Betrayal

I have been decidedly absent from this blog.

Sorry about that. I have been dealing with some stuff (read shit).

I am not sure just how open I am going to be but let's just say that the truce I signed with body has ended and the cease fire is over.

I am being assaulted again.

On an entirely different front this time...

Oh well, I will update more information as soon as I know more.

Until then, send me good wishes.

I am traveling to Florida to eat some Turkey and will be gone from all connections.

So have a great turkey day!

Peace Out.

Brain dump

So much to write about so little time.

I actually came up with a meme.

5 reasons I am a freak.

1. I love musicals
I fell in love at seven when my parents took me to see Annie and have been going strong ever since. I am considering a SIRIUS subscription solely on the basis that they have a 24/hour Broadway channel. Heaven!

2. I love romance novels
This is one of those things that seemed to be a much bigger deal when I first fell in love than it is now. This is a huge genre. I once thought that the romance novel love affair would end once I found real love but it hasn't. And I will add smugly that I can in fact see my own love in all the fantasy and somehow that has made it even better.

3. I love fantasy - books, movies I am not choosy
Lord of the Rings to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If it has an element of paranormal - I am in! I used to play Dungeon and Dragons when I was in elementary school and I loved the imagination involved. I love to suspend cynicism and skepticism for just a while and enjoy the story.


4. Sometimes I don't use a tissue
Ha ha just kidding. That doesn't make me a freak!
right?

5. I love to sing
See #1. My all time long-standing dream is to actually be IN a musical. But it will probably never happen because I think I would actually be greatly disappointed. I prefer to imagine the wonder of the thing. Plus I am at heart a coward.

So I am tagging all (3) of you who read this blog and are looking for something to write about for NABLOBAMA.

Get your freak on!

Setting the tone.

So I didn't watch the election coverage.

Instead my husband and I retreated into our DVR and hid. Did I mention I was terrified?

At approximately 11 o'clock my mother called me screaming.

"Turn on CNN" she said, "He won!"

I hung up with her and turned on Fox instead.

And then I believed her.

I didn't turn the TV off again until just before two am.

I thought both candidates gave excellent speeches.

They both seemed to be reaching over to pull everyone in together. Obama more than McCain, but that is how it should be. He is the one we elected to do the job.

I was not overwhelmed by Obama's speech but I think that was actually his point. I truly believe that he began campaigning to the rest of America with that speech.

And I can't remember when a candidate acknowledged those that didn't vote for him in his acceptance speech.

I know Bush didn't.

So I am glad to be an American.

Proud of the country that made this choice. Opted in to this future.

And I am hopeful that those who made a different choice will look with open minds and understanding toward a future that includes them too.

I am not gloating. And I am not celebrating too loudly.

I did both of those things when my vote helped elect Clinton.

Now I am aware of the other side in a way that I never was before and I know good people who are sad that their candidate will not lead them into tomorrow.

And while I am so glad that my candidate is the one who will be doing this I am willing to do whatever I can to make sure that they understand that my choice included them.

My choice was for them too.

Barak Obama will be the president of these united states come January. He seems to be willing to accept that challenge.

And so am I.

The Teacher of our country

I have been having fun trying to explain exactly what it is that mommy and daddy are so excited about.

And more importantly what the sign is in our front yard.

My four and two year old are very interested in that sign.

So, we told her that there are two men who would like to be the "teacher" of our country. And tried to put it in daycare terms. Barak Obama is Miss Tami and Joe Biden is her assistant teacher, Miss Carrie.

We chose Miss Tami as our example because she is my daughter's teacher and both of my kids love her. My husband and I both think that if Miss Tami asked her, Maya would disappear with her forever. And we wouldn't blame her one bit.

Miss Tami is wonderful.

So Barak Obama is Miss Tami. The teacher of our country. The one who guides your day and answers your questions, etc. He's the guy that mommy and daddy would like to be our next teacher.

And much like on movie night the kids get to pick which movie they would like to watch, mommy and daddy will be picking Mr. Obama as our teacher today.

So this is the question I got today.

"Who is the other movie choice?"

So I explained that he is named John McCain.

And so she asked, "Is he the bad guy?"

My husband quickly said yes. My daughter waited for me while I thought about it.

"No, he is not the bad guy. But Obama is the better guy. The best guy. And that's why mommy and daddy are voting for him. We think he will make the best teacher for our country."

And she said "oh."

And then she said, "Nate and Sammy like him for teacher too."

Nate and Sammy are her classmates and I am friendly with their parents but have never discussed politics with them.

But somehow knowing that they are also for Obama - made my morning.

I hope they are among the many. The majority.

The decision makers.

Or else, in 2012 I am nominating Miss Tami.

On the eve of something...

I have been ignoring the election for the last few days.

And I realized today that it is due to one simple reason.

I
am
terrified.

Down in the depths of my stomach terrified.

I am not sure what I will do if Obama is not the next president.

I didn't realize just how much this means to me.

I very much want to believe that this is the country I live in.

The country that would choose Obama.

A country that would elect change.

A country that actually represents what our fore fathers intended.

Freedom

And Justice

And equality for everyone.

I want this country to be the package we have been promised.

The promise we were given as children.

The victory that my parents fought for and my grandparents bled for.

I don't believe that this election is about race but I do think it is about opportunity. And I do think it is about stepping forward. Stepping toward a tomorrow that is colored with promise and opportunity.

And equal opportunity.

And a chance for a future that is hopeful for everyone.

And as someone of color, I find that this is about race for me. If Obama were who he is, and standing for what he stands for and he were white he would still be my choice.

But he isn't. His skin is the color of my family.

I would love to believe that my brother could be president, that my nephew could be president.

I have been told this. Promised this.

But deep down I knew it wasn't true.

I didn't believe it. Not really.

Obama has made me hope for this.

He represents the promise kept.

Equality and opportunity.

I don't think I wanted to admit how much this meant.

I chose to ignore it.

And now it scares me to my soul.

A people is standing up to be heard.

I pray they are loud enough.


I want us to have the America that Obama promises.

We deserve it.

All of us.