She shared her dismay about attitudes of those who feel that the election is “no big deal,” and that it doesn’t really matter anyway because nothing will change. That kind of defeatest attitude is so sad to me.  It can permeate throughout a person’s whole being  and affect every part of one’s life, not just the election.

I am not naive enough to think that a new president will suddenly be able to fix all the horrible problems that feel like a dark cloud over our country. But to have the most liberal senator become president, is a change on the deepest energy levels, and will begin positive ripples of hope immediately. The only thing better, from my point of view, is if it had been Hilary, and I could have seen a woman in that post of leadership.

I am about to fly all the way from my home in Portland Oregon to New Zealand where I will teach for four days in Christchurch and then visit my other home in Nelson and Golden Bay, which by the way is absolute paradise. If you have never been to New Zealand take the first plane to Nelson. I will miss a whole day in the transition and spend countless hours in a plane trying to sleep. I read a blog recently by Bonnie Price who shared that she spends the hours of overseas travel on her lap top writing. I am envious. My fear of flying and general travel fatigue motivate me to take sleeping pills so I can zonk out for most of the 14 hours between Vancouver and Auckland. It is a waste of good writing time but sleep is more important.

Speaking of writing there are some fun New Zealand writers on kiwiboomers.com
Check it out to get a feel for the country. Another is Jane Pujji, one of New Zealand’s wonderful poets who writes to your heart from her heart. Her book Love Followed Me Home is fresh off the press and I am looking forward to getting my signed copy very soon. Go to her website to get a glimpse.

More tidbits from New Zealand will be dribbling in during the next two weeks so stay tuned.