Archive for November 4th, 2008

It’s Lonely Here in Vienna on Election Night

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

I am so grateful to be able to contribute to work that brings me to Vienna periodically. But tonight, I must admit, I’d be happier to be home at the local election watch party. To be able to share the anxiety with others who have worked the last two years trying to bring new leadership to the country. At 12:30 am Vienna time, only some of the polls in Indiana and Kentucky have closed and are reporting. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay awake to see the final outcome. It doesn’t help any to have gotten panic emails and IMs from the Obama camp saying, “It’s close! We need you to call!”

Ok, so where I’d really like to be is in Chicago. They estimate there may be as many as 1,000,000 people gathering there for a celebration with Barack Obama after the election. For the good of the country, I sure hope those million people are celebrating with President–Elect Obama!

Arg. How will I make it until someone calls the election?!?!

Great image of Paris lost for an “off” switch!

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Flying in to Charles DeGaulle airport this morning, I was struck by a lovely, and unusual, image of the city. Certainly different than I’ve ever seen. There was a gray fog over the city, shrouding many of the immediately recognizable landmarks in the city. But rising above the fog was the Eiffel Tower in the distance, dark gray against the light gray fog. I thought about taking out my camera, but we were nearly landed, and a camera is one of those electronic devices “with an on/off switch” so I didn’t get the picture. Shame.