So today got me thinking about where I was during the last presidential election. Things really got crazy when I envisioned the next presidential election. Here's a brief summary:
1996: Bill Clinton vs. Bob Dole. Not old enough to vote, but old enough to be politically active. Many hours spent were spent as a campaign manager in a mock election in high school. I am still so proud of coming up with the slogan "Bill Clinton will be your right hand man (because Bob Dole can't!)" Sorry, I know it's mean, but so clever, and isn't that was being 17 was all about. :)
2000: Al Gore vs. George Bush. I wasn't so excited about Al Gore but I felt like he was a better option than GB. I was Fredericksburg, VA, my senior year of college. Earlier that day my world came crashing down when my long distance boyfriend found out he had cancer. Either that day, or very soon after I booked my trip to England to be with him almost my entire winter break and stay with him through Chemo. Needless to say, I didn't tune in to election coverage. I'm pretty sure I voted though.
2004: John Kerry vs. George Bush. Again, not very excited about the candidate but he was better than George Bush. I had just moved in with Ted a few months before, in Oakton, VA and had started Graduate School at George Mason University. Ted and I waited in the long line together at our polling place, Nottaway Park in Vienna, VA. It was a bright and sunny day.
2008: Barrack Obama vs. John McCain. Ted and I had just moved to Richmond, VA a few months before. I was 5 months pregnant and we walked to Retreat Hospital, our polling place, together after work. We went armed with water bottles, snacks and umbrellas, ready for a long wait! We walked in and out in five minutes. We walked on to Ben and Jerry's on Cary Street because they were giving away free ice cream to anyway with an "I Voted" sticker. Even though it was November and chilly, we still took advantage. I stayed up WAY later than my normal bedtime and had tears of joy that my child would be born under the first Black President and a Democrat at that! I was teaching Kindergarten in the inner city and was excited to tell the kids about the significance of it all. In January we watched the Inauguration with 100+ Kindergarteners and all of the teachers in one room. More tears of joy as most of my colleagues did not think they would ever see this in their lifetime.
2012: Barrack Obama vs. Mitt Romney. Ted and I moved to the suburbs of Richmond two years ago, we are both very content in our careers and love our 3.5 year old son Hudson dearly. I voted before work, and Ted went after work, both of us were in and out in five minutes. Our polling place was our neighborhood community center. I was number 358 at 8 AM, and Ted was number 1069 at about 5:30 PM.
2016: When I look ahead, I can't BELIEVE Hudson will be a second grader! I hope we're in the same careers, and the same home, and we have a few more little people running around. I hope our families remain healthy, strong, and close, and I hope to still be blogging even if it's just to the nine of you followers. :)
Happy Democracy Day everyone!
1996: Bill Clinton vs. Bob Dole. Not old enough to vote, but old enough to be politically active. Many hours spent were spent as a campaign manager in a mock election in high school. I am still so proud of coming up with the slogan "Bill Clinton will be your right hand man (because Bob Dole can't!)" Sorry, I know it's mean, but so clever, and isn't that was being 17 was all about. :)
2000: Al Gore vs. George Bush. I wasn't so excited about Al Gore but I felt like he was a better option than GB. I was Fredericksburg, VA, my senior year of college. Earlier that day my world came crashing down when my long distance boyfriend found out he had cancer. Either that day, or very soon after I booked my trip to England to be with him almost my entire winter break and stay with him through Chemo. Needless to say, I didn't tune in to election coverage. I'm pretty sure I voted though.
2004: John Kerry vs. George Bush. Again, not very excited about the candidate but he was better than George Bush. I had just moved in with Ted a few months before, in Oakton, VA and had started Graduate School at George Mason University. Ted and I waited in the long line together at our polling place, Nottaway Park in Vienna, VA. It was a bright and sunny day.
2008: Barrack Obama vs. John McCain. Ted and I had just moved to Richmond, VA a few months before. I was 5 months pregnant and we walked to Retreat Hospital, our polling place, together after work. We went armed with water bottles, snacks and umbrellas, ready for a long wait! We walked in and out in five minutes. We walked on to Ben and Jerry's on Cary Street because they were giving away free ice cream to anyway with an "I Voted" sticker. Even though it was November and chilly, we still took advantage. I stayed up WAY later than my normal bedtime and had tears of joy that my child would be born under the first Black President and a Democrat at that! I was teaching Kindergarten in the inner city and was excited to tell the kids about the significance of it all. In January we watched the Inauguration with 100+ Kindergarteners and all of the teachers in one room. More tears of joy as most of my colleagues did not think they would ever see this in their lifetime.
2012: Barrack Obama vs. Mitt Romney. Ted and I moved to the suburbs of Richmond two years ago, we are both very content in our careers and love our 3.5 year old son Hudson dearly. I voted before work, and Ted went after work, both of us were in and out in five minutes. Our polling place was our neighborhood community center. I was number 358 at 8 AM, and Ted was number 1069 at about 5:30 PM.
2016: When I look ahead, I can't BELIEVE Hudson will be a second grader! I hope we're in the same careers, and the same home, and we have a few more little people running around. I hope our families remain healthy, strong, and close, and I hope to still be blogging even if it's just to the nine of you followers. :)
Happy Democracy Day everyone!
I love your vision of four years from now!! XXOO Pam
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