The brink of change

So y'know what I just did? I joined tens of thousands of other lovely folk who ventured into the breezy & cool Seattle Saturday to attend the Washington Democratic Caucus! (Yay for voting!)

Previously a caucus-virgin, I had no idea of what to expect, and though A&H also went-a-caucus-ing today, we live in different precincts and so had to register at different caucus sites. E had to work (E always has to work), so this meant that I was flying solo today. Ordinarily (as my sole two readers -- and the two people closest to me in the world already know), this would be a recipe for inaction. I would have flicked on the television, or busied myself elsewhere, in an attempt to convince myself that I wasn't scared to go by myself to a very important, historically relevant, and socially responsible function -- I was just too busy. (...We'll save the discussion of my social paralysis for another day.)

However, the time has definitely come. The time for change is heavily upon us, and I suppose 8 years of growing increasingly disenchanted with the United States' government, 8 years of escalating lies, deceit, corruption, irresponsible and damaging crony-ism, 8 years of growing more and more angry at my fellow Americans for being such ass-tastic, common-sense-tarded, scum-sucking douche-bags -- is just about enough to propel my fat (aka "American") ass into motion today, and I went. I stood in a small, hot, crowded room with hundreds of my immediate neighbors; I was herded to the corner of the room representing my precinct; I picked up that pen, and I -- all by myself -- VOTED. I voted with every ounce of anger, every ounce of frustration, fatigue, and -- (is it truly accurate to say? Can there really be an ounce of it left??) -- hope in the tattered corridor of my heart reserved for this mudhole we call: America.

Though I did not stick around for the pleasantries of speaking with others about my unwavering Obama-crush, nor was I interested in hearing what any Hillary supporters (however seemingly and conspicuously few there may have been at this particular caucus site) had to say -- I felt pretty darn good about my day's activity. After spending so many years feeling like just one of the masses neglected, abused and globally-embarrassed by the Bush Administration, I had my one, small say.

Will America ever regain a respectable reputation? Will the impending and inevitable recession turn out to be the epic bitch-slap for not fighting harder, voting louder, standing stronger against the Bush Circus in 2004, that it's projected to be? Will I ever not hate 90% of the population in this despicable country? A lot of people have a lot of standing up to do, and methinks more than a few stars need to miraculously align themselves before that happens... But at the very least, there is the promise of eventual change.