Who split the Turf?

It's only 4 days to go before election day and it's getting crazy! I've been spliting turf (the different places we're going to canvass the next 4 days) all day. They even put me as the lead person. Well after Laura and Andy, but still that's cool that I'm the one people go to since Andy and Laura are wicked busy today.

The down side to this whole day is that I'm about to call asleep. I stayed with Chuck last night at his supporter housing because he didn't want to take me home. So we had a late night anyway because we were talking forever about his ex-boyfriend, who's his boyfriend again. (It's complicated) and then we were laughing about our little inside jokes.

So this morning I got to come to the office with the clothes I wore the day before...ewww...and to top it off Ryan ended up not coming in until he had to go to work because he was up until 530 this morning and all that other fun stuff. So I was sitting around tired and smelly not having that Ryan couldn't get his butt up to get my new clothes...well he ended up pulling through and brought me my clothes so I feel so much better now. I just hope tonight is an early night because it's going to be a long day tomorrow...which reminds me that Ryan isn't gong to bring me to the office and I need to figure out who's bringing me to the office.

All in all today's been one of those days where I'm ready to pass out and I'm so ready to be done with this whole thing.

Back in Action

I'm back in Maine and back writing the blog. I can't believe how much has changed in such a short amount of time. It's like a totally different office now. There are tons of people here. And more are still to come.

I got in Tuesday night and the first person I talked to was Chuck. I've missed my boys. I was going to see them on Tuesday night, but ended up not because Ryan and I were sleeping on our feet. I don't even know how we got home. Speaking of homes, Ryan's place is totally nice. I love it. Plus his roommate, Justin, is really nice. The three of us are going to get along great.

I'm happy to report that Ryan and I are going to the office together, which works out great because I get to the office and he does his work before going to his real job. Then he and I will be meeting up again at the office when he's off work.

Last night while I was waiting for Ryan to finish up talking to Chris guess who just happens to come into the office...CHUCK AND PATRICK!!! I was over the moon when I finally got to see them because it was a week since I'd seen both of them. I'd talked to Chuck Chuck ended up stealing my ring. (The one that I wear on my left ring finger) He said that he's gonna wear it until the end of the campaign. I said if he loses it that I'll windmill kick him in the face.

So after I sadly, had to leave my boys Ryan and I got home to finally sleep and get ready for today. We were an hour behind in our "sleep schedule" and I was ready to get to bed...which ended up with Ryan in his room slicing his finger open because he broke a glass...OW! Luckily he's ok, but he says his finger still hurts. :(

Now I'm doing the hide out in Matt's office, so I don't have to do anything right now. I've been trying to write on my blog for 2 days now. Hopefully in 5 days there will something great to report...like that we won!!! *fingers crossed*.

Last Day

It's my last day in Maine and I'm sad. I've had a fun time being here and meeting new people. I've made so many new friends that I don't know what to do with myself. Of course I'll be in contact with everyone when I can, but I don't want to leave. Thanks to facebook I can stay in close contact with everyone when we're all done with the campaign.

But the two people I'll miss most while I'm in CA are Chuck and Patrick. As mom knows they love me and totally think I'm adorable. Since getting on the paid canvassing team I don't get to see them during the day which always makes me sad. But then we get to go out at night, which is always fun. I can't wait to get to hang out with them when we're back in CA. We're already planning on going to Angel games next year. (Side note: Come on Angels beat those damn Yankees!)

So right now I'm waiting to make sure I'm not doing anything tonight, which really is what I've been doing all day. Duncan doesn't need my help because he's got like five other ladies working on the phone calls. I happy, but at the same time bored because I want to do something. I guess I could check to see if there's any data that could be done.

Oh I almost forgot about my phone bank last night. It was really fun. Probably because I got to spend time with Ryan. :) He's so nice to me. I must say that phone banking was interesting. I felt like a telemarketer in my own little cubical and head set. i even had a lady tell me I was cute on the phone. Probably because I sound like a little kid when I'm on the phone, but hey that was nice of her to say.

All in all the in Maine has been fun and when I get home it's gonna be depressing without seeing my boys and everyone everyday.

Bite Hard

Ok, so that title comes from a song by Franz Fredinand. I couldn't think of a title, so I use the song I was listening to.

So today was pretty much the same without Ryan. :( I was texting him throughout the day though, so it was all good. Here's a picture of him.


He's just so cute and nice...ok I talked him yesterday, so there's nothing much to say.

