Vote! And don’t put the candle under the pizza holder!

Sabrina tearing into pizza. Don't know what's up with the dude behind her.

Today is election day.  I’m serious, it really is, google Texas constitutional amendments 2009 or something similar.  I’m the election judge at precinct 274, the 1st English Lutheran Church near Wheatsville, just north of UT.  Never knew I was so powerful, huh?

Sunday I had to pick up the voting machines, signs, etc. from the county elections department, and since Erin was working, I had no way to transport all the elections accessories to my apartment.  Enter Sabrina, one of my two election clerks (the other being the fabulous Indiana Adams).  She has a car and spare time, so I promised her pizza if she’s help me pick up the gear.  And by help, I mean meet me there, drive the gear back to my apartment, drop it off and then drive home.

The elections part went relatively smoothly, so we headed to Homeslice to seal the deal.  I realized that I was still wearing my Homeslice hat, which I can’t wear to Homeslice (I don’t want to be that guy), and I was going to run up and throw it in the apartment when Sabrina said that she’d wear it.  So she did.  We got there around 4:30 on Sunday, and it was packed.  Boom!  30 minute wait.  On a Sunday afternoon, in between meal times?  This place is crazy.

We put our name on the list, came back to the apartment, had a Lone Star and tried to figure out the cap puzzle (Off to the races).  Then we went back to Homeslice, got seated, and ordered a pizza.  Sabrina is one of the legions of folks who’ve never tried anchovies before coming to Homeslice with me.  Like most, she thought they were interesting, but not worth getting again.

She asked me if the waitstaff ever reads the blog, and I told her that I think some of them do.  Less than five minutes later, Shauna came up to say hi, and very embarrassingly said she had something to tell me.  Now, when people ask if they can tell you something, it’s usually big, otherwise they just tell you straight away.  I steeled myself for a lifetime ban from Homeslice or a limit on toppings.  To my pleasant surprise, she said been reading this blog (she seemed embarrassed for that as well) and had seen the post about my MacGyver-esque pizza candle trick to keep the pizza holder warm by placing the candle underneath.  Apparently, such actions have a tendency to melt the plastic between the pizza plate and holder, and can make the metal hot enough to burn the poor waitstaff.  So could I please not do it anymore?

Phew!  That ain’t no thang!  I mean, it’s a little disappointing, but I thought I was about to get in big trouble for something.  I can handle free, delicious pizza even if my second and third slices are room temperature.  I’m just that hardcore.

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By the magic of teh interwebs, I am setting this to post at 11am on election day, so you have plenty of time today to come say hi to Sabrina, Indiana and I at good ‘ole precinct 274.  It’s blocks away from UT, so I’m expecting lots of students in our precinct.  And since only 2% of registered voters in Travis County voted during the early voting period, I’m not expecting a very busy day.  So come by and bring us food vote, we’re excited to hang out with your food you.

And UT students, (yes you), if you’re going to stop me multiple times a block in my neighborhood asking me if I have a minute for the environment, you better take 15 minutes and vote a hell yes on Prop 9 for free public access to Texas beaches.  If you don’t, I won’t feel the lease bit guilty walking by you ever again.