The Packers are losing, I'm a little tipsy, and my brother and Russ just went to get nachos, so I'm downloading massive 90's jams for mixes. Since 1994 I've thought that Queen Latifah's "UNITY" included the lyrics "you aint a bitch, you're a ho", which I never understood. Thanks to the wireless connection of the school I live next to, I have discovered that it's "you aint a bitch or a ho". A weight has been lifted off my shoulders...

Working in groups blows. We have a presentation tonight, so we met before class last night. One of the girls didn’t show up, and when she finally came for class, she said “I just want to do as little work for this as possible”. Yay. Good thing you’re becoming a special education teacher.

I turned 27 on Sunday, so Russ took me out to The Pasta Tree on Saturday and then we met friends out for drinks. Thanks to Jen for getting me this amazing gift, which sums up my feelings on the last few weeks of this semester:

I got pretty emotional last night. Obama's speech was beautiful - self-sacrifice, unity, future. And when he talked about his wife...wow. It was overwhelming. McCain's speech was classy, but it was bizarre to hear him speak so highly of Obama after his campaign. McCain supporters still boo'd Obama and Obama supporters applauded McCain. Figures. Start truly supporting your country.

And I got the best drunken message from Monica (referring to my vampire Palin costume):

"Palin...you lost. Suck it bitch!!! Call me..."

Let's all breathe a collective sigh of relief! Just the effect this is going to have on how the world views us (and how we view ourselves) is huge.

Oh, and this.

The building I work in is also a polling place, so it’s been a lively day. Tons of people have been filing through and I got a little emotional this morning just seeing how many people had come out. Still, something seems off, and for me I think it has to do with the expectations people have for an Obama presidency. I stopped at Walgreens on my lunch hour and two older ladies at the makeup counter were talking. One mentioned that her prescription for Lipitor was unaffordable this month, and the other mentioned that it could change soon. She said, "well that’s what I’m hoping for with Obama…" and it was one of the most earnest things I’ve heard. I just don’t want her to be let down. Obama has his corporate interests, too, and even if he was perfect, one man can only do so much in a government like ours. Some perspective.

Sure, I'm as touched by these election stories as anyone else...I’m more excited about the social change in our country that is represented in possibly electing a black man than I am the change that might come from him. But I’m still hoping, because what else can you do...

Song of the day: