Iran Deal Riles Americans. Should It?

Last night, a group of countries reached a treaty with Iran to start working on its nuclear stuff.

Does it sound like I have no idea what happened last night?! That's because I don't have any idea what happened last night. Sure, I can parrot back news headlines and what my senators have to say about the deal; but could I explain it to a sixth grader? Not a chance. And I'm not alone.

Most people in the US are not foreign diplomats. Most people in the US are not nuclear engineers. Most people in the US know about foreign relations and nuclear treaties based only on what the media shows them.

This morning I woke up and on my Facebook Newsfeed one of my friends was calling Obama "a dangerous president" because of the deal we made last night. Another friend said that "our country is going downhill and now taking the rest of the world with it."

Really? Is that what you think based on your years of experience in the field? Or is that what the news channel that you decided to watch told you?

Our age of 24-hour news has made all of us "experts" and we all have our "expert opinions" that we try to shove down other people's throats on social media. I'm willing to bet that neither one of my friends who commented about Iran's nuclear program has any reason to think what they think other than "well, that's what a particular news channel said" or "well, that's what a particular senator who disagrees with the President said."

Come on, guys. Even if you "research" your opinions on foreign relations, how are you so arrogant to think that you know better than the people you put in office? Oh, you didn't vote for Obama? Well, tough cookies. You still put him in office. And if you think that reading a couple of articles about Iran's nuclear program makes you more qualified to form an opinion and create a plan than the President (regardless of his party), you're arrogant.

None of us know what exactly is going on in that program.
None of us can fathom what's at stake.
None of us should think that we know better than experts just because we watched a certain news channel.

The age we live in is showing just how quick we are to take sides and fight to the death for something we know nothing about. We know so little and yet we are so willing to put everything on the line to tell everyone how "much" we know and why everyone should agree with us.

A year ago, I "knew" that the guy I voted for was the bomb-diggety and I couldn't wait to rub it in the faces of people who lost the election. I was super-arrogant about everything, too. I am beyond grateful that I've been humbled to the point that I have realized just how little I know about everything that I was writing and fighting about last year. It's made me see how silly people who think that they're being "progressive" or "politically active" make themselves look so much of the time.

I believe in having opinions (obviously) and I believe in voting for the person you think will do the best job carrying out your opinions. But I do not believe in pretending to know anything about other countries' nuclear programs or anything where you have to go through years of specialized training to know anything about it.

This week is Thanksgiving. Instead of trying to provoke people into arguments and violence, put your arrogance down and be thankful--be so thankful--for the little that you do know.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi 

Say No to the Washington Blame Game--Take Action!

We have seen a lot of political turmoil lately. The 2012 election season was full of attack ads and empty promises, we've had financial ceilings and cliffs come and go over the last couple of years, and our country is more divided than it's been in 150 years. 

The thing that troubles me the most about this is that when I listen to the news I hear blame, not a call to action. It doesn't matter what station I listen to: if it's MSNBC they're blaming the Republicans; if it's FOX they're blaming President Obama. But on no station do I hear, "Our country is in trouble; let's put our party differences aside, come together, and get it back on track."

The "sequester" is coming in 24 hours. It seems to me that everyone in Washington is playing a game of "chicken," with the American people as the one who will have to pick up the pieces. The politicians are blaming each other and then sitting at home, with no meetings or phone calls on the books, waiting for the other side to blink. 

I want to be very clear: I am not at all blinded by my past involvement with the Obama campaign. I am incredibly frustrated with Obama and the Democratic party, as well as the Republicans. 

I feel cheated: I worked for Obama for three months to get him re-elected because he promised a better tomorrow, a better country. Kentucky is slated to lose 150 teaching jobs if the sequester happens. My fiancé is a first year teacher and his is the only income we have right now. If Josh loses his job because Obama and Congress can't get their act together to fix this mess that they put us in, you'd better believe that I'll be very vocal about what my president and my congressmen have done for me.

We get to elect our leaders, but I don't feel like we've elected leaders. I feel like we've elected 15 year old boys to Capitol Hill and they're acting like children, refusing to talk to the guys they don't agree with. They need to get it together and remember that they are representing us, the people of America. 

They have the honor of having been chosen to represent us at the highest level and they are not taking that seriously. It seems to me that most of the people in Washington (the president, senators, and representatives) are more interested in their own political gain than doing what's right for the people. 

Contact your congressmen and congresswomen, as well as your president. Tell them that you don't agree with the way they're doing business on your behalf and you expect better from the people you sent to Washington in your stead.

Contact Info:

US Senators

US Representatives

US President

The only way we will get this country back on track is to stop joining in the blame game. We need to take action, not spend article after article blaming the "other side." We are better than that! Our country is one that has been built on its citizens taking action, not its people complaining until someone else fixes our problems.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

State of the Union

Author's Note: Please read this post carefully and in its entirety before you get angry or judge my view or anything else. 

Two nights ago, President Obama gave the State of the Union address. In my opinion, there wasn't anything new until the second half of it; the beginning was just a mash-up of all his campaign speeches and part of the inaugural address. In the second half, there were statements about different subjects in which the President mentioned that we can do better. There were not specific ways mentioned to get us to the point of "doing better."

At certain points in Obama's speech, there was applause. Sometimes everyone stood up, sometimes some people stood up, and sometimes everyone stayed seated. Apparently, this showed which senators support or do not support the statement at hand.

Here are some of my questions:

• Is it a partisan issue to have equal rights for women? When the President mentioned the Equal Pay Act and there was a standing ovation by about half of the chamber, the camera focused on a few female Republican senators who remained seated and did not clap. This bill is for them. Do they not want equal pay? Is having the vote enough; do we not need to actually have equal rights?
• Is it a partisan issue to keep our planet clean? We all live here. All of us. It's not like global warming is going to skip over the congressmen and women who refuse to pass a bill that promotes clean energy. Our environment is the only one we have; we don't have anywhere else to go if our climate gets so extreme that we kill off our planet. We will all be effected.
• Is it a partisan issue to help people in poverty? Don't we all want a strong country? An argument I've heard from a lot of Republicans is that the poor "just need to work harder." Right. Is that what Jesus would have said? The only reason I'm mentioning Jesus (because, yes, I acknowledge that it's not directly related) is that a lot of these Republicans are the same ones who run around mentioning Christianity. If they want to take this Lenten season to reflect on the life of Jesus and prepare for his coming (as is the wont of Christians during this time of the year, I understand), maybe thinking about solving poverty in our country would be a good place to start.
• Is it a partisan issue to have equal education in this country where we offer free public education? Schools are getting intensely competitive and even preschoolers are having to procure letters of recommendation to get into the kindergarten their parents want them to attend. But not all parents can afford to send their kids to preschool. Just a few weeks ago, the governor of Kentucky, who ran on a platform of state funded preschool for all children, cut funds. The funds he cut were to the program that gives single mothers who are enrolled students at a state university free preschool for their children while they go to school. So, now those mothers cannot obtain a higher education degree because they have to stay home with their children. Do you see how this is a broken cycle? Do you see how this is a humanitarian issue, and not a Republican or Democrat issue?
• Is it a partisan issue to keep military grade guns that were never intended for civilian hands off our streets? There is not one, not one person in Congress who thinks we need to take everyone's guns. No one is saying that. But that's the only argument against gun control I'm hearing. I'm going to repeat: no one is trying to take your guns. But semi-automatic killing machines that were built for the battlefield have no place in our neighborhoods. And I don't think that if any one of the children of any member of Congress had been in Sandy Hook Elementary School in December, there would be a dispute about this. 

