Reflections in the Dragon's Eye: A Journal

8 November 2000

As I was leaving the office yesterday, I told my officemates, "I'm not really going to be happy no matter who wins this election. So I'm going to go home, watch the election coverage, and get drunk."

I did it, too, more or less. If you don't live in the U.S., or you weren't watching the coverage, let me tell you: it was a more exciting race than most sports events. And it looks like it may take longer than most franchise's playoffs to finish it. I understand that Bush was pronounced the winner around 2:15 this morning, but that shortly afterward, it was retracted pending a vote recount in Florida.

When we first turned on the T.V. and Bush was leading the electoral college count 50-something to three, Matt poured out the last of the Crown Royal into a glass. I had some ButterShots. (I make no apologies. Matt and I both voted for Nader, but between the big two, we liked Bush least.) As the evening wore on, we finished off the Aftershock that's been in the freezer and made some steep inroads on my collection of airplane bottles of alcohol.

I'm not sure I'd ever seen Matt drunk before. Certainly never that drunk. I'm not sure if he decided it would actually be fun, or if he was in that much despair for the state of our country. (I, personally, was planning on running outside as soon as a winner was announced and shrieking, "We are all doomed! Doooooomed!" but since they're still recounting votes in Florida - and the absentee ballots won't all be in for several days - I'm reserving the option.)

At one point, Matt called Braz to see how he was enjoying the election. Braz has never witnessed Matt drunk. I could hear his cachinnating from across the room. We tried to convince him and Kris to come over and get drunk with us, but Kris was on call, and Braz didn't want to leave her alone. Too bad; having them there would've been fun.

I think Matt passed out around 10:30 or so. I'm not sure; he went upstairs to take a shower and never came back down. I kept hoping a clear lead would be established so I could go to bed. At 12:30, when it became obvious (to me, anyway) that whoever took Florida would win the race, and that Florida was an almost absurdly close race, I went to bed. I finally drifted to sleep around one, only to be awakened by the cat at two. I turned on the TV as I let the cat out: no change. There was a change this morning, but not enough to decide things.

So I'm waiting to see who will be leading this country for the next four years: the idiot or the liar.

ONE!

Matt and I are having dinner with my parents tonight. My mom called last night to set up the time. As I took the phone from Matt, she announced, "I'm moving. I can't believe I live with such idiots! George Allen, indeed!" I think we'll all move together. To Illinois, maybe. At least then Matt and I wouldn't have to ration out our family visits.

Mom and I also discussed having Thanksgiving dinner at our house. It's just going to be the four of us this year, and I thought it would be nice. That way, I'd get turkey with skin, and get to use my china!

When I'd suggested the idea to my dad, he'd looked horrified. "But... Where will you get the baked jello?" A holiday meal with my family just wouldn't be complete without a few cooking disasters. But I'll be asking Mom to bring a few dishes, so the opportunity for disaster is there.

I promised her that tonight at dinner we could discuss the menu and what she should bring. I guess that means I need to actually come up with the menu, eh?

Hey, tell me: Would it be a sin against humanity or America or something to serve a non-standard gravy? I have a recipe from another dish for plum gravy that's just delicious, and you still make it with the drippings from the roast (or turkey, in this case), so you'd still get those little bits and pieces that make homemade gravy good... What do you think?

Word of the Day: cachinnate - to laugh loudly or immoderately

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