weekend

Last night's debate: while I was watching, I thought Obama did an excellent job, but I was surprised McCain didn't do worse. I suppose after the past week or so of McCain's ridiculous behavior, I was expecting more of the same--but the fact McCain wasn't a blithering idiot (like Bush in his debates) actually made Obama's ease and incisiveness seem even more impressive. Now that I've thought about it a bit, my overall impression is that Obama came across as relaxed, thoughtful but decisive, and in tune with the realities of the lives of average Americans--and McCain came across as a crotchety old curmudgeon preoccupied to the point of tunnelvision with issues irrelevant to most Americans and full of disgust for anyone who disagrees with him. I don't think that angry smirk of McCain's won him any new voters, nor did the fact he couldn't even look at Obama.

This afternoon I walked over to a little neighborhood Obama fundraiser (called the Obamarama) down the street from my apartment. There was loud music and bake sales and t-shirt sales and a silent auction and lots of kids running around, and Vincent Bugliosi signing some anti-Bush book he wrote. I didn't stay long, between melting in the heat and the fact I'd just donated more money to Obama's campaign today. So I came home and ate a lime popsicle.

Otherwise today I've been noveling and reading and watching Dark Shadows, and I will do more of these things this evening.

( this week's Ryan's Hope )