It's time to decide the next leader of the free world

Well, it's time America. 

Tomorrow, any way you slice it, we face a historic election.

We will see advanced to the White House either our first woman president, albeit one who is deeply disliked and distrusted by the majority of the electorate, or the first candidate who is actively denying sexual assault claims against him. 

Not surprisingly, no one seems particularly thrilled about either choice. 

It's disheartening to see how far we've come from 2008, when the election was infused with hope and the promise of a better tomorrow. I remember the feeling of that night - I was still in St. Louis at the time, in my last year of college, and I remember standing in line to get free ice cream at I think Baskin Robbins. Everyone who had an "I voted" sticker got some.

It was early evening, polls were still open and no one had any clue about the outcome yet, but there was this palpable sense of camaraderie and, dare I say it, joy amongst those of us who were in line. It may have had to do with the fact that we were about to get free ice cream, but I think it also had something to do with the fact that we had just exercised our most important right as citizens. We felt, dare I say it, united. 

This election seems a far cry from that. It's hard to believe that it's lasted nearly two years - in some ways, it seems much longer. I've been much more involved and interested this year than I ever have in politics, mostly because at first it seemed like a disaster one couldn't turn away from. But as it wore on, thanks to some trusty podcasts and news outlets, I've actually found following election news endlessly fascinating, if not quite enjoyable. 

There really isn't much to enjoy about this year. Women and minorities in particular have been treated abhorrently by a major political party and there doesn't seem to be much end in sight to the rhetoric. I'm not the only one who has the sinking feeling that the consequences of this year will be further reaching than anyone could possibly see. 

Suffice it to say, as they mentioned on SNL this weekend, none of this will matter unless you vote! Get out tomorrow and exercise your right as an American!

See you on the other side...