I’m less than thrilled that I’m going to be stuck in class from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on election night. (Though I’m sure everyone will be surreptitiously checking the election returns.) For the last presidential election, we had a family Skype, which was a fun way to watch things unfold. (It was also memorable because I was staying with my sister Eve, and my niece was born in the early hours of the following day.)
I’m curious as to what other people will be doing. Do you have traditions? Do you get together with people? Do you skip the whole thing?
(NOTE: THIS IS NOT A POST TO DISCUSS THE MERITS OF SPECIFIC CANDIDATES OR PROPOSITIONS, AND COMMENTS ALONG THOSE LINES WILL BE REPLACED WITH RANDOM STAR WARS MATERIAL.)
I’m in PA on business, so I may very well watch the election results alone in a hotel room. If I’m feeling social I may even go to the lobby. I’m pretty bummed to be away from home for it. I plan on watching Colbert and Stewart’s coverage:)
Comedy Central coverage. Luckily, I don’t have any work calls with Australia Tuesday night.
I’m hosting my Visiting Teaching group at my house that night because we do visiting teaching on the first Tuesday of the month. Making a salad! And bread!
Ooh, Comedy Central sounds like fun. I’m on Central time and not a night owl, which means the California polls won’t even close until I’m ready to head to bed. I suppose I will just find out in the morning.
Thinking over the past few election years I remember, I can say that I definitely don’t have any traditions:
2000: I remember my parents being hooked on the unfolding drama, while I was so frustrated with the whole thing that I had to walk away from the TV, go for an angry run, and refuse to watch any more when I got home.
2004: I was out of the country and didn’t care nearly enough to stay up all night waiting for the results, even though our creepy upstairs neighbor offered us the chance to come watch with him on his fancy satellite TV.
2008: I watched the tallying with some friends and then headed out into the streets on my bike to celebrate. I lived in Berkeley at the time, so I certainly wasn’t the only one. At one point there was a line of cars stopped at a traffic light giving high-fives to passing pedestrians, so I rose past to join in the high-five procession. I don’t have great balance, so that lead to me falling over in the middle of the street. A friend called me the next morning to ask, “Did I see you fall off your bike on the news last night?” Oops.
2012: My life has gotten infinitely more boring in the past few years. I will probably watch the Comedy Central coverage while working on my laptop, which sums up nearly every evening around here.
There’s murmurings about the expat community here of a potential all-nighter party.
The polls are unclear as to whether this party is actually real or not.
I personally think I’ll watch a movie – or two, and just read the newspapers in the morning, then watch colbert and stewart. I just don’t think I can take the HOURS, and HOURS of speculation. It will give me an ulcer.
I’m looking forward to another Skype this time around!
I teach early morning seminary, so I will be going to bed at 8 p.m.
Am hosting Bye-Bye-[Tauntaun] party, complete with theme music: Steam’s classic “Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye” with lyrics changed. (Here’s a taste of the first two lines):
We never loved you,
the way that you loved you.
If [Admiral Ackbar] wins, we’ll pack it in early and get ready for another 4 years of hearing about how challenges are good for our spiritual character.
Watching election returns in my PJs and stress-eating cookie dough.
Comment #10 has been edited in accordance with the warning of the OP.