The guys wearing the blue helmets typically don’t do civil affairs duty, but the election observers do get nifty armbands, vests and sometimes even plastic ponchos and ball caps. I’ve got a trunkload of this stuff at home, maybe I’ll drag it all out and wear it on election day, see if someone tries to stop me at my polling place. If nothing else I’ve decided what my h’ween costume will be this year.

On a ’srsly’ note, I do have a Spanish friend that has been an election observer in far flung places like Haiti, Mozambique, and Tanzania. She just pinged me that she’ll be arriving in the US within the week to….monitor our elections!

LuxMentis: I will, alas, not be able to join you at the book fair. My show got pushed back a week, so this weekend, I will be NECK DEEP IN THEATER! (Include reverb here, if you will.) I’ll be lucky to have a half-hour to crawl out and get some food at some point each day.

Promnight: Your business idea sounds lovely, and practical. Unfortunately, being the person I am, I either wouldn’t shop there at all, or would shop there only on rare, rare occasion. Mostly because my nutritional needs are met through much simpler, cheaper foods — it seems like a lot of the time, food is just fuel to me. Only when I’m not going crazy on other stuff do I have time to revel in food.

Everyone: you guys are beautiful. Watching the BS so I don’t have to…

Besides, I’m getting tired of all the Google matching ads on either side…

I didn’t do shit in this election except throw money at tha Eagle and follow the coverage in non-conventional sources (like this one). I won’t know anyone if I go out Election Night. Will I be walking the precinct this weekend? Nah. Tiling the floor in the office here. Could turn out to have been a big missed opportunity, but sometimes you have to focus closer.

I was prepping an “I have got to meet you assholes” comment, but yours suffices.

Events quickly caught up with my gut call, but I still can’t tell you what brought it to mind. Just that over the years, I’ve learned how to listen to my gut.

Point being: Spare the angst. I think it’s now clear that demagoguery won’t work this time, at least among a sufficient majority of voters. We’re now down to a very practical concern: Making sure everyone who wants to vote has the opportunity. The Republicans can’t win, but they’re trying very hard to steal, and they’re the modern experts at it.

I renew my call for U.N. observers. I want to see blue helmets at every precinct.

Yes, Pedo, you got it exactly, there would be trays of samples out there showing what you do with this dip, with this sauce, plates set up with a suggested meal. The marketing plan includes going to all the high end salons and spas, with a tray of hors de ouvres, saying “just leave this on your reception desk, with this display of cards.”

I am going to bed, thank you all for holding my hand through the debate, I really have major angst over this election, and as I said, I would be having a much harder time without your company. I have never felt so much among people who share my values and intellect and vices, most of all the vices, than I have among you all. Please, anyone anyone near my neck of the woods, if you agree to come to my place, I will make the best election night party ever, we will eat and drink like kings and queens with the least possible environmental impact, and it will be a victory party, knock wood.