Today, the day before the election, I spent the day at an all-girls school in Nashville, Tennessee. After the day’s events were finished, they held a reception in the Headmaster’s home, and I found myself alone in a room with three girls from the high school. Someone had a sticker that said, “I voted!” And I asked about it, confused, because of her age. She told me they had held a mock election earlier that day. I asked about the results, trying to keep my tone even, not wanting my own politics to creep into my voice. She said, 43 Obama, 54 Romney. I couldn’t keep a wow from slipping out. That’s actually better than I would have expected, she said. It was clear, based on the way she said it, what “better” meant, and I started to ask more about it, now feeling safe that we were on the same team. The Headmaster re-entered the room with other faculty members. The girls shifted in their seats. We raised our chins, our eyes, crossed our knees. I answered questions about poetry, about travel, about my family back home, and their recovery from the hurricane. I did not mention the election. Neither did the girls. We thanked our hosts, and shuffled into our coats, bracing against the winds of the newly minted winter air. Once outside, with a safe distance from the house, I quietly asked what the preparation for the election had been. Some shaking heads made it clear there hadn’t been any. A junior named Cat, looked squarely at me. We are in the reddest of red down here. Nobody bothers trying to explain platforms or sway votes, because it’s not going to make a difference. All the girls in this school, we all come from conservative parents. Conservative administration. It’s amazing Obama even got as many as he did. We swayed in the parking lot, and the ropes in my stomach wound tighter and tighter. I felt like I had failed them. I shouldn’t have wasted time on poems about peacocks and love. I should have been teaching them about what it means to be a woman. About burden and responsibility and pain, about how hard it was to get to where we are, how easily it slips away. The three girls in the parking lot walked me to my car. They were smart and outspoken, the way girls at these schools often out-rank their peers from co-ed schools. They left me in my car, their green and white plaid skirts brushing their knees as they walked. Have a good night, they said. We’ll see you tomorrow for the middle school assembly. Good luck, they said. I knew they were talking about the assembly. Good luck to you too, I said. Good luck to us all. http://newversenews.blogspot.sg/2012/11/november-5-2012-day-before.html This is strangely powerful, in the sarah kay way, but also in how it hits closer to home more than we'd like to admit, and deeper too. This entire climate of apathy that is striking so many of us is disturbing, because we're taking so much for granted and it's easy to forget about burden and responsibility and pain, about how hard it was to get to where we are, how easily it slips away On another note I've decided to come back here at least once in a while perhaps precisely because there's so much going on and I feel the need to blog (because I'm strange like that) but to whoever still comes here, don't expect many updates on any sort of regular basis. This is really an insane period of time and these two weeks are going to be absolutely ridiculous-- not sure how we're going to get through it, but we will. it seems everything is just right smack in the middle of-- everything else-- and it's just difficult to hold on to the passion and doing everything well when there're so many expectations, so many roles to fulfill, so little time to do things. I desperately need time for myself-- not just alone time, but time for myself. Sarah and Phil last wednesday was beautiful. no words, really. so, so honoured to have been able to see them, and meet them, and listen to them. also, they are insanely incredibly tall. but it was amazing, so glad for that chance (: I could go on and on about this but I think I've said enough to various people, just-- thank you so much Sarah and Phil for bringing me through so much.
hoping beyond anything that things turn out fine. AA, YFC, vectors, history pt, lit aa (1), lit aa (2), campaigning, TAs, chem comm someone help me
