“I have a dream...”

Last night I had a really weird dream. I dreamt that I woke up because my friend Helen rang me in the middle of the night, and as I stumbled about in a delirious haze talking to her I spilt red wine and peanuts all over my bedroom floor. I don't like red wine at all, and I'm not a big fan of peanuts either. On Halloween I dreamt that I lived with a horrible woman I work with, and we argued constantly, until I was begging another colleague to let me move in with him. The other night I was frolicking with an enormous killer whale. I don't know what is going on in my subconscious.

And I bet you thought this was going to be about the US election. See what I did there...?

Well actually, in my dream, the reason why my friend was ringing me was to tell me the election result. She is hardcore and stayed up until 6.30 to see it all unfolding, whereas I had to be up at 6.30, so I went to bed worried, and I think that explains the turbulent night.

Today was going to be stressful for three reasons.

A good friend of mine was sitting an ELAT, the Oxford entrance test for English. He was worried, though I don't think he needs to be.

A student we've been coaching at work was sitting a TSA, Oxford entrance test for Economics and Management. Have a go at the sample paper online - it's annoyingly simple and impossible at the same time, but I really hope he does well because he deserves to.

And, far bigger than both of those, was the election result. It has been looming over me for a while now. I've been feeling sick every time anyone has mentioned Obama or McCain over the last fortnight (so no oven chips for me, even though I don't think they're related). It just seemed like so much was at stake, and I was convinced that something would go wrong - that after the last two elections left me utterly incredulous, there had to be some complication again.
But my faith is restored. Alex Salmond described it as "a victory for optimism over pessimism, for hope over fear". I like this - as an optimist to the core, it resonates with me. It's nice to win once in a while. I spent the morning singing jolly songs, beaming at myself, and wondering why everybody I passed on the way to work wasn't wooping and celebrating. And even if it doesn't last, if Obama turns out to be a warmongering, corrupt, sexist, violent and ignorant oaf, we owe him for this brilliant feeling that dreams really can come true. Though it may be best if some of mine don't.