Obama makes me feel like being a good person

Today I visited my friend Rachel and her tiny new baby, Hazel.  And of course we talked about breast feeding and sleep deprivation and the horror that is using a breast pump.  But we also talked about our dear Prez Elect (if you are a fetishist like me, look here for great photos of the MAN).  She watched the election returns from her lofty perch above the city with her hubby and her new babe.  And as she looked down upon San Francisco and Golden Gate Park (her view is incredible) after Obama won, she said she imagined troops of Americans, dressed in overalls and getting to work like something out of a Social Realism mural.  Maybe there would be oxen.

And the funny thing is, I have been having the same exact vision.  During Obama's acceptance speech I was so desperate to do my part I would have grabbed a shovel and started to dig if only someone would have given me a project.  Then, just today, I got an email from my aunt expressing her need to be of service.  "I feel like volunteering for something!  Teaching school in Appalachia?"  she wrote.  

The point is, this president has got us pumped!  Never in my lifetime has a public figure asked the citizens to be of service. Now, we just need to harness all this energy and goodwill and fix some shit.  Maybe we can start here.  Or here.  Or even here.  We can all be community organizers.

Oh my God.  Oh my God.  Oh my God. This is better. Much better.

Here is the text of my 65-year-old father's message to me tonight.  He's in Vermont, three hours ahead:

"Hi Sam. It's your dad. It's whatever time.  Sometime after midnight on a very historic evening.  I'm very happy.  I just, I feel like--I know you are too--so I just wanted to say hi and say the world got to be a better place tonight.  Anyway, I love you and I'll talk to you soon.  Bye."

Amen.  Man, am I ready for this.  Hallelujah.  

A decade of love. Oh, and go VOTE!

Smart dogs vote for Obama

I have never done anything for ten years.  I've never lived in any one house that long, or had a job that long, or been at a school that long, or worked on a project that long.  Until today. On November 4, 1998 me and the Mister went on our first date.  There was broiled salmon at Lulu, Irish whiskey at the long-gone Irish bar around the corner from my old apartment.  And there were the inevitable and numerous cups of tea while we sat on the futon couch waiting to see if we might kiss.  We did.

So now I've been in love for a decade.  Not always googly-eyed or palpitating, but always, always grateful.  

Happy anniversary, Mister

The sweetness I feel on this day is matched only by the immense excitement I feel about the election.  I am jumping out of my skin!  So, if you haven't already, please go vote.  Make me happy.  See you at the party, America.  Woo hoo!

Oh, and this is so great.  Funny.  Funny.  Funny. I will miss the election humor.

cute kids, orange things, and clown faces

Happy Monday (God, I hope so)

It's been a sopping wet, sniping, grouchy few days.  Everyone, parents and children alike, acting like brats.  All-in-all kind of bleak.

But here are a few things that made me laugh despite my curdled mood and general snarlishness.

1.) Today, the day after my mother's I'm-65-and-on-Medicare birthday party, we were hanging out with the totally exhausted and strung out twins and they decided it was really fun to unzip my mom's cardigan.  Totally spontaneously my mom decided to do this sad clown face as they unzipped.  Since my kids are distressingly concerned with making people happy, they quickly set to work zipping her sweater back up, at which point she put on this weird, creepy-clown exaggerated grin.  They did this over and over.  Unzip, clown frown.  Zip-back-up, grotesque weirdo clown smile.  She looked just like one of those velvet painting clowns with the five-o'clock shadow.  The kids were going crazy.  I was weeping with laughter.  As I write this I feel that it's possible that I was a little more hung-over today  than I originally thought. 

2.) My kids singing happy birthday to my mom.

3.) My friend Lisa's new blog about orange, which, let's face it, is a really nice color. 

4.) Obama's chances on Tuesday.

5.) Oh, and I got an email from some guy at a TV production company in LA asking me if he might recommend me as an on-air expert for their wedding blooper show.  So, you know, Mary Hart, look out.

6.) This butterfly and bumble bee.