Spectacular celebrations

The Olympics are over, but the Democratic National Convention is on. It's like they were orchestrated so that one begins as the other ends. They're both spectacular celebrations, spectacles in their own right. Frankly, I'm glad to see the Olympics end--I know that's not a popular view, but they're so "24-hour," so always on the TV, pre-empting things I like--like the normal news and TODAY show programming, The Olympics dominated what news shows there were until I was frankly tired of them. The convention coverage is much more low key and, to me, much more intriguing. I think I'm a politics junkie, a trait I inherited from my thoroughly Democratic father. (He didn't know the phrase "yellow dog" up north because it's a southern thing, maybe even a Texas thing, but he was one; he always said he voted for the best man, but the best man was always a Democrat!)
I was thrilled with Monday night's opening session--it was a real "be still my heart" moment to see Ted Kennedy at the podium, as one commentator said passing the baton to Obama. That's something he's not done to previous Democrats, and maybe his health accounts for it, maybe his faith in Obama, but it was a spectacular moment.
And Michelle Obama was great. She has in the past been a bit abrasive, a bit angry, but she was on target last night. The most important thing she said, to me, was that we must live with hope, not fear. For the last eight years, the administration has tried--with too much success--to scare the American people into accepting their policies. Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, we must attack Iran, war, always war. I believe in hope and change, and I'm doing my part for the country by serving as a block captain for Barack Obama. I may figure out a way to do more, though it's hard in Texas.
Jacob and his parents came for dinner tonight, and I cobbled together a dinner out of the freezer and cupboard, though I had barely enough lettuce for a salad for three. Worst thing was that I promised them bison rib-eye. I had one in the freezer, saw it just the other day. Darned if I could find it tonight. So Jordan and Christian had flank steak marinated in Worcstershire, soy and lemon; I had a half a chopped steak cooked really rare; I fixed Uncle Ben's broccoli rice (Christian said he didn't like the brocooli but he ate two helpings) and I sauteed a few leftover green beans with a few sugar snap peas. Christian wouldn't eat the peas, though Jordan said since I had coated them in butter they were pretty good. Of all the funny things we talked about there was one she said I could blog about but I can't remember it. Oh, my.