Archive for January, 2008
January 30, 2008 at 11:55 am · Filed under Politics
Today both John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani will both bow out of the race. Rudy will be throwing his support behind John McCain. Edwards, well, we will know what he’s doing (or not doing) in a couple of hours.
The commentators are talking like the dream is dead; that Barack is finished. I can’t buy into that yet. Maybe it’s because I am young and idealistic, but I cannot wrap my mind around that Hillary has this in the bag just yet. I can’t imagine not only this dream coming to an end, but also that Democrats would give Republicans a cause to rally around. As divided as their party is, there is one thing that will unite them; to defeat Hillary Clinton.
That being said, I don’t want to make this and “anti-Hill” post…I’ll be posting enough of those in the future. Instead, I wanted to focus on what they are calling “the dream”, my passion for Barack Obama.
I’m not good with words and I could never be the eloquent orator that Senator Obama is, but the on thing I believe I share with him is his passion. I hope I am able to convey that you.
In 2004 I was a proud member of the “Anybody but Bush” movement. I loved Howard Dean and was sad to see him go, but rallied around John Kerry and John Edwards because I was told they were electable. I liked Edwards, but I had my reservations about Kerry. He’s a good enough guy, but there are some people that are better suited for the Senate and a rare few who should go on to be elected President. I felt that John Kerry did more good for this country in his role as a Senator, but seeing as he couldn’t be near the failure as Bush had been, I cast my vote for him.
But days before the DNC, there were rumblings of a new rock star in the Democratic party. There was a new, fresh, young Senator from Illinois that was making waves. His name was Barack Obama. I watched him on the usual Sunday morning shows and was impressed and was looking forward to his DNC speech.
Then the day came that Barack took center stage and delivered a speech for the ages. I cried, I cheered and most importantly, I believed. I believed that this man should and would be our next President. I remember looking at my husband and said, “he’s got to run”.
We all know what happened after that. Barack won his race as Senator and shrugged off early suggestions that he may run for the White House. He soon couldn’t run from the movement that was building around him and on February 10, 2007, Barack Obama announced this intentions on running for President in front of scores of supporters in Springfield, Illinois.
Fast forward to almost one year later and we are now down to the most historic primary in this great nations history. On Tuesday, 21 states will go to the polls and cast their vote for either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. One week later I will go to my son’s elementary school and vote for Barack Obama and for the first time ever in a Presidential election (primary or general), I will feel proud of my vote.
I cannot tell you how much Obama’s run has meant to me. For the first time, I’ve been preaching get out the vote. I’ve helped younger employees in my office register to vote. I’ve talked to anyone who will listen about the importance of electing not only a Democrat, but more specifically the right candidate…Barack Obama.
To me, this race and his candidacy is much more about getting my party back into the Oval Office. It’s about healing and growth. It’s about understanding and respect. It’s about hope…it’s about faith…it’s about a dream for something better and the desire to work to make that dream a realization.
I have faith in Barack Obama. His passion and love for this country, it’s people and the world it is a part of inspires me to do more. I not only want Obama to lead me, but I want to lead with him. With his guidance, I want to help him create the world he has spoke of. I know if I feel this way, that I cannot be alone. There are millions of us that feel this way, and I encourage you…if you do, please take action. Vote. Encourage all you know to do the same.
I know this is lengthy, but I must end with this. I dare anyone tell me words don’t inspire. They inspire actions and actions that create movements. Movements that become revolutions…and that becomes change. This is not about gender or race or political affiliation. This is about your future and mine and the hope for something better, “the audacity of hope”.
January 29, 2008 at 8:34 pm · Filed under bloglettes
I will posting bloglettes from time to time. Bare with me, they are just random thoughts.
- - Why do people pull out in front of you when there is no traffic behind you?
- - If your job is to direct traffic, shouldn’t you be on the street rather than chatting with the bus driver in the parking lot?
- - Another why; why are we women so cranky just before their period?
- - Florida, Florida, Florida. Seriously, get your shit straight and have an election without drama.
- - I love you Kathleen Sebelius. It was an honor voting for you.
- - Chris Matthews uses to many analogies.
- - Hey Hil, Florida doesn’t count!
- - Keith Olbermann looks great in glasses.
- - I hate Perez Hilton; I feel like shit that I am so addicted to that garbage.
- - Who the fuck is Ashley Tisdale and why should I care about her nose?
- - Brady’s ankle isn’t an issue, but Strahan possibly retiring is. As much as I hate to say it, I’m not feeling good about 19-0.
- - Oooh David Gregory (sorry, MSNBC is on), I love him!
- - I’m cranky; I need to go to bed.
