I have been dying to blog since yesterday but this is the first opportunity I've had to sit at my laptop since I voted yesterday. I'm ECSTATIC and feel like an Obamaniac.
Let's re-cap:
11/4/08: I woke up at 5am, was at the poll at 6:05am, still dark outside. I was #39 in line. I people watched/heard for 15 minutes before it was light enough for me to read my book. The couple behind me looked to be in their 60's and had a 20-something year old daughter. The mother complained about the polls taking too long to open. The daughter said, "mom, you don't even know what you're voting for" to which the father replied, "but she IS voting and that's what counts". I thought "oh, my". While I respect their commitment to fulfill their civic duty by being at the polls so early, it angers me that people think filling in a circle in a ballot is what counts without educating themselves on the choices.
Once the polls opened and I got my ballot, I was overwhelmed with emotion as I bubbled in the circle for Obama/Biden. As I entered my ballot into the voting "ATM" machine, I wondered how my vote would be counted. I really wish I would get a receipt confirming my vote.
For the rest of the day, I was glued to cnn.com and newyorktimes.com hoping they would have exit polls stats. They didn't. I swear my heart rate/blood pressure was slightly high all day long. I wanted to believe that Obama would win but quite honestly I didn't want to underestimate the number of stupid people in our state and country. I did that 4 years ago.
I came home around 9pm after teaching at Valencia-where I lectured Ch.12 Economics/Politics, how fitting-and glued myself to CNN (Anderson Cooper, of course). I was SO tired but I stayed up until a little after they called Ohio for Obama. Then I knew I could sleep because Obama had it. Nick tried to wake me up for the victory speech but I was knocked out. I slept like a baby and had sweet dreams all night long- Obama's victory!
11/5/08: I woke up smiling and felt a sense of peace. My son will be born in an Obama administration. I have never considered myself a patriotic person. I have not recited the pledge of allegiance in years. I am still very mad about the replacement of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" with "God Bless America" in the 7th inning stretch of baseball games (Harry Carey would not have allowed that). However, today I woke up singing "God Bless America" in my head. Today, I feel proud to be an American. I feel validated. I feel hopeful.
On my way to work, I heard a voicemail that my mom had left me on my cell phone last night. In it, she said in a weeping voice "It's 11pm and they announced Obama as our next President......YES!!!". I could hear the emotion and tears in her words. Tears came down my cheeks. I wonder if he truly knows how he has changed our lives already. I will never look at politics/politicians the same way. He has raised the bar. Change is coming.
For the next 4 years, "In Obama I trust".
1 comment:
Steph, that made me tear up! When Josh and I were watching the results come in that night, I said,"Obama, Obama!" Maya, who is just starting to talk, goes, "Bamba, Bamba!" It was so funny! Evey day since then she walks around the house singing that!
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