These all seem like subjects we can agree on. All of us. If at this point you're reading this thinking, "No, those aren't high priorities for the government; that's an issue for individual people," please put either you or your family in the position of anyone in any of the above scenarios. Go ahead. Let it sink in. I'll wait.

Can you see how upset you would be if you were enrolled in school, one semester away from getting your bachelor's degree (putting you in the top 30% or so of educated people in the country), your three-year-old's preschool was suddenly cut, and you couldn't finish school so you could get a higher paying job to make a better life for your child than the one you had? Or can you understand how angry you would be if you'd worked your tail off for 25 years in your career, got a PhD in your field, were internationally respected, and then found out that you make 15% less money than your male counterpart, just because you are a woman? 

Now that you've actually thought about what it would be like to be in those situations and we can all agree that they're problems of the non-partisan sort, let's get to work on figuring out how to fix them.

Cue: Arguing.

Yes! This is where the arguing starts. Disagree on how we are going to fix the problems, not on whether or not we should fix them. This is where people, in both Congress and the general public, disagree. We can and should disagree, at least a little bit, on how to fix things. Disagreement, if done in an intelligent and respectful way, can foster the best compromises and solutions. But there must be solutions. And there must be compromises. Neither side--neither side--will ever get everything they want. That's not how building community works.

Please, urge your congressperson to do what is right for our country. Please stop disagreeing with progress just because of the party of the person who suggests it. We need to get our country moving together, not in two halves.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

The Most Historic Inauguration

The Presidential Inauguration yesterday made history, for more reasons than just the fact that it was an inauguration.

• Myrlie Evers Williams gave the invocation; the first woman ever to do so.
• Kelly Clarkson (2) and Beyonce (16) together tied Aretha Franklin (18) for artists with most Grammy wins singing at an inauguration. 
• The first African-American president was inaugurated for the second time.
• Obama has now been sworn in four times, tying FDR's record.
• Richard Blanco wrote an original poem and read it yesterday; the first latino and openly gay person to be included in the inaugural ceremonies.
• The first ever gay and lesbian marching band marched in the inaugural parade.

And that doesn't even cover what President Obama said during the inaugural address: 

• "We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit." Touching on healthcare and the deficit in an inaugural address is rare and incredibly specific. It really brings home what he feels is important to work on in the next term, though, something people on both sides of the aisle can agree on.
• "We will respond to the threat of climate change...Some may still deny the overwhelming judgement of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling doubt, and more powerful storms." Wow. First off, I didn't know people still didn't "believe in" global warming, but I guess Obama just told them to get over it and get with the program! Love it.
• "The path towards sustainable energy resources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it." Oil companies, take note. This is something that is huge for this generation. We must lead ourselves to taking this step of getting our country to the next level in terms of sustainable energy.
• "We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war...we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well." Well, this is good. Really good. We don't have to have war to have peace. Let's win the peace.
• "We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East..." Yep. We're going to talk to the whole world and support them. Get on board!
• "...our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts." Equal rights for women! Everyone saying that Obama doesn't like women because of his cabinet appointments, stop. 
• "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law--for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." WHAT?! Did anyone see this coming?? Not me, but this is AWESOME!!! Good for him. Marriage equality is on the horizon. FINALLY.
• "Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote." Voting rights? I'm on board. Keep talking.
• "Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country." Immigration reform, too?! My head is exploding!!! Obama's killing it!
• "Our journey is not complete until all our children...know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm." And a very subtle nod to gun control reform. This guy is good.
• "Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life...but it does require us to act in our time." Thank you. Someone has needed to say this for a long time. Just because we have these documents doesn't mean that we even can follow them word for word now. We need to change with the times and act accordingly.
• "You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country's course." Plug for "Organizing for Action": Organizing for America reformed!

I loved this speech. It was amazing. I have never heard a more progressive or direct speech at an inauguration. I am not super-emotional when it comes to other people that I don't know, but I have been really emotional over the last year with this president. First, I cried during Michelle Obama's speech at the DNC. Then I teared up at Barack's speech at the DNC. Next: election night. Cried. And then yesterday I teared up again. I think it's just that Obama does things other presidents would never do. He said in his speech that we should have marriage equality. No one else touched that. This is definitely one for the books.

I was watching the coverage on MSNBC for part of the day (my fiancé and I were switching around between ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, and MSNBC, for those of you who are going to attack me for being a close-minded liberal) and they asked "What do YOU want in the second term?" I tweeted, "I want women's rights, an assault weapon ban, marriage equality, environmental protection, reduction of the deficit, and more jobs. #msnbc." And it got put on air when Rachel Maddow and Chris Matthews were talking! I was so excited!

Yesterday was an historic day for our country and I am sure that people on both sides of the aisle can agree on that. Using the word that President Obama used the most yesterday, let's move forward and work "together."

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Inauguration 2013

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! I am watching the coverage of the 56th Presidential Inauguration right now. It's so exciting: the history, the fashion, everyone coming from all over the country to celebrate together. But I'm having a little bit of trouble getting into the right mood.

This morning I saw Andrew Kaczynski's retweet about Fox and Friends calling today "the most depressing day of the year." David Muir was talking earlier on Good Morning America about the fact that the "battle lines are drawn" for Obama's second term. It feels very divisive. I was happy to see The Today Show's tweet that was a quote from David Axelrod: "This is not a partisan day. This is not a day for one man's celebration."

Today is about celebrating our country, the United States: our history, our government, and, most importantly, our unity.

Our country is more divided now than it has been since the mid-1800s. Eight and twelve years ago, when George W. Bush was sworn in, I'm sure that MSNBC was saying things along the same lines as what Fox is saying today. Back then the Bush supporters would have been horrified at that and called the dissidents "unpatriotic." They would have said that the Democrats had lost an election and need to get over it and get behind the president. Now, they're calling it the "most depressing day."

We need to remember why we are the United States. We all agree on so many things; we just want to take different paths to get there.

