It happened!

This week has flown past me. Monday I spent the day in Chicago walking around endlessly. I have no skill at catching cabs. I think I'm afraid of being ignored so I only just barely raise my hand to get the cab's attention. Cabbies don't pick up on subtlety.

Then I took the 6pm train back to Detroit and it was a train straight through hell. I sat next to a man who must have had a closed head injury. He wouldn't stop talking (about what snacks he bought at the drugstore) and he didn't want to part with his suitcase so he kept it on the floor between us leaving us with no leg room.

There were about 8 kids on this train. Four of them boarded the train and their mother made an announcement, "My Kids Have Been On A Train For The Last Four Days. I Apologize Now!"

Then they sat around screaming. For the first 4 hours of the trip.

I can imagine how awful it was for everyone involved. I can imagine it because I gnawed my tongue off while trying to have empathy for them.

Once those kids got quiet, I realized another kid at the front of the train was losing his shit. He continued to lose his shit for the rest of the trip. He was so over tired, he was literally falling down as he tried to run around the train. His parents didn't speak english but I really wanted to tell them to buy Benadryl next time they take a train with an 18 month old that doesn't end until 1:30 in the morning.

Verdict: Never taking the train again.

On the bright side I had a pleasant day in Chicago having lunch with Velveeta's people and then sitting in Millenium Park reading a magazine and listening to the Obama rally sound checks.

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In past elections I've been surrounded by people who think about things a lot like I do. So that when things like a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage passed in Michigan a few years back I was completely knocked on my ass. I literally had no idea it would pass, I didn't believe it could.

During this election all of my friends had McCain signs in their yards (except one) and I was more than aware people didn't believe the same things I do. I watched videos and read the Twitter Election feed and every day felt like I was going to throw up.

I was worried the fear campaign John McCain and Sarah Palin were running was working. I worried our country's veiled racism would ruin Barack Obama's ability to win the presidency.

When it happened Tuesday I was at a bar with Obama campaign volunteers. We counted down to the closing of the later polls and just like that he did it. And though it was shocking as I stood there watching everyone celebrate, it also felt like it couldn't have gone any other way.

I love this country. I believe we all love this country. I think we all have the same end goal, at least when dealing with non-social issues. We want to be safe, we want to prosper, we want our country to be great.

This is going to be okay.

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