formations
http://picasaweb.google.com/toddalamichi/Dahlias#
no mind, no body, and I still can't embed. Maybe it's my misunderstanding of the dharma. But then, that's part of the Great Pearl too, isn't it?
I'm just grateful we have flowers blooming - on the 6th of November!
On other important news -
Michelle Obama says the family will adopt a dog from a shelter
http://network.bestfriends.org/obamafamilydog/news/29375.html
Last night, I drank a smartini (strawberry martini) to celebrate the IQ that is about to enter the Oval Office.
Feelin' pretty dang happy. I am a new bride, recently turned 30, and voted for the first time with the majority.
I'm feeling politically enfranchised - parts of myself feel integrated that I didn't even know were there. It's like when you do the twist at the end of yoga class, and something pops in your back that you didn't even realize was tense. You feel better right away, and a little more aware.
I told Todd last night: I often feel disenfranchised, mostly as a matter of choice, because I don't participate in shopping or pop culture like much of the country. This means I often don't follow conversations going on around me, nor do I much care. I say to myself - "an artist is a stranger wherever she goes."
But it is awfully nice for once, to be average. I can only begin to imagine how people felt who have actually experienced discrimination based on their skin color (and I'm not counting all the times I've been whistled at because I was "rubia" - though being chased by a car *might* count.) Yes, color is the worst reason to vote for someone. But I understand why some people might have done just so.
For me, what makes this president-elect different, and representative of me, is not a color thing.
For this moment at least, smart is sexy - two underrepresented groups in politics, for sure.
For this moment, we are thinking "yes" instead of "no" to creative solutions of all kinds.
Right now, other countries believe we might actually try to listen to them.
Right now, oil companies are afraid they might have to give up some of their profits to renewable energies.
If the new American is a person who's willing to cast a vote for hope in the face of fear, then sign me up. I'm average baby, who's with me?
I never believed Obama would accomplish all of his campaign promises.
I do believe he'll hire smart people, and he will approach every problem with the attitude of "does this work?" instead of "how did the last guy from my party do it?"
This is not a president (I hope) who will take the stand January 20th with a preschooler's tone and declare "All this political capital is MINE and I'm gonna squander it."
And if he does - I hope that the other Hundreds of Millions of people who voted Tuesday will remember their part in this process. Like the Great Pearl, it is a process, not an end.
EDIT - and I hope that process begins with a big turnaround for the civil rights that have just been taken away from couples in California, Arizona and Florida.
EDIT2 - this is a great time to live in Chicago. Arizona is a great place to be FROM.