Obama!

I like the US for the first time since I saw Midnight Cowboy in the 70s.

A great acceptance speech, such a relief after the spin upon spin, the manipulations of the Bush regime.

The BBC correspondent in Iran says that they can't understand what is happening in the US, they are confused by this choice of a black President with Hussein in his name.

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Howltearoa went well, particularly the singing poem and the one about appearances.

A man in the open mic section recited a long poem by heart, a vigorous poem. He was Armenian and called himself Double Zero. Someone said that our group came across as 'polished' - Hinemoana's experienced hand there: each of us introduced the next speaker, that went smoothly. The song all together at the end was neat.

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Am working on the tricky poems and on my final MS for submission on the 13th. After the Body of Work presentation on the 18th, the year will be over. The BOW is apparently not important for a mark, but the MS will be reviewed by an external examiner.

Reading CK Stead's My Name Was Judas: Excellent start to it.