I'm going to bookend this entry with some viewing recommendations. In the need for some political cheering up I watched "Chisolm '72: Unbought and Unbossed" about her historic run for President. Most unbelievable part was how very very little has changed in the world but she'll make you want to stand up and cheer.
You can probably see where this is heading - sigh, yes another political themed update. It's absorbing my spare time people, and it beats hearing about my homework, right? Maybe? Anyway, so this weekend I was out doing the whole Neighbour to Neighbour campaign - sign up, get a list of 25 people who registered Independent during the primary and literally go to their door and ask how they're leaning. I was assigned a part of Durham that is kinda close but worlds away - windy, country-ish roads, tumble down bungalows and brand new raw condo sub-divisions. Our car map is several years old and half the streets weren't on it. Somehow I girded my loins and started knocking. By the end of the day my spirits were kind of broken. It was all so very stereotypical, so completely predictable. African-Americans were friendly and kind to me and voting for my candidate. If I saw an American flag in any permutation on the property - especially the folksy-country kitchen kind of "art" - I had to take a deep breath because I knew it would be tense. And it always was, with doors slammed in my face. Ditto with five plus broken down cars in the yard = an "I don't trust the government rant". For five seconds I tried to convince a McCain supporter that in fact, his vote would count if he did early voting because it bums me out when people don't believe in the process, no matter who they support. The sole white man I encountered who supported Ob@ma had a Honda Element in his driveway and was a college professor who had seen first hand the "separate but equal" policies with his students. I was supposed to go again today to follow up with those who weren't home but I couldn't muster the heart to do it today.
Then tonight I went to a Barack the Vote get together in the main Durham park with gospel music and jazz and speeches and the most excellent Bake Sale where I bought cupcakes speared with little paper flags written on by children: power to the people and such things. And I got a little teary-eyed and reinvigorated. So little time! So much to do!
Anyway, I'm home now with milky tea and PJ's and a sleeping baby and possibly the most soothing English mini-series of all time "Berkeley Square" - did I talk about this already? Three nannies in 1902 London, a slicker Upstairs Downstairs and possibly the comfiest show of all time. It was paused while I checked on the baby and AH said" I didn't even notice it had stopped". Like a flannel nightgown and a hot water bottle, soothing for these trying times.