Your Numbers Up

Some people were thrilled with the results of last week’s election and others were horrified. I can sympathize with both points of view and have friends of both political persuasions. So I was fascinated by the election. I think it is amazing and more than a little scary that our country is so polarized right now. I mean, my Republican friends hated Kerry and the Democrats. My Democratic friends had a similar hatred, an almost visceral dislike, of George Bush and the Republicans.

Anyway, This American Life, one of my favorite shows in NPR, did this fascinating story on the Republican Party. They go beyond the basics and really dive into why more and more people in the country have been voting Republican, even when in some cases it seems to be at odds with the interests and beliefs of these very people. It’s really quite fascinating from an almost psychological perspective.

So I guess we still don’t have a president.

I was watching the election result last night and it occurred to me that they are unique in that they are simultaneously thrilling and quite boring at the same time.

Anyway, I’m ready for this all to be over.

Popularity: 10%

Pepsi Holiday Spice hits stores today, but we found some in Pilsen over the weekend. We had no idea what it was when we found it, but described as “spiced cola,” it was just weird enough that we had to buy it.

It’s reddish, first of all, which makes it a little odd. And it doesn’t really have a strong cola taste, or a spiced taste for that matter either. Still, I liked it and it reminded me of something and I couldn’t figure out what. It bothered me for a moment and then I realized:

It tastes a little like Cheerwine, the southern pop (I know, southerners would never say pop, but I live in Chicago now) I fell in love with while living in Virginia.