I just had one of the best days of my life!!! My husband and I just got back from voting early. We went downtown to the auditorium where they've been having people come to vote early, and we got there at around 9:15am. RIGHT AWAY, while still driving into the parking lot, we noticed that, in the line that wrapped around the VERY LARGE building, there seemed to be a LOT of Obama supporters in line. When we parked and walked to the back of the line, we immediately realized that the simultaneous conversations going on around us were all conversations that we've had before. "We can't take four more years of this" and "Who in their RIGHT MIND could vote for McCain after the last eight years". Immediately, we began talking to the people standing around us, there was a crowd of us about twenty in number, about our views and reasons for voting one way or the other (Although, today, there was no "other" - There were MAYBE three or four McCain supporters, and none of them were friendly or talkative or smiling.). I felt a sense of community that I haven't felt EVER. One woman brought fried chicken to share with the group, one woman brought suckers to share with the group. There were people handing out free bottled water, and both times I was offered a bottle of water, I was thanked for waiting so long just to vote.
Today was definitely one of the highlights of my life, and I'll remember that feeling for the rest of my life.
We weren't men and women today.
We weren't black people and white people
We were just people. People who love our country and want to see it change. People who would give anything for another person, stranger to them or not. People who showed compassion for everyone around them. People who, for the first time in a long time, felt truly optimistic about our unified future.
This is why I voted for Barack Obama. These are the kinds of values his inspiration is bringing out in us all. We're brothers and sisters more than we've ever been before. The lines that divided us for so very long are finally, in a real way, disappearing.
Barack Obama truly is unifying us. Not because he's half black. Not because he's half white. Simply because he is 100% in love with this country as much as we are, and he wants us to truly be a proud nation again. He is hope. He is optimism. This is what he's given us.
I've supported Obama since the primaries began simply for one reason - I know without a doubt that he means every word he says. He hopes for what I hope. He works for my goals. He defends the community I come from. We ARE America, and today I was truly proud to be an American.
I waited five hours on a Saturday morning just for the chance to get my vote in early to make sure my voice was heard. TOTALLY worth it.
And, just as I was about to walk into the auditorium and cast my vote for change, a Japanese television crew was looking for someone to interview and picked little old me *batts eyelashes"
Here's how the interview went
Newsguy: How long have you been waiting here?
Me: Since about 9:15 this morning. Four hours.
Newsguy: Why did you decide to come vote early? Is it because your vote won't matter if you wait till the last day?
Me: Nooo, no no. All votes MATTER, but, personally, I was so excited to come vote that I felt I didn't want to wait any longer. And if there was a problem on Tuesday, there's no second chance. I can't go back to vote if there's a problem. If there is a problem today, there is still time.
Newsguy: If you don't mind telling me, who did you vote for in the last election?
Me: I don't mind at all, I voted for John Kerry
Newsguy: Who are you voting for this time around?
Me: Barack Obama ALL the way!!
Newsguy: Tell me, as a white person, do you find yourself at all hesitant to vote for a black man?
Me: Not at ALL! I'm excited to vote for Barack Obama! We all are!
Newsguy: Thank you very much
Me: Have a nice day! *big smile*
So now I'm happy fun time tv Japan star shine!
Please, everyone. If you CAN vote early, please do. If you can't vote early, get there on Tuesday. We're making history, here. This feeling needs to be spread around.
I'm messing around with all the functions of this site, because I've had the account for like two years and haven't done anything with it yet. Here's to hoping it's worth your time to read once in awhile. 
