magicbeans. nothing if not awkward.

Almost universally. At the coffee shop. On the subway. In the streets. People look upset, beaten, oftentimes on the verge of tears. It would make for an interesting social study, but for the reason behind it.

I can't say that I didn't see it coming. But I still can't really believe it. Not that we didn't elect Kerry. I'm not a Democrat. I think moving to the center was the worst thing to happen to the Democratic party. Maybe one in ten Democrats is far enough to left for me to feel that they might actually represent my views. Still, somehow I'm shocked that we did re-elect Bush. A war-mongering religious zealot. An big-money oil man.

I'm especially shocked how many new states adopted so-called 'Defense of Marriage' acts. Are we, as a country, that uncompassionate and hate-filled towards things that we might find somewhat distasteful, but that do not directly affect us in any way?

Maybe I have to start planning for a congressional run two years from now. I joked about it in my early twenties. 'As soon as I turn 25 and I'm constitutionally old enough to run, I'm going to be the only person on C-Span with pink hair.' Then I went back to school instead. And now my hair hasn't been pink in a couple of years. But it might be time to revisit the thought.

---

I left work around 3. There wasn't a whole lot to do again today, and this cold won the early afternoon round against me. Despite the best efforts of megadoses of vitamin C.

The kids went to check out Democracy Plaza. They would have liked for me to give them a tour, but as I was already home in Brooklyn with no real intentions of leaving the house beyond a trip around the corner for food, they had to do it self-guided.

On said trip to the market, Ellen called, and we talked for a bit. Then later, I called her back. 'Three more things,' I said. 'First. I've kept a kind of narcissistic, often boring online journal for the last six and a half years, and write about whatever is going on in my life. And I sort of like to warn people about that up front. It's only really read by a handful of my friends around the world, and mostly I just do it for my own sake, but it's no big secret or anything.

'Second. Are we still planning on doing something sober at some point?'

'That might be a good idea.'

'And third. While it's cute, no one who knows me really ever calls me "Beanbag". I mean, it's totally up to you. But "Bean" is fine.' And we talked for another 45 minutes or so. About these three things and about politics, which is not far from anyone's conversations today.