I was mistaken about the floor situation. The lineloum is still not down. Yesterday they put some kind of filler in all the cracks and left a thin layer of the stuff over the entire floor. I guess that means it will happen today, but I'm not going to say so definitively. Oh, well, what's my hurry, anyway? It's not like the painter will be ready by next week. SIGH.

Lopez, Hernandez, Rodriguez, Gomez, Hinojosa - what do these names all have in common? Yup, you guessed it - they're all Hispanic. Were you aware that the debate over redistricting in Texas is STILL going? We still don't have a date for our primary elections to take place. And I'll tell you what that has to do with Hispanic last names. Here's part of an email that came from the TexasGOP.org:

The Latino Redistricting Task Force, which represents a number of the Latino groups, has indicated that they would not object to much of the proposed map, but they disagree over House District 144 (currently represented by Representative Ken Legler). The Attorney General's map draws that district with 48% registered voters with Spanish surnames. The Latino Redistricting Task Force would not accept any lines for HD 144 that do not have at least 50% of registration of Spanish surnames.

What?!? Were you aware that your LAST NAME has ANYTHING to do with what voter district you should be put in??!! I mean, I'm sure the racism happens on both sides, but that's just blatant. It's insane. And it's what our government is up to. Hey, sure, the Latino population should have a voice, and district lines shouldn't be drawn so that their voice is stifled, but does that mean that the lines should be drawn so that their voice is amplified?

I'm not shocked by this, and I was aware of it already, but for some reason today it just got to me. Chaps my hide. Busts my chops. It looks like I'll be working our local elections in May now instead of April (or even March when it was supposed to happen). Look at all the precincts in the picture. I'm the precinct chairperson for just one of those. Each precinct then will need a clerk or two to help with the elections. The courts are causing a lot of people to have to keep their calendars open so the judges can yack back and forth about how many people named Juan and Jose and Julio and Esteban live in a certain area.