Participating on November 4 -- and Beyond

Tomorrow's the big day, like Christmas and Armegeddon all wrapped together. I have friends on both sides of the aisle so obsessed with the election that they are watching polls like they are horse races, as if the numbers are going to move in real time as they're watching!

But as much as tomorrow feels like the end, like the end of baseball after the last inning of the World Series, it's actually a beginning of life after November 4. Because on Wednesday we're still going to have exams to take and deadlines to meet and bills to pay -- and we'll still be living in a world where there are a lot of people who need our help.

So, here's what I suggest for this week (in addition to Kari's pointers from yesterday):

1.  Vote on Tuesday (if you haven't already). First check your polling place to make sure it didn't move by going to Vote 411's polling place finder, a website run by the League of Women Voters.

2.  Tweet Your Vote using the hashtag #votereport to tell the world whether everything went fine at your polling place or if you had a long wait or machines were broken or the registration system wasn't working. And then go to TwitterVoteReport to see the cool maps of how everyone else's vote went.

3.  Watch the results. Check out Social Median on the Washington Post side that compiles lots of conversations happening on the Web about the election. Or lighten up and bide your time by watching the funniest highlights of this long (long!) campaign season at 2008 Election Humor. Have a results party, and for gosh sakes, don't cry if your side loses -- at least not in front of other people!

4.  And then, on Wednesday, reconnect with world by considering joining the 29-Day Challenge. My friend, the blogger Britt Bravo, told me about this challenge as she is embarking on her second round. Basically, participants give things away to people and organizations who need it for 29 straight days. It's simple, makes you feel good, and helps other people -- the perfect antidote for the multi-billion dollar election. If you don't have money to give this holiday season, please consider doing the 29 Day Challenge.

Any other ideas? What are you planning to do?