FAIL.

Yep, I managed less than a week of consisted NaBloPoMo. However, I am planning a double-post Friday to make up for it! Seeing as there is no governing body for this "everyone write, every day!" month, I am not afraid of much censure, so let's just move on. I'm sure all eleven of my readers will forgive (right?).

Today is an unofficial day off, as there is no work-work to be done, but a ton of school and a bit of wedding stuff to do. That means I got to sleep in (until 8! Nice!), and watch multiple episodes of Jon and Kate Plus 8...before beginning my prep for a presentation I have to give tomorrow on blogs. Yes, blogs. Specifically, blogs about/by libraries/librarians, which will be a scintillating 7 minutes in Elluminate. Yay, Powerpoint (picture the Michael Scott emphatic pointing here)! Later, my mom and I will check out the house that is a potential wedding venue-- it's in Morgan Hill, and is the home of my former boss's mom and stepdad. GP and I have been there before, but I have to run it by the benefactors before we finally have a venue decision made (this is the other current front runner-- any feedback?).

The most wonderful time...

What with the election over (bittersweet, really, because Prop 8 looks like it's going to pass in CA, and that just makes me sick to my stomach), it is officially time to start looking forward to the Holidays. Yes, Halloween is over, and judging from the displays just about everywhere, we'll be skipping Thanksgiving this year and heading straight for holly and tinsel. No? Fine, then. We'll talk about Thanksgiving, instead.

I love Thanksgiving. Because I am a ridiculous sap, and definitely do not take time to think about incorporating gratitude into my everyday life (in between episodes of Jon and Kate Plus 8), I an thankful for Thanksgiving. Really, it's like Valentine's Day, but with less chocolate and more gravy. Probably slightly less sex, but that's really up to you. I have been alternating Thanksgivings between my parents since they split up (I think that was...10 years ago?), and luckily that will likely continue post-marriage because GP's parents live in New York, which is just far too far to travel for a holiday based on eating (presents, I will travel for). This year we will be celebrating with my dad's side, at my aunt's house in Modesto. Modesto is a slightly terrifying town in the Central Valley, which is about as red as California gets-- very, very socially conservative and whatnot, and they have the distinction of being the former stomping grounds of both Gary Condit and Scott Peterson. Woo, Modesto. My aunt's cooking, however, makes up for all that-- she's been doing Thanksgiving so long that she's basically a pro, which means turkey and ham, as well as all the obligatory sides, but dessert is really the star. (When is it not?) Pie as far as the eye can see, cookies, and some pineapple/Jell-o/whipped cream concoction that I can never re-create. I'm salivating just thinking about it...

Two questions, y'all:
1) What's your favorite Thanksgiving dinner food?
2) What are you thankful for?

P.S. Bonus! Because my boss at the library internship is Canadian, we got to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving there a few weeks ago. There were bacon-wrapped green beans, and I almost melted with pleasure.

In short...

I am so, so proud of America. It was all worth it-- all the worrying, all the hoping, all the rollercoaster that the last 18 months have been worth it. This night is one that I will be proud to have been part of the making of, and I that I am already looking forward to telling my children about (don't worry, though, it'll be awhile before there are any of those). The past eight years, the abomination that the Bush administration has been...I feel like they have pushed us in this direction. One that is so many of the ideals that we hold closely to our American identity, come to fruition. I'm teary and even more full of hope than I've been in a long time (I know, "change and hope"...but get used to it).

What are you looking forward to in the next four years?

P.S. I am still edgy about some of the California propositions...we'll see.

Tense

I am watching the final episode of "The Daily Show" before the election, and really? Y'all, I'm more excited about it than I was about watching the NBC Nightly News (ok, I have repeatedly asked GP if we can name our future son Brian Williams Ourlastname, that's how obsessed I am). And I don't know what it is-- school, two jobs, what have you, but this election is bringing back the TMJ that I so enjoyed in high school/college. Greeeeat. I am hoping tomorrow night that the overriding emotion in The Apartment will be joy, followed by relief, but still worried about the presidential race (what if all the polls are wrong?), but also Props 4 and 8. Time will tell, but mostly I am hoping that a) our country will changed for the better because of this election, and b) that my damn jaw will stop with the tension, popping, and clicking.

Even if it's for a sticker and free coffee, donuts, and/or ice cream, I hope everyone gets out and votes tomorrow! I am shameless about my leanings (truly, because I feel no shame), but whatever yours happen to be, get out there and express yourself. And if you're still undecided (which I am beginning to believe is like being bisexual-- I just don't buy it), read this. It's graphically pleasing and informative!

