Today is a brand new day. We stayed up all night to watch the inauguration. We soaked in the beautiful music played by classical music greats. We chuckled over the stumble over the oath. I teared up over the inaugural speech. We all watched history in the making today. I am so proud.
"America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations." -President Barack Obama
Today we celebrate our nation and the new page it has turned! Tomorrow, we get to work.
Do you see that? My "Bush's Last Day" counter is counting down the last few hours before the inauguration ceremony! I can't believe this day has come. Please let this be a peaceful day!
I could write a long post about what I've thought of the last 8 years, but I don't have it in me anymore. There is too much work to do, both for our world, our nation, and my house. ;-) So instead, I'm just going to post a link to a game that really made me laugh today! Goodbye Mr. Bush If you're feeling a little bummed that you can't go throw shoes at the White House in solidarity with others that have thrown them at the man himself, go have a play of the game! It's cathartic.
I'm staying up all night since it's the only way to catch the inauguration live...this should be fun. :-P
I'm selling a pile of our shit on the Kiwi version of Ebay to pare down the crapload of things we have to mail to the US and let me tell you, it sucks. By the time I've ironed, photographed, measured, and written up the description and price requirements and submitted them to be posted, a sizable bite out of an hour is gone. Multiply that by the whole stack of clothing and the time in my day is going by much faster than I'd hoped and they are still not all listed!! Who knew it took so long to post a shirt on one of those bloody sites!?!
Kudos to the people who actually make a living doing this stuff! I'll be so glad when it's all sold and mailed off to the new owners. They'd all better sell damn it.
Especially because I've probably spent more buying stuff off that site recently than I will make selling the clothes! *snort* But it was worth it, I had to have a travel case for the laptop so I was hunting a purse/laptop case combo to make the whole airport juggle a bit easier. I found it! It's red leather, very sexy.
So...anyone wanna come pack up my flat? Hmmm? I'll feed you well (with take-outs). It's warm and sunny here! There's a beach not even 5 minutes away! What's that? The plane ticket is too expensive? *sighs* If only we'd win lotto...
Less than 4 weeks to go! I'd bite my nails but there isn't much left to bite at this point...
There's a bougainvillea growing in my backyard. As spring has revived it the new growth has become so prolific that I can barely get our door open! Carefully weaving our way through the thorn-studded new branches has become something of an obstacle course. ;-P This is our third (and final) spring/summer in this flat and although it grows rapidly and gets pruned back several times a year, I've never seen it quite so determined to grow up the side of the house. It even sent shoots right up through the gutter and now part of our roof is in full bloom!
While contemplating how to tame the beast so the property owner doesn't send someone to rip it out of the yard (she's already threatened to once because she doesn't want to pay someone to prune it twice a year, plant hating bitch) I found my mind wandering back to a conversation I had with a good friend the other day. We were talking about growth and how the places we live and the friends we keep influence our progress (or lack thereof) to a point. Both of us have left behind family and more familiar places for experiences in a world far different from the one we first met in. While thinking of mutual friends still back in that area we wondered, did we change because we left? or did we leave because we needed the change and knew we wouldn't find it if we stayed there?
We've all heard the saying "You've gotta bloom where you're planted!" and for most of my life I have tried to take that sentiment to heart and grow even when I feel like I'm stuck in a place not nurturing me in the way I need. But I think perhaps that phrase is not always accurate. Granted, at times we do need to strive to bloom where we find ourselves, however I can think of instances when I needed more than just encouragement to keep my chin up--I needed to be transplanted to a whole new garden!
So how do we know when to bloom where we're planted versus hoping for a transplant? What about people we know who are stagnant in the environment they find themselves in? When do they (and we) realise you've "...gotta go where you can grow!" as my friend said?
The answer I think comes when we remember that each one of us is a different plant.
Some of us are like hybrid tea roses that need delicately balanced environments in order to flourish or else we suffer from stunted growth and rarely bloom, failing to reach our full potential because we never had the nourishment we needed to do so.
Others are potted plants that live comfortably within the confines of their pot, slowly growing as they go indoors and outdoors, according to the seasons and what suits them best. They may not have the most spectacular growth, but they keep at a steady pace and generally mind their own business, soaking up food and water as they're given and every once in a while they get an upgrade to a bigger pot!
