Less Than Two Weeks

I was flipping through one of the many mini moleskine notebooks of mine, and I came across theses notes written the day after Obama was elected:

I offered my table to a trio of Golden Girls today in Parnassus. As they settled in, their conversation moved from reminiscing about knitting during their college Russian classes to the magnanimity of last night's election. They had decided that out of everything they had experienced in their lives, last night was the zenith. "We've seen history," one of them chimed.

Later, this dialogue occured:

"I was scrapbooking and watching an 'E' True Hollywood Story about Clinton and all of his women."
"Who cares?!"

I'm sure she meant, "Who cares about Clinton and his women?" and not "Screw you and your scrapbooking!"

Thirteen days until Obama is officially in office, although it feels like Bush hasn't been our president for a good two years now. It will be an odd adjustment, knowing that there is someone in office who not only demands respect (and doesn't whine or make up words when he's frustrated by the lack of it), but has earned it. America is captivated, and waiting, and willing. I sincerely hope the enthusiasm felt on election night and the subsequent days of euphoria shortly thereafter translate into some kind of New American Mindset, one that looks a little like the America I was told existed but have never actually seen.

Note: I use "America" to mean "The United States of America". I understand the USA does not constitute the whole of the Americas, but for some reason you cannot be "United States of American", but you can be "American".