Today, no matter which "side" you are on, stop pushing your agenda, sit quietly, and listen. Those of you who know I am a moderate Democrat are probably saying that this is "pushing my own agenda." I guess since my "agenda" is all of us working together and putting aside our differences, sure I'm pushing it. But just try. Please. Our country needs all of us to give up our radical ideas and come to the center so we can accomplish the things our country needs the most.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Newtown and the Nation: Looking Forward

I know that all of you have been inundated with the news of the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting on Friday. There's some part of me that feels like I shouldn't write about it, since that's all we've been hearing about since Friday. There's a larger part of me, however, that sees this as something that warrants pause and thought. So here goes.

The children and teachers who were senselessly killed on Friday will leave a hole in the hearts of not only their parents and families, but our entire nation. We've been hearing stories over the last couple of days about those children: their favorite activities, what they'd hoped to do in the future, and the joy they brought to their families and everyone around them. They sound like amazing kids. The faculty who were killed sound like stellar teachers and administrators. They will not be forgotten.

Last night President Obama attended the interfaith memorial service in Newtown. The speech he gave was, in my opinion, one of the best he's given. The overall message was incredibly poignant: "...every parent knows there's nothing we will not do to shield our children from harm...This is our first task, caring for our children. It's our first job. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right. That's how, as a society, we will be judged. And by that measure, can we truly say, as a nation, that we're meeting our obligations? Can we honestly say that we're doing enough to keep our children, all of them, safe from harm? Can we claim, as a nation, that we're all together there, letting them know they are loved and teaching them to love in return?...I've been reflecting on this the last few days, and if we're honest with ourselves, the answer's no. We're not doing enough. And we will have to change...For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory."

While some people take the most obvious issue from this tragedy (gun control) and talk about it, I think we can do better than that. Yesterday, like every Sunday in the fall, I watched football. During the commercials, there were a few previews for television shows that were incredibly disturbing. At the end of them, they all had "Viewer Discretion Advised" written at the top of their last frame. But the previews were shown during the day in the middle of a football game: something that's on in millions of households across America. There was another commercial during the game for a new video game (I don't remember, nor can I find the name of it) in which you have "kill or be killed." It was horrifying. Even though it had an "M for Mature" rating, little kids saw that commercial during the football game and the ones without strict parents will get it if they say that they want it.

We can let the people in Washington argue about what laws they feel are important to pass. A lot of us have opinions on that, too, and that's fine, but that's just the political side of it.

We need to change our society. We have to decide to change. We have to turn off the TV when our kids are home and we know there will be scary things shown, even if it's "our game" that's on. We have to choose to parent our kids and tell them "no" about certain things. We have to teach our kids to love by showing them the love we have for them from the minute they take their first breaths. We have to teach our kids what's right. We have to teach peace. We have to work to "make our country worthy of their memory." We cannot depend on laws to change our society and instill peace in our nation. It starts at home with the family.

And it is work. I love football so much and I hate to think that I'm going to miss watching a lot of "my games" once I have kids, but I'm not going to let my kids watch that. It is work to be a good parent. You have to fight those fights that are hard. But you have to fight them. I was such a stubborn kid when I was little and my parents fought those fights with me and never let me win. I was so angry with them every time I lost those fights. But now I understand why they fought those fights with me and why they were right. Parents need to remember that it's not a popularity contest with their kids and they don't need to be their kids' friends when they're 10 years old. If parents do the hard parenting when their kids need it, the friendship will come later.

Tonight, hug your kids. Talk with your husband or wife about how your family will get through this hard, sad time. Let your kids feel whatever they're feeling right now and express those feelings in the safe ways they need to express them. Never forget this tragedy and victims of it. Let's work together to make sure that we "make our country worthy of their memory."

An angel hand-painted by my great-great aunt Ida Collins. It seemed appropriate for today.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

12/12/12 Time Capsule

Yesterday, I spent the whole day working on a time capsule honoring "12/12/12" to be opened on January 1, 2101 (01/01/01). I love numbers, so I thought it would be fitting to celebrate the last triple number of this century by doing something fun!

First, I thought about what I wish I could see from 90 years ago. Next I went around my house looking for little things I think are "iconic" from 2012. Then I went to Target and picked up glow sticks. I really went out to look for Twinkies. I thought they would be the perfect thing to put in the time capsule because 1) they went out of business in 2012 after being iconic for "childhoods" for years and 2) they would last for 90 years! But, after a grocery store, three gas stations, and, finally, Target, I gave up my search for the elusive Twinkie.

Here's a list of everything in the 12/12/12 Time Capsule along with its description that I put in the letter:

1. "The Joy of Pi" by David Slatner - I guess the most obvious place to start is the book, “The Joy of Pi” that is in the capsule. I love numbers! The number π is somewhat in vogue right now. I have always found it interesting. When I was in high school I memorized π to 279 digits. I hope that’s more common when you read this than when I did it. I was considered a “nerd” when I did that. But I continued loving π through college. I bought this book for fun once and read it a few times. Today’s society is very interested in numerology and it’s a fun book for a rainy afternoon. The last time I read it was on a trip to Wisconsin this last summer. It took us about nine hours to drive from Kentucky to Wisconsin and I took a few books with me. This was one of them!
2. Sue Grafton bookmark -  Following along the lines of books, I’ve included a bookmark from the Boone County Public Library in Kentucky and my library card from Louisville, KY. One of my favorite authors is Sue Grafton. She wrote the “Alphabet Mysteries” (A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, etc.). The main character’s name is Kinsey Millhone and she is a detective. I love her! Also, Sue Grafton went to Atherton High School in Louisville, KY, which is where I went for the last couple of years of high school! Janet Evanovich (the author on the other side of the bookmark) writes mysteries that are a little too gory and graphic for me. She is also, however, a best-selling author. 
3. Library card from Louisville - My library card is just for fun. I assume you don’t have to carry library cards anymore, so I thought it would be silly to see one. Ignore my signature—terrible handwriting! 
4. Harry Potter "Golden Snitch" - Harry Potter has been part of our culture now for over a decade and I've been with it every step of the way. J.K. Rowling had her first book since the Harry Potter series come out in 2012: “The Casual Vacancy.” I haven’t read it yet—the library has a waiting list of 93 people and it’s still too expensive for me to buy. For the record, if Harry Potter is not popular for some reason and you have no idea what a “snitch” is, bring it back! Hunt it down in the alcoves of the library or the Internet or whatever you have right now, and make it popular again. 
5. Legolas action figure - "The Hobbit" comes out this December, building on an empire of epic stories from the last decade. Hopefully this, too, will still be part of common literature. As with Harry Potter, if you don’t know what this series is, go find it. I should be clear: read Harry Potter first, then watch the movies. With “The Lord of the Rings,” unless you absolutely love reading about every blade of grass that they pass on their journey, watch the movies first, and then if you’re intrigued, read them. Reading-wise I only made it through “The Fellowship of the Ring” and half of “The Two Towers.” Never even touched “The Return of the King.” Brilliant stories, though! 
6. A mini Battleship game - Wouldn't it be cool if you don't even know what a "battleship" is?
7. Purple cornflower seeds - I love gardening! Do you have room for recreational gardens?
8. A pin from the Bureau of Land Management in its "Made in China" package - 3 reasons for this one: my grandfather worked for the BLM starting in the 1950s, I got the pin on Josh's and my engagement trip at Pompeii's Pillar in Montana, and the package for a pin for one of our national programs says so obviously "Made in China." We make a lot of our stuff in China right now. There is a push being made to get some of our jobs back to the USA, but it’s much cheaper to have jobs overseas because other countries don’t have the same laws we do when it comes to how much we have to pay their citizens. It’s not right, but it’s how it is right now. I really hope that has changed.
9. Campaign paraphernalia - There is a lot of stuff in here from the Obama-Biden campaign. One of the biggest things that happened in 2012 was Barack Obama getting re-elected President of the United States. I volunteered for the campaign for the last two months of it in Cincinnati, Ohio. I got to see both Barack and Michelle give speeches. I do have my tickets from those events, but I’m not including them because I want to put them in a scrapbook (which, if you’re my family, you hopefully still have!). The blue bumper sticker is the same kind I have on my car. I wore both of the campaign buttons on my coat through October. The blue stickers are from a roll of them. And the white one was handed out at the event we saw Barack Obama speak at. Working on that campaign was a fantastic experience and I hope that you still talk about President Barack Obama.
10. One each of a quarter, dime, nickel, and penny - I wanted to include it because it’s what we as a society still use on a daily basis. The only time I use it is when I have to do laundry, which is at a coin-operated laundromat in the apartment complex we live in. If I were a betting woman, I would say you probably aren’t still having to carry this around. 
11. Patriots and Packers polar fleece helmets - I love sports! I so hope you all still do, too! I have a feeling that there will be arguments about American football and its safety until the end of time. Josh and I watch football every weekend! I am a huge New England Patriots fan and Josh is a huge Green Bay Packers fan. The Patriots were in the Super Bowl in February 2012, but lost (again) to the New York Giants. The Patriots are currently 10-3 and the Packers are 9-4 with three games left in the season. I’m desperately hoping the Pats make it back to the Super Bowl next year! The polar fleece helmets are what the Patriots and Packers helmets look like right now.
12. Louisville Final Four 2012 t-shirt - Not only are we football fans, we are also basketball fans! Josh and I both graduated from the University of Louisville in May 2012 (Josh with his masters, me with my bachelors). During “March Madness” the UofL Cardinals made it to the Final Four. That’s what the T-shirt is from. Josh’s parents actually got to attend our Final Four game. Unfortunately, we lost to our rivals (University of Kentucky Wildcats), who went on to win the National Championship. Wow, that still hurts to have to write that. We hate UK. A lot. But in a good way. Nothing crazy. I really hope they’re still rivals. If you don’t live in Kentucky (which I really hope you don’t!), look it up and find out! 
13. Un-popped microwave popcorn - If there is a food that is not a Twinkie that will make it sitting in a box for the next 90 years, it's microwave popcorn! Our society is also crazed about food. We know that there are foods that are bad for us, but we still eat them. I am including one of those favorites: microwave popcorn. It still has trans fat in it. Please, please don’t eat it! I’m sure it’s terrible for you in about 15 new ways you’ve found out since 2012. It’s actually amazing: in 2012, there was a man who got “popcorn lung” and successfully sued the company for millions of dollars. I hope so badly that you have gotten over the fad of suing everything that moves just for the fun of it. I also hope that your media is reporting stories that have a little bit more substance than now.
14. Used StarbucksCard - Fast food restaurants are incredibly popular right now, too. I don’t eat it (I haven’t in years), so the closest I could come to sharing anything from the fast food industry is the used StarbucksCard. I wish I’d left you money on it (maybe it could gain interest?!), but I love coffee enough that I’m not that nice. I expect Starbucks to finally take over the world. 
15. Pages from the Elle Fall 2012 Fashion Edition - I wanted to fit the whole magazine in, but it wouldn't fit. I took out some of the most iconic ads of 2012 fashion and included them: Michael Kors, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta...I'm sure there were others, but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head. 
16. The New York & Company Fall 2012 Catalogue - It has the prices as well as "current" fashion. Could be fun to look back at. I hope with everything I have that if only one thing in fashion changes between 2012 and 2101, it’s that you’re using real-sized women for women’s clothing, not little stick-figure girls. It’s killing our young girls, expecting them to be tiny all the time. Anorexia and bulimia are running rampant through our schools. Girls as young as five are starting to think about the way they look instead of just playing in the sandbox like we used to. It’s crazy.
17. "White" by Vera Wang Spring 2012 Collection catalogue - Definitely looked at this while I was thinking about the style of my wedding dress.
18. Pages from the David's Bridal Fall 2012 Bride Book and Wedding Party Book - Again, wanted to put the whole thing in, but I couldn't, so I put in some of my favorite dresses and the style of bridesmaid dress my bridesmaids are going to wear this summer.
19. Unopened Louis Vuitton (inspired) mints - Mints in a baby briefcase.
20. Michael Kors tag off a shirt I bought - He is one of the biggest "household name" American designers of 2012.
21. Travel-sized "Noir Tease" from Victoria's Secret - "This is what 2012 smelled like." Well, kind of? I wonder if it will still smell "good"...
22. Neon pink nail polish - How many times will the 1980s have "made a comeback" by 2101? I don't even want to think about that.
23. Glow sticks - I haven't ever thought these weren't cool. I really hope they're still around!
24. Wireless USB Microsoft mouse - I’ve also included a mouse that wirelessly connects to the USB found on the bottom. It says “Microsoft” on it, which is one of the biggest computer companies right now. The other big company is “Macintosh.” I use almost everything Mac: computer, iPhone, iPod touch, iPod nano, and iPad. I am almost 90% sure that you have no idea what those are, but they are the latest technology right now. Well, not the latest because I have the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 5 came out in October 2012. The iPhone 4S came out right after Steve Jobs (its co-founder) died. Anyway, this mouse is one I used during college for gaming.
25. Unopened waterproof disposable camera - I am pretty sure that you won’t have the ability to use the item contained in the silver package, but I thought it would be fun for you to see. It’s a waterproof disposable camera. They’re obsolete now, so I’m sure they don’t exist in this capacity when you read this. They were always fun to use, though, if you went on vacation and wanted to take really terrible-quality photos!
26. Empty black printer cartridge - If you're not laughing by this point, you will be now...!
27. A shell from the beach in Vanuatu - The last few things are personal. I put in a shell from when I lived in Vanuatu. It’s in a bag just in case it contains any sort of anything that could be considered a disease or bad or whatever. It shouldn’t, because it’s been in the U.S. in open air for almost eight years, but I just wanted to, again, let you know. I lived in Vanuatu for about five years when I was younger. We always went to the beach and collected shells. I hope it’s still around. The ocean levels are rising drastically right now, and parts of Kiribati are already underwater. With Vanuatu being an island nation, it’s only natural to worry about it being underwater in 90 years…
28. A Hallmark card - The card is from my parents to Josh and me for our housewarming (apartment warming, really) party. It was on Labor Day, 2012. We had my family and Josh’s family up for the day and it was great! I just thought it was nice since it’s our first apartment together.
29. A flower I made with my Cricut Expression 2 - This is the best technology there is when it comes to "papercrafting." What do you have now?!
30. Some photos of Josh and me (engagement), Emily and me at Obama campaign events, and Mom and me with the scarves and hats we sent to victims of Sandy.

