Kind of worried.

In the past couple of months, I've been calling people by the wrong name--like, I'll know that it's "Mary" that I'm talking to, but I'll say "Joanna" (the other assistant, or a friend of Mary's who's also in the room, or something).

Just now I caught myself mixing up a book by the same author: one's called, say, "Soccer Giant" vs. "Lacrosse Champ." Now, I know they're similar titles, but I'm VERY involved with these manuscripts. I've usually been the one person who doesn't mix them up.

I know these are mistakes that it's easy to make, but I've never done this before, as far as I know. What's the matter with me? I'm only 26.

Also, for a long time I've noticed that I forget things really easily. For example, if Chris and I have an argument, I'll be boiling mad over something, and then ten minutes later I can't remember what he said at all. I don't know if that has any bearing here.

Confession.

On days when I bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to work, I can never make it to 12. I'm proud of myself if I don't break it out before 11:35.

Audacious hope.

When they called Pennsylvania for Obama, I finally stopped knocking on wood, allowing myself for the first time all month, despite the blazingly favorable polls of late, to feel confident.

When they called Ohio for Obama (ironically, our remote control had alighted on Fox just as they made that declaration), in my head, I realized that McCain simply couldn't win.

But I was so fixated on Virginia--wondering what was taking so long, analyzing the county breakdowns, waiting for my home county of Fairfax to finish tallying and turn the state blue--that at 11 p.m., when Charlie Gibson counted down the seconds and then called the election for Obama so calmly that the three of us watching did a double take before choking up and slapping hands, I was astonished and taken by surprise.

What an incredible, historic night. To see the people of America energized and uncynical and HOPEFUL is a moment I will remember as long as I live.

John McCain's concession speech was so gracious and heartfelt that it reminded me just why he has been so admired for most of his career, and why my grandmother insisted to me in September that "he is a good man." I believe he is, now. A truly moving and inspiring speech.

(Not so inspiring were the sour reactions of his supporters, who booed like frat boys when they should have been applauding the pro-American sentiments of unity their candidate was espousing.)

And Obama's speech, of course, was an oration that put tears in the eyes of people AROUND THE WORLD.

I am so proud of my sister, voting absentee in Virginia; of my brother, standing in line to vote in Florida; of my friend Sarah, mailing in her Iowa ballot from the other side of the world. I am so proud of Chris, who has been getting out the message for months, unafraid of political conversation. And I'm proud of myself, for reclaiming my passionate interest in the country I'm proud to call home, an interest that had been in bruised retreat following the betrayals of the past eight years.

I'm so excited to get involved and to make a difference in shaping the next four!

It's Election Day!

Can you concentrate? I certainly can't! I'll tell you what, I've never been so cheerful to stand in line at 7:00 in the morning.

Barista? Waitress? Receptionist?

Sorry for the lack of posting. I'm hitting a real lowpoint at my job. I know, at least I still have a job, right?

I can't think of anything better to say about it and I've been sitting here for five minutes.