President Elect Barack Obama!

I am incredibly proud to have been a part of history yesterday! The United State of America elected it's first African American President! What an amazing night! I woke up at 5am yesterday so I could make it to the polls when they opened at 6am and proudly wear my "I Voted Today" sticker at the high school. This sticker encouraged many conversations with students about the election and what it means to them. It was wonderful!

Later that night, during my Counselor as Systems Consultant course, we ordered pizza and watched the election results roll in from each state. I was trying not to get terribly excited as we all remember what happened to Gore in 2000, but when Pennsylvania & Ohio came in for Obama, I knew things were looking good!! America spoke loud and clear yesterday......WE WANT CHANGE and Obama represents HOPE for so many people out there. Just hearing my students talk about the election and what it means to them, confirmed that this was exactly what we needed. Congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama!

Election '08

The Presidential election of 2008 is only 9 days away! I'm hoping our country can come together and vote for the change that we need by voting Barack Obama as our next president! Here is a fun video that encourages all to get out and vote!! I can't stress the importance of this decision! Check out some CNN articles along with other video's discussing the monster the McCain ticket has created with Sarah Palin....

McCain's own people are saying she is difficult and "a diva". Seriously, they created it, now they need to deal with it! Please don't allow this women to sit in the second most important seat in our country, it truly will be our demise.

From CNN:
"Her lack of fundamental understanding of some key issues was dramatic," said another McCain source with direct knowledge of the process to prepare Palin after she was picked. The source said it was probably the "hardest" to get her "up to speed than any candidate in history."

"She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone," said this McCain adviser. "She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else. "Also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: Divas trust only unto themselves, as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom."

Seriously....do YOU want this person leading our country? I should hope not!

Vote Obama '08!!

Barack Obama for President

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a strong supporter of Sen. Barack Obama's run for President. I feel that he is not only the best suited to bring a different perspective to the government and provide the needed changes this country desperately needs but also the most real and relatable candidate. I don't think he's perfect or has all the answers, but I feel that in this time where we are facing not only US, but global economic failures, we need someone who will work toward getting us through this time. For this and many other reasons, Alex & I were excited to receive our Obama/Biden yard sign this week, which we proudly and promptly put out front!

Last night was the 2nd of 3 debates between the two presidential candidates and it was rather interesting. I found myself becoming very irritated with McCain as he wasn't saying anything and was simply repeating things he said last time and dropping names of Washington big wigs. That's it. That doesn't make me feel good about the prospects of him becoming president. Aside from the fact that his VP pick is complete looney tunes!!

Obama definitely made some strong points and did a great job of continuing to tie McCain to Bush's policies from the past 8 years. I think that is important for people to understand because if we want to get out of this mess, we need someone different. We cannot afford to continue with the same people and the same ideas. It isn't working!!! I appreciate that Obama is passionate about Education and Health Care as those are two areas I feel could make or break our country. We are not providing the proper education to most of our kids and the repercussions of that lack of education will absolutely hurt our country for years to come. McCain is all about the war and "winning" (still not sure what we are winning). That should no longer be the focus. I support our troops as they are sacrificing themselves everyday for a war which shouldn't continue any longer. My brother-in-law along with many other young men and women are or have been out there. My brother-in-law is a reservist and has been to Afghanastan once and Iraq twice! It just isn't right. We need someone who will work to help us move on from the war and focus on things internally. our country is falling apart and we are no longer the super power that we once were. We can get that back with the right leadership and the right focus!! This is by far the most important election of my life and may very well be the most important for many years to come. Please get out there and vote, make your voice heard! It is your right and your priviledge to help make a change.

