Change

From Lisa Speaks

November is my favorite month, and whatever happens tomorrow, we're going to be starting this month with a change. 

Most of you know how I'm going to vote, so I won't bore you with my position on issues.  

BUT!  I'm going to start my first blog entry of my favorite month with a little something about this election.

People talk about how historic this was, about how long the campaign has been, and about how everyone acted.  So many things were discussed, from racism to sexism to pigs and lipsticks to mavericks.  What a crazy crazy campaign this was!  

But for me, there was something else that made it really exciting. 

What made this election special to me, was what it did to people who I look up to.  

I always thought I had a little bit of a hidden old soul.  I love older music and art, and I hated how boring and peaceful things were around me, pre-911 (now, I heart peace).  I loved reading about world-shakers and the protests they participated in, and how vibrant those people seemed.   I sometimes thought how exciting it would have been to be born in the late 50s or the 60s and see all the people fighting for change, right in front of me.

Now, I work amongst those people who experienced real activism, and who actually created and moved for all sorts of causes.  They have become community organizers (take that, Sarah Palin), and I think they were a bit jaded about certain things that were going on before, because they've experienced so much more.

When this election really started getting interesting, I saw these people get really excited again, and get really inspired about the candidates.  I'm sure it's nothing compared to how things were in their heyday, but watching these people in their 50s and 60s, drop their normal day-today stuff and caravan it Nevada to work on the campaign, and talking about how great they felt after they heard certain candidates speak, really really inspired me.  It was so cool to witness it, and have a dialogue about it, and have a common hope. 

Tomorrow, I'm going to the polls and vote, just like I did in 2004, which was my first general election.  But tomorrow, I'm going to vote with my co-workers and bosses and my heroes and my friends and family in mind.  This election inspired those who inspire me, so I will vote tomorrow with anticipation for a change we are all looking forward to.