I think that's a pretty exhaustive list of 2012. I worked all day making video clips that I was going to put on a USB drive...and then somehow in transferring it to my video editing software it deleted itself. So in the letter I wrote I asked if they still had fun little glitches like that with technology. I'm bummed out about that, though, because I thought it would be fun to have a little "time capsule within a time capsule."

I'm so sorry it took me a whole day to write this up, but I got really into it. I think it's going to be the best New Year's present ever! Maybe I'll still be around to see it...I'll only be 112. 

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Should Some States Secede?

Following the re-election of President Obama, 20 states are petitioning the federal government for secession. My sister-in-law shared this a few days ago and I thought it was a joke! Then I started hearing about it from more sources. The states that want to secede include Kentucky and Montana; the two states I've lived in. The author of the previously linked article says to let the states that want to secede do so. I take exception to this.

I don't want you to think I'm freaking out about all this; I don't believe that we are in danger of seceding from the U.S. because Obama would have to sign off on that, and he has enough sense to not allow 2/5 of his country to leave. But I do want to talk about this a little bit.

How is it possible that people feel that they would be better off if they were not part of the United States? I understand all too well the anger of losing an election, but would these states really be better off not being part of the union?

None of the states on the list have a budget surplus, which means they would have to find some way to generate money quickly. Really, the best way to do that is to raise taxes. But most of these states don't want to raise taxes--hence the reason they want to secede. So how would they raise money?

How would they get money to fix the interstates that run through their states (or countries, I guess)? How would they keep the schools that are receiving federal funding open? Free and reduced lunches are funded by the government (at least in KY); who would pay for those? Some of the KY farmers have gotten government subsidies for their crops during this drought; would the state government help those farmers out? How would we have a military? I don't want to go back to little warring city-states like there were in ancient Greece.

There are so many reasons to stay in the union. Being unhappy with the results of the election is just part of the deal when you're in a democracy. To the people who want to secede, man up. There is absolutely no reason for you to be such drama queens in this situation. Just get over yourselves and work with what you have. That's what the other half of the country did during the Bush years.

As for me, if KY secedes, I'm making my own country and you're all welcome!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Election2012: The Invented Patois

Election season is full of anger, snide remarks, and arguments. But looking back, it's fun to see some of the most humorous things that were said. Invented words and sayings are some of my favorites.

We talked about numbers. I was told that I was part of the 99% back in 2011. But now in 2012, I'm apparently in the 47%. So, does that mean that next year I'll end up being in the 1%?! Sounds good to me...

Last summer we were concerned about hitting the "debt ceiling." Now we're worried about falling off the "fiscal cliff." How did we get toward the ceiling last year? Can we use that to keep us from falling off the cliff this year?

In the medical care debate we have RomneyCare vs. ObamaCare. No offense, but I wouldn't want either one of them bringing me chicken noodle soup. I want DoctorCare or MommyCare, if we're just being honest and making up sayings for what we want when we're sick!

The candidates made up words to describe each others' policies during the campaign. Obama described Romney's tax ideas as "Romney Hood"--Robin Hood in reverse. To me, Romney Hood sounds like a form of knighthood: the level to which all businessmen aspire.

A few weeks ago, Obama also mentioned "Romnesia:" the condition Romney's supporters must have had if they really forgot Romney's voting record. Romnesia sounds like a country:

"Once upon a time, in a far away land called "Romnesia," there was a King named Mitt. King Mitt had the six largest castles in all of Romnesia and the Knights of Romneyhood defended their ivory towers with a ferocity rivaled by none." I will leave you to imagine the ending of that story. Hint: the dragon called "Obama" and 51% of the peasants go after King Mitt, so he escapes to one of his other castles, where he will look longingly out the window for four years until the next election comes and gives him the kiss that turns him back into a candidate.

Romney came up with "Obamaloney," referring to Obama's rhetoric. Now, I'm not a connoisseur or anything, but I'm not sure an obamaloney and mayo sandwich would be very good; not to mention making meat like that is illegal in most states.

According to a lot of news networks, this race was "razor tight." What is razor tight? I am not the only one who asked this question. Stephen Colbert did, too:

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Humor is the best way to feel good, especially after an election as venomous as the one we just had. No matter what side you were on, please feel free to laugh at all of this. I know I did!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Conservatism: Black and White?

One of the things I'm learning as I "grow up" is that reality isn't as black and white as I generally like to believe. I have always been a this-is-correct-so-it's-good/this-is-wrong-so-it's-bad type of person. But looking at all the issues going on and how I feel about some of them, there are definitely things I never thought I would say.

When it comes to "family values" I am apparently a lot more conservative than I could have ever imagined. I didn't realize this until my fiancé and I were talking about raising kids. I plan on being what I see as "reasonable," very similar to the way I was raised. But looking deeper into what that means, it turns out that it is more "conservative" parenting than "liberal" parenting.

Now, of course, I about had a heart attack when my fiancé first brought this to my attention: conservatism is bad...isn't it? This has been going on for a few months. It's taken me a while to start to feel okay with it. I mean, I was raised in a "liberal" family, wasn't I?

I believe in being an incredibly present parent. I believe in loving my kids no matter who they are. I believe in telling my kids what they are and are not allowed to do or eat. I believe in disciplining my kids. I believe in being honest with my kids. I believe in having dinner together every night. I believe in having family game night on weekends instead of watching TV or going to a movie.

This is such a weird thing to be talking about since I don't even have kids. But it's important to see someone who used to be such a self-professed liberal accepting some more conservative ideals. I want to be perfectly clear: I am not going insanely conservative, but I'm also not a liberal extremist.

What would happen if our government took a lesson from this? Being a moderate means that we can see both sides and choose for ourselves what is right for us; not being a dogmatic follower of a certain party. Yes, I voted for Obama; yes, I worked for his campaign. But not because he is a Democrat; I believe in him, because I agree with most of his policies. Not all. Most.