Me? I'm the crazy bougainvillea climbing the side of our flat, bright fuchsia flowers spilling all over the place! Planted in a less than ideal spot I tend to send out feeler shoots that weave their way near and far, looking for solid support. Once I find some I grab on and end up places I'd never dreamed, drinking in sunlight to spur on my growth. At times I get cut back for whatever reason and feel discouraged, but once I've had time to regroup I start all over again (often times stubbornly doing the same thing as before *snort*). Not one to stay in one place, I seem to maintain quite a broad existence as I constantly seek out the things I need to continue to grow--even if it means taking on the roof!
....of November as we know it, and I feel fine! *giggling*
I've made it through NaBloPoMo November!! Thank you for reading all my ramblings for the past 2 months! I won't be doing the December one because I won't be in town for a bit around my anniversary and after that we'll be dealing with gearing up for our move! *gasp* We're not going to think that far ahead though or I might go crazy.
On the other hand, NaNoWriMo didn't go so well. BUT my final word count is 12,894, which is more than I had at the beginning of the month!! So I'm counting it a success anyway, even though it's not the 50,000. It's alright, I'll keep working on it though!
I can't believe it's December already! Where the fuck does the time go? I will try keeping my blog up because I think it'll be therapeutic when I'm not trying to get posts in under a deadline.
So cheers everybody and pat yourselves on the back if you even attempted NaBloPoMo or NaNoWriMo! It's the journey not the destination, right? ;-P
I meant to blog something else today, but while listening through the music I got cheap from Amazon.com I came across this song on the Jason Mraz's new CD "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." It's not a CD I would have picked up at full price simply because I don't have any of his other music (although what I have heard of his music I've liked) so I decided to chance it and I'm so glad I did.
This song feels like a warm hug being offered to someone who feels like their world is spinning out of control and they need someone to steady them. Rumor is he wrote it for a friend going through a hard time (whose answering machine message you hear at the beginning, and then another one at the end.)
I love it so much it's going on my music player for those moments when I need to remember to breathe. It says all the things I try to tell everyone else when they feel like their entire world is unraveling. Details in the Fabric
Calm down, deep breaths And get yourself dressed Instead of running around And pulling on your threads And breaking yourself up
If it's a broken part, replace it If it's a broken arm, then brace it If it's a broken heart, then face it
And hold your own, know your name And go your own way. Hold your own, know your name And go your own way. And everything, will be fine.
Hang on, help is on the way And stay strong, I'm doing everything
Hold your own, know your name And go your own way. Hold your own, know your name And go your own way. And everything, Everything will be fine Everything...
Are the details in the fabric Are the things that make you panic Are your thoughts, results of static cling? All the things that make you blow Hell no reason, go on and scream If you're shocked, It's just the fault of faulty manufacturing Everything, will be fine Everything, in time Everything...
Hold your own, know your name And go your own way. Hold your own, (are the details in the fabric) Know your name (are the things that make you panic) And go your own way (are your thoughts, results of static cling?)
Hold your own, (are the details in the fabric) Know your name (are the things that make you panic) And go your own way (is it mother nature's sewing machine?)
Hold your own, (are the things that make you blow) Know your name (hell no reason, go on and scream) And go your own way. (if you're shocked, it's just the fault of faulty manufacturing)
Everything, will be fine Everything, in no time at all Hearts will hold...
I've been trying to write a blog post about Thanksgiving for the last hour and it's just not working. Nothing goes together, some of it sounds cheesy, some cynical and sarcastic, some highly pessimistic, and the majority of it--downright blah. So instead of a coherent post, all you're gonna get is random things scattered all over the place and squished together. Sort of how a dinner plate looks on Thanksgiving now that I think about it. *snort*
1. I wonder what Native Americans think about Thanksgiving? Having some Native blood myself (as do a good portion of Americans) I can't help but think about how on the one hand Native Americans saved the starving asses of people who landed on their shore and then were killed and stripped of their land by others who followed after once America started to look attractive to their pockets.
2. Isn't it kind of funny how the whole nation that was participating in the "What I'm thankful for..." lovefest the day before, suddenly transform into a rabid, psychotic crowd that push, shove, and if need be, fight their way through crowds of shoppers to get a good deal on that toy Tommy has to have for Christmas or the big screen TV they've been drooling after? Those crowds are mean! Let's hope no one gets hurt this year.
3. Have you ever noticed how incredibly reluctant everyone is to go home for the holidays...and yet they go home for the holidays!?! What is this ritualistic torture we all put ourselves through every year? I mean, I'm thankful for my family even though they really drive me nuts sometimes, but some people's families get into knock down, drag out fights at Thanksgiving dinner, and yet they still do it every year! This is yet another reason why I think we are a nation full of masochists. Do you think the puritanical roots of the early settlers have anything to do with it? Mixed in with all that Catholic guilt from the later droves of immigrants (think Irish and Hispanic). Yeah. We have guilt issues.
4. I'm thankful for a shitload of things that I can't even put into words. I could try, but I'll forget something and then feel guilty about it! Damn it, there goes that guilt again, see what I mean about guilt issues? Fine, to override my worry over guilt, I'll list some of the things that I'm thankful for anyway! In no particular order (because if I try and order it this will never get listed): Chris, my family (even though they piss me off), friends that I love as family, my doggie family that I miss wickedly in the US, the Internets, music, $5 CD Mp3 sales on Amazon.com (yes, they do, right now, go see!), a dentist that I'm not afraid to go see, that I can afford health care even though the doctors I see make me want to punch them in the face sometimes, Barack Obama (and please lets hope he appears on this list again next year!), the experience of living in another country and all the things it has opened my eyes to, strawberries, a stable relationship that makes all the instability in my life bearable (I didn't think that was possible, but it is), that I goaded myself into starting this NaBloPoMo thing almost 2 months ago and have kept up with it (I thought for sure I'd bomb out), the ebb and flow of my life and moods--they sure do keep things interesting, sense of humor (both mine and in others), the experiences of this past year--good and bad they are what they are and have helped shape me into the person I am at this moment and I can honestly say even though some days I don't like myself very much, I'm not half bad and I'm a million times happier than I was 10 years ago.
5. Oh, and one more thing! I'm thankful for the handful of people who read my blog. You are all so very brave to check out my odd ramblings and postings every day! *snort* Thank you for being a part of my life and letting me be a part of yours. You are worth more than you know.
Life is a bit...interesting lately. Why is it when you already have a full plate someone comes along trying to add the helping of potato salad that will make your styrofoam plate break in two?? Not cool. But things will all get sorted out in time, right? Let us hope so...
In other news, all my peoples are dealing with shit in their lives that have got them down and in a funk! That's not cool either, even though I understand it's just something we all go through and in time things will come out right. But in the meantime, I say to you, my peoples (and if you're reading this, you're one of my peoples, so listen up), life is a big pile of drama for me too, I feel you, I do, and I wish that I could fix it, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet (my magic wand won't work). So in the meantime, crank up the sound on your computer (or even better-put headphones on) and have a happy song moment with me! No, it doesn't solve all the ills of this world, but music is my drug, the only thing that really takes the edge off for me, and it's all I have to offer you (well, that and an Inbox that is always open for venting). Now, I can't promise this will work for you because I found this song after an hour of hard rock music (my go-to music when I'm not happy) and was in the right place to hear it. But just in case you get a bit of a buzz from dance/trance music, here's a dose!
Watching the original version of that song by Duncan Sheik is worthwhile, the video is comical. The best part of the song? The lyrics. Have a read while you listen to the mix. "On A High"
I'm on a high, I'm on a high there's nothing more to it. We are the sea and the sky and the blue that runs through it, yeah.
and there are some who say there are so many things I need so I run or I fight and I crawl or I scream and I bleed I bleed, I bleed
well, it's a lie it's a lie - don't you believe it. if you're fine then you're fine - it's all how you see it. oh, there never will be no conspiracy of happiness.
I'm on a high I'm on a high and there's nothing more to it I have the sun, it's a star why should I refuse it
and there are so many reasons I could give you why I should be down there's not enough money or time and my love you're not around around, around
but it's a lie it's a lie - don't you believe it. if you're fine then you're fine - it's all how you see it. oh, there never will be no conspiracy of happiness.
you're alive you're alive - how else could you hear me? you are fine, you are fine - there's nothing worth fearing 'cause there never will be no conspiracy of happiness
I'm on a high, on a high we are the sea and the sky I'm on a high, on a high I'm on a high
It's a lie, It's a lie don't you believe it 'Cause I've tried and I've tried, and I can't really see it Yeah, I'm trapped inside my conspiracy of happiness said I was yours, you were mine but I didn't really mean it and I lied and I lied and I wish you hadn't seen it 'cause I'm trapped inside my conspiracy of happiness I'm on a high, on a high, there's nothing more to it, yeah.
Okay, I give... NaNoWriMo has kicked my ass big time. Or should I say everything else going on this month has kicked my ass and NaNoWriMo has not gotten as much effort as I intended to give it? Either way, my word count is sadly lacking and I don't forsee being able to write 37,000+ words in the next week. *sighs*
I'm trying to tell myself that it's fine, I've given it my best shot considering all the other things I've been juggling this month. But really, I'm still rather annoyed with myself over the whole thing! MEH.
On a totally unrelated note, have I said lately how much I'm going to miss the incredible coffee I get here when we move to the US? With the exception of Starbucks, until I moved here I had no concept of the glorious wonders of espresso and how divine 2 shots of it are topped with some steamed milk and dusted with cinnamon... And how about the days when a healthy dose of chocolate finds itself swirled into the brew for a slightly sweet but not in any way sugary (if they make it right) dessert? Before moving here I didn't think it was possible to actually enjoy coffee without copious amounts of sugar and creamer. Oh how wrong I was!
Do you think I can fit a barrista and espresso machine in my suitcase?
I have nothing to blog about tonight. Nothing of any substance at all! So I'm going to instead ramble nonesense for a few paragraphs so I can feel that I've made my daily contribution to this blog, since it seems to be the only Na-WhatTheFuckEver I can accomplish!
I've had a relatively interesting day, but not the sort of interesting that you blog about, since really the interesting parts are all mundane.
I'm still itching from the weird sun rash, which may be a photosensitive rash thanks to the 1,000 mg King Kong dosage of Naprosyn I take every day! I'm not impressed.
I think I should chop off my hair. Or at least a good 6 inches of it. I could keep babying it and going through shitloads of conditioner and pretending it's okay, but it's not. I love my long hair, but I made a vow when I started growing it out years ago that if it ever got to the point that it looked blah and lifeless, then I would cut it off. It's better to have short, healthy hair than frizzy, damaged hair. I don't believe in long hair for the sake of long hair. So now I'm just trying to talk myself into letting someone chop it off...meh.
Oh...I just remembered that there is a container of perfectly ripe strawberries in the other room! *does a happy dance* I know, a happy dance over strawberries?? But you just don't understand how much I love berries and how bloody long I've been waiting for them to be ready! I have to ration them to myself or I'll eat too many too soon in the season and get the strawberry rash, which then means you can't have them again that summer! Needless to say been there, done that as a kid and it was one tragically depressing summer.
And with that I'll end my contentless yabber. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have something more worthwhile to write about! Like, maybe some progress on that writing thing that shall remain nameless.
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
The past few weeks this song has been playing in my head. Tonight it wouldn't quit, so I had to go hunt down the video. Whenever I hear this song I immediately think of being a child and hearing about the fall of the Berlin Wall. Even though I was quite young at the time, I sensed it was an important event happening in the world around me.
I remember lying in the back of my parents car one night maybe a year later, watching the streetlights zip by in the darkness as we were headed home. The haunting whistling of this song filled my ears as I wondered what a wind of change would look like.
I think we all saw it last week, blowing through the US. Beautiful, wasn't it?
May it continue to blow and bring down the walls that the last 8 years have built between us and the rest of the world.
"The world is closing in, did you ever think that we could be so close, like it brothers? The future’s in the air, I can feel it everywhere blowing with the wind of change.
Take me to the magic of the moment on a glory night, where the children of tomorrow dream away in the wind of change."
On Dentists--I have the most kickass dentist in the world. That's high praise coming from a major dental-phobe. I have more to say about him and the wonderful office he and his brother run, but for now, this will have to do. I've had 2 teeth pulled by him in the last week, both which were broken for various reasons. Most would opt to have them surgically removed since often trying to pull them causes the whole tooth to break, in which case they have to then go surgical and cut it out with some of the bone. But he was up for trying to get them out without all that and in the end they came out without breaking because the man has skills and is so damn patient!
Granted, I could feel some of the pulling today, fuck did that hurt! But it's not his fault they can't deaden the nerve there. The main nerve that gives sensation to the lip/chin area on that side of my jaw runs close to the root area of my back teeth, which can make numbing up a challenge, and since I already have problems with local anesthetic wearing off too fast or not working at all, that doesn't help matters. He did get it numbed better than anyone else ever has though, so kudos to the man!
I'm looking into ways to clone him (along with my Rheumatologist) so I can take them to the US with me 'cause I've never had such great care before. Usually I cry over having to go see the dentist, and now I'm going to end up crying over having to leave this dentist! What is the world coming to?
On week 2 of mushy foods--I miss my fresh, crunchy fruits and veggies, and I miss chewing food! LOL
On NaNoWriMo--Anyone else notice that a goal turns into a convenient whip in the hands of an obsessive perfectionist?? I am so guilty of that, and it's gotta stop. I've over the last few years been able to temper my inclinations towards things like that pretty well, but obviously I have more work to do in that area.
So I'm taking the wisdom on the topic that Jackie said in response to my last blog post and reminding myself that in the same way I've learned to give myself grace about other things, I need to be all zen-like about this as well. If I hit 50,000, WOO HOO!! If I don't, well, I still have more than when I began. One needs to enjoy the journey and release our attachment to the finish line, right? That doesn't mean we never reach any of our goals because we don't strive for them. Not at all. It just means remembering that the journey is just as important (if not more so) than meeting the goal we've set, and that as long as we've learned things and gained new experiences along the way, it's still a win, even if we don't reach our goal the first time around.
That said, I'm still going to try my damnedest to reach it! I wrote a shitload last night, so my count is a bit over 11,000 right now, but a lot of that is very "stream of consciousness" and random. I think it'll help give me topics on which to expound on at a later time this month, so it's all good!
Keep up the good work all my NaNo writers out there!!
Yes, it totally is. It's bad! I must confess that I actually haven't written anything since Nov.4th...today is the 9th, 5 days people, 5 bloody days behind!
"Why so behind?" you ask. Take damn elections in the US and NZ mixed with a little misery from my missing tooth, heaping spoonfuls of disbelief, sorrow, and angst over the whole anti-gay ballot initiatives passing, and a really generous dash of "psycho-bitch" attitude that I've had going on for the last 3 days, blend well with ice, pour into a lovely sugar rimmed glass and you too can have a taste of the potent brew (otherwise known as the emotional disaster that lives in my mind) that I've been intoxicated with the last few days!
In that state it seems I can't focus my brain enough to write things I actually have to think deeply about! *sighs* I woke up this morning thinking that maybe the nice me would make an appearance today so that I could get something useful done. After getting a slow start to the morning I decided to make pancakes for lunch to experiment with the coconut flour my mom sent from the US. Didn't work quite as well as I'd hoped for, which caused me to "tweak" things a bit, and things got worse and then....my not so sane self took over and for the millionth time this week Chris gave me that look that says "Who are you and what the hell have you done with my Wahz?" (Wahz--Chris' nickname for me)
Yeah.
Note to self: Do not attempt cooking when psychoself is lurking in the shadows, ready to have a nervous breakdown over every little imperfection!
So now, hours later, I'm writing this blogpost so that one more thing can be crossed off my list of "Excuses to use in order to procrastinate from working on NaNoWriMo". My work-in-progress is open, as is my NaNoWriMo profile with my word count. They are staring at me, mocking me for ignoring them for the past week. Since when did text files and word counts get so mouthy?
I swear though, readers of my blog, I WILL make progress on my wordcount today! If for no other reason than I don't want to be a whole week behind...and I'm having a wisdom tooth taken out tomorrow. I know, 2 teeth out within a week of each other? Bit masochistic of me, but I'm terribly impatient and would rather it all be done and over with as soon as possible.
I woke up this morning, checked my email, read a few of the headlines rejoicing over the results of last night's election, and felt that joy and happiness well up inside me again, despite the horrible night of tolling and turning I had thanks to the whole tooth thing.
