http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r10wx434IA4
Above is the link to a short movie that Hunter helped me make for my Women, Crime and Justice class. I did all of the filming and while he did the editing, I told him how I wanted it to be cut and we worked together on how to put all of it together.
It's interviews that I did with people in downtown Chicago about their perceptions of poverty and also interviews with homeless and the less fortunate.
It's about ten minutes long, but it's very informative and I like it.
Also, I got my absentee ballot and I am stoked to vote.
On another note,
I get to keep him! I'm excited. It's still sinking in.
"First Day Of My Life"
This is the first day of my life
I swear I was born right in the doorway
I went out in the rain suddenly everything changed
They're spreading blankets on the beach
Yours is the first face that I saw
I think I was blind before I met you
Now I don’t know where I am
I don’t know where I’ve been
But I know where I want to go
And so I thought I’d let you know
That these things take forever
I especially am slow
But I realize that I need you
And I wondered if I could come home
Remember the time you drove all night
Just to meet me in the morning
And I thought it was strange you said everything changed
You felt as if you'd just woke up
And you said “this is the first day of my life
I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you
But now I don’t care I could go anywhere with you
And I’d probably be happy”
So if you want to be with me
With these things there’s no telling
We just have to wait and see
But I’d rather be working for a paycheck
Than waiting to win the lottery
Besides maybe this time is different
I mean I really think you like me
-Bright Eyes
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Well, here goes...
This is the condensed version of the conversation.
We'd been up editing my poverty video for four hours. He likes to edit, so it didn't bother him, but we'd seen the same half an hour of footage over and over. We'd been cutting, erasing, rearranging for what seemed like forever. We had just called it a night; it was 3:30am.
"Hey, I want to talk to you about something."
I was worried.
"Sure, what's up?" I said. My heart started beating a little faster.
"I really like you," he said.
Oh god, I thought, here it comes. He's going to tell me that he doesn't see me that way. My heart was pounding.
He paused.
"I'm not seeing anyone else," he said. "We've had a great few weeks. I was wondering, would you like to make it official?"
I said yes, but my heart didn't stop pounding for awhile after that and the smile still wasn't gone when I woke up this morning.
On a political note, look at this video about voting. It's satirizing the talks that parents always give their teenagers about drugs and drinking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxvHkFLmqRk&eurl=http://www.wwtdd.com/
And look at this one too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn55ZdmBPJ4&feature=user
Also, I made great strides in ballet today. We have to do journals every now and then, and I had like five minutes before I went to class so I just hurriedly typed out a page in stream of consciousness about what goes through my mind during a ballet routine. She LOVED it. She said it was creative and insightful.
All right!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Chicago Love Story
We said goodbye to the warmth last night, heading to the beach for one last night of swimsuit-clad freedom before the cold and ice move in to steal our paradise.
The four of us sat in the sand, shorts and sweatshirts, stretched out on towels, curled up on someone's feet. Flashlights appeared behind us, four police officers stood before us, circling slowly.
"Having a nice night?" they asked.
"Nice enough," I said.
We talked to them for about ten minutes, shooting the breeze. They had just wanted to come harass some college kids and, finding no beer on us, had found us amicable conversation. We talked about their nights, their jobs, our experiences with the police (I left a few instances out, obviously), why we loved the beach, etc. until they spotted some kids on the rocks nearby and decided to go sneak up on them.
Laughing, we bid them farewell.
The "gang-bangers" they had warned us about came up to us and we chatted for a second, exchanging pleasantries.
They went and stood by the water, the four of them, standing out against the gray-blue sky. Eventually, they found other excitement and left us to the lonely beach.
I went out into the water then. It was much colder than it had been even a week previous. I shivered, but there, under the dark sky, pooling clouds and almost full moon, I felt powerful, connected. The water around me was clear, not too deep, and little ripples had been made in the sand that makes up the bottom of the lake. I stood there, letting the waves hit my legs, and I just felt an utter sense of calm come around me and hold me.
Soon enough, my calm was broken by Ian, coming in to join me.
"We won, you know," he said to me.
We have had this on-going competition, me and the boys. It involves going swimming in the lake at ridiculous times of the year. We have not yet gone in October, and us getting our feet wet seems to have counted. I later ruined the surprise and got objections from Hunter, who had not touched the lake, preferring to sit on the shore with Emily.
Our little group stayed there, laughing and talking for two hours, until 2am hit us harder than we had anticipated.
We were approached by another group, boys from Loyola, who told us jokes and generally amused us with their strange tales. Not joking, all of us were laughing at them instead of with them, but it was a good time.
They left and we were alone and then we left, too.
Tonight in film class I watched a movie called "La Haine" or "Hate." It's French and tells the story of opposition between the police and three youths living in the projects. It's a beautiful story with a very sudden, shocking ending and it left me in love with the city I live in. "The world is yours," a billboard reads. One of the young men changes it to read: "The world is ours."
If the world was really mine I would drop out of Loyola and go to film school, but alas, that is not the case.
Instead, I have now. I have these experiences and this apartment and these friends. I won't remember the logic test I have on Thursday. I won't remember the fade of Dr. Pollock's voice that makes me unable to concentrate in social justice. I'll remember the beach, the games, the laughter.
Steve and I were talking today. It's his senior year. He's going to take the GRE in a couple of weeks. He has to go to grad school. One of his friends just told him today that they dropped that off of their life plan and have been experiencing utter bliss since. I told him it was all a precious balance, but that I'd take experience over extra-innings in education any day.
So today, remember something that filled you with an emotion. Any emotion, preferably a beautiful one. Remember feeling powerful, clear, invincible, loved, cherished, wild, or young.
I watched the train rumble by, headed north, as I left the campus today. The beautiful green haven meets the street, filled with cigarette butts and McDonald's cups. All of those things are heaven to me. I'm in love with this city, with its strange noises and even stranger people. I'm in love with the sounds at night, the darkness, the shadows. I'm in love with the lake, the lights, the magic.
Love life.
The four of us sat in the sand, shorts and sweatshirts, stretched out on towels, curled up on someone's feet. Flashlights appeared behind us, four police officers stood before us, circling slowly.
"Having a nice night?" they asked.
"Nice enough," I said.
We talked to them for about ten minutes, shooting the breeze. They had just wanted to come harass some college kids and, finding no beer on us, had found us amicable conversation. We talked about their nights, their jobs, our experiences with the police (I left a few instances out, obviously), why we loved the beach, etc. until they spotted some kids on the rocks nearby and decided to go sneak up on them.
Laughing, we bid them farewell.
The "gang-bangers" they had warned us about came up to us and we chatted for a second, exchanging pleasantries.
They went and stood by the water, the four of them, standing out against the gray-blue sky. Eventually, they found other excitement and left us to the lonely beach.
I went out into the water then. It was much colder than it had been even a week previous. I shivered, but there, under the dark sky, pooling clouds and almost full moon, I felt powerful, connected. The water around me was clear, not too deep, and little ripples had been made in the sand that makes up the bottom of the lake. I stood there, letting the waves hit my legs, and I just felt an utter sense of calm come around me and hold me.
Soon enough, my calm was broken by Ian, coming in to join me.
"We won, you know," he said to me.
We have had this on-going competition, me and the boys. It involves going swimming in the lake at ridiculous times of the year. We have not yet gone in October, and us getting our feet wet seems to have counted. I later ruined the surprise and got objections from Hunter, who had not touched the lake, preferring to sit on the shore with Emily.
Our little group stayed there, laughing and talking for two hours, until 2am hit us harder than we had anticipated.
We were approached by another group, boys from Loyola, who told us jokes and generally amused us with their strange tales. Not joking, all of us were laughing at them instead of with them, but it was a good time.
They left and we were alone and then we left, too.
Tonight in film class I watched a movie called "La Haine" or "Hate." It's French and tells the story of opposition between the police and three youths living in the projects. It's a beautiful story with a very sudden, shocking ending and it left me in love with the city I live in. "The world is yours," a billboard reads. One of the young men changes it to read: "The world is ours."
If the world was really mine I would drop out of Loyola and go to film school, but alas, that is not the case.
Instead, I have now. I have these experiences and this apartment and these friends. I won't remember the logic test I have on Thursday. I won't remember the fade of Dr. Pollock's voice that makes me unable to concentrate in social justice. I'll remember the beach, the games, the laughter.
Steve and I were talking today. It's his senior year. He's going to take the GRE in a couple of weeks. He has to go to grad school. One of his friends just told him today that they dropped that off of their life plan and have been experiencing utter bliss since. I told him it was all a precious balance, but that I'd take experience over extra-innings in education any day.
So today, remember something that filled you with an emotion. Any emotion, preferably a beautiful one. Remember feeling powerful, clear, invincible, loved, cherished, wild, or young.
I watched the train rumble by, headed north, as I left the campus today. The beautiful green haven meets the street, filled with cigarette butts and McDonald's cups. All of those things are heaven to me. I'm in love with this city, with its strange noises and even stranger people. I'm in love with the sounds at night, the darkness, the shadows. I'm in love with the lake, the lights, the magic.
Love life.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Cat
I met him in January of 2007 and spent four beautiful months with him. At night, he would come and cuddle me on the couch; when I couldn't sleep, I would lay my head on his stomach and just listen to him breathe. He played Monopoly with us, moving the hotels around with his paws and sitting in the box. He loved to eat tuna; whenever Emily and I made tuna melts, we would save him some tuna and he would eat it eagerly. He loved his catnip toys. He loved people, loved guitar hero, loved purring and jumping around, loved sneaking into Becky's room to hide under her bed.
He died Saturday night in Missouri. Ryan took him to the cat ER only to find out that he had a blockage that could only be fixed with thousands of dollars of surgery, which wasn't an option, so they decided to put him down because he was in so much pain.
I know you may not like cats, but I loved this guy.
High Speed Chase, just Cat to us, you will be missed.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Rant. Do not read if Republican.
http://whynotobama2008.blogspot.com/
Read this.
Ooh, I am so mad.
I understand why someone would want to be for life, but at the same time, why can't you have a right to choose?
I'm totally pro-choice, but if I ever got pregnant, I would never kill my unborn child. There we go. I am pro-family. I can't wait to have one. I'm excited and I hope that my life takes me in that direction. But at the same time, if a woman doesn't want the child to begin with, but is then forced to keep him or her, life isn't going to be a cakewalk for either of them. The foster homes are full of unwanted children, neglected children, children in need of someone to love. Pro-life families reject the ideas about birth control and have, oh, you know, 17 children and think that they are doing God's will. Selfish, much? How is making an already over-populated planet more populated God's will?
Palin talks about being pro-life and about how she lives it out by having a son with Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome is remarkably common; it's not like she has an alien child. I am pro-choice, but if I knew that I was going to give birth to a child with Down Syndrome, I would keep it. Seriously, her keeping that child had nothing to do with that. She was pregnant when she got married to her husband; did you know that? Did you know that 8 months after they got married they had their first child? You preach abstinence only education, but does that work? Does that work for anyone? No. Did it work for Sarah Palin? No. Did it work for her daughter? No. You sit there and praise Bristol for getting married and keeping the baby and "doing the right thing" but isn't that against everything you stand for?
Why are gay-rights so wrong? Are your gay friends any less able to raise a child? NO! Statistics prove that gay couples stay together longer than straight couples do. Look at my own family. I was raised in a heterosexual family and it was obviously a broken one. Perhaps had my parents been lesbians or gay, I would have come from a stable home environment. (not that I don't absolutely love my family, trust me, I wouldn't trade it for the world) Why does it matter to you that gay people shouldn't have children? Are they going to make them gay? Attack of the close-minded thinking. Gays don't hurt church attendance. It's not the gays' fault that the heterosexuals stopped going to church.
I think that's all a load of crap. I'm sorry. I met a boy who is openly gay and a beautiful person, yet he suffered gay bashing at the hands of people who think like you who agree with this do. He was beaten for something that he can't control. He had to have reconstructive surgery on his face and eventually had to move out of his town. Is he any less of a person? Why shouldn't he have a child? It's proven that the children of gay parents are no more likely to be homosexual.
Did you wake up one day and choose to be straight? No. Did he choose to be gay? No. Why would anyone choose to be hated by people who consider themselves to be "correct?"
You're wrong.
I bet you don't look Muslims in the eye either. And before you get mad, think a little harder about that question. I cut out an entire paragraph, because I got really passionate and would have offended most of my readers, but I want you to think about the way that you look at people.