The VP Debate

So Alex & I watched the debate in anticipation of some major gaffe and we were sadly let down. I will give credit to Palin for hanging in there and not making any major blunders, however, she also didn't really say anything at all. Nothin. Especially no g's. Whoever told her to speak directly to the camera deserves some credit as that seemed to be working for her in the beginning. However, when the camera stares were accompanied by winking and back woods missuse of the English language, I wanted to vomit. Seriously, I absolutely began to have a physical reaction to her, don't ya know. Let's also discuss this maverick thing.....are they kidding me? It was rather obvious about halfway through the debate that she was trained (in debate camp) to continue to repeat that they are maverick's. Enough already. Let's really talk about the issues, and not the issues that are written on your little note cards. I want to hear something of real substance come out of her mouth besides the whole hockey mom thing. If I'm to believe that she is ready to possibly be President of the United States, I need to see more than what was presented last night. There are so many other issues I had with last night, like how she wouldn't answer the questions Ifill was asking her, or winking and blowing kisses to the crowd, or using that folksy voice and verbiage to try and sway the impressionable masses, but I just don't have time to get into all of that. Again, I don't feel she completely bombed, but I also don't think she is ready to lead our country either.

It's been a while....

I have been a bit crazy with grad school and the internship, so my posting has fallen to the wayside! (Sorry Judy!) I've also been thinking about the direction I might take this thing because I'm not running for the moment, and it's hard to write a journal about something I'm not doing!! A quick update on the stress fracture in my hip....saw the Ortho on Tuesday and after some X-Rays, he said it's healing nicely and I can start putting up to 40% weight on my leg. I'm still on the crutches for another 2 weeks, but he thinks he will be able to take me off of them after my next 2 week visit. Whoo Hoo! I have absolutely decided not to run again until after the 1st of the year so I can have enough time to make sure the hip is healed and start strengthening it again.

OK, so I am thinking I might go with an election discussion as that is a pretty hot topic right now, and something that gets me all kinds of fired up! It has also taken over my life (in addition to school) for the past few weeks and months. Alex & I hosted a debate party for the first Presidential debate and my friend Dina came over, along with some other Rochestarians who we connected with through the NY Obama website. We also went to see Bill Maher Live at Cornell University this past weekend and he was brilliant!! Alex, Dina, myself, and our friend Cliff took a road trip to see him this past Sunday and it was so absolutely worth it!! Raunchy as hell, but I just loved everything he said....however, Dina & I felt really bad for the sign language interpreter who had to sign some of those words!! We also ordered our yard sign and have looked into some of the Rochester helps Ohio/Pennsylvania road trips. It really is an amazing feeling to be a part of this in the hopes that our country will realize we need something new because the old just isn't working anymore!

So, we are now preparing for tonight's much anticipated V.P. debate! Our friend Jeff (and possibly Mara) is coming over and we have discussed some possible Sara Palin drinking games....for example: every time she says "shore up the economy" you drink 1....every time she says "Alaska keeps an eye on Russia" you drink 2.....every time she cracks a joke about Biden's age you drink 3 (for the sheer stupidity of that remark)....and so on!! OK, maybe that was a little low, but seriously, I am insulted that McCain's camp believes that simply by placing a woman on the ticket, they will get a woman's vote. Are they delusional? Really? Just any old woman and I should vote for her? I was a Hillary supporter, so I'm part of that target group, and I wouldn't even entertain the idea of voting this woman into the second most important office in our country. I voted for Hillary in the primary and was really hoping she could grab that nomination, but not because she's a woman, because she represents many things I align with and support. I respect McCain, I really do, he sacrificed a lot for this country.......WAY BACK WHEN!! There has to be a change. Something has to give in this country because the direction we are headed in is not good for many many reasons beyond the economy. How about Education? Does anyone realize what we are doing to the children of this country, or should I say not doing? How about we focus more energy on the inside instead of the outside. There is enough turmoil within our own borders to keep the government busy for years to come, yet, we choose to spend our energy and resources on others.....who don't even want us there!! But I digress.....and I will get off my little soap box now!

I guess, take what you want from this posting. I guess the big message here is GET OUT THERE, REGISTER, AND VOTE!! I don't care if you vote for my candidate or the other guy, (as Nike put it) just do it!! It is your right and duty as a US citizen to help make a difference. Also, I certainly welcome other opinions and ideas as I feel it always offers an opportunity for personal growth when you hear others perceptions and thoughts.