Last night I got to go out with Chuck and Patrick...like the past two nights. We went to dinner at our favorite place, Burger King, and then went out to put signs up. THey do the sign putting up. I sit in the car. I don't like to go out at night.

Now I get to go hang with Ryan and phonebank. Later Gator!

Weekend and Monday

The weekend was filled with mostly nothing. It was weird because usually we're like "Where'd the weekend go?" But this weekend it was more, "When's the weekend going to end?" At least for me.

Friday night I got to go with the campus recruitment team to watch Milk at USM. I got to watch the movie, which is always fun and then we did a Q&A, which wasn't much of anything because people left right after the teacher who was doing it asked if anyone had any questions. The coolest part is that we have 5 original posters from the movie and I'm getting one!

Saturday and Sunday were slow days of sitting in Matt's office and doing nothing. We get some new volunteer vacationers. There's a million people in the office now...ok not really, but there are ALOT more people here now then there was last week. One of them, Kendal, is my new friend. He's from Venezuela and lives in New York. And he's starting to fill that void of Chuck and Patrick not being in the office since they are now on the paid canvassing team.

Today though I met Ryan...dreamy, dreamy Ryan. So sweet and we were rocking out to Mika while we were talking to people on the phone. He said that I can stay with him. I'm trying to get Ryan and Andy (not Ben) together...no luck so far. I'm facebook chatting with Andy right now. He's really nice and I'm trying to come off "the list".

It's the Thought that counts

So while I have some free time right now, here's the blog for the day. I've been doing calls again, like everyday this week, for Duncan. Not much going on in the way of that. Lots of people don't pick up the phone, so it's making Duncan mad.

Now for the fun stuff that happens when I'm in Matt's office. Molly and I have taken to messing with Matt. While he's away we do things to his office. This all started on Wednesday.

We were sitting in his office while Matt was out and about in the main office, so we took his sandals and hide them in a box in his office. It was a late night for Molly and I so we got to see Matt look for his sandals. He couldn't find them, so he went around the office looking for them. Molly and I took them out of the box and put them back under his desk before he came back. He came back in and looked under his desk and was like, "Oh, they've been here the whole time." We were like, "Oh, ok." He left and we started laughing as soon as he was gone.

Yesterday, we took his two groom rubber duckies and put in Jenn's office and we took her two bride rubber duckies and put them in his office. Jenn got her ducks while we were out, but was still holding hostage to one of Matt's ducks. I got it while she wasn't looking and gave it back to him. Molly and I were playing it cool while Jenn was trying to get Matt to confess that he was the one who switched the ducks.

So now today's joke was with the picture from yesterday. Matt's moving, so he hasn't been in the office all day...well except for those like 3 seconds he was here then left again. Anyway, I printed out the picture that I took of him when he was sleeping in the car and put it up on the wall over his computer. I put a little thought bubble over his head and it says "Mmm...KFC." Hopefully he'll be back some time today so he can see it. He'll know it was me, but hey what can I say...I love messing with him.

Sleepy Town

I was in Lewiston pretty much all day at bates College. Nice college, but I don't want to back anytime soon. Now I'm sitting in the office while Duncan and couple boys call people for canvassing and phone banking.

So my time at Bates was spent trying to get the students to go out and vote early. The great thing about Maine and voting is that you can register and vote the same day. Also that you can do an absentee ballot for any reason. Another way to go vote is to go in person to the town hall. You go in vote and leave. Then there's election day where you go to your polling place blah, blah...

Anyway we were trying to get the students to get out and vote. We only got 11 people to go today, but about 170 of them will be with us on Tuesday...I doubt that many will show up.

So on the way home Matt fell alseep. Here's the picture:



All in all it was quite a day. I'm about to fall asleep myself.

Today's Wednesday yeah?

So I've officially not been able to remember what day of the week it is anymore. I've only been going by the count down on the wall as what day it is. So today it's 20 days until election day!!! So really if it's Thursday tomorrow I have no clue.

Today was pretty much the same as yesterday. Calling people and helping Duncan out. We had three other guys helping us so I wasn't on the phone all day like I was yesterday. I was more of just supervising over the others, which I was more then happy to do. My BIG task for the day was that Duncan was gone for about an hour and half and he had me in charge of the conformation call team. Yes, me. Luckily it was quite easy and I made sure to ask him as many questions as I could before he left.

