listening or
Should I call on the Lord

Sometimes I breathe
Sometimes I see
Then I dream a dream that won't come true
And I struggle with lies when I'm lonely

Someone called my name out loud about 4 a.m.
It wasn't you so I let her in
Just to see what she wanted
She left screaming because I called her by your name
But the next day she came to call
And we finished our game

Alright now
Some days I breathe
Some days I see
Then I dream a dream that won't come true
And I struggle with time when I'm lonely

Shep plays piano down in
Shandon on the other side of Rosewood
You said he wasn't your type
But you went anyway
You left screamin' cause you thought you would
Call him by my name
Ah and you whisper
Why do I do this
I can't go through this why do I do this, why

Sometimes I breathe
Sometimes I see
Then I dream a dream that won't come true
And I struggle with life when I'm lonely

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The List

It's the caffeine, the nicotine, the milligrams of tar. It's my habitat, it needs to be cleaned, it's my car. It's the fast talk they use to abuse and feed my brain. It's the cat box it needs to be changed, it's the pain. It's women, it's the plight for power it's government. It's the way your given knowledge slow with thought control and subtle hints. It's rubbing it, itching it, It's applying cream. It's the foreigners sight seeing with high beams, It's in my dreams. It's the monsters that I conjure, It's the marijuana. It's the embarassment, displacement, It's where I wander. It's my genre, It's Madonna's videos. It's game shows, its cheap liquor,blunts, its bumper stickers with rainbows. It's angels, demons, gods, it's the white devils. It's the monitor, the soundman, it's the motherfucking mic levels. It's gas fumes, fast food, Tommy Hil, mommy's pill. Columbia House music club, designer drugs and rhyming thugs. It's bloods, cripts, fives, six, It's stick up kids, It's christian conservative terrorists, it's porno flicks. It's the east coast, no it's the west coast. It's public schools, it's asbestos. It's metholated, It's techno. It's sleep, life, and death. It's speed, coke, and meth. It's hay fever, pain relievers, oral sex, and smokers breath. It stretches for as far as the eye can see. It's reality, fuck it , it's everything but me.

On and on and on and on
The list goes on and on and on and on
The list goes on and on and on and on
The list goes on and on and on and on

It's in the water, it's in the air, it's in the meat. It's indirect, indiscrete, it's inconsistent, incomplete. It's in the streets, every city everywhere you go. In every man it's the insanity, the fantasys, the casualties. It's the health care system, it's welfare victims. It's assault weapons, it's television religion, and it's false lessons. It's cops, police, pigs with badges guns and sticks. It's harassment and a complex you carry when you're running shit. It's wondering, if you get to eat, it's the heat, It's the winter, the weather. It's herpes, and it's forever. It's the virus that takes the lives of the weak and the strong. It's the drama that keeps on between me and my seed's mom. It's that need to speek long, It's the hunger for attention. It's the wack , who attack songs of redemption
It's prevention, It's the first solution. It's loose its out for retribution, it's mental pollution, and public execution. It's the nails that keep my hands and feet to these boards. It's the part time job that governs what you can afford. It's the fear, It's the fake. It's clear it can make time stop and leave you stranded in the year of the snake. It's the dollar, yen, pound, it's all denominations. It's hourly wages for your professional observations. It's on your face and it's in your eyes everything you be. cuz it ain't me mother fucker, cuz it ain't me.

On and on and on and on
the list goes on and on and on and on
the list goes on and on and on and on

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Trepanation, Anyone?

Is it just me or does the universe seem to be either sick and/or tripping on some mega-whacked-out acid? I mean, I cannot help but feel that Texas Chain Saw Massacre sense of foreboding lately. Perhaps "Saturn is in retrograde, its powers of malefluence increased" because it sure feels like Sally pointed out, "There are moments when you can't believe what's happening to you is really true."

Friends are breaking up. Friends are getting divorced. Friends have told me about THEIR friends who are breaking up and/or getting divorced. Other folks are CONTEMPLATING either/or. Some are shagging inappropriately. Others aren't shagging at all. And still others' families are deteriorating in weird sorts of ways. People's jobs are driving them to the edge and they're swaying there tentatively. People are in dig-me-a-hole-and-bury-me kinds of funks. Lives are intersecting and reintersecting like bizarre tic-tac-toe boards.

And that's not even getting into the state of the country AND the world at the moment.




Maybe we just all need a good trepanning. Yes yes.



And to top all THAT off, looks like I'm gonna be throwing the universe further askew in the winter as I've gotten permission to conduct a poetry-writing workshop for teens through the Mayfield Hts. city school system. Which means I'm gonna be corrupting the little folks... Tee hee.

That being said, I've got a request for suggestions going out to all of you (*gritting my teeth knowing how many deliberately asinine responses I'm doomed to get*):

I have to write a descriptive blurb for the workshop catalogue, 40 words or less, for this class. I also need to make some intriguing handouts that I can distribute at the library and whatnot that will catch some young folks' eyes and make them wanna sign up.

So if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

What I'm aiming to convey in 40 words or less (and/or in a handout or something) is

a) that this isn't gonna be lame-ass, dry, curricular-induced poetry-writing they're gonna be doing;

b) that this'll afford them the chance to connect with other students who feel the same way about writing as them;

and c) that the class will be hip and fun (but not in a cheesy and Hilary Duffish--"Raise Your Voice!"--kinda way) and not lame and school-like.

And... GO!

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