And then I read the news coming out about the ballot propositions and such proposed in Arizona, Arkansas, California, and Florida....and I've been crying ever since. Not just a little weepy but all out sobbing that unfortunately woke Chris up (I was trying to be quiet so Chris could sleep longer). I just couldn't hold it all in, my heart hurts too much.
Many of the same voters that helped carry Obama to win his bid for the White House last night turned around and voted for their states to legally discriminate against gay couples and in some, cohabiting couples and their ability to adopt/foster children. We certainly can't blame just the "conservatives" for that one, they were helped along by some who voted Democrat last night. And that is breaking my heart. This was not just a matter of semantics about the word "marriage", the propositions and act are broad discrimination on couples that for whatever reason are not within the "traditional bond of marriage", voted for by over half of the population in those states! Clear evidence that we have a long way to go in dispeling the lies that have been poured out by those who hate people different from them.
Now I will acknowledge that there is some good news in various other proposition races across the nation highlighted in that article, and I may talk about them at some point in the future, but today? Today I'm going to mourn the passing of the 4 mentioned above, because I think the movement deserves that. Last night showed us change can happen, and I DO believe that one day we WILL overcome this. But today I still find myself asking, when will our country be more than 'equality for some'?
It's finally here, Election Day. 2 years in the making, eh? Seems like this race has gone on forever, and yet suddenly we find ourselves at the end of it.
It's exciting and scary all at the same time. I love this 'standing on the edge of something, about ready to jump and yet reluctant to take that one last step that will plunge you into midair' kind of feeling. I've had it before in key moments of my life and I truly feel that this is a key moment for our nation. Tomorrow we will make history. We will either have the first African American President, or the first woman Vice-President. Readers of this blog know all too well which one I'd prefer to see happen when the votes are counted, but even though I have my preferences, I fervently wish that everyone gets out and takes advantage of their right to vote.
As I picked up the laptop to hurry up and type this post before midnight, Chris joked "Oh I know what you're going to write, some patriotic, "get out and vote" post, aren't you?!" . Well yes Chris, that's exactly what I'm writing. I've said this all before, but I can't resist saying it one more time because I sense this is going to be the "big" vote of our generation. In 20 years will I be telling the story about this election and my vote in it as a way to encourage a future niece or nephew (or my own child) to be politically active and vote? Part of me thinks it's possible.
This election year has brought the American people a different experience from what we've had in the past. Unfortunately, we've seen a Senator who I used to have great respect for, throw all he said he stood for out the window and take a gamble on a VP choice just to try and sway the female, conservative vote, which to me is one of the most disgusting displays of sexism I've seen in a long time. But on the other end of the spectrum, we've seen a candidate who everyone thought was the underdog in this race create a grassroots campaign style that inspired many to give of their time and wallet in order to propel him closer and closer to the White House.
I don't know what Obama will be able to accomplish as POTUS, I don't expect everything he promised in his campaign to come true. His ideals have given so many of us what we needed most--hope. Hope that things can be better than they've been for the last 8 years. Hope that we really can do something to bring our country out of its downward spiral. Hope that running a semi-clean campaign could actually be a success. Hope that we as individuals really DO have the power to change the world.
Tonight I sit here with that hope. In the back of my mind I remember 4 years ago, how crushed I was when the results came in, how despondent I was, how much I feared for our country and what the next 4 years would be like. Looking at it honestly I can say some of my fears really did come true, and I grieve the things that our country has lost. But I choose to silence my inner doubter tonight and instead take a moment to let that hope and excitement flow through me.
We are here, we have worked hard, and I believe that if everyone gets out and votes, no matter how long the lines are or how frustrating the crowds are, we will see the fruits of our labor as the vote counts come in. We can win this race and set a new course for the next 4 years, YES WE CAN!
