Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Re-election Day!



9:53 am

Just back from a run, sweaty and good-sore. Mallory fell asleep in the jogging stroller. Waiting for M to swing by on a break from work so we can all head to the polls together. Feeling even more excited than I was on Halloween. Today marks the end of Mitt Romney as someone I should know or care about. Now that's a treat.

12:25 pm

Just back from voting, where I was delighted to see Roseanne Barr and Cindy Sheehan on the ballot for the Peace and Freedom Party :) After casting our votes, M and I had sandwiches at the Village Bakery and then walked home in the lovely hot sunshine. I realized that this is the fourth election I've voted in, my first time being the soul-crushing "defeat" of Al Gore in 2000. If Obama's win four years ago helped to redeem that travesty of democracy, then this year will surely help redeem Bush's reelection in 2004.

5:34 pm

Can't believe it's dark out already! Our jack-o-lanterns are glowing one final time and the champagne is chilling. I just interviewed Terri and Mark Stark, who own five outstanding restaurants in the county and who are two of the nicest folks I've talked to in awhile. Instead of bowing down to the almighty customer, they are primarily committed to taking care of their staff. Instead of recruiting big-name chefs, they promote from within. Home now, we eagerly await news of Ohio and Florida.

7:45 pm

M is glued to the TV, I'm working on an article at my desk, and Mallory is ping-ponging between us. Our bellies are full of gold beets and pasta and our hearts are full of hope. All signs point to Obama! Elizabeth Warren won the Senate seat in Massachusetts!

9:32 pm

Four years ago M and I were a newly-hatched couple, cheering Obama's victory at his house in Sebastopol. Tonight we are two years married with an eight-month old daughter, who is now fast asleep as we celebrate with champagne, rum balls, ice cream, and leftover Halloween candy. Obama will be president until Mallory is practically in kindergarten. I love it!

11:12 pm

We're up later than usual, elated at the prospect of four more years in which, at the very least, we have a president who is not committed to protecting the super-rich and stripping away the rights of everyone who is not white, male, straight, and privileged. The crowd at Romney headquarters shows mostly pasty men in suits, pudgy and joyless. At Obama headquarters there are people of all ages, races, styles, and identities. In their faces I see the future of our country, and it's beautiful.