I am crashing from an Obama-fueled high.

[Bicoastal]

Sure, I still feel good--incredibly good--about his victory. I still am excited about an Obama Presidency, as well as the end of the Bush era. 8 years after an awful, awful travesty of an election that caused me to take a long hard look at democracy and whether it truly exists in this country, my faith in this country has been more than just reaffirmed. I am more committed than ever to personally help make the USA strong again.

But I am no longer smiling from ear-to-ear 24/7. Nor am I dancing around the room at the latest new headlines. Or flipping madly through the TV channels for something--anything--election related. Or tearing up at every new picture of Chicago's picture-perfect celebration.

November 4th 2008 is over. Our country, so starved for genuinely positive headlines in recent years, has never seen a night quite like that before, and it's possible we never will again. Not in my lifetime, at least. And as much as I would like to relive that moment of victory over and over again, I'm starting to come to terms with the facts and mellow out a little. The world seems just a little smaller, just a little greyer than on that magical evening, and watching unbearably brief YouTube videos of sidewalk celebrations from coast to coast only reminds me that all good things must come to an end.

For the first time in my life, I put in long hours working for a campaign. I, like many of you, scanned the Internet for headlines every morning, and waited for the latest poll numbers to come in every evening. I dreamed of this week for more than a year. Now--President Barack Obama, actually living, working, being Presidential in the White House? It'll be exciting, but it will never top the incredible heights we seemed to reach on Tuesday night. After all, once a dream is made reality, what more will we dream of?

I think I need a break from politics--for the holidays. I will resume my fascination in January, when I travel to DC for a first-hand glimpse of the inauguration--but 'til then, it's time to leave behind the fantasy of belonging to a huge nationwide social movement and head back to the messy reality of my own life.

Gobama. :patriot:

[budkin]

1. Take a break - enjoy the holidays, you deserve it!

They will feel extra good this year!

[crispini]

2. Clean the house.

That's the medicine. :D

[goodgd_yall]

3. Take 5 mg of clonazepam

some hot cocoa and get under the covers. Don't come out until Thanksgiving.

[HughMoran]

4. Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I think is "did we actually elect a black President"?

I still have to become fully conscious before I fully believe it.

The excitement of Tuesday night is wearing off, but the long struggle to get here and the realization that something good has actually happened in this country still causes me to well up from time to time.

Take a break - the excitement will return when Obama is finally sworn in.

[cooolandrew]

5. K&R print this one out and send out all around red states. I'm working on 2012 early.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Just wait till Inauguration and The SOTU address.....

You will be all a buzzing again.