'Tis the Season

Even though the Christmas stuff has been out since Labor Day, those of us with any sanity have ignored it and don't really get into the mood until after Thanksgiving. However, if you're sending packages overseas, now is the time to start shopping and sending.

And that brings me to that little button on the right, which will take you to anysolider.com. This is a great organization that can link you to a member of the military serving overseas and you can peruse his or her list of requested items, make up a boxful of stuff and send it over.

The items they request don't cost much at all -- in fact, I've filled quite a few boxes going through the Dollar Store. They need toiletries and stuff that smells nice. They need puzzle books and writing paper. They need snacks and junk food. But mostly, they just need to know that we're thinking of them.

If your office does a gift exchange, why not can it this year and pool your money to make up a few packages? I bet you even have some friends and family members who would willingly forego getting any more "stuff" for themselves (and avoid all that holiday shopping) in order to provide a nice holiday package for someone who could really use some holiday cheer. Even if you can't afford a package, just sending a letter or card would brighten someone's day.

Go on -- click on the button and start reading the stories and requests. Just be forewarned -- it's addictive.

I live in a blue state.

I live in a blue state.
I live in a blue state.


Of course I'm overjoyed that Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States. But you have no idea of what it feels like to realize that North Carolina will award its 15 electoral votes to a Democrat for the first time since 1976. I know, I know --we're still counting here and nothing is official -- but the provisional ballots usually break the same way as the ones already counted, and Obama leads. Not by much, but enough to take the state.

I have no voice today. I stood out in the rain and the wind yesterday passing out literature for 7 hours, and then I headed downtown for the Victory Celebration and screamed a little too much, I guess. Nothing hurts -- I just can't talk, which made choir practice a lot of fun tonight. At least I could still keep time.

My only regret about yesterday was that decent, honorable Roy Carter couldn't unseat evil Virginia Foxx in the NC 5th. I really hope the DNC targets that race in two years -- Foxx is an embarrassment to us all.

But I live in a blue state. North Carolina voted for Democrats for Governor, Senator and President.

North Carolina voted for a Black Man for President.

There's a whole lot of spinning going on here:

Fired Up!

And ready to go.

I'm taking tomorrow off to work the polls. I wouldn't be any use at my desk anyway, since I'd be checking websites every two minutes for the latest update.

Instead, I'm getting up at 5 AM to head to one polling place and put up signs and then heading to another polling place on the other side of town to hand out flyers from 6:30 - 11:00. At 3:30 I head back to the first polling place and hand out flyers till the polls close at 7:30. Then it's downtown for the big Victory Party:



I spent yesterday afternoon canvassing 52 houses, trailers and apartments. Didn't get to talk to a lot of people (it was an absolutely gorgeous day and people were out enjoying it. Or they saw us coming and didn't open the door.) One person, when we identified ourselves as working for Obama, just said "Scoot." (That's North Carolina polite for "Get the hell off my lawn.") Many people had already voted, and all of the ones who said they had already voted had voted for Obama.

My favorite moment came when I was knocking on an apartment door and the Hispanic man sitting on the porch next door said "Nobody lives there anymore." And then he asked what we were doing. When we told him, he smiled and told us he was a new American citizen, voting in his first election, and he was "100% for Obama." That got me through the last hour of canvassing.

So...in about 24 hours the results will start coming in. If Virginia goes for Obama, it's all over but the shouting. If North Carolina does, I'm going to be parked at the cash bar at the Millennium Center. And if Kay Hagen defeats Liddy Dole, I may not show up for work on Wednesday.

I leave you with Sam Cooke:



Long time comin' indeed.