Today, I went downtown with Hunter's video camera and interviewed homeless people. I had to bribe them to do it, but I learned a lot. I bought them all lunch and then me and my group (who helped pitch for lunch) sat down with them and interviewed them. What they had to say was not surprising, but it was touching. As soon as the video is edited, I'm going to put it up here. It's for a project, but they were so grateful to have someone to tell their story to. When I asked more affluently dressed people to talk about poverty with me, I was barely acknowledged. I got good response from the youth, but hardly any from anybody else. I was on Michigan Ave, in downtown Chicago, and it was like I didn't even exist to some people. I was laughed at by others.
Do you know who all of those people that I talked to are going to vote for? OBAMA.
Let's look at what else McCain will do. Let's look, because you know, we may not be able to get abortions anymore, but we're going to be in some trouble.
www.BarackObama.com
www.johnmccain.com
I went to a talk held by one of the laypeople who works with the Mary Knoll organization to discuss the upcoming election. They gave us a handout, written by Catholics. I'm going to type the entire thing here for you.
(What comes after every little section was obviously not on the handout.)
Category:
-Dignity Of Work
John McCain- voted for the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. Voted against past bills to increase minimum wage. Opposes the Employee Free Choice Act which would provide workers with greater protection and freedom in organizing unions.
Barack Obama-Voted for the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 and supports indexing future wage increases to inflation. Supports the Employee Free Choice Act, which would provide workers with greater protection and freedom in organizing unions.
Elect an official who doesn't want to raise minimum wage and doesn't want unions? Sounds like an awesome, excellent, abortion free plan to me! (fail, McCain.)
-Economy
McCain- Supports tax cuts for those making more than $250,000, and increasing exemptions for dependants. Would maintain cuts to capital gains tax and cut corporate tax from 35% to 25%.
Obama- Supports tax cuts for the middle class, seniors and the poor by closing corporate tax loopholes. Opposes extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Supports tax code changes to eliminate abusive shelters and streamline the tax system.
hmm...I don't know about you, but I sure as heck am not making more than $250,000 per year. I'm sure those people dig the tax cuts, but trust me, I would too.
-Environment
McCain- Co-authored the Climate Stewardship Act of 2007, which would reduce carbon emission levels to 60% below the 1990 level. In 2005, voted against funding renewable energy and stands requiring 10% of electrical energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. Supported increasing fuel economy to 35 MPG.
Obama- Co-sponsored Climate Stewardship Act of 2007 and supports a stiffer 80% cut in carbon emissions. Supports investing $150 billion over ten years in renewable energy. Co-authored Fuel Economy Reform Act of 2007, calling for a 40 MPG fuel standard. Supports requiring 25% of all energy to come from renewable sources by 2025.
Education
McCain- Supports school competition and vouchers as ways to improve quality of education and give parents a choice in schools. Supports a high tax deduction for Education Savings Accounts and tax-deferred Family Security Accounts for higher education.
Obama- Supports charter schools and increasing teacher pay. Supports increasing Head Start and Early Start funding to over more at-risk children. Supports a $4,000 annual tax credit for higher education.
School competition? Ask any teacher you know and hear what they have to say about that.
Foreign Policy
McCain- Supporting continuing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and eradicating malaria in Africa. Encourages private philanthropy but has no position on the Millennium Development Goals. Supports the development of a missile defense system and supports reducing our nuclear stockpiles.
Obama- Supports funding the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and eradicating malaria in Africa. Supports meeting the US commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. Supports expanding diplomatic corps. Opposes the development of a missile defense system and supports reducing our nuclear stockpiles.
Millennium Development Goals. If you don't know what they are, go and research them. We are halfway through the allotted time, and we have made no significant impact in our progress on them. Ridiculous.
Health Care
McCain- believes cost containment is the best way to expand access to healthcare. Supports tax credits for individuals who purchase their own health insurance and helping states create insurance pools for uninsured or hard to insure individuals.
Obama- Supports reforms that would ensure quality coverage for all. supports tax credits for low- and middle-income households to expand access to health coverage and market reforms to guarantee insurability.
Immigration
McCain- Believes border security is the "first and foremost priority." Co-sponsored 2006 immigration bill providing current immigrants with a path to citizenship that includes learning English and paying fines, strengthening border control and creating guest-worker program that issues visas after proof that a job cannot be filled by a US citizen. Voted to build a fence along the Mexican border.
Obama-Supports a path to citizenship that includes learning English, paying fines and legal protections against worker abuse. Supports expanding and simplifying the immigration process to encourage family reunification and meet demand for jobs employers cannot fill. Voted to build a fence along the Mexican border.
Iraq War
McCain- voted for the war in Iraq and supported the 2007 troop surge. Stated that "I would much rather lose a campaign than lose a war."
Obama- Pledges to withdraw all combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months. Stated in Oct. 2002: "I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war."
wow. In all of the debates, etc. McCain keeps saying that we can win the war. We can't win the war. There was no goal in this war. We are fighting a concept. Terrorism isn't tangible. There is no gain, we are only spreading terror and fear and pain.
Life
McCain- Supports state level abortion bans except for rape, incest and risk to mother's life. In 2005, voted against expanding health services and education to reduce abortions. Supports the death penalty.
Obama- Opposes a federal ban on abortion. In 2005, voted to expand health services and education to reduce unintended pregnancy. Supports guaranteed paid maternity leave. Supports the death penalty but helped pass a law requiring taped confessions in order to reduce wrongful convictions.
hm....so McCain is all about the family but could care less about maternity leave?
Poverty
McCain- Authored legislation that requires HUD to gives abandoned housing units to community organizations. Supports HOME plan to offer federally backed fixed-rate mortgages to sub-prime borrowers in danger of foreclosure.
Obama- Co-sponsored a bill to create a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund to build 1.5 million units over 10 years. Authored legislation to allow those facing foreclosure to refinance with a federal guarantee and reduce mortgage company fraud. Was lead sponsor of the Global Poverty Act, which sets an agenda to cut extreme poverty by half by 2015.
McCain has 12 houses. What more do I need to say?
Material produced by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is an independent, nonpartisan, lay Catholic organization that promotes awareness of Catholic social teaching. Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is not affiliated with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (thank God).
Think before you vote. Don't just blindly follow the Catholic leaders. Please understand more than just the issue of gays and of abortion. There is so much more at stake here than the fight over genitals and who can do what with what they have. Gross, but so true. Just know that all of our futures depend on this election. I'm not even being melodramatic. Our economy is tanked, our world-wide reputation trashed, our politics laughed at, and worst of all, our infrastructure is in total chaos. College? Grad-school? Is that even going to be possible anymore?
Please. For everyone.
Do the right thing and don't vote right wing.
Ah, sorry about all of that. I know I'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but that's just not the way I fly.
Also, Fruit is the sweetest little brother ever. He's so very protective of me when it comes to boys and everything. He's so excited for me to come visit Greeley and hang out with him and I am sooo excited for him to come chill with me and all of my friends in Chicago. They love him and those who haven't met him can't wait to meet him and we need to make that happen. I appreciate that he's always there to look out for me, even when he's 1,000 miles away.
He's voting for Obama, by the way.
Read this.
Ooh, I am so mad.
I understand why someone would want to be for life, but at the same time, why can't you have a right to choose?
I'm totally pro-choice, but if I ever got pregnant, I would never kill my unborn child. There we go. I am pro-family. I can't wait to have one. I'm excited and I hope that my life takes me in that direction. But at the same time, if a woman doesn't want the child to begin with, but is then forced to keep him or her, life isn't going to be a cakewalk for either of them. The foster homes are full of unwanted children, neglected children, children in need of someone to love. Pro-life families reject the ideas about birth control and have, oh, you know, 17 children and think that they are doing God's will. Selfish, much? How is making an already over-populated planet more populated God's will?
Palin talks about being pro-life and about how she lives it out by having a son with Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome is remarkably common; it's not like she has an alien child. I am pro-choice, but if I knew that I was going to give birth to a child with Down Syndrome, I would keep it. Seriously, her keeping that child had nothing to do with that. She was pregnant when she got married to her husband; did you know that? Did you know that 8 months after they got married they had their first child? You preach abstinence only education, but does that work? Does that work for anyone? No. Did it work for Sarah Palin? No. Did it work for her daughter? No. You sit there and praise Bristol for getting married and keeping the baby and "doing the right thing" but isn't that against everything you stand for?
Why are gay-rights so wrong? Are your gay friends any less able to raise a child? NO! Statistics prove that gay couples stay together longer than straight couples do. Look at my own family. I was raised in a heterosexual family and it was obviously a broken one. Perhaps had my parents been lesbians or gay, I would have come from a stable home environment. (not that I don't absolutely love my family, trust me, I wouldn't trade it for the world) Why does it matter to you that gay people shouldn't have children? Are they going to make them gay? Attack of the close-minded thinking. Gays don't hurt church attendance. It's not the gays' fault that the heterosexuals stopped going to church.
I think that's all a load of crap. I'm sorry. I met a boy who is openly gay and a beautiful person, yet he suffered gay bashing at the hands of people who think like you who agree with this do. He was beaten for something that he can't control. He had to have reconstructive surgery on his face and eventually had to move out of his town. Is he any less of a person? Why shouldn't he have a child? It's proven that the children of gay parents are no more likely to be homosexual.
Did you wake up one day and choose to be straight? No. Did he choose to be gay? No. Why would anyone choose to be hated by people who consider themselves to be "correct?"
You're wrong.
I bet you don't look Muslims in the eye either. And before you get mad, think a little harder about that question. I cut out an entire paragraph, because I got really passionate and would have offended most of my readers, but I want you to think about the way that you look at people.
Today, I went downtown with Hunter's video camera and interviewed homeless people. I had to bribe them to do it, but I learned a lot. I bought them all lunch and then me and my group (who helped pitch for lunch) sat down with them and interviewed them. What they had to say was not surprising, but it was touching. As soon as the video is edited, I'm going to put it up here. It's for a project, but they were so grateful to have someone to tell their story to. When I asked more affluently dressed people to talk about poverty with me, I was barely acknowledged. I got good response from the youth, but hardly any from anybody else. I was on Michigan Ave, in downtown Chicago, and it was like I didn't even exist to some people. I was laughed at by others.
Do you know who all of those people that I talked to are going to vote for? OBAMA.
Let's look at what else McCain will do. Let's look, because you know, we may not be able to get abortions anymore, but we're going to be in some trouble.
www.BarackObama.com
www.johnmccain.com
I went to a talk held by one of the laypeople who works with the Mary Knoll organization to discuss the upcoming election. They gave us a handout, written by Catholics. I'm going to type the entire thing here for you.
(What comes after every little section was obviously not on the handout.)
Category:
-Dignity Of Work
John McCain- voted for the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. Voted against past bills to increase minimum wage. Opposes the Employee Free Choice Act which would provide workers with greater protection and freedom in organizing unions.
Barack Obama-Voted for the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 and supports indexing future wage increases to inflation. Supports the Employee Free Choice Act, which would provide workers with greater protection and freedom in organizing unions.
Elect an official who doesn't want to raise minimum wage and doesn't want unions? Sounds like an awesome, excellent, abortion free plan to me! (fail, McCain.)
-Economy
McCain- Supports tax cuts for those making more than $250,000, and increasing exemptions for dependants. Would maintain cuts to capital gains tax and cut corporate tax from 35% to 25%.
Obama- Supports tax cuts for the middle class, seniors and the poor by closing corporate tax loopholes. Opposes extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Supports tax code changes to eliminate abusive shelters and streamline the tax system.
hmm...I don't know about you, but I sure as heck am not making more than $250,000 per year. I'm sure those people dig the tax cuts, but trust me, I would too.
-Environment
McCain- Co-authored the Climate Stewardship Act of 2007, which would reduce carbon emission levels to 60% below the 1990 level. In 2005, voted against funding renewable energy and stands requiring 10% of electrical energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. Supported increasing fuel economy to 35 MPG.
Obama- Co-sponsored Climate Stewardship Act of 2007 and supports a stiffer 80% cut in carbon emissions. Supports investing $150 billion over ten years in renewable energy. Co-authored Fuel Economy Reform Act of 2007, calling for a 40 MPG fuel standard. Supports requiring 25% of all energy to come from renewable sources by 2025.
