1.  Hey you. Yes, you. Have you voted yet? No? Okay then, go ahead and make a plan for Tuesday and get your butt to the polls. I’m not even kidding anymore, this one is too important to sit out. A few thoughts:

1a.  Voting is more fun with a friend. Pick a buddy and go get your vote on.

1b.  Know your rights. Know what’s required to vote in your state and make sure you’ve got it on you.

1c.  We’ve reached the point where options are limited so channel your inner postal worker – neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night, et cetera et cetera.

2.  Don’t live in the U.S.? I am profoundly sorry for the clusterf*ck that is our administration. You may not be able to vote but we could sure use those thoughts and prayers on Tuesday.

3. Watch out for each other. It feels like the world’s tipped sideways but as J. once said if we don’t eat the cupcakes the terrorists win. Eat the cupcakes. Just watch out for each other while you’re doing it.

4.  We took the kids to get their flu shots on Saturday morning. You know, because life doesn’t have enough angst right now. My kiddos + needles + a well-intentioned-but-really-doesn’t-understand-that-NOTHING-will-make-this-easier P.A. = an emotionally exhausting twenty minutes.

5.  Buckling down with “I’m sorry, but this is happening today whether you want it to or not” when your kid just wants to go home is painful. Parenting, man. It ain’t for sissies.

6.  I was supposed to give Gracie a bath this weekend. She’s smelling a little ripe but you know how it goes – one thing leads to another, distractions abound, and the next thing you know I’m doing laundry at 10:30 Sunday night and realizing I never bathed the freaking dog. Whoops.

7.  So you’ve got a voting plan now, right? And just for the record, don’t check out of the game if you’ve already voted (yay, you!). Find a way to help on Tuesday. Offer someone a ride to the polls. Volunteer to watch the neighbor’s kid so she won’t have to juggle him in line. Hand out sample ballots outside the polling place or make calls for a last minute Get Out The Vote effort. Check out these links for volunteer opportunities or google “get out the vote” with your city/state name.

7a.  swingleft.org

7b.  whenweallvote.org

7c.  voterise.org

8.  On a side note, are you even parenting if your kid isn’t convinced you’re trying to ruin their life? Yeah. Catching this one almost on the daily right now. Good times.

9.  Also, middle school. ‘Nuff said.

10.  Here, in no particular order, are my hopes for Tuesday in America.

10a.  We all wake up with a sense of purpose and a belief in the promise of a better country.

10b.  Everyone who hasn’t already voted makes it a priority in their day.

10c.  Polling places across the U.S. are safe and secure.

10d.  Americans decide to choose hope and inclusion over fear and division.

10e.  Brian Kemp isn’t allowed to steal an election in Georgia. Win or lose by the votes, Brian, and stfu.

10f.  By the end of the day, when all the votes are tallied and races declared, we have a Congress that reflects who we are as a country. We’re not a nation of old white men; our legislative bodies shouldn’t be either.