washwords

Twas brilling.

That’s what I think of whenever I think of new: beginnings, burstings, brillings.

And we are at one. A precipice, a change, a moment. Yes, I’m politically biased in this: “my guy won.” And yet, not really. I wasn’t sure up to the moments before the primary and though I saw a lot to like in Obama, something pulled me back again and again to Hillary; I was late to the Obama party. What I see now is about something more, true, real hope. And pride. And it is something I haven’t seen for so so long.

What do others think? Well, wow, they’re telling us: from the rooftops, or the modern-day equivalent anyway – twitter, facebook, email, IM.

CNN had something they called “the moment”: I envisioned a collection of moments – what singular moment defined this experience for you – good/ bad/ funny/ poignant? That’s not what CNN meant – theirs turned out to be some weird microsofty photo thingie. cool, but … eh? I liked my idea better, so here it is… here’s what a few people said was their moment, their “elevator story” as journalists like to say, some of them I know, some I don’t, but I want to hear them all. (Yes, even if you don’t agree in what I feel was the true spirit of the day.) What are yours?

“By the dawn’s early light”: Photo by KW

• A friend of a friend, one of several lovely people I’ve “met” emailing about Obama since before the election says: I still cannot believe that my we have THIS. I am amazed
• Volunteering Friend: It was freezing, it was disorganized. And it was wonderful.
• Dear Obamaniac Writer Friend: Ok. I scored a ticket at the last minute (the night before) and set out alone to to make it to the “Orange Section,” just to the right of the Capitol, and ran into crowds so huge I really thought I wouldn’t make it. Read the rest of this entry »

Continuing on the “want to write? read” theme, I’ve been visiting so many fabulous blogs lately, found in all sorts of ways. Besides my google-reader picks on WASH and WORDS and all my buddies in my blog roll (to the far right), I find all kinds of ways to find the goodies:

• the blogs your friends and fellow bloggers share,
• the blogs commenters on the blogs you love write,
• blogs on formal “affiliate” or bloglinking programs such as entrecard (see the small box to the far right, above “drop here” featuring another blog on washington or writing I like – today’s is “West of Mars” or “Through Sky’s Eyes”),
• and formal advertising programs such as blogher’s, underneath which are listed a few posts of note from within their network.I’ve been fortunate enough to have been listed there a few times and picked up a few new readers there; I’ve been even more fortunate to have found so many great posts such as dreamergirl’s “the loss of things”.

I get ideas from my brothers and sisters in blog. I get inspiration and amazement and joy from the pure eloquence of their stories, large and small. I get laughs from some of the funniest people I’ve never met.  I get laughs through tears (my favorite emotion as they say in Steel Magnolias) from some dear friends I’ve admired since meeting but been amazed anew that they have turned out to be among the most talented writers I’ve ever read.

And sometimes I just get fun ideas worth a whirl. A la this one  99 Things | KirstenL4W

Here’s one that’s going around the interwebs lately.

Meme:
Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to – leave in plain font

1. started your own blog (well, duh, right?)
2. slept under the stars (hugs, Ame, my lovely lovely friend)
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower Read the rest of this entry »

I promise to stop with the Obamarama…. soon. Not quite yet.

Today, what made me cry, watching the Obama Express whistlestop tour’s stop in Baltimore:

people clapping and yelling for the Pledge of Allegiance. The PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I mean first of all, they knew and recited the words en masse, with feeling, unprompted.

Maybe (probably) I’m overly pollyanna about this but … to me it says, people are proud to be American again. And for some, it’s been a really really long time.

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