Also today I got to see my California boys, Patrick and Chuck, who were doing more IPVR. (If you can't remember what that is, look it up in yesterday's blog.) Anyway I found out that Chuck is a dental student at USC and knew my orthodontist! Who knew?! I found this out from having to call him a million times for Shaun because Shaun needed some campaign cell phones to be taken to Gorham for Duncan and he wanted Patrick and Chuck to take them there. Unfortunately they never picked up so I had to get someone else to take them.

Right now we have a bunch of house and senate people from Maine outside in the big part of the office making calls to get people to donate to the campaign. It's crazy! They're rocking it though. I've been sitting in Matt's office for a couple of hours so I don't know how much money they have, but I know they're making lots of calls and getting lots of money.

So now I much so back to make calls for Duncan. Until day 19 before election day, this is Ashley...xoxo

Duncan's Assistant

Yes, that's right, I've become Duncan's call bitch today. Ok the nicer way of saying that is Duncan's assistant for the day. I just think bitch is so much better. So basically my job is to call people all day to confirm that they'll be with us today or tomorrow at our phone banks. Luckily we got a couple more people to help us because my voice is giving out.

So really not much to say today except that I've been on the phone ALL DAY and have been trying to make Duncan's life easier. I've even trained a couple of people for him today because I'm now his assistant. But I must say I'm not complaining because I think he's totally cute and I like working with him. I think I might have to break up with Matt and be with Duncan full time for the rest of the time I'm here.

Also another thing I'm trying to do is get back here so that I can help out some more. I love it here and I've some really great friends here. Plus my boys, Chuck and Patrick, will be road tripping back to California when this is over. So mom, can I come back??? Love you!

I guess that's all for now. Not much else going on.

Manic Monday

Another day, another blog.

So today we were late to the morning meeting. Luckily, Dan wasn't upset and he carried on along with what we were doing. It was a weird day as Matt wasn't here for pretty much the whole day and we were on our own.


Matt got here while I was doing something for baby bear aka Evan. I was putting together packets for him and Matt just walked in like he wasn't late at all. I've been giving him a hard time since he came in. :)


The good part about him not being here was the fact I got to hang with the straight boy, Duncan, for the day. I made calls(!) to people for the morning. I even got a guy to donate some money. My first donation! I've also got Duncan's number memorized since I was given it to people all day.

Another thing that happened actually last night, but I didn't write about it is I've been adopted. Julie is now my mom, Miguel is my dad, and Shaun is my uncle on Julie's side. So now I've got new moms (Julie and her wife Melissa) and two new dads (Miguel and his husband Robert). Plus I'm getting "married" to Chuck from the Inland Empire. Now that's big gay family!

All in all I haven't had a big day, but it's been a fun one.

Weekend Fun.

This is really Sunday night, but I finished what I needed to do so I can write and have this done by Monday morning.

This weekend has been fun...kind of. Saturday was not a fun day until the afternoon.

Friday night was our dinner with Michael and Bill, who are the sweetest couple. I thought they were totally sweet and had great senses of humor. I being the youngest one had the best time because they don't expend me to know much, but since I've got my "two cents" I could talk it up with them. The best part of dinner was getting to sit next to Matt(!) and because it was such a small booth we were pretty much sitting on each other.

So Saturday they had a group of us (Molly, Julie, (Super) Alice, Johann, Gregory, and me) go to Pikes Island. It's like Catalina basically, but for Maine. We took a ferry out to the Island about 10AM. When we got there, there were 6 of us canvassing. (Really door knocking for people on our list.) I was sent with Molly. Ok, fine with that. Until the dreaded walk...I hated walking around the Island because of 1) the hills, 2) you couldn't find the houses on the list, and 3) the roads weren't marked. So I did it until about 1PM. By then I had blisters on my feet and was not wanting to go out by myself on the island to find these random, numberless houses. So Molly let me go back to the ferry terminal and wait for the rest of the group to get there. We left the island at 2:45 and got back to the office around 4. We had stopped for food first because we were starving.

I so am not going canvassing next week. I didn't have a good time and doing it again might actually kill me. Anyway I don't have to do it again anyway because Jenn told me I don't have to. :D

Today...Sunday was a slow day as we had a group of new people coming in and they had an orientation. There are a few people from CA here and I love them already. Chuck and Patrick are from the Inland Empire and totally cute. I already told Chuck I'm going to marry him. They are really cute and I love them to death already. I'll be sad when I have to leave them, but I'll try to keep in contact with them when this is all over.

