Merry Election Day...

It's finally here. What we've all been waiting for hopeful anxiety for months (or if you are crazy like me the last 3 years). Election Day has finally arrived and I couldn't be happier.

Everyone I know, all very rational, realistic people, have been telling me they are nervous and worried about the election. Most people seem to think there is a good chance of Bush narrowly pulling out the victor or getting the whole thing tied up again in courts for another month. These are all very well-placed concerns.

Maybe I'm crazy though because I can't seem to come down from this awesome high. The country gets to vote today, and regardless of the result, millions of people will stand up and be heard. And it looks like it will be record numbers of citizens speaking their minds today.

I got up bright and early. I actually woke up at 5AM and could not get back to sleep for a while because of the excitement. It felt like Christmas morning. Stephen and I got ready together to go to the polls. I put on a fancy dress shirt and my blazer. My boyfriend thinks I'm a geek, but I wanted to dress up for democracy.

We left the house and went to get a cup of coffee before heading to the voting booth located exactly 45 second from our doorstep. I know it's corny, but I think voting with your boyfriend is one of the most romantic things you can do together. The little old ladies working the polls were in great spirits. We waited on a line for about 40 minutes, partially due to the cute ladies constantly repositioning their table layout and moving the lines around. There were people here from all walks of life, all races, all age groups. I know it is not half of what people will be going through in PA or OH or FL today, but standing in line, even for a brief wait, gave me a sense of importance I was afraid I might miss out on. It was the most legitimate wait I have ever endured and I smiled the whole time.

On my way into work, I purchased victory donuts for everyone who voted (or at least promised to vote). Since I work with only 7 other well-educated, politically savvy people in a non-profit organization, I did not have to exclude anyone from the donut eating bonanza.

For lunch I had a burger with American cheese and Heinz ketchup. Can't get much more American than that. It tasted of democracy. Yum.

I'm looking forward to staying up all night screaming at Tim Russett and that obnoxious white board of his he loves to trout out as if he alone understands the electoral college and only through his unreadable sketchy scrawl will we understand the outcome he has uniquely divined for the nation. I can't wait to glare at Bill Schneider when he talks about how cell phones don't affect polls because he's still living in 1965. I will rejoice when Bush is forced to give his concession speech and try to put a good face on this long national nightmare.

It ends tonight. And perhaps my hope of a final outcome tonight is naive. But I just can't sit still. It's all on the line and I've never been more pumped. Civics is my religion. And it's Election Day is my Christmas.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!