Exhausted and Elated

I barely slept last night.

I'm really tired today.

I can't stop smiling, either, despite the dreary, rainy day.

I believe that good things are on the horizon. There's nothing we can't do if we all work together, Democrats and Republicans alike. I'm proud of this country and I'm so happy that I lived in this moment.

All I have are three little words for you: Yes, we can.

CSA Report - The End is Near

It's almost over. The CSA season, that is. Oh, yeah, and the election, too.

I'll spare you all my ooooing and ahhhhing over what an experience it was to stand in line for more than an hour and a half this morning with a rowdy group of city-folk excited to cast their history-making ballots. Instead, I'll tell you about root vegetables and greens, which are basically all that's left to collect from the farm this season. Not that I'm complaining. I love me some roasted sweet potatoes and carrots!

This week's share:

• 
• 1 head leaf lettuce OR 1 head bok choi OR 1 large bunch scallions (I took the scallions since I still have lettuce and bok choi from last week's share)
  
• 0.5 lb Swiss chard
• 1.5 lb carrots
  
• 2 Thai peppers, 4 Chinese lantern peppers, 1 jalapeno pepper, 4 Cayenne peppers
  
• 0.5 oz. parsley OR cilantro (took the parsley because I'm drying it for use later in the year)
  
• 1.5 lb sweet potatoes

It's not much, but it's enough to keep me happy and satisfied with sweet, roasted vegetables and sauteed greens. Now's the time for simple comfort foods and the flavors of fall. I'm looking forward to it.

In Anticipation of the End

I was going to write today about how beautiful the autumn colors are, but that post will have to wait. I can't seem to get my mind off tomorrow.

You know, TOMORROW.

In the face of this election, I find myself feeling:

• Relieved that the campaign is almost over
  
• Hopeful for our future and yet worried about how we might get there
  
• Excited for change but anxious about what those changes will be
  

My stomach is tied in knots. I know the results of the election will depend on the voter turn out. I hope the turn out is good. I'm not looking forward to standing in line, but I'll gladly do it to ensure my vote is cast.

I don't expect much relief until Wednesday morning, although the anxiety might keep me up until the results are in tomorrow night. Either way, I've got just a little more than 24 hours of internal tossing and turning and then I'll be able to relax. I hope.

Things I've Learned from Washington and Wall Street

Every where I go, it's "economic crisis" this and "banking meltdown" that, not to mention all the talk of campaigning and non-campaigning. There's so much going on right now politically and economically that I can't help but glean a few take-away lessons.

Lesson #1: Apparently, only two streets in America matter right now--Main Street and Wall Street. If you live on another street, you're out of luck.

Lesson #2: When you take time off from work, whether it be from campaigning or your regular-old day job, you should actually take time off. Don't say you're going to do it and then have people running around doing your work (or campaigning) for you--even if that means you're technically doing what you said you were going to do.

Lesson #3: Being in debt is never a good thing. Running your household (whether it's a White House or a green one) on a deficit is bad practice. It will only get you into trouble.

Lesson #4: You can go around telling people that you get along with your neighbors all you want, but when the rubber meets the road, you have to actually be able to work together if you want to get anything done.

Lesson #5: Standards are different for men, women and people of color. This may sound like a no-brainer, but naive old me thought we'd gotten past a lot of this stuff. Apparently not.

Lesson #6: Crying sexism or racism is like crying wolf. Sadly, the more we cry the less people listen or take us seriously.

Lesson #7: If you're going to play in the stock market, you better know what you're doing.

What lessons have you learned from what's going on in Washington and on Wall Street?

Labeled with an F

Last week, The Caffeinated Librarian hosted a lively discussion about the label "feminist" and all that it encompasses and implies. She was prompted by an article by Leonard Pitts, and ultimately, both CL and Pitts pose the question, "why are women (and men for that matter) so afraid to be labeled as feminists?"

I think there are a number of reasons why the "f" word has become a derogatory term that many women and men shy away from, but I won't get into that. If you're interested in some of the suggestions others have come up with, read the full Pitts article and check out the comments on CL's posts. What I really want to do here, is state, in no uncertain terms, that I'm proud to be a feminist.

