As Election Day approaches, there is an air of excitement everywhere.  I hear eager conversations - on the train, in coffee shops, at street corners - all about the better days ahead once Obama wins the presidency. After 8 years of George, the President (I still can’t believe he got re-elected for a second term!!!) and his reign of fear, it is exhilarating to hear a presidential candidate who focuses on hope rather than fear. In my earlier visits to the U.S, around the time of 9/11 and in 2004 at the time of the Elections, the tension and overwhelming sense of forbearance was intense.  Anyone with an accent or a skin tone that isn’t the norm in this country was an enemy – at least, that’s what people were being told.

       With the emergence of Obama as the democratic candidate, a cloud seems to have lifted off of the general mood the in country. Despite McCain’s feeble attempts to discredit him with Joe the plumber’s help, negative campaigning, and a winking and weak Palin (If you caught the SNL episodes of Tina Fay’s impeccable impressions – those were the best ‘Palin’ moments on this campaign) Obama has surged forth in the lead so far. After having lived in this country for about two and a half years, I have been disappointed enough with the state of affairs and have joined in with the rest of the crowd that waits for Obama to step into the White House with feverish anticipation.

         My can’t-vote-because-I’m-not-a-citizen-brown-minority self can’t wait for Tuesday and the joy that can bring this country. Who wouldn’t want a president that is pro-choice, supports gay rights, and knows what it’s like to be oppressed?  

       Yesterday, I was reading about a young entrepreneur who thought of his home as a sanctuary after a chaotic day at work. It made me look around (I’m not young nor am I an entrepreneur) at my own home. On a daily basis, I barely register what’s around me! I don’t have the time to drink it all in! And I am glad I don’t, because it would send me into a frenzy of cleaning J I hardly ever sit on the nice, but inexpensive, outdoor furniture set that was bought so I could enjoy the nice backyard that first prompted to move to this particular house! The plan was to breathe the fresh air and drink in the changing colors of fall and instead the only reason I check weather.com is to decide whether traffic will be reasonable to get to downtown on time or to decide the thickness of the jacket to wear today!!!

           In observing how deprived my life was, I had an epiphany.  I existed between deadlines and was becoming emotionally numb although my chosen profession and the purpose of my fighting traffic everyday was to help others change and become more in touch with their emotional lives. Maybe I’m meant to learn to get more connected with my life, learn to live a life that’s relatively stress free (although life and stress free in the same sentence don’t make sense to me right now) and grow both personally and professionally! I can’t let publishing papers and presenting at conferences define my daily life! I can’t let my midterm (that I have to pass to move to the next set of courses) that’s due this coming week take away the pleasure of watching rabbits run around in my backyard!

      Now that I have made my protest, let me get back to studying for that midterm and writing that paper that was due yesterday.