Thankful

OK, so I'm stealing this from Rebecca, who borrowed it from someone else, but it seemed like a good place to start.

Something functional in my house that I'm thankful for is my awesome coffee maker that does special tricks. It's not exactly as good as having someone else make it for you but it's pretty darn close.

Something about my body that I'm thankful for is my hair. It seems like other people want theirs to be like it, so I guess I'm pretty lucky to have it.

Something hard that I've been through that I'm thankful for is the robberies I lived through at the bank I worked at back in 1995 & 1996 -- I realized I'm made of much stronger stuff than I had originally thought, and that I'm pretty decisive in a crisis, even if I'm not the rest of the time. I decided then that if I could get through those brief moments, I could get through just about anything (and it has proven to be true).

Something about this country that I'm thankful for is our diversity - in the various cultures trying to live together, in our geography, all of the different religions, and in our political opinions.

Something about 2008 that I'm thankful for is my decision to finally go back to school to pursue an MBA after thinking about it for a decade.

A word I'm thankful for is altruism. It's fun to say and a pretty nifty ideal.

A sound I'm thankful for is the horn at the RBC Center when the Canes score a goal.

A place in nature I'm thankful for is Bodega Bay, California.

Duck and Cover

Everybody here's got a story to tell
Everybody's been through their own hell
There's nothing too special about getting hurt
But getting over it, that takes the work

I've had too much going on lately to be able to form my own complete thoughts so I have to borrow someone else's. I've had some trouble lately and it ended badly for a friend. I've had the weight of the world on my shoulders and homework and the holidays and so many things to remember. It's just been too much.

I've also been shown incredible kindness, and patience, and a light at the end of the tunnel. Even with all of the bad in the world I have still found a lot to be thankful for.

On Love, In Sadness

The last time I wore my black coat was a long time ago.

It was cold and there as snow on the ground. I was far away from home, but somehow home at the same time.

I wore it last night to a hockey game. I had to empty out my pockets to go through security. In them, I found some pebbles, a 5-inch long stem from a rose, and a card with his name on it that I don't remember ever seeing before. I also had one of the coins I sorted with my cousins. Why isn't it with the others? I had a flag pin on my lapel, but not the special one he gave me. I had one black glove. I don't know where it's mate is and I don't remember seeing it before either. I don't even know if it's mine.

The last time I wore my black coat I was in Indiana with my family, saying goodbye to my grandfather. It was the end of winter and once I got home I hung it in the closet and left it there during the long spring, summer and fall. It's hard to believe it's already so cold again and so much time has passed.

I still really miss him.

A Change Would Do You Good

I'm excited about whatever tomorrow brings.

There's been something in the air the last few weeks. Whichever way the wind blows, it will be Different and boy, do we need Different.

Two years ago I wrote this. (I think I was two years too early.)

Dating back about 16 autumns, I've been interested in how the political system works. I had a professor make what I expected to be a boring class into something that captured my imagination and changed the way I see the world. Everyone should have one teacher in their life that does that. (Thanks Dr Brown -- Andy too!) That class led to others and eventually a move to another school and lots of new people. I worked on campaigns and felt like I really helped a couple of people get elected. I wrote a paper 12 years ago about same-sex marriage. My theory at the time was that it would be legal everywhere within 10 years, based on how the civil rights movement changed interracial marriage in the 1960s. Now that I'm a little older (and a little less idealistic) I see that my theory, while it may someday be true, is going to take a little longer. Tomorrow California voters are making a choice. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

This year in North Carolina, we became a state that mattered. I've lived here for a little more than 10 years and every election until now has been, well, kind of boring. This year we've seen the state go from red to pink to yellow (why not white?) to even shades of (Carolina) blue on some maps. With this, of course, has come an endless barrage of campaign commercials, attack ads, office arguments, visits from candidates, and rallies with tens of thousands of people attending. I stood in one line for eight city blocks to get into a rally that I drove 90 miles to see. My friend and I were so far away that we never saw a candidate or even a stage. We did see 13 snipers. It was like listening to the radio outside -- and it was worth every mile and every step.

This year I have watched a lot of new people decide to get involved in the most basic way. I have a coworker who became a citizen 8 days ago and 3 days later voted for the first time. Another friend -- and his mom -- are both voting for the first time this year. I voted early and stood in line on a Friday night. I know about 10 kids in college who are only now old enough. So many new people and they are all excited. Everyone has a story of their first election (mine was for Clinton in 1992). I am so proud of all the people who are making their stories now.