Yeah, it figures - my first attempt to post resulted in a bunch of weird symbols. I'll try this again but if it doesn't work, apologies, I just don't know what else to do!

I’ve been quoting my friend Loren this week. He said the other day that everything would be okay come January 20. And what the hell. It’s a good thought. I like it. At any rate, I’m starting to plan my day on January 20 as I believe I’ll want to remember it, as we did the night of the acceptance speech and Election Night.

Okay, okay, jeez, so believing in “poof” is a smidge simplistic and naïve. So? You got a problem with that? The thing is we can joke a little, can’t we? Let’s think magically for just a minute. Show of hands, okay? A year ago, New Year’s Eve, 2007, did you think that on Inauguration Day, you would hear the words “President Barack Obama”? There has been a little bit of hope, and goddamit, I’m sticking with it.

We know it will take longer than poof. The magical first 100 days? Six months? A year? We don’t know. But as I told my friend Zoe this afternoon, I did, really and truly, believe that yes, things would be better in 2009. This is a year when the personal was the political. My personal well-being, my health, our future, depended very much on politics and on who won the White House. So yes, I do believe as I told Zoe that things would be better in our country and that we would improve our place in the world. That matters. Very much. From health care to gay marriage, from believing in diplomacy, civil rights, openness, closing Guantanamo, ending torture, rebuilding gender, sexual, racial equality, from job creation, costs of medication, to massive issues like respect, honor, democracy, freedom, civil rights, diversity, love and respect, I believe we willl start to see a change. And as Jews say to each other when one offers an idea of hope, Zoe said to me “from your mouth to god’s ear.” And I assume She’s listening. Okay honestly? I don’t because I don’t believe in god of any kind, but if you do, would you pass along this hope? And if you’re a church-going, synagogue-attending, mosque-worshipping, praying type of person, would you please pray for our President Elect to have wisdom, compassion and grace? I mean, I think he already does, but who couldn’t use the push, huh?

May you enjoy tonight if you’re partying, playing, having fun. May you be warm, cozy, look great, eat wonderful food and love that new drink, may you be safe and happy and may we all have reason to look forward.

Happy New Year.