'In front of the White House, the celebrants came up with a new chant to direct toward the mansion: "Pack! Your! Shit!"' —Achenbach

what american culture gave me up to this point is a void—empty calories, hollow catchphrases, and meaningless toil. most things of value that i feel i have—outside of those things i was born with, i.e., a loving family, this awkward body, a somewhat unreliable mind—were gained in reaction to what america seemed embody.

but then last night, in all its historic, gravity-filled, momentous glory, our liberal messiah became the president elect. Obama then said this election was only the beginning and the real work is ahead. he appealed to the american people (that's us!) to do our part to help move america forward. then this afternoon i had an encounter with a fellow citizen while waiting for my order, (the bastille—a grilled panini with portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, smoked mozzarella, red onions, tomatoes, spinach in place of alfalfa sprouts, and sundried tomato mayo) at the local sandwich joint, who said electing Obama was a good first step, but that everyone needs to pitch in. i'm sure there are a number of other conversations happening all over the country with the same sentiment bandied about. i just don't know what it means. what part exactly are we supposed to do? how are we supposed to do it? is it sacrifice that's necessary? action? innovation? a psychological adjustment? what is and how do we make progress? this is really what most people yearn for, yes? some purpose? we'll eat it up if someone would just tell us, show us.

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as for prop 8, isn't the basis for our country "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"? isn't that what the declaration of independence was all about? the state denying a person their ability to marry someone they love is about as unamerican a thing as i can think of.