Election 2012

Smug Obama is awesome

Four years ago Ryan and I were lucky enough to get tickets to the Obama rally at Grant Park on election night.  We rode our bikes to the Regal Beagle (RIP) for a pre-election pizza and some beers and then continued onto Grant Park.  It was an unusually warm night for early November, which gave the evening an even more exciting buzz.  (It also turned out to be a great thing since I got a flat tire not even half way home and had to walk the rest of the way.)  It was an indescribable feeling when they announced that Barack Obama had won - so many people so happy and excited all in ONE PLACE.  I remember hearing him speak, but being so far away that I really had no idea where he was actually standing, but just being so proud and delighted to be there.

Proof!

Fast forward four years and I spent the morning (evening, of course, in the USA) on my phone, texting with my sister and family, streaming CNN on my computer, and obsessively checking Facebook.  It was obviously a very different election experience, but I somehow still felt SO connected, and it was great.  Ryan was getting ready for work for a portion of it and they announced the results just in time for me to call him with the wonderful news before he flew to Seattle.

It's not hard to guess who I supported in this election, and I'm obviously thrilled with the results.  But even more important, I'm just proud that I had the opportunity to vote even though I'm half way across the world.