Darn straight…

Tuesday was my favorite night in D.C. thus far. Keep in mind that our city is as blue as they get, where the Green Party usually nets more votes than the Republicans. And that, for the moment, we’re still an African-American majority city. So a Democratic victory on Tuesday was going to be big. But I don’t think anyone understood quite how big…

Driving home from Cap Hill, we got caught up in the excitement downtown, where crowds had spilled out into the streets in an impromptu celebration, slowing car traffic to that rivaling the worst rush hour. But instead of reacting with ire, everyone just radiated love and goodwill. Drivers laid on the horns. Cyclists lapped the blocks cheering. People reached out of car windows. Pedestrians ran down the street, giving high fives, hugs, and thumbs up to everyone they passed. It was amazing — and you just really felt part of something bigger than yourself. People had needed a change, had needed to feel part of something, had needed to believe their voices and their votes mattered and were heard. And the successful election of Barack Obama gave credence to that belief.

Here are just a few shots from our crawl through downtown D.C.

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. An errant leaf that resembles a parking ticket draws me down the road just as a blue jay soars past.

2. The waitress at the restaurant where we had dinner runs next door to break my 50 Euro note so I can leave her a tip. And a random stranger at the Montparnasse Metro station uses her card to open the turnstile when my suitcase gets stuck and refuses to budge.

3. Obama. Yes we can and yes we did. The days ahead are grave, but people needed to believe that their voices mattered — and this proved that they did.

You know how I’m going to vote. You know how I’d like you to vote. But ultimately the important thing is that you DO vote.

Gay rights are family rights. Support love and equality. Vote NO on Proposition 8 in California and NO on Ballot Question 1 in Connecticut.

(Video created by the We Are Family Foundation)

And vote YES for change — elect Barack Obama.

(Song by Stacy Beyer)

Every year at this time of the year, a graveyard appears in our neighborhood. Sometimes the gravestones return, but mostly new epitaphs appear. Here are this year’s grave markers:

And for Halloween, some appropriate music:

Rockapella (scroll to 3:19 to avoid the South American geography game)

Dr. Horrible meets “Skullcrusher Mountain”

Jonathan Coulton’s performance of “Re: Your Brains”

Sarah’s My D.C. post is devoted to Halloween-loving folks on her side of town. Hillary’s looks at Lafayette Park statuary.