January 27, 2008 at 3:54 pm · Filed under General, Photography
Went out to a part of the city I hadn’t been to before. Lots of amazing old factories being turned into lofts and offices. Quite beautiful. Anyway, here are three pictures from the outing. Feedback would be great!
January 27, 2008 at 2:11 pm · Filed under Politics
It’s been all over the news today, but I thought I would post it here as well. Caroline Kennedy has official endorsed Barack Obama. I admit, I got a little emotional reading her op-ed.
“I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.”
January 26, 2008 at 7:55 pm · Filed under General, Politics
With just a marginal amount of the votes tallied, all media sources are calling it for Obama. The margins are huge, Obama killed it. He won the majority of the black vote and the white vote was split very closely between the three candidates. Look out Bill, there’s a new comeback kid!
Why am I directing this towards Bill, because he was the one campaigning in South Carolina. He was the one that drug race into the spotlight. He’s the one that will try to marginalize this victory because of the African American base. He’s also the one that boasts the superficial title first black president.
Yes Bill, our future President just beat your ass in your target demographic area. It’s time to step aside and let the new face of the Democratic Party step forward and lead this nation.
Congrats to Barack Obama and the Obama camp. On to February 5th!
January 26, 2008 at 10:28 am · Filed under Daily, General, Photography
Although yesterday wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t good either. That tire issues? Yeah, it started leaking badly again yesterday morning. I made it to work and my husband came at lunch to take it to get it replaced. Phew! At least that’s done.
I was supposed to go see VACO last night and take pics, but I just couldn’t. It’s easier to say I was sick, but truth be known I was a useless emotional mess. I did have a headache and so I am going to put an unfair amount of the blame on that, but truly, I wasn’t anyone that needed to be out in public last night.
I may head out today or tomorrow and take some industrial/urban decay photos. My husband knows a spot he wants me to check out close to hear. That should help clear my mind.
Anyway, till then, here are some photos I did this summer from Petersburg, Virginia. It’s an old train station and random buildings around Old Towne.
January 24, 2008 at 7:32 pm · Filed under Daily, General, Me
I’m officially ready for this week to be over. Actually, I was ready to make this declaration on Tuesday, but I was holding out in hopes that it would redeem itself. Sadly, no…it only got worse.
It wasn’t that anything major happened, but it was all the little shit that just adds up. Take some chronic headaches, pain in the ass employees, throw in a lot of works stress…mix in some self-esteem issues and then add a flat tire and a busted Ball-Joint at work and you have one shit ass week! Exciting huh?!?!
Yes, the straw that broke the camels back came in the form of a flat tire. One of my employees came in after her smoke brake to tell me I had a flat. After going through my options and having a mini nervous breakdown, a co-worker called her husband to come look at it. After 40 minutes or so of wrangling with it in the freezing cold, he finally got it plugged and back on my car. He truly is my hero at the moment. He did tell me that I had a split Ball-Joint though. Fuck! Not what I wanted to hear and not what my pocket book really wants to handle. But what can you do.
Anyway, tomorrow I get to take on the role of our office manager and say “fuck it” to my role of floor supervisor. I’m filling in for our OM while she’s out…her hubby was the one who helped me. Sounds all well and good, except I am slow as hell at her job. But, and there is a but…and it’s a good one too…tomorrow at 10, I get to go see Virginia Coalition and be the show photographer…WOOT! So, look for some pictures later this weekend.
January 24, 2008 at 7:13 pm · Filed under Politics
I’ve been sitting here listening to the talking heads on MSNBC and I just have to say this; it’s is not going off message if you fight back. Barack has been attacked relentlessly by the Clinton machine and he’s finally biting back. Good for him, but all of the spinsters and hosts are now claiming he’s sold out his message of hope to fight dirty. Absolutely not.
Hope is not a blind faith optimism. Hope is the dream of what you will accomplish if given the chance. What Sen. Obama is finally understanding is that is’ okay to fight to realize that dream. Would we want it any other way?
Now the Clinton’s are downplaying their need to win South Carolina. Whatever. If I were Barack I would boast after his win that not only did he beat Hillary, but he also beat Bill. Yes, Barack Obama will have beaten Bill Clinton, the first black president, in a state that 55% of the voting population is African American. If that’s not a statement, then nothing is.
January 22, 2008 at 8:08 pm · Filed under Politics
So after months of hearing the Dems were ready to take the gloves off, last night they finally did.
Wolf Blitzer hosted the CNN Democratic debate…I should say moderated, but for those of you who watched the debate know there was no real moderating going on. Blitzer was more there to just ask question and segue into commercial breaks. The top three candidates were there, Barack Obama, Jon Edwards and of course Hillary Clinton. Poor Edwards, most of the time it was like he was never there. Obama and Clinton had a down and dirty, back of the alley street fight. Edwards got his jabs in, but this time they were directed at Obama rather than Clinton like they were in New Hampshire.