Today is technically my 3rd day of NaNoWriMo! So far today I haven't written a thing for it, although I have been writing other things. I'm trying to get everything done so I cannot come up with any more reasons to procrastinate, since we all know that procrastination and I are like, BFF. *snort*
I got a little over 2,000 words written the first day, none yesterday because I opted for sleep rather than writing, and because I knew that today I'd be at the dentist getting a tooth pulled and then be an invalid for a few days. And what better thing to do when trying to ignore cotton stuffed in your mouth than write, right? Hah! Well, the dentist's secretary called at like 7:45 am to tell me the dentist was home sick and we'd have to reschedule for tomorrow! Good news is I can now eat the soba peanut noodle thing I plan to make with the fresh asparagus living in my fridge. The bad news is I have one more day to mope about having to go to the dentist. It will be fine, really. I have this one pulled this week, and the bloody broken wisdom tooth to get out next week! I see lots of mushy food in my future... *sighs*
Anyhow, so I'd better get to writing, once I make lunch/dinner. I get diazepam before the procedure tomorrow, so if my post tomorrow seems rather odd, you'll know why! Combined with a certain other medication I'm on it may make me pretty entertaining, or sleepy, we shall see. Last time I took it (before an MRI) I was fine, just didn't give a shit I was in a tiny tunnel. I got a bit giggly and dizzy afterwards though. The dizziness can stay away, vertigo would be about the only thing that would kill my NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo writing!
I can't believe I actually pulled off making one political post a day for the last 31 days!! This has been really fun! So thanks to those who have read my rantings every day, I feel like I've learned a lot in this past month and hope you have too. I'll probably keep up my political ramblings into November since the election is on the 4th, and after that will get back to what I usually do, which is ramble on about anything that comes to mind. Be afraid, be very afraid... ;-P
My last post of the month will end the way my first one started--encouraging you to vote. VOTE people, please, vote. I may have my opinions about who needs to be the next POTUS and you don't have to agree with me, all I ask is that you make yourself informed of the issues, take a good hard look at the candidates before you and what an administration with them at the top of it will look like, and at what direction it will take this country in. Then vote your conscience. But when you do that, please think not only of the things that matter in your own life, but in the lives of those around you, both in the US and abroad. The choice you make in that voting booth DOES affect the entire world.
And that's a wrap folks! I leave you with this quote, have a think on it, eh?
"One voice can change a room. And if one voice can change a room then it can change a city. And if it can change a city, it can change a state. And if it can change a state, it can change a nation. And if it can change a nation, it can change the world. Your voice can change the world." -Barack Obama
Yes I did, I've joined NaNoWriMo! So anyone who happens to read this and is in NaNo land, let me know we can hook up and whinge over our writing together!
Check it out:
That says "Rebel" because I don't know that what I'm writing will qualify as fiction, although to be honest parts of my life sure do read like it! *snort*
I've been thinking about NaNoWriMo as I've been encouraging others I know to give it a go. I personally didn't intend to do it since I'm not a fiction writer. When I feel the urge to write it's more from a reflective non-fiction place, know what I mean? And since the "No" part stands for "novel", which to me means fiction, I figured there was no way to participate in it.
BUT, while hunting through the NaNoWriMo site I found this area in their forum for "NaNo Rebels", i.e. those who are writing, but are in some way rebelling against the rules. Apparently the creator of NaNoWriMo didn't want them to feel totally left out this year, even though they are not "technically" meeting the requirements. So, some of them join to hang out in the forum and plan to write the 50,000 words, but not validate and get a badge at the end since they aren't following the rules.
And then I saw my Daily Om for yesterday, titled "Personal Tales: Writing Your Story" which made me do a double take because the only thing on my "to write" list is a memoir of sorts. Not really for anyone to read, just for me, because I feel like life is passing so fast that things I want to remember are fading from my memory and if I don't take the time to get them down soon, they'll be gone forever.
Do you think it's all a sign that I should join to participate and just not validate in the end? I mean, the real prize in the whole thing is the manuscript you have at the end and I don't feel the need to have a badge from it. So what say the few of you who read my blog??
In 2006 I fell in love and my life turned upside down, literally! I moved from the US to New Zealand to married a Kiwi who immigrated here from Hong Kong as a child almost 20 years ago. We have 1 home with 3 cultures going on between the 2 of us, keeps life interesting!
We are in the process of moving to the US at the moment. Just a few more weeks left in Kiwiland before we're off to try and stay sane in the States!
This blog is filled with my ramblings about life, love, politics, food, religion, photography, PCOS, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and whatever else is running through my mind at any given time...
