Back in 2000, I really wasn’t paying any attention to politics. I didn’t even vote that year — I was living abroad and it seemed like too much of a bother to figure out how to get a ballot, especially since NY was guaranteed to go blue with or without me, anyway. My European friends and roommates were FREAKING OUT, talking about what a disaster Bush was going to be, and I kept trying to reassure them that it wouldn’t be all that bad. “What’s he going to do, start a war?” I asked.

Well, then 9/11 happened and I started to pay attention because I realized that my government was doing things in the world that could get me killed right here at home. In 2004 I was a total Deaniac and voted for Kerry with nearly zero enthusiasm, but I still hoped he’d pull it off. Boy, was that depressing.

Now, despite all the many good omens, I still refuse to believe that things might be turning around until I see that map go BLUE tonight. I was a Barack supporter from the get-go, even when he was a complete longshot back in 2007. I did not want Hillary! All these months later, I can’t even believe that not only did he become the nominee, he is poised to be our next president and may rack up a truly historic victory. My mantra for today is HOPE.

I just hope that the voters in California do the right thing, too, and defeat Proposition 8, so it can truly be a great day in the struggle for equality and civil rights for all Americans.