Getting to the Mountaintop

I was glued to the TV last night watching the election results. I was prepared to stay up as long as necessary to hear the concession speech and the president-elect's first speech. Although the map of the US seemed to have a lot of red on it, many of the heavily populated states with the most electoral votes were blue. I anxiously waited to hear the results from Ohio - a bellwether (I looked up the correct spellling) state and sure enough it went to Obama. Could it be? Then all of a sudden, it was announced - Obama exceeded the 270 electoral votes he needed. It was SO exciting to see the assembled crowd. And THEN to see Jesse Jackson in tears and Oprah Winfrey in tears --- how nice for them all. How exciting it was to be able to witness history as it was being made.

This morning, I saw Jesse Jackson being interviewed. There was a lump in my throat when I saw a video clip of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have been to the mountaintop" speech from 40 years ago.

We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Whew!

Many prominent African-Americans were interviewed today and almost all of them referred to Dr. MLK's words from either that speech or his 1963 "I Have a Dream Speech".

I saw an excellent PBS biography on both John McCain and Barack Obama last week and after seeing it, concluded that they are both great men. Although I despise McCain's politics, he certainly is a good, proud American. I was very impressed with his concession speech last night. Too bad he still had the Bush crap stuck to him for the election.

And I loved Obama's speech. He really will be the one to unify the US if anyone can. And good for him calling on everyone to help him. It's going to be a tough job. It amazes me that anyone would want the job. And I can only imagine what was going through Michelle Obama's mind...

I was so caught up in it all I forgot to go to Stitching Time with Vickie at Hedgehog Stitchery. So you KNOW how geeked up I was.

Today I wanted to work out and watch 'The View' so I went over to the gym and watched it while doing some time on the elliptical trainer and then the treadmill. I decided against a workout with weights as I was going to a Zumba class in the late afternoon. So I've had two pretty vigorous workouts today. I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight.

I'll get to a weight-training class tomorrow and maybe even will start stripping wallpaper off the downstairs bathroom. I want to lose one pound in the next week. I tried on some golf skirts that I haven't been able to wear in 4 years and can fit into all of them. The one golf skirt I wore last spring just hangs on me now. Whoopee!

Every time I sit down I do some knitting on the indigo Norwegian Woods shawl. I'm almost done the penultimate chart. Each row is taking 10+ minutes now. Chug, chug.