I get pretty excited about elections these days, now that I'm old enough to understand politics and how policy affects our daily lives. I enjoy learning about the candidates, reading their blogs, talking to them in the Village. Civic elections are particularly interesting because you don't just vote NDP or Liberal, you vote for a person. Most of the candidates come from a political platform, but you sort of have to read between the lines to figure it out.

What's interesting is that both Vancouver and Victoria elected the more socialist of the major running candidates. Vancouver elected Gregor "I'm not paying my transit fine" Robertson, and it will be interesting to see how the whole Olympics thing goes with such a 'People's' mayor. Peter Ladner is actually a family friend of ours, and he is essentially a good man, but Sam Sullivan has issues and he sort of tainted Ladner's chance of winning over the working class.

Here in Victoria, the major running candidates were Fortin and Reid. Fortin is a very experienced and involved community member, serving on all sorts of community associations, social projects, etc. Reid is a small business owner, a rookie politician, and basically wants to improve downtown for the benefit of businesses. Fortin won by a generous hair.

Last night D and I went to a dinner party. When we arrived the couple was already pretty much drunk from a wine tasting (she works at a wine store), and what ensued was entirely hilarious. The fixings for pizza (cornmeal, sliced red pepper) were strewn across the kitchen floor. D and J traded glasses and were having hallway races. The oven caught fire and the place filled up with smoke, until J (at my suggestion) dumped baking soda on the 12-inch flames. J rambled about her ex... We learned that Dan has tantrums and spent the morning in the bathtub in his pjs...

This couple moved in together this last spring. It has been interesting to observe their relationship, and it is comforting to know that what's happened with us isn't unique. Dan is the male version of me, and as previously discussed, I entirely love him. Perhaps more than anyone I've met in my life. To learn of his tantrums... well... it's just comforting to know that I'm not the only one that has breakdowns.

At one point in the night we got to talking about how our hands became club-like after so much drinking. No dexterity. He sort of clubbed me with his hand, and it was right then that I understood that he feels the same way about me. That if it were a different situation, the clubbing incident could have been the gateway to something else. I always remember these exact moments. With every relationship, fling, whatever. That moment where everything shifts, because you're no longer wondering if THEY LIKE YOU.