#151 - yes we can! ...and we did!

so this is what happiness and hope feels like. it is pretty amazing. i just finished watching president-elect barack obama's speech. he is an amazing speaker that just gives me so much energy. since 2004 when he gave that DNC speech, we've known his ability on a national level to inspire people with his words. he doesn't have much experience but that may just be his advantages. he has and gives us hope. we were able to really believe in obama, not just to vote for someone so the opponent would not get in. this is my third election and i had never felt so invested or positive. i didn't want to get too optimistic before the election because in the last one i felt pretty good. we all know how that ended up. so many people came to and realized that obama is different. he will produce change and give us a new life. we can be really proud of our country. i've never felt this way. i've always known how lucky i am to be an american but this makes it totally different. i can tell people from other countries when i travel that i am from obama's america. i voted for him. he is my president!

i probably do not make any sense on this blog but i'm way too tired from watching all the election results. i'm probably too giddy to even sleep tonight. i have so much in my head that i can't really write about it. it's such an amazing feeling. i can be proud out loud and not be apathetic. i can dare to hope. these are feeling that are sort of unnatural for me and young people in general i think. washington has always been an old white rich man's world and now there is a man who represents real people there, leading the nation. tomorrow is the first day of a new attitude for this nation. we can use hope and not fear as motivation now. there will be change. we did it but the work is only beginning. our nation has become a mess and a lot needs to be done. obama can do it. we can do it.

#58 - rain and cold

i don't know why but i love the rain and cold. yes, i grew up in hawaii where the weather is quite predictably warm. it's been in the 30's here in oregon for a week or so, and i love it! unfortunately it hasn't snowed yet but i am waiting patiently. i missed the "white christmas" because i was in aforementioned warm climate. i love being able to bundle up and wear my big puffy jacket or peacoat. it's so nice to wear sweaters and sweats too. i LOVE seeing my breath outside when i breathe. last year about this time in late january it snowed and it was great!! i got to make a snowman and snowdog, snowboard in the street (sort of), watch maui run around and enjoy the snow with pogo, walk to work a mile in the snow (enjoying the crunch and quiet of the snow), sit inside in front of a fire in between playing in the snow, and just enjoy something kind of new. i look forward to the changing seasons and love the rain and cold while it lasts!

i do also love being able to go home to hawaii though and feel at home even though i'm only visiting. it will always be my home no matter where i go. hopefully i'll always be able to boogie board in the blue waters at waimanalo beach park where the sand is the finest you'll ever find. or trying to surf the small waves at white plains on my big ass board. there are many reasons why i don't live there but it's a great place. if i could somehow create real seasons there...i'd move in a heartbeat.

so now as i type and can't feel my hands or feet, i think about going out somewhere (like the gym) and just get lazy cause it's so nice to be in sweats and not do anything when it's cold. i am so comfortable! in hot weather i am always miserable unless i'm at the beach. most people think hawaii=beach but really not many people go to the beach everyday. hawaii is like any other place where when you live there you don't quite appreciate everything around you. maybe that is why i love oregon weather, it's not very extreme. you don't get to a point where you can't appreciate things because it changes pretty often. just about the time when you are hoping for warmer weather, you get it.