1.  I won’t lie, it was a crazy long day. Couldn’t get to sleep until after midnight, woke up every 45 minutes or so, then out of bed by 5am to prep for the polls. Did I mention “get a good night’s sleep” was one of the tips on my training video? Yeah. Hard fail.

2.  I spent some time at the polls during early voting and that right there is another real world example of rolling with rejection. “Can I offer you a sample – ” NO. “Okey dokey then.” But for election day I was volunteering with Democracy NC, our local arm of the Protect the Vote organization, and that was another animal entirely.

3.  It’s a nonpartisan effort to make sure that everyone eligible is able to vote on Election Day. In an extremely ironic twist of fate for this introvert, one of the hardest parts was avoiding chummy conversation with party supporters. Polling place volunteers are a tight bunch – you’re out there with the same people for at least four hours after all so folks usually end up chatting, but Protect the Vote takes nonpartisanship seriously. Which means I spent a great deal of time feeling like I was being a bit snobby by keeping to myself.

4.  But after a looooonnnnngggg day it was finally Go Time and, as promised, I plopped myself down in front of CNN and my various news feeds. Let’s get it!

5.  Dammit, Florida, why you always gotta break my heart? I’m getting whiplash and dang it all, can’t you just straighten up??

6.  These maps, y’all. It’s a good thing I don’t get seizures because all this strobing in and out, flashing through red and blue and percentages and vote tallies, it’s enough to put me on the floor.

7.  Just took a minute to make gluten free brownies then topped one hot out of the oven with vanilla ice cream. Mmmmm…anyone else eating their feelings tonight? No? Just me? Okay.

8.  I’m the first to admit my numbers retention can be iffy but these races seem awfully tight. I’m watching tallies with a 1700 difference between candidates and that’s crazy town tight.

9.  Who chose this guy’s tie? It’s like a satiny plum but with swirls of some sort in another purplish shade…not digging this at all.

10.  North Carolina, WHYYYYYY? Four constitutional amendments currently leading yes including right to hunt and fish (architects of the bill admitted they created this to drive voter turnout with their base and not for any other need), require photo ID to vote (because of course), victim’s rights (put on the ballot without discussion of a report indicating an annual cost of $30 million or budget issues), and income tax cap (brain done, but it’s a bad idea).

11.  And for those of you who get to live anywhere but North Carolina, here’s a little tidbit that’ll tell you everything you need to know about what’s at work here: the amendment referendum on the ballot isn’t the final language.

12.  The NC General Assembly is set to reconvene on November 27 so outgoing legislators can craft the actual bill language. Which will already be approved. Before it’s written. Anyone else have a migraine yet?

13.  FLORIDA. You’re like the kid who looks at ants under a magnifying glass. What’s it gonna take for you to bring someone fresh and new onto the scene? Dammit, man, Gillum is the real deal.

14.  TEXAS!! Beto is restoring my faith in humanity. Go, Texas, GO.

15.  Is it weird I’m annoyed that they keep interrupting to say they have a “major” projection? We get it. It’s a big deal.

16.  Nooooooo. Ryan Watts lost. Heaven forbid we send someone who wants to shake up D.C. Dammit, North Carolina.

17.  Power nap to get further into the night. Eyes are burning. Lord only knows what I’ll put in this blog post by the end of the night so if I promise anything crazy (YOU get a car! And YOU get a car!!) just know I’m totally not backing that sh*t up. Love ya, mean it.

18.  TEXAS! Ted Cruz? SERIOUSLY?? Boo. I don’t even know what to do with you right now.

19.  Watching for the Georgia race and there’s been nary a peep since the beginning of the night. The nonsense hit epic levels there today – locations without enough voting machines, with broken machines, with machines but no power cords…people waiting hours to cast a ballot…people purged from the rolls or told they’d already voted in this election…one location locked down overnight with the voting machines inside due to a foreclosure…ballots will be counted well into the overnight hours but damn, man. How on earth can we believe this will shuffle out to a free and fair election result?

20.  Side note. Brian Kemp was so keen on not stepping down from his role overseeing the midterms in Georgia despite being a candidate. I guess that means he’ll be accepting responsibility for the epic breakdown in election procedure, right? [crickets]

My local wrap up:

  • 54.31% ballots cast in NC. Not a bad turnout for a midterm.
  • State and national reps – bummer.
  • Apparently we’ve written a blank check for altering the state constitution. I’m at a loss.
  • Sales Tax bond to support the schools failed – boo – but we did pass the school bond and community college bond so there’s that.
  • We elected a kick ass woman to the NC Supreme Court and an excellent Superior Court judge.

And some updates ‘cuz Twitter: