(apologies to Kenny Chesney....)
Yesterday was a travel day for me. After two months of living out of hotels, eating in restaurants, and driving rental cars, I'm finally back home in Portland. This time I think I may just be here for the long haul. I left a city where the high today was 81 (and sunny), only to return to a city that was 45 degrees (and drizzly). Yeah, it's going to take some time to re-acclimate. Yikes...I'm FREEZING!!!
Coming back home is exceedingly bittersweet, for reasons too personal to go into in any detail. Let's just say that my personal life would be sweeter if I could see my way clear to living in Houston again. The problem is that I can't, no matter how hard I try...and I really have over the past two months I've spent working there. I know myself well enough to admit that I would be miserable in Houston...if only because I have been previously. I love Portland, and I love living here, but I'm not necessarily wedded to the idea of spending the rest of my life here...not that I'm adverse to that idea. Still and all, after 3722 days in Houston, I've had enough. Yes, I know that there are those of you out there who love living in Houston and are upset by my kvetching. Hey, we all know what opinions are like, right?? I respect your opinion, and if you enjoy living in Houston...well, more power to you. Frankly, you can have it- the humidity, the traffic, the mosquitoes, the asshole drivers, ALL of it. I noticed a pronounced difference in my frame of my mind as soon as I arrived back here in Portland. I feel so much more relaxed and at ease here. Yes, coming back to Portland has it's bittersweet aspects, but it's home, and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise, Houston is not and cannot be home for me any more.
Having spent a good part of yesterday traveling and recuperating, I finally have some time to begin processing the myriad results from Election Day. Obviously, I'm beyond elated that Barack Obama not only won handily, but that he thoroughly embarrassed John McCain and Sarah Palin. Finally, it feels like morning in America, and for the first time in...well, at least eight years...I'm proud of my country. We once again have the opportunity to be great and to be respected as a contributing member of the international community. FINALLY...and 1.20.09 can't get here soon enough.
Like any election, there were triumphs and heartaches. Two-faced Oregon Republican Sen. Gordon Smith appears to have gone down to defeat in a very close election ultimately decided by the voters of Multnomah County. YES!!! At last count, Al Franken is down 476 votes out of almost 2.5 MILLION in the Senate race in Minnesota against Norm Coleman. Recount city, here we come.
Most disturbingly, California's Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriages, appears to have passed. Amazing, isn't it? How can a state that titled so overwhelmingly for Barack Obama harbor such hatred and bigotry? Then again, it's good to know that we'll finally be safe from Teh Gayz and their evil homosexual agenda, ain't it?? Whatever....
Sorting out the results and impacts from the election is something that's going to take weeks and months, of course. Like any election, it's a mixed bag. As ever, Americans are insightful, forward-looking, ignorant, and frightened of those who think, act, and live differently from themselves. Same as it ever was.... Still, it's hard not to be excited now that we know that come 1.20.09, a change is a'coming, eh?
Be it ever so humble....