Education
McCain- Supports school competition and vouchers as ways to improve quality of education and give parents a choice in schools. Supports a high tax deduction for Education Savings Accounts and tax-deferred Family Security Accounts for higher education.
Obama- Supports charter schools and increasing teacher pay. Supports increasing Head Start and Early Start funding to over more at-risk children. Supports a $4,000 annual tax credit for higher education.
School competition? Ask any teacher you know and hear what they have to say about that.
Foreign Policy
McCain- Supporting continuing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and eradicating malaria in Africa. Encourages private philanthropy but has no position on the Millennium Development Goals. Supports the development of a missile defense system and supports reducing our nuclear stockpiles.
Obama- Supports funding the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and eradicating malaria in Africa. Supports meeting the US commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. Supports expanding diplomatic corps. Opposes the development of a missile defense system and supports reducing our nuclear stockpiles.
Millennium Development Goals. If you don't know what they are, go and research them. We are halfway through the allotted time, and we have made no significant impact in our progress on them. Ridiculous.
Health Care
McCain- believes cost containment is the best way to expand access to healthcare. Supports tax credits for individuals who purchase their own health insurance and helping states create insurance pools for uninsured or hard to insure individuals.
Obama- Supports reforms that would ensure quality coverage for all. supports tax credits for low- and middle-income households to expand access to health coverage and market reforms to guarantee insurability.
Immigration
McCain- Believes border security is the "first and foremost priority." Co-sponsored 2006 immigration bill providing current immigrants with a path to citizenship that includes learning English and paying fines, strengthening border control and creating guest-worker program that issues visas after proof that a job cannot be filled by a US citizen. Voted to build a fence along the Mexican border.
Obama-Supports a path to citizenship that includes learning English, paying fines and legal protections against worker abuse. Supports expanding and simplifying the immigration process to encourage family reunification and meet demand for jobs employers cannot fill. Voted to build a fence along the Mexican border.
Iraq War
McCain- voted for the war in Iraq and supported the 2007 troop surge. Stated that "I would much rather lose a campaign than lose a war."
Obama- Pledges to withdraw all combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months. Stated in Oct. 2002: "I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war."
wow. In all of the debates, etc. McCain keeps saying that we can win the war. We can't win the war. There was no goal in this war. We are fighting a concept. Terrorism isn't tangible. There is no gain, we are only spreading terror and fear and pain.
Life
McCain- Supports state level abortion bans except for rape, incest and risk to mother's life. In 2005, voted against expanding health services and education to reduce abortions. Supports the death penalty.
Obama- Opposes a federal ban on abortion. In 2005, voted to expand health services and education to reduce unintended pregnancy. Supports guaranteed paid maternity leave. Supports the death penalty but helped pass a law requiring taped confessions in order to reduce wrongful convictions.
hm....so McCain is all about the family but could care less about maternity leave?
Poverty
McCain- Authored legislation that requires HUD to gives abandoned housing units to community organizations. Supports HOME plan to offer federally backed fixed-rate mortgages to sub-prime borrowers in danger of foreclosure.
Obama- Co-sponsored a bill to create a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund to build 1.5 million units over 10 years. Authored legislation to allow those facing foreclosure to refinance with a federal guarantee and reduce mortgage company fraud. Was lead sponsor of the Global Poverty Act, which sets an agenda to cut extreme poverty by half by 2015.
McCain has 12 houses. What more do I need to say?
Material produced by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is an independent, nonpartisan, lay Catholic organization that promotes awareness of Catholic social teaching. Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is not affiliated with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (thank God).
Think before you vote. Don't just blindly follow the Catholic leaders. Please understand more than just the issue of gays and of abortion. There is so much more at stake here than the fight over genitals and who can do what with what they have. Gross, but so true. Just know that all of our futures depend on this election. I'm not even being melodramatic. Our economy is tanked, our world-wide reputation trashed, our politics laughed at, and worst of all, our infrastructure is in total chaos. College? Grad-school? Is that even going to be possible anymore?
Please. For everyone.
Do the right thing and don't vote right wing.
Ah, sorry about all of that. I know I'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but that's just not the way I fly.
Also, Fruit is the sweetest little brother ever. He's so very protective of me when it comes to boys and everything. He's so excited for me to come visit Greeley and hang out with him and I am sooo excited for him to come chill with me and all of my friends in Chicago. They love him and those who haven't met him can't wait to meet him and we need to make that happen. I appreciate that he's always there to look out for me, even when he's 1,000 miles away.
He's voting for Obama, by the way.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
"Bomb, bomb, bomb; bomb, bomb, Iran." -John McCain
Our country is in turmoil. We sit, empty wallets, unemployed, watching two men in suits parade around, spitting sweet words that are meant to elicit trust in our fearful hearts. We watch them; we watch their moderator be unable to restrain them, their words spilling over, spreading out, falling on tired ears.
There are no concrete numbers, only empty promises, and what are we supposed to do? The old man sits there wrinkled, hunched, no neck to stick out and take a chance. He stands, leaning on his chair, looking aged and worn out. He attempts to connect with the people gathered there to watch him, calling them, "my friends," calling his opponent "that man." But these tactics are too pronounced; we see straight through them. There is nothing there that we want, nothing we want to buy. Nothing in his health care plan we'd subscribe to. He spends too much time discussing his opponent, too much time talking about our nation as a great machine, a growling beast. The war, that ever present shadow looming over our left shoulder, comes to the forefront and he tells us that we can leave that sandy place victories. What is victory in the face of death? What is victory when we have destroyed so much? There is no victory left for us there, no glory in that terrible place that we have re-created. We let their people die, we let our people die. Where is there honor in that situation? In a cause that we never revealed, never succeeded? Freedom? Democracy? What is that when there's nothing left but dusty tears and bones?
Regal and dark, he stands there, defending his positions and nobly answering questions with actual details instead of creative fantasies and whispered promises. There is no hand-shaking of the crowd after they've asked a question, no pandering to special interests, no shaded lies. Well, it's politics, but let's pretend just for a minute. He sits during questions, managing to look intelligent and eager, not smug and ancient. Not desperate for some sort of faded glory.
There is noting left of what the United States of America used to be. There is no happy optimism, there is no military prowess. We are a shell of the country that we used to be. We are mocked by people everywhere, we are joked about, our politics are regarded as desperate and crazy. We invade countries against the advice of the very coalitions, groups and organizations that we set up to protect against people very much like ourselves. When it is convenient, we listen to them, we lead them, we tell everyone else what to do, but when it serves our purpose we disagree, we rebel, we change our course of action.
What are we then, but evil doers in the world? We began with the aim of protection and the power has been abused, misused, taken and destroyed. We have destroyed ourselves, we have let this happen. Our leaders have failed us and we must not let that happen again.
Stand up and say something, use your voice, your abilities. Fight for change, if you can, if you will. Because there is nothing left of our country, no hope unless we strive to lift ourselves out of this terrible hole. We are lost without your vote. Vote. Vote. Vote.
There is nothing more imperative at this moment. And let's hope you vote the right way, obviously. This is one test that has a correct answer: Barack Obama.
and save your money, turn off your lights, spend nothing more than you make and pray to whatever god you believe in for a ray of light in this strange dark hour. Pray you still have your job, your retirement and most importantly your peace of mind.
Peace and love, everyone.
There are no concrete numbers, only empty promises, and what are we supposed to do? The old man sits there wrinkled, hunched, no neck to stick out and take a chance. He stands, leaning on his chair, looking aged and worn out. He attempts to connect with the people gathered there to watch him, calling them, "my friends," calling his opponent "that man." But these tactics are too pronounced; we see straight through them. There is nothing there that we want, nothing we want to buy. Nothing in his health care plan we'd subscribe to. He spends too much time discussing his opponent, too much time talking about our nation as a great machine, a growling beast. The war, that ever present shadow looming over our left shoulder, comes to the forefront and he tells us that we can leave that sandy place victories. What is victory in the face of death? What is victory when we have destroyed so much? There is no victory left for us there, no glory in that terrible place that we have re-created. We let their people die, we let our people die. Where is there honor in that situation? In a cause that we never revealed, never succeeded? Freedom? Democracy? What is that when there's nothing left but dusty tears and bones?
Regal and dark, he stands there, defending his positions and nobly answering questions with actual details instead of creative fantasies and whispered promises. There is no hand-shaking of the crowd after they've asked a question, no pandering to special interests, no shaded lies. Well, it's politics, but let's pretend just for a minute. He sits during questions, managing to look intelligent and eager, not smug and ancient. Not desperate for some sort of faded glory.
There is noting left of what the United States of America used to be. There is no happy optimism, there is no military prowess. We are a shell of the country that we used to be. We are mocked by people everywhere, we are joked about, our politics are regarded as desperate and crazy. We invade countries against the advice of the very coalitions, groups and organizations that we set up to protect against people very much like ourselves. When it is convenient, we listen to them, we lead them, we tell everyone else what to do, but when it serves our purpose we disagree, we rebel, we change our course of action.
What are we then, but evil doers in the world? We began with the aim of protection and the power has been abused, misused, taken and destroyed. We have destroyed ourselves, we have let this happen. Our leaders have failed us and we must not let that happen again.
Stand up and say something, use your voice, your abilities. Fight for change, if you can, if you will. Because there is nothing left of our country, no hope unless we strive to lift ourselves out of this terrible hole. We are lost without your vote. Vote. Vote. Vote.
There is nothing more imperative at this moment. And let's hope you vote the right way, obviously. This is one test that has a correct answer: Barack Obama.
and save your money, turn off your lights, spend nothing more than you make and pray to whatever god you believe in for a ray of light in this strange dark hour. Pray you still have your job, your retirement and most importantly your peace of mind.
Peace and love, everyone.
Weekend Update
Sunday afternoon brought football with the boys after a nice rain. We were slipping and sliding, most of us losing our shoes eventually to play in bare feet. We'd fall, dirt stains and grass mingling on our jeans. I face-planted at one point, sliding along the ground on my cheek, which was not so much fun and left a lame and sort of burly red mark under my eye. Emily sat on the sideline, whittling a stick into some of sort of weapon.
After the sun went down, we decided we were freezing and sore and we made the trek back home to get warm and hang out.
We made the Costco run this weekend, getting necessities. However, no luck on the bike, so the search continues.
alright, register to vote! the deadline is coming soon.
After the sun went down, we decided we were freezing and sore and we made the trek back home to get warm and hang out.
We made the Costco run this weekend, getting necessities. However, no luck on the bike, so the search continues.
alright, register to vote! the deadline is coming soon.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
You have found her, now go and get her.
Life is beautiful and strange.
Last night, we saw "Intimate Apparel," a play about a turn of the century African-American seamstress struggling to find love in the New York. Eventually, she marries and is totally used by her husband for her money. It's a play with strong female characters and an interesting man. Loyola had to hire an actor to play the man because we don't have any strong black actors who could have played the part.
Neither one of us wanted to go out. We were tired, anti-social and would rather have curled up and just gone to sleep with a movie in.
But no, life doesn't work like that. These are the dying days of our youth. There's no time for sleeping, we can do that when we are dead.
We dressed, painted our faces, did our hair and make the trek down to the first party, held by the boys that we met last week. Our mutual friends were there, but left shortly after our arrival. We played games and chatted with all of the people there. Emily and I have both decided that we don't really like either of the boys in a romantic way. One of them is sort of sleazy (totally my bad luck) and the other is sort of boring (Emily's luck entirely). Their roommates, however, are hilarious and we all stayed up talking and laughing and it was actually a really fun time.
We ended up taking some girl home whose roommate had totally ditched her and then I called Hunter and saved him from the antics of Ian and Kyle.
All in all, good night, not too much fun, and I feel bad because we missed Matt's birthday party. I can't be everywhere, though.
Tell someone you love them today. The world doesn't get enough of that. Go kiss someone (if you can) or go snuggle someone and just tell them that you're glad they're there. Trust me. It makes a world of difference.
"I want to look in your eyes and see your wonderful laughter." -Ming&Ping, "Midnight on the Bridge."
Hey jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
Hey jude, dont be afraid.
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.
And anytime you feel the pain, hey jude, refrain,
Dont carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that its a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.
Hey jude, dont let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
So let it out and let it in, hey jude, begin,
Youre waiting for someone to perform with.
And dont you know that its just you, hey jude, youll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.
Hey jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then youll begin to make it
Better better better better better better, oh.
Na na na na na ,na na na, hey jude...