That extra hour

...totally helped me out, because by the time I BARTed and drove home from the city, it was half past one in the morning, waaaay past my bedtime (yes, shut up, I am old now).

Matturday was awesome, with the concert preceded by dinner at Out the Door in the SF Shopping Center (which I hadn't been to in ages, and is so much nicer than I remember!). We shared a couple tepid (at best! come on) vegetarian steamed buns, then a bottle of white Bordeaux, cellophane noodles with Dungeness crab, and spicy lemongrass chicken. When we were stuffed and lightly sauced, we walked the two blocks to the Warfield, where we proceeded to drink $9 gin and tonics (and I managed to find a bar that demanded a $35 minimum on a credit card...seriously) and enjoy the dulcet tones of whatever band was the opener for the opener, Jessie Baylin. Jessie Baylin is adorable, and was dressed like a blonde Pinky Tuscadero, complete with biker jacket (no word on whether it has ever belonged to Fonzie) and rocker-chick gyrations. If I were in a more music-acquiring mood, she'd definitely be on my list. And then there was Matt! Nathanson! His shows are, as previously mentioned, on the rocking side of awesome, and last night was no exception...the notable sing-along was "Take on Me," truly a test of audience falsetto skills (luckily Andy and I are fantastic singers), a bit of "Jesse's Girl," as well as the perennial favorite of the audience doing the "I can fall alone..." background during the encore of "Answering Machine" (which holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first of Matt's songs I ever heard).

The rain that assaulted my car as I drove up to catch the train had thankfully ceased, and I had that jangly, too-alive feeling that usually follows concerts. Does that make sense? I feel like there's something about all that sensory overload that dulls and sharpens everything at the same time...

Matturday!

I had to do it, you guys... I am so. Freaking. Excited. For tonight! My friend Andy and I are going to see Matt Nathanson at the Warfield, which will be the third time that we've seen him together, and the fourth time that I've seen him in concert. Yes, I realize that that is insane, especially given that I am not an especially frequent concert-goer (I am a grad student with two jobs...and no free time or money. It's all podcasts and NPR for me), but I try to make a point of seeing Matt when I can. His concerts are always really fun, with a sing-along or three (greatest hits include "Livin' on a Prayer," "Starfish and Coffee," and any number of Journey songs-- I'm hoping for "Faithfully" tonight). The opener is Jessie Baylin, who looks pretty groovy on her website, and if MySpace and previous Matt openers (Ingrid Michaelson! Marc Broussard!) are any indication, tonight is going to kick all the ass.

In other news, I have decided to crash back into the blogging world by doing NaBloPoMo. Yep, I have joined the group and everything...but I am warning you, some of it is going to be boring. So don't say I didn't tell you, okay?

The winding-down of Barack-tober

Yeah, that's right...I am not even going to mess around with the Rock-tober promises, because this month has been too full of The Busy to apply any such term to it. However, there were some highlights, including:

-a haircut, with deep conditioner treatment that was kicked into the deal and totally blew my mind. Sure, I am annoyed with my sort-of side-bangs now, but at the time? I was so excited about my hair.

-attending the last wedding of 2008, and possibly the last one before my own, which is a scary thought. No, we haven't picked a date (because it turns out I fail at wedding planning so far-- no decisions have been made), but we have heard nothing and gotten nary a Save the Date, so I'm thinking it might be a year-long wedding drought.

-rocking the hell out of most of my Library School assignments. Turns out I have found my calling, even though I still think distance learning is pretty isolating.
-carving the best jack-o-lantern ever. Seriously, friends, all I need now is a couple others that say "No on 8" and "No on 4" (because I loooove gays and hate babies! No wait, only one of those is true), and I will be an official commie. Is it election time yet?

Now, for the lowlights:

-being near tears during a timed online assignment because my professor had given such poor directions that I was almost entirely unprepared for the damn thing. I have survived, but we will see what the grading gods think of my efforts.

-finding out that my 18-year-old stepsister had gotten married in mid-July. Oh, and I found this out...in mid-August. From my mom and stepdad...who had found out only a few days previous. If I felt that this marriage was in any way based on some sort of adult, mature, well-reasoned decision, I might be a bit more supportive. As it is now...well, it hurts to think that one's sibling wouldn't deign to notify her family of her marriage.

-working two jobs sucks. I even did the math, see? Two part-time jobs + graduate school < one full-time job

Am I being too ambitious when I am even considering doing NaBloPoMo?