Went to vote this morning and had the best encounter with the volunteer staff over at the PS 145 voting site in Manhattan. We were getting pointed around and put into different lines all morning long. Seems that because of our new voting status in the New York state we were absent from the rolls. Well, we made sure and double sure leading up to today that we indeed were registered and ready to go to battle at the polls. But, to our chagrin, we got shut out of the process when we tried to do so.

Feeling the blood rush to my head, I was ready to lose it by the time we were ushered away from our precinct 53 table and to the head table where all the lost voting souls resided. The staff, all volunteers mind you (editor's note -- I just learned that most poll workers in New York City are paid a stipend for their service; however, I believe they still deserve our thanks), immediately took us under their wings and quickly assigned a special liaison named Juan to take us back to the top of the precinct 53 line and prepare a proxy ballot for us. Boom, lickty split, just like that, we were exercising democracy.

So, thank you New York City election volunteers!! This one is for you.