All in all the weekend was fun. I can't wait for this weeks adventures.

Data, Data, Data

I've been doing Data all. day. long. It's been a lot of work, but it has to get done. I'm sitting here waiting for our canvessing training. I get to go to Pikes Island tomorrow to go "door knocking" (canvessing).

I got to talk to Dan last night and he said that I could go up to Augusta, ME (not Georgia) and help them do stuff at the college there. It would mean that I would get new housing and I wouldn't be with the people in Portand anymore. Today I haven't heard anything, so I don't know if I'll be moving or not. We'll just to wait and see.

Tonight I get to go out to dinner with Julie, Molly, Matt, Bill and Michael. Bill writes for Daily Kos, a online news blog, that Julie reads, so she started talking to him and well now we get to go to dinner. Here's a link to his blog from yesterday: http://bill-in-portland-maine.dailykos.com/

We also started a little book for everyone to put their info in so we can all keep in contact after we're done here. I've alrady written in it and have put a list of random things around the office. Here's the list.

1) Matt's office was freezing (ALL the time)
2) Dan's a little bit country (he has the shirt to prove it)
3) Brandon is a little bit rock 'n' roll.
4) Evan and I have the same shoes.
5) There was always apples. (And other fun food)
6) Flips charts are fun.
7) Duncan what's the weather?
8) Orange is NO ones color...except for Patrick.
9) Alice can get 20 people to sign up to help with the campaign, while you can only get maybe 5.

There will be more added to the list as the days go on, but for now that's all. I think that's it for now have a great weekend.

Team SoPo!

Greetings from Maine. I hope everything is well in the merry land of oz...oh wait wrong place. I meant CA.

Well I've been here for 3 days now and it's been raining, windy, cold, windy, cold...and cold. Well I guess I can't complain too much, it's only really cold because of the wind. Lots of wind. Other then that I can't be mad since I'm in doors most days and I've made friends with a few people.

My first day for the campaign was yesterday where I ended up getting lost in the rain and had to call the lady, Ariel, to come get me. I was so embarrassed, but I made it to the office in one piece, even if I was a little wet and my uggs looked out of place. Everyone was wearing regular shoes and jackets, while I was in a thermal, t-shirt, 2 jackets, gloves, and uggs. I was embarrassed by that too. Anyway, there were 2 other people, Julie and Molly, who were new too. We went to an orientation about the campaign and Maine, then we got to work.

For about an 1 1/2 we did data entry, which was easy and we got alot done. They let us go to lunch, which was an adventure. Molly and I were trying to find a place to eat on the map they gave us, but we ended up at some other place that had coffee and lunch. Lunch wasn't good. I got a lamb and rice plate, yet they put ginger in the rice (gross) and curry(?) powder on the lamb and rice. I didn't eat much, so I was really hungry by dinner time.

After Lunch we met with our team leader, Matt, to talk about what we'd be doing with him. He's doing satellite phone banks. This means that you and friends/family can help us call Maine voters from home. We've been in contact with a few organizations and colleges to help our. Yale and Harvard have a competition going to see how many people they can get to help out.

I was grabbed from Matt last night to help out with a "dorm storm". We went to one of the colleges in Portland to get people to sign up to help us out with phone banking in Portland. We got held up in the beginning by an RA who was on our side, but she had word from the "higher ups" that we weren't allowed to go in the dorm hall. Make a long story short, we ended up getting into the dorm and signing up 14 people to help out. I found out after we did the "dorm storm" that it was the first time they had done it, so we talked about what to do next time and how to make it better. I had fun...and mom I drove with a leader of the campus campaign, so no worries that I was randomly in cars with people...We saw a sign on the way back that said "So Portland" which really means South Portland, but I could just see some valley girl in CA going "That's SO Portland."

After we closed the office with a night meeting (they have them every night) about 15 of us went to J's Oyster bar. They let us go there and have lobster. I didn't have any since I didn't want to waste $24 on some lobster. I had a blast and got to sit next to one of the head guys, Dan. He reminded me of Dr. Draper, so that was nice to get to talk to him.

Today has been uneventful. I'm just sitting here waiting to do something. Matt has left to do...well I don't know, but he went to do something and they stole me earlier this morning to help Evan, who has the same dog shoes (the slip on ones) that I do! According to him we're the coolest people here.