6/6/06: the end of the world is nigh

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Not for the obvious reason, though. The end of the world is nigh because said world is full of people like me. Today I did not vote in the California election. I moved a few months ago and never received a sample ballot and hence was not sure if I was supposed to go to my old polling place or a new one…but really, I’m sure I could have figured it out with a phone call or two. But no, that was just too much legwork for democracy.

What was apparently not too much legwork was logging onto http://www.mystarbucksvisit.com/, where I answered 15 or 20 questions about how long I waited for my green tea latte in exchange for a code number that will get me a free beverage of my choice upon my next Starbucks visit.

On one hand, I hate myself. On the other, maybe Starbucks is onto something. More people might vote if there were a frappuccino in it for them.

Comments

Schrodinger's Kitten said…
I didnt vote either, and I didnt feel guilty about it until I read your post. Now I also want coffee. Thanks a BUNCH. grrrr...
June 6, 2006 at 9:23 PM
Cheryl said…
I'm all about the guilt. I am my mother's daughter. Although she was more into Postum than coffee.
June 7, 2006 at 9:46 AM
Tracy Lynn said…
I vote every time, but I'd look forward to it alot more if there were a Blackberry Green Tea Frappucino waiting for me when I came out of the booth. Those things are DELICIOUS. And democracy can use all the deliciousness it can get.
June 10, 2006 at 6:15 PM
Cheryl said…
There should be a big PSA campaign: "Voting: It's Democralicious!"
June 12, 2006 at 11:23 AM
Anonymous said…
In one state, they're talking about entering voters into a lottery, so if you vote you have a chance at winning millions. I'm pretty sure that's illegal, though. Even free beverages. I could be wrong about that. Anyway, you get a nice sticker. Jamie and I didn't vote either. For shame. For shame. I don't really have an excuse, except that I hadn't read up on the candidates and issues and thought I'd leave the voting to people who had. I could go for the "What's the point, when you're just picking the lesser of two evils?" argument, but that's not really why I skipped out on the polls.
June 12, 2006 at 11:52 AM
Cheryl said…
And as Jamie and I discussed, the kind of prize you give away determines the kind of voter you draw, which starts to get shady. Like, do you try to lure wine drinkers or beer drinkers or coffee drinkers? Yuppies or blue-collar types or overworked office drones? Back to the drawing board....
June 13, 2006 at 10:04 AM
Anonymous said…
I could say i think it's very sad that rewards, incentives whatever you want to call them are dangled in front of people to convince them to vote. Hey, who i am to judge, and honestly i do not go to to the voting booths. I know, i know, shame on me but i look at it this way, all these people taking the time to go & vote hoping beyond hope the politician that they believe is fit for the job will make the difference & will win the election. At first it seems all will end up that way. Then once again we are here with the same issues as before. No political hopefull or figure should ever make promises, statements etc. that they can not keep and make happen. If they do not have the absolute experience, knowledge, patience, heart & people skills to handle extremely sensitive or aggressive issues then don't put your name on the ballot. I have listened to friends and their feedback about how will a difference be made if i don't vote. My answer to that is always the same, i can make a difference in my neighborhood, with my community, people i know that are around me and need help and have no one. I do not want to be caught up in all of the promises and statements these politicians give, just to be disappointed again. Most of the politicians these days are about mud slinging anyways. They are not in highschool battling over who will be class president. This is not highschool this is my life, your life and everyone else out there whose life will be affected in some way some how by their actions. If people wish for our society to be better, to be different then it has to start with us. All of us working together to make life better, safer, safe for our children and their children. Take the time out to help someone who is less fortunate then you without worrying how you will look, if one of your socialite friends will see you or one of your neighbors. SO what! Anything could happen on any day to any one of us. Stop worrying about setting your car alarm if you see a family walking by that doesn't look as fortunate as you. Stop thinking because you have money you should be first in line or get star treatment, god made you as he made the rest of us he didn't add anything special in your case. Start off small if you need to, hold the door for someone, tell the bus driver to please stop, their are people running and yelling for the bus that were already waiting there at the bus stop(because they do this, especially ft)to begin with. Donate, always donate. I prefer to donate to several small independant thrift stores, they appreciate it more and are not rude or think they are to good to take things. Unfortunately i have come across issues of this sort more times than i needed to with a couple of the major thrift stores. My Aunt Julie and Uncle Pat, i love them to death. They are such wonderful people. Every christmas they spend their day feeding the homeless. They are really genuine & kind hearted people and i feel blessed for having them as my family. I wish everyone in the world could be more like my Aunt and Uncle. I wish war did not exist. I wish the dark hearted people had light in their hearts, i wish we did not criticize each other or hurt each other with words(gossip)i wish we all could trust one another, i wish we could love the skin we are in, i wish others would let us love the skin we are in without judging, i wish for all the children who have been tortured and cruely taken out of this world, could be returned to their love ones, i wish we did not take one anothers lives, i wish we did not steal from one another(or at all) i wish that parents would appreciate and care for their children more, i wish that parents would not bring harm to their own children or take their own childrens lives because of the shame in their own. I wish, that all animals were treated with the love they deserve and not abused or abandoned. I wish the world was a better place for all.
August 26, 2006 at 11:46 AM
Anonymous said…
MAXX said ...I am happy with who I am.Thanks for being so great.
October 30, 2006 at 7:18 AM
Anonymous said…
I LOVE starbucks white chocolate mochas!!!(hot of course) if i knew that id get a free one after voting id be down there real quick.
who cares if its illegal, its FREE DELICIOUS COFFEE!!We should all get a reward for voting.
October 31, 2006 at 1:45 PM
Cheryl said…
How appropriate that I'm getting comments on this post just before the Nov. election. I'm curious--did someone link to it?
October 31, 2006 at 5:25 PM
Anonymous said…
my name is Ali and I love starbucks the branch close to my home in beverly glen
November 1, 2006 at 4:19 PM
Anonymous said…
Whomever wrote the comments under "I could say I think..." WOW! Bless you for your thoughts..I could not agree more!
November 2, 2006 at 8:30 AM
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