Here’s my take on it all. First, despite Edwards taking swipes at Barack, I still feel like he’s on Obama’s team. I couldn’t help but think of how NH responded to Hillary after the voters thought she was being beat up on. Perhaps Edwards was being strategic with his attacks. Other than that, it was the same ‘ol, same ‘ol from him. He did well though, poor guy…how can he look himself in the mirror being male and white! HA!
Then there’s Hilary. Lord how I loathe the. A couple of years ago I would have voted for her, but now I would never consider it. Anyway, that is neither here nor there. Hillary came off as abrasive and confrontational…as well as ill informed. Now I know the latter part is just her spinning and twisting his (Obama) words, but it drove me mad. Last night she proved why I despise her so much; she’s a divider. She boasts about taking on the Republican machine for 35 years and winning…Hill, I don’t care. I am tired of fighting with the other side. How about we work with them; ‘it’s easier to catch flies with honey’. Besides, isn’t be angry so 2004?
No, it’s time to put partisan BS to the side and try to create real change. Clinton has said it’s time for a ‘reality check’, so Hillary, it’s time for yours. If you want universal health care, money in No Child Left Behind, to solve immigration…guess what? You need help from across the aisle! Look, I don’t like most republicans either (love you Hagel!), but it’s time to grow up and play nice with everyone. It truly is the only way we will ever accomplish the change that we are preaching about.
Now to Barack. Look, there is no hiding my passion for this man. Since his DNC speech in 2004 I have been waiting for the day to cast my vote for him to be our next President. That being said, he took his lumps last night and I didn’t think he looked in control at times. As humorous as I thought his comment about not knowing which Clinton he was running against was, I don’t think he should have made it so obvious that they were getting to him. But despite what the media says, he landed a pretty good jab with his comment about her sitting on the board of Wal-Mart. Tucker Carlson is a dolt. Barack’s comment was two fold; it played well to the poor people who have no choice to shop at a place that offers low paying jobs and no real benefits and it also plays well to more liberal people like myself who see them as the Evil Empire.
On a lighter note, I did like Barack’s answer to the question about Bill Clinton. He was asked how he felt about Bill being affectionately referred to as the ‘first black President’. Of course he commended Bill at the start of the answer, but then said that he would need to see proof of his dancing ability before he could consider Bill a ‘brother’. Had I been Obama and asked the same question, I would have started the same way, but I would have ended much differently. I would have finished by saying this:
“Let’s say that we have a President in office who spent his who life fighting for women’s issues. It was his life mission to break the glass ceiling, strengthen violent crime laws,” etc…and then I would have looked directly at Hillary and said “would you consider him the first woman president?” But that’s just me.
I can’t say enough how disenchanted I’ve became with Hillary Clinton. It was such a short time ago that I would have been honored to have her as our Commander and Chief. Now though, I’m ready for her to drop off of the face of the planet and taker her bitter husband with her.
I truly don’t understand how a privileged, wealthy, former first lady can preach to me about how she understand the struggle of minorities and working class women. That’s okay too. She doesn’t have too, she can sympathize without ever having lived it, she just should not try to act like she has. You can disagree with me if you like, but please tell me when the last time Hillary had to worry about how she was going to pay for child care or if her employer would let her have time off for a sick child? When was the last time Hillary had a upscale patron toss her the keys to their car, confusing her for the valet? She hasn’t.
I’m also tired of her telling me she’s the agent of change and then tell me she’s the only one with experience. First, any candidate is a change from the moron we have now, but what has she changed? She’s battling the same fights her husband did, she’s still angry and she’s still divisive. Also, if you are going to run on 35 years of experience, could we please elaborate on what it is? Seriously, she’s had one term more in the Senate that Obama; that’s it. Sleeping in the same bed as the President does not qualify you to be President. That’s why when Kennedy was assassinated Lyndon Johnson took over and not Jackie.
My biggest beef though; she needs to admit she was wrong. We all know what I am talking about too. Until she can admit her vote was wrong and she apologizes for it, in my opinion she is no better than George W. Bush. When David Gregory asked Dubya if he had any regrets and he couldn’t answer it; it’s the same thing with Senator Clinton. She showed poor judgement then and she did with her Iran vote as well. She has proven to me (and many others) that she is incapable of learning from her mistakes. I cannot vote for her.
Anyway, I can go on all night about the evils of having Hillary in office, but I wont…well, just one more. I leave you with this question: When are the sequels ever as good as the original? Don’t get too sentimental over Bill; she’s not him and she never can be.
January 22, 2008 at 6:54 pm · Filed under General, celebrity
Heath Andrew Ledger
April 4, 1979 - January 22, 2008
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