Take a moment today and be with yourself. Decide what works for you; not what your party dictates that you should believe. It's harder than it seems like it should be. It's taken me months to be okay with it. But it's important. I'm glad I've taken some time with it.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Election 2012: Victories Beyond the White House

What a night! I am so incredibly happy to have volunteered for President Obama for the last few months; honored to have been a part of this historical election.

These are the historic results of the night (as they're being reported now):

• The U.S. re-elected the first African-American president.
• Three more states passed marriage equality acts (Maine, Maryland, Washington).
• At least 19 women will serve in the U.S. Senate, a record number (20, if ND elects Heidi Heitkamp).
• The first openly lesbian U.S. senator was elected: Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin.
• The first openly bisexual U.S. representative is projected to be elected: Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona.
• Two states legalized recreational use of marijuana (Colorado, Washington).
• This is the first time since 1801-1825 that we have had three two-term presidents in a row.

For the record, I am incredibly thrilled about the marriage equality laws that got passed last night, but I think it's pathetic that we are voting on other people's rights in the 21st century. The fact that the first openly lesbian senator was just elected, but the state that she represents (WI) banned same-sex marriage in 2006, is wrong. Marriage was defined as "one man and one woman" in Arizona in 2008, which means if Sinema is elected to the House, she will also represent a state that wouldn't support her if she fell in love with a woman and wanted to get married.

As for President Obama, I think it is great that as the first African-American to get elected president he got re-elected. I feel like race wasn't really allowed to be talked about in this election, and maybe I' not "allowed" to talk about it now, but I think it's important. I think that it proves to ourselves and the world that we do care about the content of someone's character more than the color of someone's skin. I don't know if it would have been said outright or not if Obama had lost, but I really feel like the far right would have ended up subtly hinting that we need to go back to the "traditional America." They (FOX News) did mention "traditional America" yesterday, when they realized that there are more people of minority races than white people in the U.S. now.

Nineteen or twenty women in the Senate is a record? That's only a fifth of the members! I think it's great that more women are getting elected to Congress, but we need to push that number up. Women make up more than half of this country's population; we need adequate representation in Washington.

I don't have an opinion on recreational marijuana use. It is my view that it should be allowed for medical purposes, but beyond that I don't see a reason for it. Just because I don't see a need for it, however, doesn't mean that I really care one way or another if other people use it.

Overall, this was an incredible campaign (while I am aware that there were problems on both sides, I'm spending today being happy about the win; there's time for criticism later). I was in tears last night when our president was re-elected. I was so overwhelmed. This is the most emotionally invested I have ever been in a political campaign, and it paid off! All the hours spent calling people, talking to people, getting up early, and going to bed late paid off. Listening to President Obama's victory speech last night made me feel delighted, honored, and proud to be an American.

I leave you with my favorite quote from last night's victory speech and a photo:
"I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting."

I got interviewed on my way out of the polls.
Great way to end the campaign!

"Be the change you wish to be in the world." --Gandhi

Sarah Jessica Parker in Cincinnati for President Obama

Sarah Jessica Parker

Over the weekend I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Sarah Jessica Parker, Valerie Jarrett, and Alfre Woodard speak at the downtown Cincinnati Obama for America campaign office! It was so great! Sarah Jessica Parker spoke about how it's important for women to stand together in this election, that this election is the most important election in our lifetimes, and that women always put ourselves last in terms of making sure we're healthy, but now, it's time to vote for President Obama so that we can get the healthcare we need.

SJP

It was absolutely amazing to see SJP talking about the same issues I care about. It was anaintimate setting and I was in the front row after the first couple minutes, so it really felt like we were almost having a conversation. It was great to see that women care about the same issues, no matter where we come from.

SJP listening to Valerie Jarrett

Fired up!

After SJP talked, President Obama's top advisor, Valerie Jarrett spoke. She was so "Fired Up!" She mentioned that she normally travels with the president, but he sent her to go get people voting in the early-vote swing states: Virginia and Ohio. Jarrett got us excited and on board to vote early in Ohio. She ran down President Obama's plan about energy, education, and small businesses. She also used the phrase, "Romney doesn't have a five-point plan, he has a one-point plan." Catchy, and it got the crowd excited, but we've already heard that. I think it's a cheap shot and it's not a good way to get undecided voters on your side. Slamming the other candidate without anything to back it up just makes it look like you don't have anything substantive to say. And I know that the Obama campaign has something substantive to say!

Anyway, getting to hear Valerie Jarrett and Sarah Jessica Parker talk about why President Obama needs to be re-elected was great; then Alfre Woodard took the stage! I'd never heard of her by name, but when I saw her, I immediately recognized her. She's been in a lot of movies. Woodard was such a good speaker! She got the crowd really going. Apparently, most of the crowd knew and loved her even more than SJP! Woodard also gave the reasons that the president is the best man for the job.

SJP and Valerie Jarrett excited by Alfre Woodard's energy!

The rally was great! We had a wonderful time and after it was over, we had a huge group of canvassers hit the streets to knock on some doors. Getting ready for GOTV (Get Out The Vote) is so hectic, but these amazing celebs and VIPs keep us going. They said "thank you" to the volunteers for spending our time on the campaign, but I want to say "thanks" to them. I so appreciate people who have fame using it as an influence for good!

After the rally, I was interviewed by the Cincinnati NBC affiliate, WLWT. They haven't run the story yet, but I'm keeping my eye out. I'm not speaking in these two clips, but you can see me in the reddish-black sweater right in the front! In the first clip from our ABC affiliate, WCPO, I am seen around 1:09 for just a couple of seconds. In the second clip from WKRC, Cincinnati's CBS affiliate, I'm shown about 35 seconds into the clip. I have no idea what I'm doing with my mouth, but that's okay! 

I had brought my Sex and the City DVD with me to get it signed. Since I was right next to the stage, I put the DVD and Sharpie on the stage at one point so I could clap. SJP looked at me and smiled. She knew I wanted to get it signed...and then she left out the back after the rally was over. I was pretty bummed out about that. But I did get to see all three of these amazing women speak about something that I feel extremely passionate about, so I think that constitutes a pretty good day!

Here are some more photos I took at the event! Have a great Monday! Please watch the debate tonight at 9/8c and if you live somewhere you can vote early, please vote!

SJP listening to Valerie Jarrett.

SJP

SJP looking at my camera!

Valerie Jarrett and SJP listening to Alfre Woodard.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

The Modern Woman: How Do You Define Being a Woman?

I've been a "feminist" my whole life. I was raised believing that women can do anything we want to do, and I have always expected that I would take the world by storm. I've always played with the boys and demanded nothing less than being better than them. To me, being a 21st century woman meant being a powerhouse career woman and defying all odds to beat the men.

