Yesterday

5:58 AM: Awakened by four-year-old daughter, remember it’s “Super Tuesday.”

8:24 AM: Arrive at my new polling place, Peace Lutheran Church -- the name and image a harbinger of good luck? Yes, yes, I think so.

8:34 AM: My ballot is cast, and I walk out with my “I Voted” sticker and ballot stub. Take a long, deep breath.

8:42 AM: Read Ellie’s post, Election Day, Redux, and the comments, and especially enjoy Colleen’s. Re-read Jacquie’s post from Monday, The Big O. Take another deep breath and continue to feel the election day anticipation growing.

9:35 AM: Gather in the kitchen at work for an impromptu election-day breakfast:

Thank you, Jenny!

10:24 AM - 4:00 PM Try to concentrate on work. Find myself reading online news articles and looking at red and blue charts and diagrams of the good ol’ US of A. Try to figure out various ways to add up to 270.

Think about how my vote in California does not really count as much as my vote would in, let’s say, Ohio or Florida. Have a moment of angst, but remember that I’m also voting on a very important and historic proposition, Proposition 8. On which, of course, I voted NO. The passage of Prop 8 would eliminate the fundamental right for same-sex couples to marry.

And here’s the really scary thing about it: according to the ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City, Utah, Mormon donations as of October 27, 2008, were an estimated $19 million. The Ashton contribution [a single million dollar donation] brings total Mormon donations to Prop 8 to an astonishing $20 million.

Wtf? You don’t even live here you intolerant assholes! Go away. Leave us alone.

I decide to read some more articles on this subject. I especially enjoy, "Will My Marriage Last?"

It makes me think of two recent events: (1) the wedding of some friends this past weekend, who, just like the author of the above story, got married before November 4, in case the bad guys win.

Congratulations, guys!

(2) the day a few weeks ago I was stopped at a light with my boyfriend and there was a group of young men dressed in suits standing on the corner with large signs displaying “Honk if you believe in traditional marriage.” (Mormons, perhaps??). A lot of people were honking, which was starting to make me feel sick, when my boyfriend looked at me and said, “Too bad you aren’t a guy so we could get out of the car and start making out on the hood.” Too bad indeed.

4:00 - 6:30 PM Escape to the yoga studio where I’m able to leave election day anxiety and anticipation behind for a few hours. It’s a tough class, and I struggle to survive – there’s no time to be nervous about Obama, or gay marriage, or the San Diego beach booze ban, or anything else.

6:45 PM Arrive at my boyfriend's house to find out that it’s essentially over, Obama has done it. He's going to be our next president. Open a celebratory beer.

8:19 PM (or there about) NBC calls the election. It's official, Barack Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States. Take another deep breath, and smile.

9:14 PM Turn off the TV, having just heard Obama’s acceptance speech. What a day. As cliché as it sounds, I’m hopeful. I know Obama is just a man. He’s not going to save us, he's not going to be able to fix everything that is broken in this nation of ours, but I do think he’s going to move us in the right direction, and I do think he’s the right man for the job at this particular point in time. Let's face it, the whole world is breathing a collective sigh of relief. Why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn't you?