It’s important to be warm

I am so happy. It keeps coming in waves. That said, I am also a realist.

Barack Obama, by his own admission, is imperfect. He has positions I find troubling. He comes to the presidency against a near-impossible situation and he’ll not get it right because I’m not sure it is fully rightable. Still…

I love these things:
he is a grown-up and I long for a grown-up
he is an intellectual and I’m tired of Teh Stupid and especially Teh Fake Stupid
he is a symbol to blacks that cannot be denied and theirs is a community so in need and so deserving of hope after so long
he is a symbol to the world that America isn’t a redneck, rogue state
he will make mistakes but I don’t think I’ll ever feel so ashamed as I have these long recent years
he is deeply, passionately in love with his wife and it shows and it is important for all Americans to have a stable first family, but especially for the black community
by all accounts, he is an excellent and devoted father. his comfort around children is evident in a way I’ve not seen in baby-holding pictures of candidates

There is a vast difference between being disappointed and feeling ashamed. I’m looking forward to that internationally.

There is a vast problem with electing a symbol versus electing a human, but we seem to be graced with a human who can function as a symbol with some degree of humility. Humility is also welcome and wonderful. Same with his calmness. You can’t fake calm and I appreciate that in him.

Last but not least, there are aesthetics.
He ran the most amazingly designed campaign. The value of brand message is evident and this 21 month experiment is a teachable lesson in the power of good design and strong, vibrant, positive messaging. America as a nation lacks this, evidenced anecdotally in my own travels.
He and his family are really beautiful. They take photos well. They are a pleasure to see as they move with grace in the world. This is a subtle thing, but I do believe both Americans and the world notice, even subconsciously, that it makes a surprising difference when the rhetoric, the body language, and the overall aesthetics align to make you *want* to agree, *want* to work harder towards a goal. Bill Clinton had some of this, but let’s all admit, he was a little smarmy about it. Barack is the anti-smarm while retaining all the charm and ease of character.

And it is just plain good that a message of hope is what won the day, ahead of a message of fear. That is a sea change.

Filed by joy at 11:02 am under life
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I can’t wait for this to be over, however, I do enjoy the humor.

Filed by joy at 1:20 pm under politics, visuals
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I need me some humor. Thankful, the internets oblige.

and

Filed by joy at 4:38 pm under politics, visuals
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Because things are not nearly weird enough, in our nightly phone call, Ian opened up with this unbeatable line: “I spent the evening playing Guitar Hero with President Talabani’s doctor”.

What follows that? It’s THE perfect line. I got nothing.

For anyone who doesn’t know, Ian’s doing his research on his dissertation up at the Mayo Clinic throughout this semester. Rochester, MN may not be what you’d call an international hotspot, but seriously, is that not the best line you’ve heard in awhile?

Filed by joy at 12:15 am under life
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I am chilling out today. After far too long of not chilling at all. And look, I found funny!

credit deserved

Filed by joy at 3:38 pm under life
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Singing his song, right up until he notices the camera. Then it is all over.

Filed by joy at 9:14 pm under life
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I knew I didn’t personally like Palin, but this article and others has me angry beyond words. How can anyone actually believe women who’ve been raped should be charged to have their crimes investigated! Basically, this is a woman in power who might as well be Taliban as far as I’m concerned. Misogyny doesn’t have borders.

Filed by joy at 9:51 am under politics
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Microscopic Photography is amazing.

Filed by joy at 9:34 pm under life
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The boy is all about the talking. He plays pretend (often about putting sprinkles on his ice cream) and tells stories. At school pickup today, he put a small empty box on his head, then told me he was a robot. Tonight during the bedtime reading of his I Spy Alphabet book, several of the animals were not animals but were robots. Why does my 2yr old know anything at all about robots? I love it, but really, where did the robot-meme come from?

Filed by joy at 9:14 pm under baby, life
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It happens so rarely to have a perfect (or so nearly so that you might as well slide the nitpicking) day.

We began with not beginning nearly as early as usual. 8:15am is sleeping among the short set, by nearly 2 whole hours! Then really began by meeting up with the cousins’ room down the hotel’s hallway on our annual meet-halfway-family visit in Lancaster, PA.

Breakfasting in-room using decent coffee made in tiny hotel coffeepots is acceptable. Local Amish rhubarb jam and ripe fruit makes it complete. Then off into the rising to 80degree fluffy-cloud blue-sky day for a horse-drawn buggy ride with an utterly charming guide. Not even two years past high school, she enjoys her summer job with the animals and even, when prodded just enough, told us about growing up here with Old Order Amish and the wildness of the teenagers. She and Amish friends used to switch clothes before going home to their families, much to the chagrin of adults, we’re sure. Quite the wonderful, hilarious image shared all around the buggy, trotted along by our retired race-horses.

Then off to the Toy Train Museum to blow the mind of our tiny train aficionado. Oh, he chortled and ran and pushed buttons making things GO GO GO. Followed by a delicious lunch of impressive sandwiches, the sort that sound great in the menu, then really are when your waitress delivers them. Benjamin, being the FPU (food processing unit) that he is, ate his lunch, then ate both of his cousins’ meals as well. The roundup included corn chowder, pickles, bean salad, mushrooms, applesauce, chips, and a cookie. Then ate more crackers in the car on the way back to the hotel. Growth spurt much?

I got to have a swim and spend some quite me-time, just soaking (a little too long, I’m afraid) in the sunshine. Toddlers, being toddlers, were not on schedule and no one joined me for quite some time. Then, once joined, much fun and splashing was had.

Afterward minor turning around, we all set off for dinner, which was absolutely, unabashedly perfect. El Serrano was found during last year’s little reunion and had a full year’s worth of hope to live up to. Boy howdy did it. The bonus: a wonderfully engaged and delightful live musician (Dante) enjoyed our antics as much as we enjoyed his performance. As the four adults sipped perfect coffees after bloating themselves on food and drink, the kids got up and danced and danced and danced. Much hilarity ensued. Even as a semi-formal restaurant, guests, waitstaff, and generally the whole mood enjoyed the jumping children as Dante sang and played guitar to his classy-as-they-can-be synth-rhythm box.

Quiet in the room later, the male adults are off playing cards, I’m editing another cousin’s essay, sipping a sangria, clicking away on the laptop. I am happy, warm, and fed. Settled in, sleeping kidlet nearby. Satisfied.

Filed by joy at 11:30 pm under life, travels
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