This year is definitely not going how I expected it would go. I am not working a full-time job because I'm taking the year to learn how to cope with fibromyalgia and what my body needs to be healthy while it's in pain. I'm writing this blog and contributing to another site, as well as working on the Obama campaign. I live with my fiancé who is a high school teacher and when we moved in together, we came to the very practical agreement that I would do most of the housework, since he works full time.

To be completely honest, when it started, I loved it! I thought it was fun because we had just moved up here and everything was new. I was setting up house and playing the role of the 1950s housewife. It was fun, sending Josh off to work, then cleaning and making the house look nice while he was gone, and kissing him when he got home with dinner simmering on the stove. That lasted about two weeks.

I suddenly realized in mid-August that I was relying on a man to bring in money and I was keeping his house. I went through a major identity crisis. What had happened to the career-driven woman from my past? Was it wrong for me to enjoy staying home and making it look nice? Had I completely wasted the last five years in college getting a degree I'm not using? Was realizing that I want to have kids and be a stay-at-home mom good enough for me? What does "good enough" mean? It was the worst month I've ever had! I was engaged to a wonderful man who supports me doing anything (something I've always wanted), but I wasn't happy, because I couldn't figure out what I wanted.

Now, two months later, after weekly psychologist visits and continued support from Josh, as well as the success of this blog, I am comfortable with where I am. Is being a homemaker where I saw myself at 23? No way. But we can't ever imagine the curve balls life will throw us. I was diagnosed in January with fibromyalgia--how would I have ever guessed that this would happen to me? It's still hard sometimes, seeing Josh with his own classroom and program, because sometimes I feel like that's where I should be, too; but I'm learning to be comfortable with myself and my circumstances, and that's something that when I wanted to be a career woman I had never thought of at all. One thing I have found is that the more comfortable I get with myself, the less pain I'm in.

I absolutely can't wait to have kids and stay home with them*. I love having a clean house. I enjoy making food. I really like writing this blog. I love the fact that I don't have to miss work because I'm feeling bad on a particular day; I just relax and maybe the dusting doesn't get done that day.

I don't think the dream of being a powerhouse woman is gone at all. I just think that the perception of what a "powerhouse woman" is, has changed. I am going to be the best mom ever (except for my mom, of course!). I am working on having a successful "from home" blogging career. This blog is going better than I ever expected! It's crazy! I have over 3600 hits in less than 6 weeks! I look forward to being one of the logistics coordinators for the Obama campaign during GOTV in November. After the election, I can't wait to volunteer for a different non-profit organization. And, most of all, I love the fact that I'm getting healthier. I am proving that even though fibromyalgia can change the course of your life and take you where you never expected to go, you can make it something great and thrive. I am a powerhouse woman. I have to take naps and sit down a lot, but I honestly believe that I am on my way to being exactly who I never knew I wanted to be. :)

So, I guess I am a bit of a 1950s girl, but you know what? Being a 21st century woman means that you get to define what being a woman is for yourself. And I love being this definition of "woman" I've chosen for myself.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

*For all of you freaking out and wondering if I'm pregnant, I'm not. :) We are not having kids for a long time. I'm just looking forward to it when it does happen.

Three Personal Reasons I Support President Obama

Last night, Mitt Romney performed well in the first presidential debate. He was well prepared and was finally specific on some of his policies. President Obama seemed tired and annoyed. It's no secret that I've been working for the Obama campaign for the last month and last night I got a lot of texts, emails, and messages about how Obama was "dominated" by Romney and asking why I support President Obama when Romney is such a "clear choice." Here are a few reasons why President Obama has personally made my life better in his first term.

First, I am a woman.

• Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act as the first bill he signed of his first term. Mitt Romney still refuses to answer whether or not he would have signed this bill. I can't imagine being a woman and voting for someone who refuses to answer whether or not he thinks I should get equal pay for equal work.
• Under Obamacare, starting in 2014, I will no longer have to pay more for my health insurance than men pay. If Romney is elected and gets rid of Obamacare, I will continue to have to pay more for my health insurance than men simply because I am a woman.
• Under Obamacare, my birth control is covered. I pay a fraction of what I used to pay to get my prescription birth control. I have had a lot of people ask me, "Why should I pay for your birth control? Just don't have sex." Here's the thing: people are going to have sex whether they are on birth control or not. I think it's more important to keep women who can't afford to have children from getting pregnant, instead of complaining about the kids being born into poverty and the "irresponsibility" of the mothers.
• Mitt Romney is going to make all abortions illegal. There will be no exceptions for pregnancies that occurred because of rape or incest. I have a friend who was raped at 17 and became pregnant. She ended up miscarrying, but was planning on getting an abortion because she was absolutely not in a place financially or physically where she could have had the child. What would have happened to her if she hadn't miscarried and abortion wasn't legal? Making abortions illegal is terrifying because if women can't get them safely and legally, they will get them illegally or try to perform them themselves. This is really scary because it is going to put many more women at risk for infections, diseases from unclean instruments, and death than if abortion was legal and they could have it done safely. Last night Romney said that he didn't want a board of people making decisions about his healthcare (in regard to Obamacare). I don't want him making decisions about my healthcare.

Second, I am someone who is currently benefiting from Obamacare.

• Last night, Romney said that his plan would allow young people up to 26 years old to stay on their parents' health insurance plans--if their private health insurance company allowed it. I know that before Obamacare was passed my parents' health insurance plan did not allow that. I am 23 years old and unemployed. Now, because of Obamacare, I get to stay on my parents' plan and I have health insurance.
• Last night, Romney said that his plan would make it possible for people with pre-existing conditions to have insurance--if they were already on an insurance plan that allows that. I know that my parents' health insurance plan doesn't cover pre-existing conditions. I don't know how I could find insurance while being unemployed that I can afford that would cover pre-existing conditions. Because of Obamacare, I will get to have health insurance even though I have a pre-existing condition.

Third, I am part of the LGBT community and so is my older sister, who was married to her wife in 2008 when it was legal in San Francisco.

• Obama supports same-sex marriage. Romney is going to amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
• Obama repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" so now people can serve their country without hiding a part of who they are.
• Obama made it possible for my sister to visit her wife in the hospital. Romney would take that right away.
• Mitt Romney favors allowing states to ban civil unions, which means that people of the LGBT community would not be allowed to even be in a union. This is a problem because this affects LGBT couples' health insurance, life insurance, adoption plans, visitation rights, and also the right that they don't have just because they are in the LGBT community: to marry the person you love.

This is the second sentence of our Declaration of Independence:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, 

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, 

that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

Obviously, it was written at a time when only men (white men who owned property) were "created equal." But times have changed. If these rights are "self-evident" then why are we (women and the LGBT community) having to fight so hard to get our rights? President Obama has, and is going to continue to finally grant us our "unalienable Rights." If Romney is elected, we, the mothers, daughters, sisters, and leaders of the community, will not get the self-evident truths upon which our country was founded.

