A Close Call
11-03-2004, 11:53 a.m.

Ever have one of those nights where you just cannot turn your brain off? Seriously, the more you try to stop thinking, the more you think about how you are thinking and thus the more you think. It is a vicious circle, one that often leads to no-sleep. That was me last night. It was funny in a way, because earlier in the day Cory (who voted for the first time in her life yesterday � yay Cory!!) said that she was going to go home and camp out to watch all the election coverage. I�ve been there and done that (my parents are big on voting and as such we started to vote shortly after our 18th birthdays), and it is exciting, watching to see if the guy you voted for is going to prevail. After hours and hours and days of waiting in 2000 though, you start to realize that it�s not that easy. Still, while I had no intention of being sucked in, I couldn�t help myself. The excitement began with the first results and I couldn�t get enough of it.

Luckily it was kept fun by the comments of Stephen and Tonya and then of my phone conversation with Cory. It made for a long night though, and while I got to sleep for a while, I woke up a couple of hours later with a killer headache� the kind that you know was brought on by thinking too much. I didn�t fight it.. I got up and went into the other room (as not to wake up that man I married) and watched more coverage�. most of the night.. and why? I didn�t learn anything that I didn�t know before I went to bad, but I couldn�t stand the thought of missing anything good. Unfortunately all I got out of this was a lost night of sleep.. Nothing new was to be learned until today.

Wow, what a close race� doesn�t get much closer than this. I have to say that I really admire the fact the Kerry conceded the way he did. The last thing we need is another wait like we did in 2000. It�s admirable that he didn�t force that. I voted for him, and I wasn�t sure about that vote all the way up until I made it. See, I disagree very strongly with a lot of things about Bush� I won�t even get into those here now, as it doesn�t make a difference much now.. but I didn�t really like all that much Kerry either. Still, I couldn�t bring myself to vote for Bush, feeling as strongly as I do about certain issues, and so I did what I felt was right, what I still feel was right. Finally though, now when it is said and done, I�ve found an admirable quality about Kerry. Maybe if more people had seen more admirable qualities in him before hand, we would be having a different conversation today. But the facts are the facts and I am a firm believer in the fact that we live in a great country, one where it is possible to voice our viewpoints and to not be told that our opinions are wrong. The people have spoken, and while I do not necessarily like the outcome, I can respect it. So congrats to those of you who were on the winning side of the vote, I know that you have your opinions and reasons for feeling the way you do, and I respect that� just so long as you respect me for mine. Most of the people around me have the same viewpoints as I do, but the past few days have been fun debating with others (I really love how it gets to you thinking - although a little less thinking after midnight would be a good thing). Mostly now, I think that most of the people I know are of the same mind.. Hoping the next 4 years will be better than the last 4. I doubt it, but I won�t give up hope. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few days� weeks� months� years.

I am so tired now� and can�t wait to go to bed tonight. Hopefully I can shut my brain off tonight. Why don�t we come with an off switch anyway?