This year marks the second election I've ever been able to vote in, and the first time that I educated myself on the state and local issues as well as the presidential race. I watched two out of the four debates (the first and last presidential ones); donated money; read the newspaper, newsletters, and email forwards; and all around did my darndest to stay informed and involved.

I must say, it's a hard pill to swallow when you put so much of your mental energy into something and then your candidate doesn't get elected or your measure doesn't pass (but what a thrill when it does work out...stem cell research, for example). It's startling to see, every four years, just exactly where your opinions stand among your fellow countrymen, and where your city/town, county, state, and region stand. The vote seems to me to be just as beneficial as a national poll as it is an election.

Steve and I spent some time last night at dinner discussing where else in the world we might want to live. We went over the roster -- Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Caribbean...but the truth is, no matter who is in power, there's really no place like the U.S. once you're used to it.

In the end, we decided that if the Continental U.S. drove us crazy, we'd move to Alaska or Hawaii. We figured six months of winter and a ratio of 7 men to every 1 woman, or volcanoes, tsunamis, and mice infestation might take our minds off the powers that be...

...at least until the next election. See you in two years. *Sigh.*