I agree: this is a very clear choice.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Sources for this article include:

women.barackobama.com

lgbt.barackobama.com

gobackteam.com

barackobama.com/truthteam

FLOTUS ADA Experience

I am currently at the FLOTUS event in Cincinnati waiting for Michelle Obama to speak. I am registered on the ADA list because this is a 3 hour long event and since I have fibromyalgia I can't stand for that length of time on concrete. We just stood in line for about an hour and a half and I'm already completely exhausted. While we were in line I was asked by about 6 volunteers if I was in the right place and when I said "yes" they gave me looks like they didn't believe me. When I offered to show them my doctor note they said they didn't need to see it, but they still looked very unsure. When I came in there were volunteers who asked about it and then were completely accommodating when I told them why I was on the ADA list. But there were a lot of the companions of the other people on the ADA list who were telling me, "Well I have fibro but I'm standing up" and "Well my aunt has a cane so you need to let her have your chair." Um...no, not a chance. We all have problems and that's why we're ALL on this list. I happen to have been waiting longer, so that's why I have a good seat. If there was literally no other chair and an old woman with a cane needed my chair, of course I would give it to her. But there were a lot more chairs behind me.

The fact that people are in a pissing contest about disabilities makes me so upset! And that companion who claimed she has fibro ended up taking a person's chair while they were in the bathroom and now has a better seat than I do. I'm glad she does have a chair now because she would have hurt a whole lot if she would have had to stand the whole time, but just because I look healthy and I'm young does NOT mean that you get to tell me what's best for me. That would be like me saying to someone with MS or cancer or something that you can't "see" just by looking at them, "But you look fine, why can't you stand for the whole time?" That would be highly offensive of me to say, and it infuriates me that fibromyalgia is so misunderstood by so many people that they are willing to discount any pain I'm in because I look great so I must feel totally fine.

Please be kind to each other today. There is always something that you can't "see" about someone you're interacting with, so be gentle with each other.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

I am so close to the stage! :)

Ohio Women Vote 2012 Summit (Natalie Portman Speaks!)

Union Terminal

The ceiling of Union Terminal.

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending Obama for America's Ohio Women Vote 2012 Summit! It was such a fantastic experience. It was at Union Terminal in Cincinnati. I had never been there, and just fell in love with the architecture! There were about 200 women there--and maybe 10 guys! :) We stood in line for about 30 minutes before we went in to the auditorium and it was so cool to talk with the other women in line. I was next to a woman who drove here all the way from Springfield, Ohio because it was so important to her to be here for this event. She was fantastic! She did her Master's thesis on the abuse of slave women and we got to talking about that for a while...it was really interesting. Another woman I met was a high school senior from Cincinnati who is a super-feminist! She was hilarious and I absolutely loved her knowledge of the feminist movement starting all the way back in the 1700s! She was so passionate and I can't wait to see what she ends up doing with her life. Another woman who was sitting behind me goes to school online and the thing that excites her most about Obama is his commitment to student loans and keeping up Pell grants so she might be able to go to the University of Cincinnati after she gets her Associate's degree. The energy was amazing--everyone was hyped up!

Kate Chapek

Kate Chapek is the Obama Campaign National Women's Vote Director. She was the best MC of this event! She had so much energy and she was fun! My favorite thing she said when talking about what this election means for our country is, "It's not about making history, it's about protecting history." Love it! She also mentioned that statistics show that women trust other women when it comes to deciding who to vote for. When women talk to other women, they don't even realize that the other woman on the other end of the phone is going to be taking in your opinions and will be using that to help shape their own opinion.

The former First Lady of Ohio, Frances Strickland, also spoke. I can honestly say I barely remember what she said. She was kind of monotonous and my mind wandered.

Mary Shelton

This woman, Mary Shelton, is one of the most inspiring women I've ever had the pleasure of hearing speak. She is a campaign volunteer for Obama for America - Ohio and has a developmentally disabled daughter, now 48, who still lives with her. She opened her own small business (this is her website) to help other developmentally disabled people get the care they need, because she realized there are not a lot of people helping that demographic. It's taken off! Her agency is helping people in the Greater Cincinnati Area and they take care of these people who cannot take care of themselves. She said, "The day the Supreme Court deemed the Affordable Care Act constitutional is the day I signed up to volunteer for Obama's campaign." I think the reason she was so amazing to me is that she is a real person with a real story about how Obama has helped her.

Alicia Reece

Alicia Reece (D) is an Ohio representative. She was such a great speaker! Her story is about how her mom and dad started a small business to have their own part of the 'American Dream' and were very successful--until her mom woke up blind in one eye one Christmas morning. They went to the hospital, but the doctors didn't want to diagnose her because her insurance would drop her if she ended up having anything serious. So, she kept trying to live without knowing what was going on with her body. She ended up in a wheelchair and finally got diagnosed with MS. The day she got diagnosed is the day her insurance company said she was no longer covered. Unfortunately, Alicia's mother died in December 2008. Had she still been alive today, the Affordable Care Act would have given her insurance again. Alicia is fighting for Obama because people like her mom can't. We all need to fight for Obama so our loved ones can live to fight another day. Alicia was an absolutely phenomenal speaker and I was so "Fired Up" after her speech! People like her are the reason people like me get up and volunteer!

Natalie Portman

So, of course, the headline speaker of this Summit was Natalie Portman! She was good! I was talking with Lara, a volunteer friend of mine, after the summit and we love the way celebrities use their status and influence to campaign for people. It's amazing, because you know, even if some people don't pay attention to politics but Natalie Portman is their favorite actress, once they get to the polls they might think, "Oh I don't know who to vote for, but I know Natalie is voting for Obama, so I will, too." It was great! She talked about education and about being a woman, and how we've been having some crazy things being said about our bodies by Republicans lately; and how Obama doesn't agree with that at all. I got parts of her speech on video and it was just so great to see one of my favorite actresses ("Black Swan" is one of my favorite movies!) saying things that are so in line with what I believe! It was a very exciting experience. I wish we had gotten some time after her speech to take photos and get autographs with her, but, you know, I still got to hear her speak while I was sitting in the fourth row, and that's pretty cool. :)

These are a couple of sound-bytes of Natalie's speech. Unfortunately, my phone ran out of space at the end of the second video (still had Obama's speech on it!) so I didn't catch the end of her speech, but I thought you all might like these.

I love this photo of her. She is happy about Obama! :) How cool!

So, women: this election is about us. We are the majority in this country; we are going to decide this election. So let's make it about us! Let's put the work in: phone bank, canvass, talk to people, share your opinion! Remember: women trust other women. If you influence three women and then they each influence three women, how far can we go?

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi