Cheerleader
I am wishing and hoping with all my might that tomorrow night, Barack Obama will officially be our next president. I’m casting my vote for him because of his ideas about the environment, about the war, about healthcare and higher education. But what first struck me about him was his sensibility. He’s intelligent and hopeful and he genuinely believes that if we work together, we can accomplish great things. The other campaign has chosen to focus on fear instead of hope. In recent weeks, instead of relying on the power of their own message, they’ve been reduced to petty attacks and attempts to mislead voters that Obama is a terrorist sympathizer. These tactics can only work if voters are not smart enough to fact-check. They are assuming we won’t do our own research and our own thinking. I do not want a president who leads by fear and intimidation and assumes we will follow blindly. We already have one of those, and I am hopeful that America will choose differently tomorrow.
On another note entirely, I am creatively inspired by all of the writing and writing about writing that’s going on with Nanowrimo and Jonowrimo and other communities. I have totally rearranged my Jonowrimo goals. I am nowhere near ready to query, and I’m okay with that. I want to have the best possible product before I send my little book out into the world. Now I’m hoping to finish revising by December 1. I want to have a first-person, present-tense book by then, and bonus points if I can cut another 10K and write a good ending that feels like an actual resolution. I’ve taken the last two weeks off, mostly, because I needed a little break. I’m hoping to dive back in now with more clarity and focus.
I am also totally inspired by my husband. He’s got willpower of steel. When he decided to quit smoking five years ago, he quit cold-turkey, and he’s only smoked a handful of cigs since. When he decided to do Atkins, he lost 50 pounds. Then he decided to be a vegetarian eighteen months ago, and he hasn’t eaten meat since—not even pepperoni pizza or buffalo wings, his former favorites. Where am I going with this, you may well ask? I am going to join him in eating better and moving more. Visiting my grandmother yesterday in the hospital, ill largely from diabetes complications, strengthened my resolve to be healthier. I don’t want to be a martinet about it, but I’ve been eating too many cookies and not doing enough yoga. I am going to really-seriously-today-not-tomorrow try to do better. I could stand to lose 15 pounds, I think. Maybe more. We’ll see.
Other things I’m excited about include finally reading Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. Tonight’s new Gossip Girl. My plan to play Rummikub and watch the election results roll in with Steve and Ros tomorrow night. A friend’s wedding on Saturday. My new black and red-plaid tights. Broccoli-cheddar soup and wheat pitas.
What inspires and excites you lately?
