election day

Today I did not vote. Not because I didn't want to, nor because I didn't make it to the polling place nor because I forgot to mail my absentee ballot -- I didn't vote today because I couldn't.

No, I am not a felon. But I lack an address beyond a post office box, and this makes me ineligible to register to vote. It's sad, but true.

I am not homeless, but between residences. I know I am not alone. People leaving school without full-time employment often find themselves in similar circumstances. I am sure there are others who are in this in between stage because of other changes (relationship ending, needing to care for a family member, etc.). I have no idea what the numbers are though. It isn't something people like to talk about.

Well, there are those Nissan ads where Marc Horowitz decides to live in his car for a week. I guess the point is that you love your car so much you want to call it home. I don't find them amusing, let alone funny. Although it has never been that bad, I can't even begin to describe how I felt, showing up at B's parent's home with our car packed to the brim with all of our stuff. Well, not all of it, but the essentials we thought we would need during this transition. I just wanted to evaporate right then and there. It felt a little better packing up the car and driving off, but not much.

But here we are, back again. Thankfully this time on our own. But it is still hard.

I trust that in the end it will all be worth it. We will look back on this time and be glad that we followed this path. In the meantime, we try and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather and the attractions of southern California.



currently reading :: Water for Elephants