— 1 —

I VOTED!!!! *cue confetti and balloons* I’m in California so we have all the normal slate of candidates in addition to a bunch of ballot measures so the envelope to mail back the ballots requires extra postage. I also wish that there was an “I voted!” sticker included in my absentee ballot because there might be merchants who give perks for those who voted like free coffee or something. Oh well… Jon just dropped his absentee ballot off at our town hall and they were giving out “I voted!” stickers so I have one on the fridge so that I can get any perks offered by merchants for having one on Election Day.

— 2 —

I’m doing NaNoWriMo again. I *might* actually win given that I do have some more spare time than I’ve had in the last few years with Daniel in school. I’m recycling my characters from last year and altering a few of them. My main character is a pastor’s wife — what can I say? I write about what I know. It’s either that or write about import brokerage stuff and a cross-border murder.

— 3 —

I was taking a drive when I heard this song. Daniel had woken up grumpy and we were driving around when this song came on. After CSI was over tonight, I started looking for it online and was having a heck of a time finding it. It turns out that it’s probably just been released to radio stations and the album isn’t due until January. Still… I found it on YouTube! Boo yah!

— 4 —

Cardinal Dolan said something awesome on his Twitter today. His remark: “If I only sat down with people who agreed with me, and I with them, or with those who were saints, I??d be taking all my meals alone.” I think it’s relevant in our politically-polarized country where one side is claiming that the media is on the side of the other and there is so much back-biting. I have readers on this blog who agree with me politically and readers who think I’ve lost my mind for backing the candidates I back. Somehow, we all manage to find common ground and I’d readily break bread (or a gluten-free alternative) with any of them.

— 5 —

OMG NLCS baseball!!! We swept the Reds *in* Cincinnati and we’re currently playing Game 4 in St. Louis. I’m thinking of Kathleen Basi and Grace Patton as I’m watching. I have no idea if Grace is a Cardinals fan (or if she’s even all that concerned with baseball) but I remember talking about the World Series with Kathleen last year and now our teams are playing each other in the NLCS! As much as I’m a Giants fan, I do like the Cardinals and I’d totally root for them if they prevailed and made it to the World Series to play Detroit.

— 6 —

For those who read all the interesting comments on the BIC for Her pens, there’s now a new office product sensation. Yes, I totally realize that Romney’s “binders full of women” are binders full of women’s resumés. Yes, I would totally be mentioning this if Obama or Biden had said it. No, I didn’t watch the debate — I was too busy being righteously indignant over NCIS being pre-empted. I had also already filled out my ballot on Sunday night so the debate wasn’t going to change anything for me.

— 7 —

My grandma turns 92 tomorrow. She was the first college graduate on my mom’s side of the family. (My grandfather didn’t finish because Pearl Harbor happened.) She and my grandfather just missed making it 63 years when he passed away in 2006. She still lives at home and gardens a little bit. She also plays bridge twice a week. Happy birthday, Grandma! I love you!

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.