The Empire Strikes Barack

{Update on May 6, 2008 at 9:55 p.m. CDT...Looks like The Force may be with Barack after all! Stay tuned!}

I have no idea who made this, but I tip my beret to Molly at the RedMolly Picayune-Democrat for letting me find it (and for the post title, too)!

Some Days are Odder Than Others (Sorry, Morrissey).

I need to write every day, and I've been castigating myself about not doing so as my first blogiversary approaches.  "What is so different?" I ask myself. "What happened to those evenings when, after Small Child's bedtime, I'd settle in with a glass of wine and craft petite essays? You are a lazy slacker, Blue."

Maybe it's the Swiss cheese-like holes left in my brain by the departing estrogen (yeah, I know estrogen doesn't live there, but it makes a good image and I'm stickin' with it. What lovely grottoes will remain to be filled with....what?), but I'm only now twigging to the facts.  I've got a freaking job.

Students. Papers. Tests. Preparation. And no lessening of other responsibilities, although I did dump the PTA President gig. Those of you who know me and who were unaware of my former title may now stop your uproarious laughter.  Shame on you.

So I'm going to offer you two little lists today, as that's about all the thought I can marshal.

I. Things I Did Today That Don't Sound As if They Were Done By the Same Person

a. Attended the County Democratic Convention as an alternate Obama delegate.

b. Prepared 9 bags of healthy snacks  for Small Child's soccer team and attended the game.

c. Watched a downloaded episode of South Park.

II. Things I'd Like To Do When I Finish Teaching This Term

a. Read at least one book a week (and I mean a physical book, not an audiobook) from my "as yet unread" shelf.

b. Make some small piece of visual art every two weeks.

c. Write, in longhand, one letter a month.

d. Figure out why Small Child does not adore reading.

e. Head west for the summer.

If you have anything you'd like me to write about, please let me know.  The well is pretty dry.

 

Dreams

Today, I went to a house party for Barack Obama. We drove together to the county courthouse to "meet at the poll" and go en masse for early voting. I'm sure you know that Texas has been a "red" state since the so-called "Reagan Revolution" of 1980, although the seeds of change had been planted long before that (in my opinion, on a November day in 1963).

It was an amazing feeling to stand with a group of people, from 18 to silver-haired, black and white and in-between, on the courthouse lawn with signs. As you might expect, we drew some looks (and a few friendly honks). As one participant said, "At least they're not throwing things."

The poll workers, more accustomed to church groups busing large groups in for early voting on the Republican side, seemed a bit taken aback by all the folks in the Democrat line.

At the house party, a classmate of Small Child's was busy making a poster. She is African-American. Her father has previously identified himself as a Republican. Her sign said it all. I wish I'd photographed it. She'd drawn pictures (in chronological order..these kids have some good teachers!) of Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Sen. Obama. Her poster read, "Vote for Barack Obama. He Will Be a Hero."

Couldn't have said it better myself.