Last night, we saw "Intimate Apparel," a play about a turn of the century African-American seamstress struggling to find love in the New York. Eventually, she marries and is totally used by her husband for her money. It's a play with strong female characters and an interesting man. Loyola had to hire an actor to play the man because we don't have any strong black actors who could have played the part.
Neither one of us wanted to go out. We were tired, anti-social and would rather have curled up and just gone to sleep with a movie in.
But no, life doesn't work like that. These are the dying days of our youth. There's no time for sleeping, we can do that when we are dead.
We dressed, painted our faces, did our hair and make the trek down to the first party, held by the boys that we met last week. Our mutual friends were there, but left shortly after our arrival. We played games and chatted with all of the people there. Emily and I have both decided that we don't really like either of the boys in a romantic way. One of them is sort of sleazy (totally my bad luck) and the other is sort of boring (Emily's luck entirely). Their roommates, however, are hilarious and we all stayed up talking and laughing and it was actually a really fun time.
We ended up taking some girl home whose roommate had totally ditched her and then I called Hunter and saved him from the antics of Ian and Kyle.
All in all, good night, not too much fun, and I feel bad because we missed Matt's birthday party. I can't be everywhere, though.
Tell someone you love them today. The world doesn't get enough of that. Go kiss someone (if you can) or go snuggle someone and just tell them that you're glad they're there. Trust me. It makes a world of difference.
"I want to look in your eyes and see your wonderful laughter." -Ming&Ping, "Midnight on the Bridge."
Hey jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
Hey jude, dont be afraid.
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.
And anytime you feel the pain, hey jude, refrain,
Dont carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that its a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.
Hey jude, dont let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
So let it out and let it in, hey jude, begin,
Youre waiting for someone to perform with.
And dont you know that its just you, hey jude, youll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.
Hey jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then youll begin to make it
Better better better better better better, oh.
Na na na na na ,na na na, hey jude...
Friday, October 03, 2008
Five-Day Weekend!
On Wednesday night, I went over to the boys' house after mock trial practice to play charades with them. We've been playing charades most nights and we find it to be a very interesting game, no matter what the conditions.
Well, as we are sitting there, one of the boys who lives upstairs came in through the back door to tell us to be a little bit quieter. (Ironic, considering it was a game of Charades, no?) Instead of simply turning around and leaving after he said it, he stayed with us and kept on talking to us. I turned to say something, and he told me that I couldn't talk because I was a woman.
Wow. I was shocked. I told him that it wasn't a fair thing to say and he continued, saying things about women in general, and me for the duration of the time that he was there. We were all just sitting there, shocked.
I didn't say anything. I catch a lot of crap from the boys about being a girl, but this was something entirely different. This was an all out attack and this wasn't even funny, which most of the things the boys say are.
I got up and left the room and Ian and Kyle followed me.
Coupe and Hunter finally finished talking to him, and when they came back inside there was a discussion about how rude that had been.
I was still bothered by it, though, so I decided to put on my shoes and leave. On the way down the stairs, I started crying, and Ian came outside with me and talked to me and in the end, I went back inside, we locked the back door, and the boys all apologized for not saying something while he had been in the house and told me that they wouldn't stand for it ever again and that I deserved more than that.
Well, better late than never.
I have never been treated like that as a woman. Never. It's terrible. I thought that that kind of sexist crap wasn't tolerated or taught anymore.
Both Emily and I consider ourselves "one of the boys," and the boys consider us to be that as well. Granted, we are infinitely more attractive, but that's obvious and often overlooked.
And last night, Hunter told me he was sorry again and that he never wanted me to feel like that again, especially not in their apartment (which is like my second home).
Thursday night tradition continued last night, although with a smaller crowd, which was utterly enjoyable. We always watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and then since none of us have class on Fridays, we just hang out and play all night. Last night, I got over there as soon as I was done with class and hung out with Coupe, Ian and Hunter and waited for Kyle to get home, Jeremy to come over and Emily to get done with rehearsal.
The debate started at eight, and by eight thirty five we had all completely lost interest. We are all very politically charged people, all of us liberals, yet we couldn't stand to watch Sarah Palin's mouth move and her eyebrows go up and down.
So we commenced playing games and hanging out. At one point, I got into a wrestling match with Coupe, which was a bad idea, because I lost terribly (although I did put up a good fight) and now my elbows are covered in bruises.
We stayed up most of the night (as usual) and danced and played another awesome game of charades and made food and then went to sleep in our usual spots, comfortable and happy.
Yeah, great way to kick off the weekend.
Today, however, was incredibly fail. We were supposed to go to Costco, but after I took Hunter to work I came home and Emily and I ended up sleeping until a half hour ago. So, you know, it's six o'clock and we have to get ready and go be the social creatures that Friday night seems to turn us into.
Tonight we are going to see the play "Intimate Apparel," after which we will progress downtown to a party hosted by two brothers that we met last weekend at another party. And then, there is another party tonight celebrating our friend's 21st. So who knows what the night will bring, but it certainly will not be wild. I hope.
Tomorrow, I am driving out somewhere because the movie that Hunter is in needs a female to pose with a police officer. So that's what I'm doing. I can now add movie extra to my resume. Sweet.
Yeah, so. Happy Weekend!
Well, as we are sitting there, one of the boys who lives upstairs came in through the back door to tell us to be a little bit quieter. (Ironic, considering it was a game of Charades, no?) Instead of simply turning around and leaving after he said it, he stayed with us and kept on talking to us. I turned to say something, and he told me that I couldn't talk because I was a woman.
Wow. I was shocked. I told him that it wasn't a fair thing to say and he continued, saying things about women in general, and me for the duration of the time that he was there. We were all just sitting there, shocked.
I didn't say anything. I catch a lot of crap from the boys about being a girl, but this was something entirely different. This was an all out attack and this wasn't even funny, which most of the things the boys say are.
I got up and left the room and Ian and Kyle followed me.
Coupe and Hunter finally finished talking to him, and when they came back inside there was a discussion about how rude that had been.
I was still bothered by it, though, so I decided to put on my shoes and leave. On the way down the stairs, I started crying, and Ian came outside with me and talked to me and in the end, I went back inside, we locked the back door, and the boys all apologized for not saying something while he had been in the house and told me that they wouldn't stand for it ever again and that I deserved more than that.
Well, better late than never.
I have never been treated like that as a woman. Never. It's terrible. I thought that that kind of sexist crap wasn't tolerated or taught anymore.
Both Emily and I consider ourselves "one of the boys," and the boys consider us to be that as well. Granted, we are infinitely more attractive, but that's obvious and often overlooked.
And last night, Hunter told me he was sorry again and that he never wanted me to feel like that again, especially not in their apartment (which is like my second home).
Thursday night tradition continued last night, although with a smaller crowd, which was utterly enjoyable. We always watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and then since none of us have class on Fridays, we just hang out and play all night. Last night, I got over there as soon as I was done with class and hung out with Coupe, Ian and Hunter and waited for Kyle to get home, Jeremy to come over and Emily to get done with rehearsal.
The debate started at eight, and by eight thirty five we had all completely lost interest. We are all very politically charged people, all of us liberals, yet we couldn't stand to watch Sarah Palin's mouth move and her eyebrows go up and down.
So we commenced playing games and hanging out. At one point, I got into a wrestling match with Coupe, which was a bad idea, because I lost terribly (although I did put up a good fight) and now my elbows are covered in bruises.
We stayed up most of the night (as usual) and danced and played another awesome game of charades and made food and then went to sleep in our usual spots, comfortable and happy.
Yeah, great way to kick off the weekend.
Today, however, was incredibly fail. We were supposed to go to Costco, but after I took Hunter to work I came home and Emily and I ended up sleeping until a half hour ago. So, you know, it's six o'clock and we have to get ready and go be the social creatures that Friday night seems to turn us into.
Tonight we are going to see the play "Intimate Apparel," after which we will progress downtown to a party hosted by two brothers that we met last weekend at another party. And then, there is another party tonight celebrating our friend's 21st. So who knows what the night will bring, but it certainly will not be wild. I hope.
Tomorrow, I am driving out somewhere because the movie that Hunter is in needs a female to pose with a police officer. So that's what I'm doing. I can now add movie extra to my resume. Sweet.
Yeah, so. Happy Weekend!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Busy, Busy
Babysitting.
Mock Trial.
Class.
It's never ending.
I'm exhausted.
I got two parking tickets in 12 hours, after not having gotten one since I moved here two months ago! (Can you believe that it's been two months already? Wow.)
It's cold here. The heat in our apartment is not on. It probably won't be for awhile. It's radiators, so if anyone is familiar with radiators, let me know how they will work. Doesn't the building have to turn them on? and then we open knobs or something?
Who knows, but I'm actually wearing socks.
I'm going to go look at bikes this weekend. It'll be nice to have one again, especially because it's getting colder and walking anywhere is lame.
blah blah blah, update you later.
love.
Mock Trial.
Class.
It's never ending.
I'm exhausted.
I got two parking tickets in 12 hours, after not having gotten one since I moved here two months ago! (Can you believe that it's been two months already? Wow.)
It's cold here. The heat in our apartment is not on. It probably won't be for awhile. It's radiators, so if anyone is familiar with radiators, let me know how they will work. Doesn't the building have to turn them on? and then we open knobs or something?
Who knows, but I'm actually wearing socks.
I'm going to go look at bikes this weekend. It'll be nice to have one again, especially because it's getting colder and walking anywhere is lame.
blah blah blah, update you later.
love.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Weekend and Pictures
That baby is my old roommate's one year old daughter, Emma. She's beautiful. The girl in the pictures who isn't Emily is Sarah.
From the left in the dinner scene, we have Ian, his friend Jeremy, Hunter making a terrible face and then Emily.
The party was excellent. It was so nice to see Sarah again and her life is coming together beautifully. She's still in school, happy and her daughter is growing up to be a lovely young lady. She's walking now and talking a little bit.
I bought a crock pot for $10 off of the other Emily, so hopefully that will be used often.
Have a great Sunday!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Presidential Debate
I hope you're watching this.
Grown men in suits incapable of behaving themselves in public.
This debate is good, I'm glad McCain wasn't allowed to put it off with the ridiculous excuse about the economy. We are in trouble whether or not he gets up there and discusses issues with Obama.
McCain bothers me. Everything about him bothers me. If you vote for him, I wish you all of the terrible karma in the world.
He just said that America today is safer than 9/11. Safer? Really? Do you think that us invading countries and killing innocent people is safety? Instilling hatred in the hearts of other countries is safety? Ridiculous. At least Obama can get up there and say that we still have work to do, and that we need to repair our relationships with other countries.
Also, I sincerely hope that you don't believe that there is any way to "win" the war in Iraq. When we first went in, it wasn't called a war, it was "Operation: Iraqi Freedom." Well, five years later, there is no freedom, there is only American oppression. There is no way to win. We lost the minute we set foot on their land. We lost the minute we failed to do what we said that we would do. We lost when we lied. We lost, pure and simple.
McCain will pull out the veteran issue, and win the empathy of millions of people. I respect him for having been a POW, but that doesn't make you a better leader. That experience means that you've been in war. There is no longer any just war. This isn't WWII, there is no cause for war other than greed and fear. Why can't you work for peace?
McCain has an annoying face, also. I mean, go with your gut, but your gut should be telling you to vote for Obama.
Obama was organized and I enjoyed his speaking. I feel as though McCain got a little bit flustered and agitated.
God save us all come November.
Weekend and Pictures
Emily's dad is in town this weekend on business, so we went out to dinner last night. It was nice to see him and I know that Emily is thrilled.
Here are some pictures that Dad sent me from the Barry family get together before I left for school in the summer.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Bike. Protesting.
Wow. It's been a long week already and it's only Tuesday.
On Monday night, Emily and I were in the basement/bike storage room doing laundry and I realized that my bike wasn't where I had left it. I thought about it for a couple minutes, thinking that maybe I had biked somewhere and then just left it, and returned home after whatever I had been doing. But then, in the corner, wrapped around some bars on the window, I saw my bike lock. It was a long metal chain with loops at the end where I would attach the lock. The chain had been cut, and then discarded in the corner.
I am livid. In a locked room, in a locked gate, in my own apartment building, someone cut the lock on my bike and took it.
Today, for my Women, Crime and Justice class, I went downtown to Loyola's Lewis Towers to hear Lisa Madigan speak. She's the attorney general of Illinois and she hasn't done anything to reopen cases for victims of police torture. (John Burge was a police commander...do you remember hearing about him?) The event required RSVPs and our class hadn't been aware of that, so we stood outside and ended up joining the protesters. We were all yelling and the police had to come and reorganize the group. They ended up trying to gain entrance into the building to go up and get into the speech.
They were from the Campaign to End the Death Penalty and I ended up holding a clipboard and getting signatures from the passerby. It was fun. Emily went with me and took pictures. I'll put them up as soon as the internet will let me. For some reason, it's not working right now.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Recycle, Birthday Cookies, Home.
Emily and I have reached a point where we recycle more than we throw away. And it's not even like we have a giant bin just sitting twenty away from us that we can recycle our stuff into. We carry all of it down three flights of stairs and then out to the car and then drive it half a mile to the recycling center where were unload it into huge recycling bins.
There's no excuse.
I'm coming home tomorrow. I am exhausted. It will be nice to sleep, I think. Tonight, I plan on staying up way too late and being wild. Because it's Thursday, it's the premiere of the new season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and because it's my friend's birthday.
Sweet.
I had to write my first paper of the year last night, and I'm not altogether sure that I have retained any knowledge of anything.
According to Dave, "information is not always knowledge."
And I think he has a point.
There's no excuse.
I'm coming home tomorrow. I am exhausted. It will be nice to sleep, I think. Tonight, I plan on staying up way too late and being wild. Because it's Thursday, it's the premiere of the new season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and because it's my friend's birthday.
Sweet.
I had to write my first paper of the year last night, and I'm not altogether sure that I have retained any knowledge of anything.
According to Dave, "information is not always knowledge."
And I think he has a point.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Marijuana. Denver Post Article worth consideration
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10452384
This is a great article about the problem of marijuana growers in Colorado.
Basically, even though we have legalized medical marijuana and legalized the distribution of it, we have not yet legalized the process of growing it.
Even though the growers have the cards from the patients saying that they are providing a service, the police keep coming in and raiding their spaces, taking their plants and then charging them with felonies.
This has to stop.
No matter how you feel about marijuana itself, you cannot deny that it helps ease the pain that some people feel. Pick the one drug you rely the most on, whether it's ibuprofen or a painkiller or your arthritis medicine and image that someone told you that you are no longer allowed to get it. No one can give it to you. What are you going to do?
It's a plant.
It grows naturally all over Colorado, even on federal land. One of the comments below the article brought up a very valid point: why aren't we focusing on the illegal immigrants, the gang problems, anything else. Why are we going after peaceful pot smoking hippies? Why are we going after people who need this to live happy, pain-free lives?
Think about it. What's worse? A bunch of giggly, possibly hungry patients or guns on the streets?
Why is marijuana a Schedule I drug? Is it as bad as PCP? Absolutely not.
Let's work for change.
Let's not fight weed, let's fight crack. Let's fight meth, let's fight PCP, let's fight heroin.
Seriously, let's all feel alright.
This is a great article about the problem of marijuana growers in Colorado.
Basically, even though we have legalized medical marijuana and legalized the distribution of it, we have not yet legalized the process of growing it.
Even though the growers have the cards from the patients saying that they are providing a service, the police keep coming in and raiding their spaces, taking their plants and then charging them with felonies.
This has to stop.
No matter how you feel about marijuana itself, you cannot deny that it helps ease the pain that some people feel. Pick the one drug you rely the most on, whether it's ibuprofen or a painkiller or your arthritis medicine and image that someone told you that you are no longer allowed to get it. No one can give it to you. What are you going to do?
It's a plant.
It grows naturally all over Colorado, even on federal land. One of the comments below the article brought up a very valid point: why aren't we focusing on the illegal immigrants, the gang problems, anything else. Why are we going after peaceful pot smoking hippies? Why are we going after people who need this to live happy, pain-free lives?
Think about it. What's worse? A bunch of giggly, possibly hungry patients or guns on the streets?
Why is marijuana a Schedule I drug? Is it as bad as PCP? Absolutely not.
Let's work for change.
Let's not fight weed, let's fight crack. Let's fight meth, let's fight PCP, let's fight heroin.
Seriously, let's all feel alright.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Rainy Saturday
It's been raining here for two days now. It's endless, falling water, cold and green. It puddles in the streets, dripping, dropping, pooling. The cars are soaked, window wipers and lights trailing up the streets.
I've been busy, staying very busy, but somehow, I feel as though nothing is getting done. Everything that has been happening is confusing and wonderful and brings me an idea of how very much alive I am. I live for the moment, nothing more, letting life find me and take me wherever it pleases.
However, I am coming home next weekend, a brief sojourn from the fast-paced life I have created. I sleep very little now, I drink coffee in the mornings, tea at night. My life has become a tangled mess of lovely friendships, book, notes, sleep, work, the constant race to get to class and to get home, to take in everything, every experience that I can.
I tried out for the Loyola Mock Trial team and got a spot! There will be traveling involved, and lawyer-esque dialogue and a lot of hard work, but I do believe that this is a good thing for me.
I love my film class. The teacher is so hilarious and so involved and so very interested in the films and in his job. I love attending that class.
I still hate ballet, but am determined not to let it get the best of me.
I've been babysitting; I enjoy the two families that I've met.
I hope all is well in beautiful Denver!
Sunday, September 07, 2008
The Update. September
We left in the middle of a great rain, puddles soaking into our shoes, our hair dripping wet by the time we'd even reached the car, not two blocks away. 8 pm turned into 9, which turned into rain and traffic, great long lines of red lights strung out across miles of the highway. We sat there for an hour, creeping and crawling in that slow mess. We didn't get in until well past two thirty, and fell asleep immediately, cold and damp.
Being there was nice, it's home sort of. Emily's mom made us dinner, a heaping meal of spaghetti and salad. We sat there as she told us that we are a strange couple, finishing each others' sentences, filling in details. We enjoy it, this domestication, the crafting of a little house, carving out a place of our own for the city.
The drive was nice, the report, bad. A bone is moving out of her foot, she may need another surgery. We'll wait and see.
Saturday brought breakfast, a long drive, babysitting. Long hours, cranky child, he decided he would not go to bed, and so I sat with him and rocked him to sleep. It was oddly comforting. He finally fell asleep and all was well.
Then came the party, a night of mayhem to be sure. The boys, as well as the boys who live above them, were throwing simultaneous parties which meant double the fun. Dancing and music and laughter, it was nice. I saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a long time, and I met some fun new ones. I'm being social this year, and I think it's working...
I'm absolutely terrified of ballet class. We were reprimanded for "disrespecting ballet" the other day because we didn't remember a certain combination. Mind you, this is beginning ballet. We are also expected to do push-ups (the man kind), which is not something that I will ever be able to do and sit-ups as well. I get the idea behind it, but the action of it is intimidating. I stand in class, clad in a black leotard and pink tights, hair pulled into a small little pony tail at the back of my head. I go through the moves, staring straight ahead, pretending not to notice the teacher as she walks around the room, correcting people's postures, their movements, critiquing them. I feel like an absolute failure, and she "won't hesitate" to fail us.
Ah...this is not a happy thing. But I will get through it. But you know, even those in beginning ballet are supposedly athletes and we must be at attention the entire time. It's a unique experience.
The prank war continues, as they answered our prank with one of their own. Revenge is certain.
Being there was nice, it's home sort of. Emily's mom made us dinner, a heaping meal of spaghetti and salad. We sat there as she told us that we are a strange couple, finishing each others' sentences, filling in details. We enjoy it, this domestication, the crafting of a little house, carving out a place of our own for the city.
The drive was nice, the report, bad. A bone is moving out of her foot, she may need another surgery. We'll wait and see.
Saturday brought breakfast, a long drive, babysitting. Long hours, cranky child, he decided he would not go to bed, and so I sat with him and rocked him to sleep. It was oddly comforting. He finally fell asleep and all was well.
Then came the party, a night of mayhem to be sure. The boys, as well as the boys who live above them, were throwing simultaneous parties which meant double the fun. Dancing and music and laughter, it was nice. I saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a long time, and I met some fun new ones. I'm being social this year, and I think it's working...
I'm absolutely terrified of ballet class. We were reprimanded for "disrespecting ballet" the other day because we didn't remember a certain combination. Mind you, this is beginning ballet. We are also expected to do push-ups (the man kind), which is not something that I will ever be able to do and sit-ups as well. I get the idea behind it, but the action of it is intimidating. I stand in class, clad in a black leotard and pink tights, hair pulled into a small little pony tail at the back of my head. I go through the moves, staring straight ahead, pretending not to notice the teacher as she walks around the room, correcting people's postures, their movements, critiquing them. I feel like an absolute failure, and she "won't hesitate" to fail us.
Ah...this is not a happy thing. But I will get through it. But you know, even those in beginning ballet are supposedly athletes and we must be at attention the entire time. It's a unique experience.
The prank war continues, as they answered our prank with one of their own. Revenge is certain.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Article
I found this on The Huffington Post this morning and thought you might like to read it.
"The Worst Vice-Presidential Nominee in U.S. History"
Robert. J. Elisberg
Posted August 29, 2008 | 04:30 PM (EST)
There was a TV ad for deodorant that said, "Never let them see you sweat." The John McCain campaign has just showed the world that it is drenched.
Selecting Sarah Palin as its choice for a vice presidential candidate is perhaps the worst such choice in American History. To be fair, maybe there are worse choices, but I don't know how bad William O. Butler was when he ran with Lewis Cass against Zachary Taylor.
But it's far worse than Dan Quayle, who was a sitting senator. Worse even than Geraldine Ferraro, who at least served in Congress for three-terms. And far worse than William Miller, a choice so obscure when selected by Barry Goldwater that he (honestly) later did an American Express commercial asking, "Do you know me?" And that ad was after the election. But even Miller had been a Congressman for 12 years. And been a prosecutor during the Nuremberg War trials against Nazis. Sarah Palin lists her credits as a hockey mom.
There was a point during the Republican primaries when I was trying to figure out who I hoped got the presidential nomination. Someone so weak he'd be easy for the Democrats to beat, or someone more challenging who at least wouldn't be a disaster for America. I decided on the latter because America has to resolve its serious problems and can't afford risking some glitch where another George Bush got elected. And so I felt that John McCain, for all his weaknesses, was the lesser of all evils and was glad he got the nomination. Throw that out the window. McCain-Palin is an unthinkable disaster.
I completely understand the reasoning behind the decision for John McCain to select Sarah Palin. Absolutely. It's the thinking that settled on Sarah Palin that's missing.
No doubt John McCain will get some women to vote for him who wouldn't have otherwise, and even some independents. But he will also probably lose as many Republicans uncomfortable with a woman on the ticket - let alone a woman with so little experience as Sarah Palin. Not to mention that the choice will cause many undecided Democratic women to be aghast and push them back to following their Democratic beliefs. And further, it will lose all the independents who look at the GOP ticket and say "This is who I'm supposed to give my vote for the next four years to lead and protect America??" It may even appeal to right-wing evangelicals for her strong pro-life stance and get some to vote - but that position and others related to it are specifically what loses even more women voters. And men. Ultimately, the nomination will lose far, far more votes than it gains.
But this is not the reason the decision is so terrible.
It's always said that the most important decision a presidential candidate makes is their pick for vice president. It shows their thinking and judgment. John McCain, in his first decision, has just told the world that he believes Sarah Palin is the most qualified person to be a heartbeat from the presidency. Forgetting all the available men for a moment, if John McCain felt it critical to select a woman in an effort to somehow grab the Hillary Clinton supporters, look at his choice of women he had available: Christine Todd Whitman, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Elizabeth Dole, Susan Collins, even - for goodness sake - Condoleezza Rice. Or Carly Fiorina. Each of these have marks against them, and perhaps some might not have wanted to run, but it's near-impossible to look at the list and suggest to the American public that Sarah Palin is the best choice of Republican women to be vice president. And again, this is ignoring the men he who could have been chosen.
It's not that Sarah Palin is inexperienced. It's that this is gross political misconduct.
Sarah Palin has been governor of Alaska for just a bit over 18 months. Alaska has a population of 683,000. (Though that doesn't include moose.) This would only make it the 17th most populous city in the United States. Just ahead of Fort Worth.
Before that, she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Population 9,000. I know Republicans like to promote "small town values," but this is taking things to ridiculous extremes, don't you think? I'm from Glencoe, Illinois, population 8,762. It's so small it doesn't even have a mayor, it has an appointed village manager. I'm sure that Paul Harlow is doing wonderfully at his job in the village - but I don't expect that he sees himself as even wanting to be a heartbeat from the U.S. President in 18 months. You know what the top news story is on the Glencoe website? "Fire Hydrant Painting Underway." (To be fair, it's the #2 story. The top news is a clarification about displaying political signage.)
Do you know what the first two "powers and duties" are for the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska? Check their municipal code:
1. Preside at council meetings. The mayor may take part in the discussion of matters before the council, but may not vote, except that the mayor may vote in the case of a tie;
2. Act as ceremonial head of the city;
Swell.
If you live in small town America (and I mean really, really small), look around you and be honest - do you see your mayor (or village manager) as a heartbeat from the presidency in 18 months?
But that's not the reason either that the decision to make Sarah Palin the VP nominee is so terrible.
It's one thing to discuss how unqualified Sarah Palin is. That's a national matter and huge. But on a grassroots political level, her nomination takes away the Republicans' ONLY weapon in the campaign - calling Barack Obama inexperienced. They haven't even been trying to run on the issues, or on the eight-year record of George Bush, which John McCain has supported almost 95% of the time. They've only been running on the faux-issue of Barack Obama's experience of 14 years in federal and state government. Yes, Sarah Palin is merely running for VP, not president, but with a 72 year-old candidate with a history of serious medical issues, this is who they're saying is able to step in as president in a heart-beat. She has so little experience that she makes Sen. Obama look like FDR, Winston Churchill and Julius Caesar combined. So, the Republicans pulled the rug out from under themselves. They have no issues. The economy? Housing? The national debt? Education? The Environment? Iraq? Afghanistan? Nothing. All they have is "Dear Democratic women: please pretend our VP candidate is Hillary Clinton. Just forget that she's pro-life. And against most things Democrats stand for."
But that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
Because if the hope for John McCain is to get women to vote for him who otherwise supported Hillary Clinton - if anything could get Hillary Clinton campaigning in full force and fury...this is it. She likely would have campaigned hard, but it's in Hillary Clinton's best interest to be the leading voice for women, and the leading woman candidate for president in the future, so having another woman as the potential Vice President (and potential President) is a significant challenge to that. The Republicans just opened Pandora's Box and brought Hillary Clinton roaring to Barack Obama's side on the Democratic train. And Bill Clinton, too.
Yet even that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
What this does in the most profound and grandiose way possible is give lie to John McCain's pompous posturing that he Always Puts America First. And that undercuts the most prominent campaign issue of his entire career, that everything he does is for reasons of honor. There is nothing honorable about making Sarah Palin your vice presidential nominee. Nothing. Unless you define honor as "blatantly pandering."
But that's not the reason either that this decision is so terrible.
But before we get to that, let's look at the actual announcement to make Gov. Sarah Palin (AK - pop. 683,000) the Republican nominee for president, and put the horrible decision in perspective.
First, John McCain stood at the podium, looking up-and-down reading his speech. It's impossible not to compare that to Barack Obama giving his majestic speech the night before that even conservative analysts were admiring in awe.
Second, the cameras were polite enough to avoid it, but there were empty seats in the gym. It's impossible not to compare that to a stadium of 75,000 people that Barack Obama spoke to the night before.
Third, when people around the nation were waiting to hear about Sarah Palin's qualifications and gravitas to be Vice President of the United States, the first five minutes of her speech were spent talking about her husband being a champion snowmobiler.
Fourth, when she finally got around to her qualifications, pretty much all we discovered was that she fought to cut property taxes. And then, she basically stopped there.
She did, however, mention becoming energy self-sufficient - by talking about how she supported drilling in Alaska!!! Perhaps to Republicans this is being an environmentalist, but to most of America, not so much. Then again, she's also against putting polar bears on the endangered species list (which the government did), so maybe her environmental qualifications are more lax than she thinks.
And then, finally, she spent the rest of her time praising John McCain. Fine, that's very supportive of her...except that the one question on everyone's mind was not -- "can you say John McCain is a swell guy and tell us that he was a POW", the question on everyone's mind was - "Who in God's name are you, and please tell us why you should be a heart-beat from the presidency?"
In the end, the only case she herself made for being on the ticket was praising Hillary Clinton! That's it, period. Now, it might be enough to attract some women -- but it doesn't make a case for the ticket. Why? Hint: some women did vote for Hillary Clinton solely because she was a woman. But most women voted for Hillary Clinton because she was a Democrat, as well as a woman, who stood for important Democratic values they seriously believed in. If Sarah Palin wants to praise Hillary Clinton, go for it. But at least understand what you're praising. Because it will likely come back and bite you.
It was a thin, nothing, empty speech. It was a speech to be head of the Chamber of Commerce. Compare that to the speech by Joe Biden when Barack Obama introduced him. Eloquent, soaring and explaining in blunt detail why John McCain should not be president. Joe Biden must have been watching Sarah Palin's speech, in order to take notes in preparation for his debate with her and thought, "This isn't fair."
And all that's not even the reason the decision is so terrible.
The reason is because the election is not about Sarah Palin. Or about Joe Biden. As much as TV analysts want to be excited by the balloons and hoopla, tomorrow the air will be let out, and there are still over two months to go for the campaign.
The campaign is about Barack Obama and John McCain.
Sarah Palin's nomination doesn't change that. In fact, it reinforces it. Nothing about putting Sarah Palin on the GOP ticket changes a word that Barack Obama said in his vibrant acceptance speech - about himself, about his issues, and about John McCain's repeatedly faulty judgment on the critical issues facing America.
What Sarah Palin's nomination does do is focus attention on John McCain's age. Indeed, the nomination was made on his birthday, when he turned 72, the oldest man ever to run for president. As the crowd sang "Happy Birthday to You," you almost sensed that through John McCain's clenched smile, saying, "Thanks for reminding me," that what he was thinking underneath was "Please, oh, please, don't sing the 'How old are you now?' part." And how good a message was it that he's saying he supposedly forgot it was his birthday?
Vice presidents are usually selected as people who are adept at blasting the other side's presidential candidate, because it's only the presidential candidate that matters. Joe Biden has already done that - twice - at length, spoken as someone who knows John McCain well and likes him. Sarah Palin had her first chance...and whiffed. Didn't even try. And it's hard to imagine what she has in her arsenal that will remotely allow her to do so in the future.
The election is about the presidential candidates. And the selection of Sarah Palin now allows Barack Obama to campaign untouched by the Republican ticket. John McCain's only other option is for himself to personally become negative for two months - which is disaster in presidential politics.
Now add on all the problems expressed above. Sarah Palin's inexplicably laughable lack of substance, most-especially on the foreign policy stage. Her taking away the one issue, experience, Republicans were even attempting. Her pushing away voters who might otherwise be willing to vote for a senator with 26 years in the Senate. Her bringing Hillary Clinton aggressively back into the campaign. Her inability to offer anything to off-set Joe Biden. Her standing as supposedly the most-qualified Republican woman as John McCain's first decision.
And, in the end, it all focuses back on Barack Obama, with his indictment of eight years of the Bush Administration and of John McCain's flawed judgment - and John McCain's defense of all that.
Republicans might be dancing earlier today, because there was a lot of fun music playing. But the music has stopped. The actual campaign has now started. For Republicans, it might have ended.
"The Worst Vice-Presidential Nominee in U.S. History"
Robert. J. Elisberg
Posted August 29, 2008 | 04:30 PM (EST)
There was a TV ad for deodorant that said, "Never let them see you sweat." The John McCain campaign has just showed the world that it is drenched.
Selecting Sarah Palin as its choice for a vice presidential candidate is perhaps the worst such choice in American History. To be fair, maybe there are worse choices, but I don't know how bad William O. Butler was when he ran with Lewis Cass against Zachary Taylor.
But it's far worse than Dan Quayle, who was a sitting senator. Worse even than Geraldine Ferraro, who at least served in Congress for three-terms. And far worse than William Miller, a choice so obscure when selected by Barry Goldwater that he (honestly) later did an American Express commercial asking, "Do you know me?" And that ad was after the election. But even Miller had been a Congressman for 12 years. And been a prosecutor during the Nuremberg War trials against Nazis. Sarah Palin lists her credits as a hockey mom.
There was a point during the Republican primaries when I was trying to figure out who I hoped got the presidential nomination. Someone so weak he'd be easy for the Democrats to beat, or someone more challenging who at least wouldn't be a disaster for America. I decided on the latter because America has to resolve its serious problems and can't afford risking some glitch where another George Bush got elected. And so I felt that John McCain, for all his weaknesses, was the lesser of all evils and was glad he got the nomination. Throw that out the window. McCain-Palin is an unthinkable disaster.
I completely understand the reasoning behind the decision for John McCain to select Sarah Palin. Absolutely. It's the thinking that settled on Sarah Palin that's missing.
No doubt John McCain will get some women to vote for him who wouldn't have otherwise, and even some independents. But he will also probably lose as many Republicans uncomfortable with a woman on the ticket - let alone a woman with so little experience as Sarah Palin. Not to mention that the choice will cause many undecided Democratic women to be aghast and push them back to following their Democratic beliefs. And further, it will lose all the independents who look at the GOP ticket and say "This is who I'm supposed to give my vote for the next four years to lead and protect America??" It may even appeal to right-wing evangelicals for her strong pro-life stance and get some to vote - but that position and others related to it are specifically what loses even more women voters. And men. Ultimately, the nomination will lose far, far more votes than it gains.
But this is not the reason the decision is so terrible.
It's always said that the most important decision a presidential candidate makes is their pick for vice president. It shows their thinking and judgment. John McCain, in his first decision, has just told the world that he believes Sarah Palin is the most qualified person to be a heartbeat from the presidency. Forgetting all the available men for a moment, if John McCain felt it critical to select a woman in an effort to somehow grab the Hillary Clinton supporters, look at his choice of women he had available: Christine Todd Whitman, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Elizabeth Dole, Susan Collins, even - for goodness sake - Condoleezza Rice. Or Carly Fiorina. Each of these have marks against them, and perhaps some might not have wanted to run, but it's near-impossible to look at the list and suggest to the American public that Sarah Palin is the best choice of Republican women to be vice president. And again, this is ignoring the men he who could have been chosen.
It's not that Sarah Palin is inexperienced. It's that this is gross political misconduct.
Sarah Palin has been governor of Alaska for just a bit over 18 months. Alaska has a population of 683,000. (Though that doesn't include moose.) This would only make it the 17th most populous city in the United States. Just ahead of Fort Worth.
Before that, she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Population 9,000. I know Republicans like to promote "small town values," but this is taking things to ridiculous extremes, don't you think? I'm from Glencoe, Illinois, population 8,762. It's so small it doesn't even have a mayor, it has an appointed village manager. I'm sure that Paul Harlow is doing wonderfully at his job in the village - but I don't expect that he sees himself as even wanting to be a heartbeat from the U.S. President in 18 months. You know what the top news story is on the Glencoe website? "Fire Hydrant Painting Underway." (To be fair, it's the #2 story. The top news is a clarification about displaying political signage.)
Do you know what the first two "powers and duties" are for the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska? Check their municipal code:
1. Preside at council meetings. The mayor may take part in the discussion of matters before the council, but may not vote, except that the mayor may vote in the case of a tie;
2. Act as ceremonial head of the city;
Swell.
If you live in small town America (and I mean really, really small), look around you and be honest - do you see your mayor (or village manager) as a heartbeat from the presidency in 18 months?
But that's not the reason either that the decision to make Sarah Palin the VP nominee is so terrible.
It's one thing to discuss how unqualified Sarah Palin is. That's a national matter and huge. But on a grassroots political level, her nomination takes away the Republicans' ONLY weapon in the campaign - calling Barack Obama inexperienced. They haven't even been trying to run on the issues, or on the eight-year record of George Bush, which John McCain has supported almost 95% of the time. They've only been running on the faux-issue of Barack Obama's experience of 14 years in federal and state government. Yes, Sarah Palin is merely running for VP, not president, but with a 72 year-old candidate with a history of serious medical issues, this is who they're saying is able to step in as president in a heart-beat. She has so little experience that she makes Sen. Obama look like FDR, Winston Churchill and Julius Caesar combined. So, the Republicans pulled the rug out from under themselves. They have no issues. The economy? Housing? The national debt? Education? The Environment? Iraq? Afghanistan? Nothing. All they have is "Dear Democratic women: please pretend our VP candidate is Hillary Clinton. Just forget that she's pro-life. And against most things Democrats stand for."
But that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
Because if the hope for John McCain is to get women to vote for him who otherwise supported Hillary Clinton - if anything could get Hillary Clinton campaigning in full force and fury...this is it. She likely would have campaigned hard, but it's in Hillary Clinton's best interest to be the leading voice for women, and the leading woman candidate for president in the future, so having another woman as the potential Vice President (and potential President) is a significant challenge to that. The Republicans just opened Pandora's Box and brought Hillary Clinton roaring to Barack Obama's side on the Democratic train. And Bill Clinton, too.
Yet even that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
What this does in the most profound and grandiose way possible is give lie to John McCain's pompous posturing that he Always Puts America First. And that undercuts the most prominent campaign issue of his entire career, that everything he does is for reasons of honor. There is nothing honorable about making Sarah Palin your vice presidential nominee. Nothing. Unless you define honor as "blatantly pandering."
But that's not the reason either that this decision is so terrible.
But before we get to that, let's look at the actual announcement to make Gov. Sarah Palin (AK - pop. 683,000) the Republican nominee for president, and put the horrible decision in perspective.
First, John McCain stood at the podium, looking up-and-down reading his speech. It's impossible not to compare that to Barack Obama giving his majestic speech the night before that even conservative analysts were admiring in awe.
Second, the cameras were polite enough to avoid it, but there were empty seats in the gym. It's impossible not to compare that to a stadium of 75,000 people that Barack Obama spoke to the night before.
Third, when people around the nation were waiting to hear about Sarah Palin's qualifications and gravitas to be Vice President of the United States, the first five minutes of her speech were spent talking about her husband being a champion snowmobiler.
Fourth, when she finally got around to her qualifications, pretty much all we discovered was that she fought to cut property taxes. And then, she basically stopped there.
She did, however, mention becoming energy self-sufficient - by talking about how she supported drilling in Alaska!!! Perhaps to Republicans this is being an environmentalist, but to most of America, not so much. Then again, she's also against putting polar bears on the endangered species list (which the government did), so maybe her environmental qualifications are more lax than she thinks.
And then, finally, she spent the rest of her time praising John McCain. Fine, that's very supportive of her...except that the one question on everyone's mind was not -- "can you say John McCain is a swell guy and tell us that he was a POW", the question on everyone's mind was - "Who in God's name are you, and please tell us why you should be a heart-beat from the presidency?"
In the end, the only case she herself made for being on the ticket was praising Hillary Clinton! That's it, period. Now, it might be enough to attract some women -- but it doesn't make a case for the ticket. Why? Hint: some women did vote for Hillary Clinton solely because she was a woman. But most women voted for Hillary Clinton because she was a Democrat, as well as a woman, who stood for important Democratic values they seriously believed in. If Sarah Palin wants to praise Hillary Clinton, go for it. But at least understand what you're praising. Because it will likely come back and bite you.
It was a thin, nothing, empty speech. It was a speech to be head of the Chamber of Commerce. Compare that to the speech by Joe Biden when Barack Obama introduced him. Eloquent, soaring and explaining in blunt detail why John McCain should not be president. Joe Biden must have been watching Sarah Palin's speech, in order to take notes in preparation for his debate with her and thought, "This isn't fair."
And all that's not even the reason the decision is so terrible.
The reason is because the election is not about Sarah Palin. Or about Joe Biden. As much as TV analysts want to be excited by the balloons and hoopla, tomorrow the air will be let out, and there are still over two months to go for the campaign.
The campaign is about Barack Obama and John McCain.
Sarah Palin's nomination doesn't change that. In fact, it reinforces it. Nothing about putting Sarah Palin on the GOP ticket changes a word that Barack Obama said in his vibrant acceptance speech - about himself, about his issues, and about John McCain's repeatedly faulty judgment on the critical issues facing America.
What Sarah Palin's nomination does do is focus attention on John McCain's age. Indeed, the nomination was made on his birthday, when he turned 72, the oldest man ever to run for president. As the crowd sang "Happy Birthday to You," you almost sensed that through John McCain's clenched smile, saying, "Thanks for reminding me," that what he was thinking underneath was "Please, oh, please, don't sing the 'How old are you now?' part." And how good a message was it that he's saying he supposedly forgot it was his birthday?
Vice presidents are usually selected as people who are adept at blasting the other side's presidential candidate, because it's only the presidential candidate that matters. Joe Biden has already done that - twice - at length, spoken as someone who knows John McCain well and likes him. Sarah Palin had her first chance...and whiffed. Didn't even try. And it's hard to imagine what she has in her arsenal that will remotely allow her to do so in the future.
The election is about the presidential candidates. And the selection of Sarah Palin now allows Barack Obama to campaign untouched by the Republican ticket. John McCain's only other option is for himself to personally become negative for two months - which is disaster in presidential politics.
Now add on all the problems expressed above. Sarah Palin's inexplicably laughable lack of substance, most-especially on the foreign policy stage. Her taking away the one issue, experience, Republicans were even attempting. Her pushing away voters who might otherwise be willing to vote for a senator with 26 years in the Senate. Her bringing Hillary Clinton aggressively back into the campaign. Her inability to offer anything to off-set Joe Biden. Her standing as supposedly the most-qualified Republican woman as John McCain's first decision.
And, in the end, it all focuses back on Barack Obama, with his indictment of eight years of the Bush Administration and of John McCain's flawed judgment - and John McCain's defense of all that.
Republicans might be dancing earlier today, because there was a lot of fun music playing. But the music has stopped. The actual campaign has now started. For Republicans, it might have ended.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Vote.
Wow.
Are you listening to his speech right now?
The convention has been awesome (or what I've been able to see of it), and I'm jealous that I'm not in Denver.
Mike called me today to tell me that he was driving down to Denver because he had a ticket for the speech tonight at Mile High.
I am honestly moved. I'm excited for January.
I can't wait for Barack Obama to be the next president!
Do your part: vote in November. Don't forget, don't push it off, don't think about it, just do it.
Change.
Let's make it happen.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
School....
I love this city. There is nothing more exhilarating than knowing that you're in such a crowded metropolitan area.
We drive down Lake Shore Drive, surrounded by concrete and people, the lake and lush green parks.
It's a beautiful place, full of ideas and madness. It's chaotic and terrifying and wondrous and lovely all at once.
My class schedule is as follows:
Monday- Ballet- 1-2:15
Tuesday- Social Justice & Communication- 1-2:15; Logic 2:30-3:45; Introduction to Cinema- 4:15-7:45
Wednesday- Ballet- 1-2:15; Advanced Writing: Autobiography- 2:45-5:15
Thursday- Social Justice & Communication- 1-2:15; Logic 2:30-3:45; some sociology class called contemporary society -4:15-6:45
Friday- FREEDOM!
It's 17 credit hours and I'm pretty sure that all of the classes (except maybe contemporary society) will count toward major, minors, and core.
It was an interesting weekend and I am still attempting to get everything in my little life back together. My room is unorganized; I am sleeping on the futon still; the mattress will be arriving on Friday. I am negotiating with two different women about babysitting in the area, one in Evanston and one here in Rogers Park. The children are relatively young, but it's nothing I can't handle. It would be nice to have a steady stream of cash and not have to be tied down to any certain job.
I need to bring my grades up this semester, and logic seems like it's going to get me pretty hard. It's not something I understand to begin with, and the teacher is about as exciting as....there are actually no comparisons.
But film class seems exciting. The professor is super psyched to be teaching the class and the films that we'll be watching seem exciting.
Who knows. Ballet is not going to be fun. I was informed that looking bored (one of my specialties) will result in a lower grade. Well great. This seems interesting.
haha, happy fall semester 2008. It promises to be wild and terrible and lonely and wonderful and crazy and funny and mind-blowing (both intellectually and life changing). hopefully in a good way.
Emily is wonderful. The roommate thing is great. We are so compatible.
UPDATE:::
I just did out all of the calculations, and to graduate with a major in Communication Studies and minors in Women's Studies and Gender Studies, English and Journalism, I only have to take 13 (possibly 14 with the CORE curriculum, depending on if my credits transfer from Metro) more classes.
That means that I will graduate on time! And, I will get to take more classes in the communication field. But yay! I take five to six classes each semester, so these can all be accomplished by spring semester 2010. Yes! I actually had no idea if everything was going to fit in when I scheduled things this semester, but ironically, it all fits perfectly and counts.
We drive down Lake Shore Drive, surrounded by concrete and people, the lake and lush green parks.
It's a beautiful place, full of ideas and madness. It's chaotic and terrifying and wondrous and lovely all at once.
My class schedule is as follows:
Monday- Ballet- 1-2:15
Tuesday- Social Justice & Communication- 1-2:15; Logic 2:30-3:45; Introduction to Cinema- 4:15-7:45
Wednesday- Ballet- 1-2:15; Advanced Writing: Autobiography- 2:45-5:15
Thursday- Social Justice & Communication- 1-2:15; Logic 2:30-3:45; some sociology class called contemporary society -4:15-6:45
Friday- FREEDOM!
It's 17 credit hours and I'm pretty sure that all of the classes (except maybe contemporary society) will count toward major, minors, and core.
It was an interesting weekend and I am still attempting to get everything in my little life back together. My room is unorganized; I am sleeping on the futon still; the mattress will be arriving on Friday. I am negotiating with two different women about babysitting in the area, one in Evanston and one here in Rogers Park. The children are relatively young, but it's nothing I can't handle. It would be nice to have a steady stream of cash and not have to be tied down to any certain job.
I need to bring my grades up this semester, and logic seems like it's going to get me pretty hard. It's not something I understand to begin with, and the teacher is about as exciting as....there are actually no comparisons.
But film class seems exciting. The professor is super psyched to be teaching the class and the films that we'll be watching seem exciting.
Who knows. Ballet is not going to be fun. I was informed that looking bored (one of my specialties) will result in a lower grade. Well great. This seems interesting.
haha, happy fall semester 2008. It promises to be wild and terrible and lonely and wonderful and crazy and funny and mind-blowing (both intellectually and life changing). hopefully in a good way.
Emily is wonderful. The roommate thing is great. We are so compatible.
UPDATE:::
I just did out all of the calculations, and to graduate with a major in Communication Studies and minors in Women's Studies and Gender Studies, English and Journalism, I only have to take 13 (possibly 14 with the CORE curriculum, depending on if my credits transfer from Metro) more classes.
That means that I will graduate on time! And, I will get to take more classes in the communication field. But yay! I take five to six classes each semester, so these can all be accomplished by spring semester 2010. Yes! I actually had no idea if everything was going to fit in when I scheduled things this semester, but ironically, it all fits perfectly and counts.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Pictures of the apartment....finally
Well here it is: my humble home. I'm sorry it's messy. I may have found a place for my car over the winter; I found a garage sale in an alley right next to my house that looked like it didn't have any cars in it and I put my number down for a possible garage spot. Wouldn't that be wonderful?!
I used Grandma Mary's beaters from the 70s today. We made the cookies that she sent. I'm super domestic, I am realizing. I love to cook and just hang out around the house. It's nice. We've made steak and mashed potatoes, salads, corn, cookies, bagels...everything. There's a sense of organization to it all, it's gradually coming together.
We stole the boys' Mr. Potato Head (a.k.a. Spider Spud) and have been sending ransom notes all day via picture message. I may upload them at some point because they are clever.
We start school tomorrow. I only have one class tomorrow, Ballet.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Still sleeping on the futon....
We finished cleaning, scrubbing, mopping, sweeping, slowly doing the dishes, dusting, packing, putting all of it away and then we sat down for a second and admired our work. It looked nearly the exact same as it had before the cleaning had begun.
We broiled steaks and made salad and mashed potatoes, Fredie would be proud because we didn't even use the instant ones.
Cookies and milk followed with a favorite tv show. And now preparations are underway to embrace the night, merriment and friends, hopefully new friends too, a Loyola party with old Loyola friends.
I switched my classes around for the simple selfish reason that I want to have no classes on Fridays. And so it is that way. I will post it later; it seems impossible and none of them are regular classes, they switch days and times and float around and it feels like I'll never know exactly when I need to be somewhere.
The phone has been ringing nonstop. I get the reason behind the no-call list now.
All is quiet.
I am exhausted, life is something best lived at full throttle yet it's always a pleasure to just sit and be.
We made a large Costco run. No going to the store for anything except milk, eggs, bread and fruit until all of it is gone.
We'll see how long that takes.
Peace to all.
Also, I am probably a better parallel parker than you. There was a bad day that involved me bumping three cars and since then, it has just happened beautifully. Emily gets out and guides and when I step out there are mere inches between me and both the cars that I am sandwiched between and there has been no impact. It's amazing. Self-esteem boosting, oddly enough.
Fruitypants is at college. And too busy to call me back. But I'm excited for him. I cried for a second last night because Mom is all alone and Mike is all alone and I am too, sort of.
We broiled steaks and made salad and mashed potatoes, Fredie would be proud because we didn't even use the instant ones.
Cookies and milk followed with a favorite tv show. And now preparations are underway to embrace the night, merriment and friends, hopefully new friends too, a Loyola party with old Loyola friends.
I switched my classes around for the simple selfish reason that I want to have no classes on Fridays. And so it is that way. I will post it later; it seems impossible and none of them are regular classes, they switch days and times and float around and it feels like I'll never know exactly when I need to be somewhere.
The phone has been ringing nonstop. I get the reason behind the no-call list now.
All is quiet.
I am exhausted, life is something best lived at full throttle yet it's always a pleasure to just sit and be.
We made a large Costco run. No going to the store for anything except milk, eggs, bread and fruit until all of it is gone.
We'll see how long that takes.
Peace to all.
Also, I am probably a better parallel parker than you. There was a bad day that involved me bumping three cars and since then, it has just happened beautifully. Emily gets out and guides and when I step out there are mere inches between me and both the cars that I am sandwiched between and there has been no impact. It's amazing. Self-esteem boosting, oddly enough.
Fruitypants is at college. And too busy to call me back. But I'm excited for him. I cried for a second last night because Mom is all alone and Mike is all alone and I am too, sort of.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
things.
I had my interview at the cupcake store today, and I think it went well. They told me that they'd pass along the word that they liked me. I was funny and charming and attractive, but not too much. Hopefully, I will be great counter help.
Also, I heard back from a Craigslist ad that I posted asking the community if they needed a babysitter, so that is looking promising.
My computer has viruses, so that'll be exciting. It shuts down every now and then in an attempt to save its data.
Awesome.
Life is strange.
Also, I heard back from a Craigslist ad that I posted asking the community if they needed a babysitter, so that is looking promising.
My computer has viruses, so that'll be exciting. It shuts down every now and then in an attempt to save its data.
Awesome.
Life is strange.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Cupcakes.
I have an interview tomorrow at a cupcake store tomorrow at noon, so let's hope that it goes well. I don't know what to wear. Probably a skirt of some sort. It's downtown, so I guess I should expect a posh cupcake store? In the email that I sent them offering myself as a cupcake servant, I said: "I'm not sure if this is a plus, but I enjoy cupcakes." Which will hopefully be rewarded. This is my first official job interview in four years, well, technically forever.
I've been sending emails out left and right about getting other jobs, one being a recycling intern, crisis hotline worker, morning student supervisor, Jewish library assistant. Who knows what will come of this.
The mattress and frame arrived today, sans box spring.
The cleaning is never done, the room is not organized, nothing is together, but that's fine.
First laundry experience might happen today. But I need quarters.
I've been sending emails out left and right about getting other jobs, one being a recycling intern, crisis hotline worker, morning student supervisor, Jewish library assistant. Who knows what will come of this.
The mattress and frame arrived today, sans box spring.
The cleaning is never done, the room is not organized, nothing is together, but that's fine.
First laundry experience might happen today. But I need quarters.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
... & the city
And everything is alright again, in one swift motion, or perhaps a pretty afternoon. I sat with an old friend on the balcony and looked around and realized that life is like this. It's strange and terrifying and absolutely wonderful.
Last night, Emily and I watched a foreign movie and just talked about everything. It was comforting.
I went to sleep and slept well. Things still aren't together, and that's alright. It doesn't have to happen today, or even tomorrow. It can happen whenever; it's not going away.
I walked outside my building today and saw what looked like a large sign of garage sales. Families, selling nothing worth having, really. It was sad and thrilling at the same time. To know that three stories below me someone else is trying to make a life and is only hoping to succeed in supplementing their income is a sad thing, but strangely exciting at the same time. You don't see that at home. It's strange to be in such a different place culturally all the time without having to leave the city. It's a cluster of different neighborhoods, different ethnicities, different mentalities, different values and ideals, but it's home. It's Chicago.
Last night, Emily and I watched a foreign movie and just talked about everything. It was comforting.
I went to sleep and slept well. Things still aren't together, and that's alright. It doesn't have to happen today, or even tomorrow. It can happen whenever; it's not going away.
I walked outside my building today and saw what looked like a large sign of garage sales. Families, selling nothing worth having, really. It was sad and thrilling at the same time. To know that three stories below me someone else is trying to make a life and is only hoping to succeed in supplementing their income is a sad thing, but strangely exciting at the same time. You don't see that at home. It's strange to be in such a different place culturally all the time without having to leave the city. It's a cluster of different neighborhoods, different ethnicities, different mentalities, different values and ideals, but it's home. It's Chicago.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Sadness, for the 3rd time.
Being here is hard for me, for some reason. I'm alone, again, even though I have Emily. I miss home, Denver, Danny, Mom.
It's a challenge, something I certainly wasn't expecting. I've been thrown off, completely. My days are empty. I'm exhausted all the time. I'm finally eating again, which is probably a good thing. I find myself disconnected.
It's going to be rough, starting this whole life thing all over again.
Maybe once school starts, things will settle down a little bit.
Every year gets harder; I have no idea why. There's nothing left for me in Denver, really. What would I do? Stay at Dairy Queen and let my chances at life bleed to death? No, please, not that.
I'll stay here and take my chances.
The ending of the relationship is something I never thought I'd have to take to heart; I never am the one that gets hurt, but this time, I can't even comprehend it. I'll take my time, and let myself be alone and comfortable with that, but if things don't start to get better, I can always get back together with him.
I'm going to concentrate on school, concentrate on trying to form new friendships (yikes!), and then try and let things fall into place.
I just can't force my life to happen, and for now, it's in a lull and I think the lesson here is that I have to be okay with that. I have to be self-sufficient and capable of being alone, facing long hours by myself. I can do that. I can work on the things that are wrong with me. I can be a better person. I can try and be social, try and meet new people and do new things. I can do all of this, given the opportunity.
I need to find a job.
I need a day with no tears.
I'll be alright, I think.
There's no turning back, not now. We're too far in.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Pico de Gallo
Sally Mulqueen's favorite color is yellow. She crochets blankets in her spare time to help children (and niece and nephews, as well). She drives a white Toyota Avalon, digs hiking and pictures of wildflowers and gets along with Fruitypants (remarkably).
Tomorrow is her birthday. On her calendar that hangs on the side of her refrigerator there is a little thing that you should do each day. Some days it's smile, or do something you love, or cook a good meal, but tomorrow it should say: Call Aunt Sally and tell her that you love her.
I wouldn't be here (in my beautiful and slightly strange Chicago apartment) without all of the work that she does to help me and Mike. Aunt Sally, thank you.
One time, at Chili's on State street.....
Aunt Sally, this pico de gallo is for you.
Happy Birthday!
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Home
We arrived, straggling in on the edge of distress, driving manically, desperate to sign the papers.
Keys in hand, we marched through the iron gate, through the doors, up the stairs, up the stairs, up the stairs, up the stairs. Home. There we were. Ours.
We locked the bikes in the basement, we hauled things through the back. Tired, limbs shaking, we sat, two broken families finding consolation in our smallest triumphs, sipping liquid from the local 7-11 and conversing amid the piles scattered everywhere.
The dollar store, cheap purchases adding up, buying the things that we knew we'd need.
A quick shower, finally!
Dinner, guests, late night discussion.
Things wound down, wound up and all around, the night air lifted the curtains and blew them toward our sleeping forms.
We are home.
It's ours and we love it.
Keys in hand, we marched through the iron gate, through the doors, up the stairs, up the stairs, up the stairs, up the stairs. Home. There we were. Ours.
We locked the bikes in the basement, we hauled things through the back. Tired, limbs shaking, we sat, two broken families finding consolation in our smallest triumphs, sipping liquid from the local 7-11 and conversing amid the piles scattered everywhere.
The dollar store, cheap purchases adding up, buying the things that we knew we'd need.
A quick shower, finally!
Dinner, guests, late night discussion.
Things wound down, wound up and all around, the night air lifted the curtains and blew them toward our sleeping forms.
We are home.
It's ours and we love it.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Good Support
I couldn't have these wonderful adventures if it wasn't for the people around me that genuinely care about what I'm doing.
Getting coffee the other day, the barista asked me when I was leaving and told me he'd miss me. At the good old DQ (which I am done with, by the way!!), customers wished me well and told me they'd miss me.
I've got three sets of grandparents: Grandma Mary, Grandpa Joe and Grandma Al, Juanita and Marshall to make sure things go okay.
I've got Aunt Sally helping to figure out all of the Loyola payment issues.
Fruitypants is the hired muscle. (I can't really think of anything else....just kidding, I'll miss him a little too)
Dad bought me a bike rack.
Mom and I have done the packing thing, we've been to Target, to Costco, everywhere.
The people that I babysit for gave me extra money that they most definitely did not need to give me because they wanted me to do well and they appreciate that they can leave their kids with me and not have to worry. (The fact that they are super right wing makes this even better because it shows that it's not just the liberals that dig me.)
I never realized how awesome it is to be able to have a dessert party or a dinner with family. A lot of people don't get to do that all the time, yet even at school, I"m reminded that people care with little packages, usually containing baked goods, usually around finals. (Aunt Sally, that one's all you).
Mom even gets around to doing stuff like that, sending me the highly anticipated Birkenstocks and not telling me that they were in the mail so I would be surprised.
It's little things, a card from Grandma Mary with a little saying that she found on the internet or something.
Uncle Mike and Brian "hauled" me (and my stuff) out to Chicago, making a crazy road trip and I'll never forget that.
Aunt Jan is always there with fun girlie stuff that Mom disapproves of but then uses in the end (haha, the Clinique bag has yet to be picked over, so good timing there).
You guys are great, really, and here's the big thank you you weren't expecting but wholly deserve.
THANK YOU!
That was it? It meant more than it looked like, I promise.
But seriously, knowing that you have this great network of people who want to help you is pretty nice.
Also, too many people run red lights.
Simon is getting his oil changed today.
Getting coffee the other day, the barista asked me when I was leaving and told me he'd miss me. At the good old DQ (which I am done with, by the way!!), customers wished me well and told me they'd miss me.
I've got three sets of grandparents: Grandma Mary, Grandpa Joe and Grandma Al, Juanita and Marshall to make sure things go okay.
I've got Aunt Sally helping to figure out all of the Loyola payment issues.
Fruitypants is the hired muscle. (I can't really think of anything else....just kidding, I'll miss him a little too)
Dad bought me a bike rack.
Mom and I have done the packing thing, we've been to Target, to Costco, everywhere.
The people that I babysit for gave me extra money that they most definitely did not need to give me because they wanted me to do well and they appreciate that they can leave their kids with me and not have to worry. (The fact that they are super right wing makes this even better because it shows that it's not just the liberals that dig me.)
I never realized how awesome it is to be able to have a dessert party or a dinner with family. A lot of people don't get to do that all the time, yet even at school, I"m reminded that people care with little packages, usually containing baked goods, usually around finals. (Aunt Sally, that one's all you).
Mom even gets around to doing stuff like that, sending me the highly anticipated Birkenstocks and not telling me that they were in the mail so I would be surprised.
It's little things, a card from Grandma Mary with a little saying that she found on the internet or something.
Uncle Mike and Brian "hauled" me (and my stuff) out to Chicago, making a crazy road trip and I'll never forget that.
Aunt Jan is always there with fun girlie stuff that Mom disapproves of but then uses in the end (haha, the Clinique bag has yet to be picked over, so good timing there).
You guys are great, really, and here's the big thank you you weren't expecting but wholly deserve.
THANK YOU!
That was it? It meant more than it looked like, I promise.
But seriously, knowing that you have this great network of people who want to help you is pretty nice.
Also, too many people run red lights.
Simon is getting his oil changed today.
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