That's what you marched for

... is what I said to my mom and her friend as they hugged when Barack Obama was announced as this country's newly elected president.

It was an emotional night for many of the people around me, as seen in the video above.



Not long after the historic announcement, we were asked to join hands and Reverend X (I don't remember his name) was going to say a prayer. I happened to be standing next to a big deal county politico, and as we joined hands I said to him "I'm Jewish and may need some guidance in this." He looked at me and said "that makes two of us." So we kind of stood there awkwardly, yet respectfully, as the minister thanked the Holy Father for Obama's victory. Then there was a champagne toast.

Canadian consulate adventure

I should preface this post with the fact that I am a big fan of Canada. I can't exactly pinpoint the origin of my warm feelings for the Great White North... maybe it has something to do with my love of hockey, or fondness for ice wine.

Anyway, I got invited to an election night party at the Canadian Consulate in Boston by a friend who hails from British Columbia. We passed time waiting for the polls (at least those in eastern Canada) to close by enjoying some fine Canadian wine (no ice wine, sadly) and of course, beer (Molson is actually popular with Canadians). Then, like good citizens of any first world country, we gathered around a big screen TV to watch the election results come in.

It was interesting to have a sort of insider's p.o.v. as to how another county's government is formed. I also learned that I can pass for a Canadian. (As long as I stayed sort of quiet and pretended to get jokes about Corner Gas, The Friendly Giant, and the NDP.) It felt kind of odd having to repeat "I'm from the U.S. and I'm a tad confused by your minority parliamentary government. Can you please explain again how your electoral system differs from mine?" But everyone was very polite about my lack of understanding. After all, they're Canadian.

I don't usually blog about politics....

If I were Bristol Palin, I'd be sad and perhaps confused that my mom would rather be campaigning than with me. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know what goes on behind closed doors, and I'm not saying that woman should be at home rather than in the workplace (or the House or the Senate) but if I were 17 and pregnant, I'd probably want my mom by my side.
I feel for the poor girl. Being 17 and pregnant must be hard enough, but to do it on a national stage must make it unbearable. (At least pregnant teen star Jamie Lynn Spears didn't have to worry about hampering her parents political careers.)

Israelis for Obama

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Originally uploaded by LoveLyss

Parking lot of Whole Foods in Cambridge, MA.

The Obama-ites

Let me start this by saying that I have nothing against Barack Obama or his decision to run for president. But I do not like waking up to find leaflets slipped under my door, with more stacked downstairs by the mailboxes. I find them to be a waste of paper (and trees).

There's even a handwritten note on it:
"Sorry we missed you! Please contact us for any info!"

How the enthusiastic Obama-ites even got into my locked apartment building is a mystery. I know my neighbors aren't too fond of strangers wandering the halls. And if the (presumably) harmless Obama-ites can get in, who else can?


Random thought - would the environmentally sensitive Kuchinich crowd hand out leaflets that kill defenseless trees?