Optimism

I left Portland, OR for Denver 3 days after election day 1998. When I went to sleep election night, it was looking like Gail Schottler was going to wint he gubenatorial race, when I woke up 6 hours later, Bill Owens had won. Big bummer.

Today Bill Ritter was sworn in. Other than my first month here, this is the first time I've been living in a democratic governor state since my arrival. The possibilities are tantalizing - the changes will be slow by I don't have any doubt that they will come (needle exchange, anything to combat the myriad of new unnamed hepatitis strains my guys at the drop in have).

Having met Ritter's eldest son a few times and his second son once for less than 5 minutes on election day only to have him point right at me on the recieving line and say I remember you, when I had my turn with the governor I told him if he raises Colorado half as well as his kids, we're in good shape.

Even with the snow, these are optimistic days indeed.