Even where the United States is held in special contempt, like here in this benighted Palestinian coastal strip, the “glorious epic of Barack Obama,” as the leftist French editor Jean Daniels calls it, makes America — the idea as much as the actual place — stand again, perhaps only fleetingly, for limitless possibility. NT Times.
Pygmy and I had a beer after swimming (for only 20 minutes) tonight. She didn't make it out last night to all the celebratory events - so we had to have our own celebration. And there were so many things to celebrate: our candidate winning, the first African American president, our candidate winning, a smart, optimist leader who has our attention, a world who wants to get to know him better, our candidate winning, hope, faith and inspiration restored to a people. We had lots to celebrate.
Today, the whole day, everyone seemed to be a little happier. At my grocery store, and I kid you not, every since stocker said, "Hi! How are are?" .A little old man followed me out the store and tugged on my jacket and said in his Norwegian (Ballard) accent "Congratulations!" I told him how I was so very happy and I had bought celebratory (post election hangover) donuts to take into to work . He told me how happy he was for us.
At work we all talked about where we were, if we ended up being a part of the group partying in the streets in Capital Hill (I was in Capital Hill but missed it - it was awesome), what we thoughts of the issues and other ballot initiatives. Where where you when Ohio was declared? What did you think of Virginia... it happened so quickly...Where you when... did you hear his speech?
I was telling one of my colleagues about all of the world leaders congratulating Obama and wanting to meet with him and work with him on all of the problems in the world. She said like a 5 year old brat, "It's my turn to play with Barack!" Which made me laugh. Of course, who isn't going to want his attention. The shiny new president - with all of his ideas and hopefullness. Isn't it like the sun is shining and rising after such a long gloomy time (as my friend Carol said, an 8 yeard depress). Isn't it amazing how hopeful we are? It's it amazing how hopeful everyone else is for us?
I left the bar last night - drunk - waiving an 18" American flag that I took from the bar decorations. I was so proud (and drunk) to be anAmerican. I was waiving it around, happy, so happy, cars were beeping at me as we walked around the city. I went into a little convenient store and the owner, Lebanese or Indian, I don't remember, asked me if he could have my flag. And I asked him if he voted and he showed me his sticker. And I gave him the flag. And I was really happy - Heidi and I talked about this - about those proud moments of being an American. And how maybe they're going to come back to us in waves. We're going to own more of those moments.
I think I'm just going to keep celebrating all week. I plan go to bed drunk (not from alcohol) every night, and live out this celebration just a little longer.
WOOT.
Oh, the Onion, was hilarious. As usual.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nation_finally_shitty_enough_to
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