GO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were at the polls before they opened and I needed to be in another town by 8:45 for a hotly contested trial. We had to walk several blocks because the parking lots and streets around the polling place were full of vehicles. There were a couple of hundred people ahead of us in line and about that many came in while we waited in line.

Five polling booths.

At one point, they divided the line into three separate groups based on last names, i.e., A - F in line 1; G - M in line 2; and N - Z in line 3. Each line led to where a poll worker checked your ID against the voting list, you were given a yellow voting pass and then everyone returned to the main line to go vote at one of the five booths. FIVE booths. Did I mention that? The lines that moved the fastest to get their yellow card got to the voting line faster.

My line didn't move. I am not exaggerating. The other lines ran at a brisk pace and all those people ended up ahead of us simply because of the letter of their last name (we saw one lady with a heavy accent hold up her driver's license and tell the poll worker that she "thought" her last name started with a "B"). The Z's who slept in were voting ahead of us if you can believe that. It took 40 minutes to move less than 15 yards (the length of about two cafeteria tables, if that helps get a feel for the distance). Neighbors came in 45 minutes after us and had voted and left fifteen minutes before we even got our yellow voting pass. After about an hour and a half of JUST STANDING THERE WATCHING THE OTHER LINES ZOOM THROUGH I was ready to risk some voter fraud just to start moving some people through. (Just let them vote and I don't care where they live!!! - not really).

The problem was that the poll worker in my line simply had no concept of time. Seriously, I clocked her and she'd spend about five minutes per person. I don't know why people put up with it. I don't know if she was simply relishing this historic election or she is mentally disabled. All she had to do was look up their name, have them repeat their address and give them a yellow voting pass. I am NOT exaggerating. It was utterly infuriating after awhile. I don't mind standing in line, honestly, I don't. But that was ridiculous.

When I got to the table, I handed her my ID, told her my name, spelled it, gave her my address and zip code and she just sat their blinking. It was as if she didn't know why I was standing there.

"Look," I said, "this is a bottle neck. I don't want to take any time away from these good people who got up early to get down here, but this is just ridiculous. You just have to get this line moving - the other lines are doing fine. Here is my name (spelled it, again)" I also repeated my address.

They had run out of yellow voting passes. "Just a minute, we are out of passes," her helper said.

I admit it, I snapped - "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

They came back, gave me a voting pass and before I left I told her that my husband (gave his name) was right behind me and he lived at the same address. He said they got him right through... I avoided making eye contact with him until after we left because even if he is peeved, he does not approve of public (or private, for that matter)snippiness.

Several hours later we drove by and the place was empty. I guess timing is everything.

Made it to court on time.

Got home and called the doctor to confirm that they have my authorization code for the CT scan we've scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. Nope. The insurance company denied the request. They have to appeal it but are short staffed so she won't be able to get around to it until tomorrow. The test is tomorrow afternoon!!!! Doesn't look like it is going to happen...

I hate doctors...

Sorry about the bad attitude. Normally, I love voting, I love the community experience, I love feeling like a part of history. This, however, was not a good experience.

Edited to add: Got a call from the doctor. They aren't going to appeal the denial of the CT Scan by the insurance company. Instead, they want me to come in next week to discuss alternative treatment options. Ahem. I was of the understanding that the CT Scan was a diagnostic tool and they don't know what I have in order to treat it!!! I hate doctors.