There. I've said it. I AM a FEMINIST. No, that does not make me a militant man-hater, if that's what you're picturing right now (because that's apparently what some people think when they hear the "f" word). I am a professional, single woman who is thankful to all those women who came before me, militant or not, who were not ashamed to wear the letter F boldly upon their chests, so that I could make my own choices in life. I'm grateful for every woman (and man) who fought for the female vote, who stood up against discrimination in the work place, who rallied against rape and violence toward women around the world. And I'm proud to consider myself one and the same with each and every one of them. If it weren't for these strong, courageous FEMINISTS, I would likely be the exact opposite of who I am today. I would not have had the option to:

• Speak my mind
• Vote my beliefs
• Work as a professional in a male-dominated field
• Wear pants to the office
• Chose my own path
• Buy my own house
• Pursue each and every one of my dreams

Feminists have made so much possible for today's women. But there's still plenty of work to be done, and I am not ashamed to be counted among those who will continue to fight the fight until women can make their own choices in all situations and be treated equally no matter what they choose. Because that's truly what I think feminism is about: fighting for the opportunity to be whatever and whomever we choose to be and to receive all the same benefits (and consequences) of those choices that men do. So I hope that more women and men out there will challenge the misconception of feminism. If you're a feminist say so. Say it loud and say it proud!

As one of my favorite childhood songs goes:

I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again

Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
I am invincible
I am woman

From I am Woman, lyrics by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton

Yes, We Can

I may be the last person on earth to have seen the Will.i.am Yes I Can video, but if you haven't seen it, you might want to check it out. While I've clearly stated my favoritism of Obama in past posts, my interest in this video goes well beyond Obama-love. It goes to the heart of the message, which is that if enough people speak up, if enough people take a stand, if enough people refuse to be silenced, change can and WILL happen.

I believe that Obama's message goes beyond politics. It goes to the heart of our desire for a future that's better than the present circumstance, whatever that may be for each of us. Whether you fall to the left or the right, or fall somewhere in between, this desire is the same. The good news is, change can happen. It happened yesterday and it can happen today. And Obama reminds us of this, just as Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, and so many others have.

It's this kind of inspired hope that has been missing in our 21st Century world filled with poverty and violence and hunger and sickness. But, as Obama says, "nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change," whatever that change may be. That is where we have the freedom. We can stand up and speak out for whatever issue it is that weighs heavy on our hearts. And we can gather together with others who feel the same. And as we come together, with hope and a message, we will see things move, we will experience change.

Yes, we can.

On the Weather, Politics, and Britney Spears

I was going to write about the weather today; how it's at least 70 degrees out on February 6th in a place where the average high temperature for this time of year is 45 degrees. And how tomorrow's high will be 45 degrees, causing me to wonder if that Inconvenient Truth isn't knocking on my front door.

Then it occurred to me that weather is my fall-back topic, like in conversations that aren't going anywhere with people I barely know. When all else fails, try "How about this weather?" I'd hate to think that I'm so bored with blogging, and my life for that matter, that talking about the weather is what I've resorted to.

So I thought maybe I'd weigh in on the political arena. We all know I love Barack, so I don't need to say that again. I will though, because I really love Barack. Don't get me wrong, Hillary's OK. She just doesn't MOVE me like Barack does, and I think that's what this country really needs right now--someone who can get the populace motivated, who can bring out voters in droves, who can give the people a voice and will listen to what they have to say.

But I decided against the politics talk because this isn't really a political blog, and I tend to shy away from political topics. They're too controversial.

The only other topic that seemed to be on my mind this morning was Britney Spears. And all I have to say about that is, "Please, Paparazzi, please leave her alone." I hope that she's getting the help that she needs, and the people that are in her life, either by genetic relation, by drunken mistake, or by (bad or good) business decisions, don't take advantage of the fact that she is fragile and hurting. I was never a big Britney fan, but now I just want her to be OK. It's a sad day when young stars (and young people in general) fall into a pattern of drug abuse and impulsive or self-destructive behavior in order to cope with the pressures and attention that they're bombarded with. Unfortunately, as long as we who read the magazines and watch the TV shows hoping for that next tidbit of juicy Hollywood gossip or that next picture of a starlet grabbing coffee at the local Starbucks exist, there will always be Paparazzi willing to give us what we're waiting for. And Britneys being stalked so we can have it.

Thing is, I'm really not much of an entertainment writer either. I'm not very good at staying on top of the "now" topics. So I decided I wouldn't write a post today after all.

Maybe next time.

I Heart Barack

I just finished reading The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. I really wanted to read this book because I've gotten a great vibe from him and hoped to learn more about who he is and what he stands for politically, socially and spiritually before the elections rolled around. In general, I'm not much of a politics-watcher. In fact, I've become pretty disillusioned by the whole political machine over the years since I pulled my first lever. I have to say, though, that after reading this book, I've fallen madly in love with Barack's attainable idealism.

He has effectively restored my hope and interest in politics and the future of this country. Reading this book has refreshed my memory on the history of politics in America and taught me more about what it's like behind the scenes of politics. While he obviously puts a Democrat's spin on all of the subjects he covers, I personally believe that no matter what your political party, this book should be required reading. I think it could be a great way to get more people interested and involved in the political arena, whether by getting to the polls and voting, supporting or starting grassroots efforts in their communities, or tossing their own hats into the ring.

I hope my opinion doesn't change as this election unfolds.