Tuesday night we were all fixated to the polls. We all cried (or at least I know I did - it was John Lewis that broke my dam on that front). I even cried yesterday, and I wasn't the only one. Here in Blue Connecticut there were many tear stained faces, many relieved looks, even a pervasive, genuine happiness.

I bought the paper with Obama's picture on it and the caption, "Mr. President" at the grocery store. The young woman ringing me up said, "I'm really glad he won yesterday."

Obama's remade the electoral map. Now it is time for us to remake our ideological maps - or specifically, I would advocate, completely rip those maps into shreds and start over.

Tonight was an eye-opening experience. Running behind all day long, Hubby and I decided to order a meat-lover's stromboli for two, and I drove down the road to our local pizza place to pick it up.

There are some things you don't do in life. You don't start whistling in the check out line at the grocery store. You don't give out your personal banking information to the Prince of Nigeria, regardless of how desperate that email sounds.

And, you don't talk politics at the local pizza place.

All that changed tonight.

What do you feel when you see this (warning, sick and wrong attack on Obama follows - click through at your own peril): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVLQhRiEX Zs

Angry? Incensed? Stay with that emotion and watch this next one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w613nayrY wo

These are serious times, and they call for a serious debate about where we need to take the nation.

--Barack Obama

Now, I admit to having a few guilty pleasures in life. Watching back episodes of "What Not To Wear". Buying earrings at the Kohl's in the 80% off clearance section. Getting that chai tea latte at Panera. Doing that powerwalk through Ikea and promising myself that someday, somehow my house really will be this organized.

Sarah Palin, over these last fun-filled days since the announcement that she would be Old Man McCain's Vice President, has been one of these guilty pleasures. But like all guilty pleasures, it doesn't take a whole lot of exposure to just get, well, a little tired of seeing it day in and day out.

From a stay-at-home mom.

I know, I know...my alias is "grannyhelen", which I've used as a tribute to my own great-grandmother. I, myself, am a 40 year old stay-at-home mom of two in a small commuter city.

Wanna win my vote? It won't be as easy as simply nominating a "hockey mom", or even taking down the "maverick" image of John McCain. But women - and particularly mothers - may help decide this election, and it's obvious that the McCain campaign picked Governor Palin to appeal to women like me. In order to put Barack Obama in the White House, Democrats must compete successfully for these votes.

Follow me over the fold for some talking point do's and don'ts of this demographic.

First, if you haven't seen CNN's explosive interview with John McCain last night, where he talks about his first marriage, you should: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChIX-XHlZ Fw

Okay, fine, grannyhelen. You got me. Put "sex" in the title and have McCain squirm on CNN while trying to defend cheating on a sick woman who faithfully waited for him the entire time he was in Vietnam, and I'll take a peek.

But what does this have to do with policy?

Follow me, young grasshopper...

First, let's all take a page from the Maverick...sometimes you just have to laugh (in this case, to help from crying): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7acdvJeg OY

How do you square this:

I told her with a little luck she could be the only woman ever to serve as both as First Lady and Miss Buffalo Chip.

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4X6XqNeF 1o

With this:

I will be a pro-life President and this presidency will have pro-life policies.

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLRGfNJRX 40