The Inauguration of Hope

I have to agree with Jen to say that I'm looking forward to four (and hopefully more) fabulous years of fine First Lady fashion. {Photos courtesy of MrsO.org] Michelle Obama is already becoming well-known for her taste (and frugality) in fashion, for her and for her two girls. I watched the Inauguration today while at work--amidst the complaints and speculations of my Republican coworkers. Actually, I sat down for a meeting with the CEO, which became a half-hour discussion of politics that I was not expecting, but which I nevertheless enjoyed. We agreed that we--like much of the country--are falling less toward left and right, and more toward centrist politics, and that President Obama will most likely find his policies more centrally-located in order to please and accomplish anything among the American people over the next four years. The Inauguration today was fascinating to me--I kept CNN.com Live on for nearly four hours, watching the dignitaries and the events. I particularly enjoyed the performance of John Williams' piece. I have a special place in my heart for Yo Yo Ma, which we can blame entirely (like so many other random things) on The West Wing. I did enjoy President Obama's speech, though it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Don't ask me what I was expecting though, because I can't really say. I particularly enjoy the concept of the Age of Responsibility. President Obama spoke truly when he said that we as Americans are going to have to pick ourselves up out of this low spot we've gotten ourselves into. I guess today I'm just grateful, like so many others, for hope and the possibility of change. My Republican friends would say I'm blindly following. Whatever. At least there is potential here. We have an engaging new President, who has a wonderful and supportive family who are equally engaging for varying reasons. I am looking forward to what the future is going to bring.

Election Day

I really wanted to vote this morning before work, but then I didn't get up as early as I had wanted to, and I feared--rightfully--the lines at the polling place. Our head programmer was over an hour late to work today because of the voting lines, so it turns out a good thing that I waited. However, I think next time around I will make a greater effort to get up and vote early.

And so, at 5:00pm I made my way to my polling place over at the junior high, where I was admitted promptly, quickly tapped my way through the ballot, printed, ejected, got my puny "I Voted!" sticker, and left. It was all rather anticlimactic, I'll admit.

I've been idly discussing with my cousin the high hopes of turning Utah into a blue--or at least battleground--state, and the idea holds a great appeal. I'd like to live somewhere where people don't scorn me for saying that my vote--or theirs!--matters. A place where the vote isn't taken for granted, but where there is real question and the outcome of every persons vote DOES matter.

Today at work, out of boredom more than anything, I ended up discussing Prop 8 with my coworker. This has become a national debate, the results affecting far more than just California citizens. Cindy and I could come to no conclusion. I still don't know how I feel about it. On the one hand, I have many gay and lesbian friends, and a big part of me supports their desire to marry and have the same legal status as hetero couples. On the other hand, I have my religious beliefs that state a marriage is between a man and a woman. I wish that it didn't have to become a legal issue, and could remain a religious battle. In my mind, what right--what honest, legal right--does a government have to define, limit or impune upon the rite of marriage? Is it not strictly a religious observance in the first place? And yet, due to differing and contending belief systems, it has become an unfortunate and violent legal battle, and an exhaustive one at that.

At any rate, I just wanted to say that I am proud to have voted today, proud to have supported my candidates in this tight race--if not in Utah, then at least across the face of this ridiculous nation.

My first Dr. Pepper in about six weeks...

And the combination of caffeine and a strange, inexplicable exhaustion has me a little loopy. Blogging it is!

I stole this off Jen's blog, and while she didn't tag me, I'm filling it out anyway!

Four random things I like about my best friend:
-She gives the best hugs in the whole wide world.
-She always has good advice, and is always willing to share it.
-We can talk about anything, and more importantly, she is a great listener. We could just talk forever, about pretty much everything in the world.
-She's always willing to go along with the crazy, last-minute schemes we come up with!

Four jobs I've had:
-I worked at a KOA Kampground as a concierge--everything from taking reservations, driving the golf cart, to scooping ice cream and making sandwiches.
-I spent two summers (so far!) at the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts as an assistant stage manager. I stage managed or was deck crew head for daily or twice-daily music concerts, dance concerts, creative writing recitals, theatre productions, interdepartmental shows, and helped with visual arts gallery showings, as well as teaching a stage management seminar, and a variety of other odd jobs. Best job in the whole world.
-A summer before either of those I spent as a shopper for an online grocery-order service. I spent my time in the aisles of a grocery store picking up other peoples' food and stuff. That was when I learned how to pick good produce!
-And though I've never actually had a paid job doing it, I'm also a registered phlebotomist aka vampire. I actually find it quite engaging, if my internship was any indication.

Four books I've read more than once:
-The Belgariad by David Eddings
-The Twilight saga
-Elantris and Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
-and Harry Potter, of course.
I guess really that was about 25 books, but you know, that's my life.

Four movies I've watched more than once:
-Superman (as in, all of them, including Superman Returns.)
-Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.
-Iron Man.
-Pirates of the Caribbean (all three of them)

Four tv shows I watch:
-The West Wing
-House, MD
-Smallville
-Lost (haven't watched for a long time!!)

People who email me regularly:
-Barack Obama. :)
-My Russian pen-pal Lena.
-UVU (campus announcements)
Yeah, that's about it. Where's the love?

Four of my favorite foods:
-Mint chocolate chip ice cream.
-Funeral potatoes.
-Strawberries.
-Cheese quesadillas.

Four places I'd like to visit:
-New York City (going in June!)
-Boston
-London
-and I'd love to go back to D.C.

