Tuesday This'n'That - I apologize for the politics! But there's no *nastiness here.

*I express my dislike of Sarah Palin with the words 'God' and 'forbid'.

Note: I started this post at about 7 pm. As I finish it is going on 11 pm. I watched election coverage throughout most of the night, occasionally blogging while messing about on the computer. What else to talk about but the election? It's a long post is what I'm saying.

Just like I borrowed Musical Monday off of Suburban Mum, for this month I am borrowing Tuesday This'n'That off of Julie, host of the fantastic Christmas Ornament Swap. So here we go...random things that I have done, random thoughts that have crossed my mind, random is as random does...

* I have been following the US election with a lot more interest in which I followed the recent Canadian election. I am, as I am pretty sure most of you can guess, a supporter of Barack Obama. And yet, I do not think a Democratic presidency is the best thing for Canada. Democrats tend to be protectionist, and with the slide in the economy I exoect they will be even more so. I did not like Joe Biden saying some time ago that they would renegotiate the Free Trade Act, when really he needs both Canada and Mexico to do so.

* I am watching John McCain's concession speech and, my goodness, he is a class act. I can't wait to see Obama's though! I do note he has not yet mentioned Sarah Palin. And right as I said that did. I bet we'll see her in 4 years, God forbid.

* On facebook today you could donate your status to getting out the vote, or getting out the vote for the candidates. I used mine to "get out the vote" because what right do I, as a Canadian, have to tell you, the American reader, who to vote for? I don't care if you voted for McCain, Obama, Nader, Baldwin or anyone else. Do I think American politics affect Canada and the rest of the world? Most definitely. But it's not our right to say how Americans should vote. Now saying go and vote? In a democracy I do not think it just a right, but a responsibility. I have voted in every municipal, provincial, and federal election (and there have been 3 of those in just over 4 years!) since I became a Canadian citizen. I have also voted in one British election. I believe it is our responsibility to get informed and to go out and vote. And I am all for fines for those who don't vote, just like in Australia. Not that William, who has never voted, have ever been fined.

*And I venture away from politics finally! For ages I have blogged about how I need to get my birth certificate because I need my passport, my Canadian citizenship card and, ahem, my drivers license. Yes, I suck and don't drive. And with all those kids going here, there and everywhere I need to drive. So anyway! Yesterday I got the kick in the ass I needed to get the ball rolling on getting said birth certificate. My friend Shelley called and said that instead of going on the craft weekend next fall, the plan is to go to Washington on a shopping trip. Plus, should the Canadian government ever get their act together and grant William his residency the hope is to get ourselves over the border and to Disneyland. So today I go onto the internet to order my birth certificate from the British registry office. It's about $8 cheaper to order it if your have a GRO index number and other than my year of birth I have no idea what the other numbers needed are. So I call my mum, who I have not told about the missing birth certificate becuase I fear her wrath. I ask her about this number and after a lecture about my irresponsibility she says that she thinks she has my long birth certificate. She tells me I only had the short form and really? I think the woman is losing her mind because I KNOW I had the long form. I think I gave it back to her knowing that I am likely to lose it. Well, that's my theory. So anyway, I have my birth certificate and now I have no excuse to get my license. Which sort of scares me to be honest.

* I am in tears watching Barack Obama talk about his family. I am glad his supporters did not boo McCain like McCain's booed Obama. But I suppose they have more reasons to feel generous.

* I think to be a black person in America tonight must be an amazing feeling. To think 150 years ago there was slavery, that 45 years ago there was segregation, and that in just under 3 months the president of the United States, the leader of the largest super power in the world, will be a black man. Absolutely amazing and fantastic. I think no matter what your political views are you have to be in awe of that fact.

* My brother posted a note on facebook last night asking if Obama can live up to the hype surrounding him and fulfill his campaign promises. Note that I don't necessarily agree with everything he says! He is currently working in San Francisco, so has been in the midst of this election, inasmuch as visitor can be.

Excuse me whilst I wax pessimistic. But I am afraid Obama, the great half-white hope, will prove the greatest of weather vanes. What is it that he believes, what does his heart and his conscience tell him? I know not. I wish to believe that in his heart his aim will to be the best of men, the best of leaders. But I am afraid that of all the competing factions that will seek his attention it will be the moneyed interests that have his ear. Indeed, that will pull his ear to do their bidding.

Change? A cosmetic change of the status quo, perhaps, but I would bet for little else.

There will be fire in America.

Can he meet all these expectations that have been raised? I don't think he can do it in this first four years, I hope that he is given a chance to do it in his final four.

And then, today, Thom posted another note entitled "Okay, maybe I was wrong". The number 8 is very important to my brother. His tour around the world is meant to la 888 days. His birth date adds, subtracts and divides into 8. 8 is the number of abundance and prosperity.

For those of you who know me and love me you will know that I am somewhat of mathematician. Though I do not have, as of yet the proof, I have a theory that everything either adds, subtracts, multiplies or divides into eight.

Let us take today's date, for instance, November 4, 2008, adds to eight. Here the proof:

The day, the fourth, times by the month, the eleventh, is forty-four. Four plus four is eight. Now, the year, two thousand and eight adds to ten. Now ten plus eight equals eighteen and one and eight is... eight.

Wow, the darkness, of last nights political prediction, put forward before I did my mathematical equation and realized that today was the election on a day that adds so beautifully to eight.

Perhaps there is hope for humanity.

I so had so much more to say but people! The election! History being made!

I wonder what George Bush thinks.