3rd Floor Balcony

The great timidity I feel is that the work still has to be done. It's amazing, Canadian federal politics had an announcement, present and debate, and election inside of six weeks. It took less time for us to hold the whole thing, than for just the skeletons in Palin's closet to found by the media. The whole nomination and election, spanning almost two years was so long, and so dramatic, that we all had chances to fall into and out of lust with the whole affair, several times.

So the thing is -- and thank God, I mean, Obama for pointing it out in his mountaintop proclamation (as Chiquita passionately sees it) -- Obama has done nothing yet but set us up for the expectation of something great. It's how excited I am to watch the new Star Trek movie, a chance to be blown away, or somewhat disappointed. In Obama, I trust in a chance, but I'm fine to wait until hindsight proves how great he is.

And hindsight is what I really love, isn't it? How did we get here? The heart of the stuff of legends. There certainly will be plenty of news in the days to come, even as the lustre fades from Obama's shining photographs and the grays start to overrun the rest of his hair. Catch me there, reading the history as the rest of the world moves on.

Newsweek has a special exclusive about the inner workings of the political parties. Rather than mere speculation, a team of reporters were given carte-blanche access to the internals of this election with the proviso to not publish until after the new president was elected. It's fantastic reading, and reads like narrative prose - setting up scenes with history, context, tension and anticipation. But it's long, a full seven chapters. (and only three published by this writing)

And so if it's about change, I'm ok with my timidity today because there's still stories to write, and still work to be done. This was simply not just an election.

Congratulations, Mr. Obama, but good luck also -- it's time for you to start.