Four things I'm looking forward to in the upcoming year:
-Watching Barack Obama be elected for President.
-Going back to school
-Going to NYC and PA next summer.
-And I would love to have a relationship sometime in the upcoming year. That'd be swell.

Here's another

I think that in the weeks leading up to the presidential election (and perhaps many, many more after that) I am simply going to have to accept and find amusement in the political bias and commentary from some of my coworkers. Some I have discussed before. And there shall be more to come.

Today, after a long-winded denouncement of Barack Obama's economic/tax plan (which I support), and after a long-winded rant about Obama's stance on abortion (which I don't), my coworker preceded to (I kid you not) denounce Barack Obama as the Anti-Christ.

Oh yes. I kid you not.

I could not ignore him any longer (which is my usual tact when he starts talking politics, while my other coworker nods and agrees with him, which is sometimes a little much for me.)

I burst out laughing.

There's simply no other way to deal with people like this.

If only it worked for angry customers on the phone.

Can't we all get along?

I've been witnessing some unsuspected discrimination at work over the last few days.

Political discrimination.

Now, of course political debates are heated. Of course people disagree. Of course people argue when their political views differ. But I've never before witnessed discrimination based solely on political views.

Last week, one of my coworkers wanted a stamp, and the office manager wouldn't give him one because he intends to vote for Barack Obama. It was almost that simple. She had the excuse of not giving him company property for personal use, but down and simple, she wouldn't give him the stamp because of who he's voting for. I call that prejudice and discrimination.

Today, one of the programmers was RAILING against Obama, slandering his policies, and shouting for the entire office to hear that people who vote for Obama are idiots. He knows that I'm voting for Obama, as does the office manager, who just as loudly agreed with him. Again, I call that discrimination.

I find it bizarre. Of course, who you vote for matters. Of course who becomes President matters. But I don't think it should matter on a day-to-day level, so that people feel uncomfortable around each other, so that business is interfered. I've been discriminated against before, but never for this. Teased, yes. Mocked, yes. Mildly ridiculed, yes. But always in a way that I still felt proud to be a Democrat, that I still felt like I could stand up for my beliefs.

Today, I felt ashamed, belittled, and degraded. Last week, I felt the same way for my coworker who just wanted to mail a letter. This shouldn't happen. Not over this. Our political party system is flawed, but it took me 22 years to discover how much so.

Pee funny!

Seriously, it's just one good thing after another! Check it out:

Things Younger than John McCain

Inspired by Gregory

My friend Gregory recently posted a blog on his MySpace concerning a Life List. He described starting a list in high school, a list of things he wanted to accomplish during his lifetime. It echoed with me, because I happen to keep a similar list. As Gregory himself said: "... partly because I love lists and partly just for fun, I have decided to post my working life list. And I encourage you to create your own list—what do you want to do with your life?

So here are some of the things I want to do with my life: (in no particular order)

--Serve a mission.

--Publish a book (at least one).

--Learn to play the saxophone.

--Learn how to cook well.

--Go to grad school (I find out in March!!)

--Get married in the temple. (Really, what kind of good LDS girl would I be without this one?)

--Raise at least three children.

--Work on a Broadway tour.

--Stage manage all of Shakespeare’s plays.

--Work in politics. (Preferably in DC, because its a great place.)

--Learn to tap dance.

--Travel the world. (Vague, but really I just want to see everything.)

--Live in a big city—NYC, D.C., Chicago, Philly, London, or the like. At least for awhile.

--Live in a small town, at least for awhile.

--Live in another country, for awhile.

--Write a book with Sam. And actually finish it. Maybe it can be the one that gets published!

--Raise pets. Dogs, especially. Beagles.

--Work in publishing.

--Become bilingual, at least. The languages I would most like to speak are: German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, and Mandarin. Following those are the rest of the world's languages.

Presidential Primary

Last night I went to an informational/volunteer meeting supporting Utah For Obama. There was a big crowd (a lot bigger than I expected for a democratic campaign in UTAH, early in the primaries). We spent the first hour talking about how to support the Barack Obama campaign, in the Nevada caucus this weekend, and just here in Utah. Making phone calls. Talking to people. Door-to-door canvassing. A presence at Sundance this weekend. Making more phone calls. We talked about Barack Obama too--the talking points, and also his politics, him as a presidential candidate. Then, we sat down to watch the Democratic Presidential Debate, from Las Vegas. Seriously good stuff.

My friends: I don't care if you care about politics or not. This is seriously--trust me--a historic year for politics. I don't care if you are Republican, Democratic, or Independent. If you're a Republican, I don't care who you vote for. ;) But the primaries are coming up, and they ARE important, and I want you--as my friends--to go out and vote. If you are in Utah, the primary is on February 5th, in your local precinct voting area. If you are not registered to vote, you still can, you just have to go to your county clerks office to register, you can't mail it in. Also, you can--right now!--request an absentee ballot, which can be postmarked any time up until Feb. 1. If you have other questions, ASK ME, or google it or whatever. Just please--please you guys, come on!--go vote in the primaries. This is important, and you will be proud to be a part of it.

Incidentally, check out Barack Obama. He is a strong candidate--he has good politics, good ideas, and a great capacity to bring people together in way that nobody else has. If change is going to come in our system, Obama is most likely to bring it. Just go watch his videos and read his issue ideas, and see what you think. That's all I ask. BarackObama.com