“Great day in the morning!” my grandfather you used to say. He meant different things by it: “Well, what d’ya know?” “Holy cow!” “Goodness gracious!” Today that phrase has been going through my head, and I’m using it to express my utter elation that we now have a new president and congress.

I’m also excited about having the first woman, and of color, as vice president. Simultaneously I’ve been wondering, Really Americans? It’s 2021 and we’re FINALLY getting around to electing a woman to the second highest office in the land? Not the HIGHEST, but the SECOND highest? Having a woman in office both thrills me and saddens me—saddens me that it’s taken us so long. We’re still a nation of misogynists (and racists).

I did a happy dance as I watched Air Force One on my computer screen whisking away the former POTUS.