2:30

Today started out fair enough but has turned grey and drizzly by afternoon.
Jeff and I visited four precincts today. We stopped at the Shanghai Fire Department, Lattimore City Hall, Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresboro and First Baptist Church in Boiling Springs. For those going out to vote, a long wait in line didn't appear to be an issue this afternoon. All the sites we visited today were largely empty. A few voters drifted in but the majority had appeared to either voted early or stopped by in the early morning to vote.
The Boiling Springs precinct reported that they have had a huge early voter turnout. Dr. Bottoms, chief judge, said that they had reached close to 60%. He said they also had a busy first hour upon opening.
Most voting officials agreed that early voting has significantly cut down on the turnout for today's election, which many greeted with relief.
I get the feel that people are very eager to hear about results from today, in a way they haven't in a long time. People have invested a lot of interest and energy in the election.

On a totally unrelated side note, the drive through the countryside was absolutely gorgeous with the fall colors at their brightest. I would suggest taking time to notice the brilliant yellows and reds and purples today as you go about your day.

November 4

It feels as if this year, November 4th has been almost as eagerly anticipated as Thanksgiving or Christmas. Yards are decorated festively with colorful campaign signs and the TV is tuned to the music of debates and increasingly vitriolic advertisements. This day, long awaited, perhaps by some only to see its arrival and departure, is here at very long last, and has appeared to have stirred up a level of particaption that seems unusual in our country of free and democratic elections.
Record turnouts are expected today as people vote for change and hope and other qualities they see resulting from their chosen candidate. I hope the lines are long today, that all those eligible to vote will do so. I hope that all of us will not take for granted the fact that we can vote freely and without fear.
See you at the polls!

Introductory Note

It hardly seems possible that 6 months ago I was walking across the stage to receive my diploma. Now, since the beginning of this month, I've been working as the education reporter for The Star and I've been enjoying the challenge of this new place in my life.
I remember everyone telling me when I graduated that now I was a part of "the real world," as if the world I had been in was simple, free, and not quite a part of reality.
In truth, the jump from student to job wasn't so dramatic or life-altering as people implied, simply because I was already in a fulltime job, already in the working world, already very much a part of reality long before I graduated.
Now I am in a job I enjoy, a job I worked towards for more than 4 years, and I like the challenge and the adventure of setting new goals to conquer. I am not afraid of the "real world" because I have already come face to face with it and am not naive about the reality of work and responsibility and restricted freedoms. Instead, I am embracing a job that allows me to be constantly challenged, that keeps me learning and very involved with life. I listen to the stories of people from all different backgrounds who have all different stories to tell, I learn about my adopted city in a new way, I discover the good and the bad, and I write about it.
I've decided I like the real world and the only thing I see are opportunities.