Monday, October 27, 2008

Sibling Differences

Mom #2 and I voted last week.

I heart early voting. I despise waiting in lines. Early voting equals shorter lines. Well in my case there was a fairly short line, but I got behind a poor young girl who was registered in another county and didn't have any ID and it took forever to get her situation straightened out. Silly girl. But I do give her props for showing up, that's more than a lot of people her age do. She's on the right track.

But I digress, naturally.

I talked to my sister and reminded her of her voting responsibilities because she tends to be a little absent minded. Do you know what she said to me? Of course, I'm going to tell you. She said that she didn't want to early vote. She wants to wait until election day so that she and her daughter, my niece, can take off of work and school and stand in the long line and visit with strangers and get the "full feeling" of the election process at work.

WHAT?????

She wants to stand in a long line and talk to strangers. Let me tell you a little something about myself. I may be fairly open and candid in this forum, but in real life, I do not speak to strangers. I do wave to strangers, because that's the Southern Belle in me and I just can't resist even when I try to physically stop myself, but I am not fond of speaking to strangers. I'm not too fond of Mom #2 speaking to strangers either, but that's a totally different post. ;-)

Anyway back to my point. My sister and I are SO INCREDIBLY DIFFERENT. I am the opposite of everything that she is and, I assure you, she is the opposite of everything that I am. It's amazing that we are both 100% genetically related and actually grew up in the same household with the same parents under the same circumstances.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to stand in line, to get the feel of - - what was it - - - the election process. I plan to be at home watching the election process on television. Meanwhile she is using that complete and total aggravation as a teaching moment for her daughter.

Now Mom #2 and I did let Baby Boy come into the voting booth with us, and he also came into the booth with me when I (early) voted in the primary, we stayed up until about 3 in the morning participating in the caucus, and we even stood shoulder to shoulder with 30,000 other people at two separate Obama rallies, but standing in line OUTSIDE for hours and hours to vote, that's where I have to draw the line.

*SIGH* Sometimes I think my sister should be the one homeschooling, she was born with infinite patience, creativity, and natural optimism. Of course she is a single working Mom with a doosey of an ex, so I guess she really needs those traits. I don't envy her situation, but her handling of it is divine, bordering on sheer sainthood.


Meanwhile, Baby Boy and I use methods that are expedient, pain-free, and with a minimum of muss and fuss.


Sometimes I think of myself as the evil sister. But really am I? Perhaps just the pragmatic sister . . . touché.


Well, we certainly are different. Do any of you have siblings? Are you more alike or different? Please don't say it's just us . . . it couldn't be.




Until next time . . .


12 comments:

Ami said...

Oregon votes by mail.

I don't like to stand in line or make small talk with strangers either.

I have two brothers. Other than the obvious gender differences, we really are diverse. Same parents, same house, all that.

But my two children are totally different individuals, too.

Dunno.

What was the point of my comment you ask?

I don't have a clue.

:)

Wendy said...

Must be nice to vote early! How does that work?

We have been voting at a teeny, tiny church on a country road in the Amish community for the past 3 years (when we purchased our home).

The two times I've gone to vote in the past 3 years, I've been the ONLY person there (besides election workers).

This November 4 will be my last time voting there, since I still own the home out in the country.

After this year, looks like I'll be doing my voting in Anchorage!

Freakmom said...

I vote on election day. I'm not sure how to go about voting early, but I think I have to drive to another town to the court house. Maybe it is by mail. I go to the school right down the road and vote there (yeah, I hate going into the public school). Usually when I go there isn't a line. I try to hit late morning before lunch hours. When Mr. I goes after work just before polls close, it is packed. Violet comes with me, and no matter how short it takes, she's bored. ;)

Anonymous said...

CA we vote by mail too. Only this year, James wants to see a polling place. Now, you would think I would be proud that my 6 yo is so interested in the election that he wants to see voting in process. But, no. I'm pissed that now I don't even know where my voting place is so I have to drive around looking for a "vote here" sign and drag him in so he can see a really boring sight. I tried telling him it looks a lot like me voting at my kitchen table, but with more old people. Then, I tried telling him it looked like voting at the changing room at his pool (because of the curtains) but he's not buying it.

My sister and I. Hmm. We're different, but I think more out of life choices than core personalities. Now, did we make different life choices because of our core personalities? I don't know. But, I'm pretty sure she votes the easiest way as well.

kitten said...

I wished I could vote early!

Hula Hank said...

OK, I don't like to wait in lines. I don't like to waiting in waiting rooms and I don't like to be placed on hold.

That said, I know where your sister is coming from. There is an excitement at the polls on voting day.

The place is buzzing with energy and whether the person next to you is voting for good or evil (you decide which is which) everyone has a purpose which united us.

I miss that. In Australia, everyone has to vote and there is a strong feeling of resentment at the polls... not quite the same feeling of pride for doing your civic duty.

Fourmother said...

OK, I'm admit that I'm looking forward to taking my kids to the polls on election day for the full "election experience." I know it's kind of silly, but I think it will be more real to them if they see me voting on the big day.

As far as the sibling thing is concerned, my brother and I couldn't be more different. Let's just say that our parents encouraged one of us to grow up, while the other was very much coddled and allowed to remain in a twisted form of extended childhood. But of course I'm not bitter about it. No, I'm not bitter at all.

Anonymous said...

Oooh I'm with you! I voted early, too - and for the same reasons - I hate the long lines. (and they are infinitely worse with 4 little kids in tow!)

So - I'm done, too! :-)

Blessings,
Michelle (foxvalley)

Anonymous said...

LOL - I have never voted early. It's weird, too. I hate lines. I generally hate talking to strangers. But, I've always dragged the kids to the poll on voting day. I wanted them to kind of see the process when they were very little and now that they're older, I want them to have a clue why other people might get ticked off if they haven't read their ballots beforehand.

We've been going to the same little church as our polling place for years. It was the first glimpse the kids ever had of a non-Catholic church and the people working there on behalf of the church have been amazingly helpful to us over the years in understanding the differences in our faiths.

I guess now it is kind of like "old-home" week. We'll go on the 4th and wait in line - shouldn't be too long - and visit with the friends we've made over the years.

And, yes, my sister and I are like you and your sister - polar opposites. Amazing isn't it?

amy@thefoilhat.com

Garden State Kate said...

We don't have early voting in NJ, but
we all go as a family right before dinner time and have never waited for more than a few minutes. Most people in our area of town go before 10 am or after 6pm, so we miss the crazy ness. I am not at all like my sister,
but I have more in common with my 3 brothers..which is funny, because I only share a father with them, and I am not like him at all. ;-)

SabrinaT said...

We vote by absentee. I wish I could take Q to a voting location.
Yesterday Q announced he needed to bring his ID to school. I hate letting him, you being an Army brat can understand if he loosed it, life is over.
They had a mock vote in the gym, he asked to stay after and participate. I asked who he was voting for. He said Obama. Ian asked him why. Q said, I am to afraid to vote for McCain. Mom yells at him on TV all the time. HA HA!

I have 1 step sister (my dad married her mom, when I was 16, they divorced 2 years later) She has stuck around. We don't have a relationship. She had not yet grown up. I did gain a wonderful step nephew out of the fiasco. When I was little my dad would ask what I wanted to Christmas. EVERY year it was the same thing. I wanted a sister. I am blessed to have a wonderful sister in law. There are days I wish I would have had a sibling to grow up with!

Katy said...

I only have one biosib, my baby brother who is 9 years younger than me and we couldn't be more different if we had tried.

I'm short (5'3") he's tall (6'5"), he is getting his PhD in chemistry and I flunked intro to chemistry, I'm super practical and he forgets his bus money while he's thinking about ions and neutrons, he's brunette I'm blonde...I could go on and on.

But he's one of my bestest friends in the world and we've always gotten along great.

My kids on the other hand are a lot alike. But don't tell daughter, she would have a hissy fit if she knew I thought she was anything like her brothers!

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