Wow, it's been a long time

Wow it HAS been a long time. And I've had a lot to say, I just haven't said it. It's been busy at work (booo...bad excuse) and I just come home sometimes and go to sleep (or do things that don't take thought). But I committed to this blog and dagonit I plan to keep it up! So what have I missed?

White House Party Crashers
Tamiflu-resistant Swine flu
Tiger Woods getting the beat down of his life
Troops in Afghanistan

And all of that happened just this week!

I'm adding a gadget (or something) to the blog so you can see all of the things I share on my Google Reader (which I love). I hope you enjoy it too.

It's a great world, a scary world, a fun world. Love this city! Happy Holidays, and I promise to say more in the upcoming days and weeks!

Wait, does anyone actually read this?

Don’t Worry If Your Mask Doesn’t Inflate

You’re probably like me and don’t pay much attention to the safety message before a flight. And you definitely don’t take a look at the manual at your seat (except for the first flight you took after the landing on the Hudson). Usually, I’m trying to craftily hide my iPod cord so that the attendant won’t make me turn it off, while praying that the plane will stay in the air, and trying to understand exactly why the plane stays in the air.

When you fly frequently (or even yearly…or even once in the last 10 years), you pretty much know what the flight attendant or the video will tell you. Over head mask, exit signs, don’t smoke, your seat cushion floats. But what if just this once there’s something new? Ok there probably isn’t, but we should probably still pay attention. Sitting here at the computer, I know what to do if the cabin loses pressure. But honestly, I know I won’t stay calm on the plane if we have to brace ourselves for landing, and everything I thought I knew will hopefully not just ooze out of my brain (though I’m pretty sure my life jacket will be on backwards).

The airlines know this, too, and they want you to be safe. Luckily, the message is the same everywhere (who wrote the international script? That guy must be rich) but the delivery is now a treat in and of itself.

See what our friends down under are doing:


OMG they’re NAKED! This is funny :o) and it caught my attention. Maybe not for the full four minutes, but at least for a while.

Tomorrow, I hop on a Southwest flight to Providence for a weeklong vacay. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the safety instructions. Those Southwest flight attendants are funny. And who doesn’t need a little humor when you’re thousands of miles in the air?

Wedded Bliss

It's summertime. Weddings are everywhere. And I love weddings. I mean, LOVE. L-O-V-E! I'd have one tomorrow if I could. But I'm still happy as a single girl. This is my dilema...

A woman gets to be a princess for a day. A man gets to shine like never before (or after). I've dreamed of my wedding (and planned many iterations of it in my head and on paper) since I was 6. It's how I learned the word "gazebo" (that's where I intended to say my vows until my godsister had her wedding in a gazebo). I wanted to wear Mrs. Piggy's dress back then. I just needed my Kermit the Frog. And I found him (but that's another post).

Some people hate weddings (blasphemy), but who could hate this:



How totally awesome (if 80s clothes can come back, 80s lingo can come back, too)! I'd never have the guts to do this (I'm pretty traditional really), and I've already forbidden my boyfriend from strolling down the aisle (it's BGLO tradition) at ours or anyone else's wedding. But I think this is really cool. I love the choreography :o)!

With an entrance like that, I WISH I could see the photos and video from the rest of the day.

Congratulations to all the newlyweds and soon-to-be-mrs(es). And good luck to all the upcoming bridesmaids (myself included. I might be the first bridesmaidzilla on the planet. I can't help it; I actually DO care what the napkins look like...please forgive me in advance).

::Sigh::

Justice Thomas, what’s your deal? Do you just like to be the outsider? Do you just like to be different? I can understand that, but it’s really hard to understand how you can be the lone voice, even among some REALLY hardcore conservatives like yourself, of dissent.

However, on principle, I appreciate that you stand up for what you believe. But I really don’t understand you, and it leaves me shaking my head, raising my eyebrows, and shrugging my shoulders all at the same time.

::Sigh::

The Day the Music Died

Sometimes I think I'm pretty morbid. I tend to think about what will happen or how I'll feel when someone I love dies or some catastrophe happens. I don't know why I do it, but I've been doing it for a long time. I think in a way I believe it will help me cope whenever the inevitable happens: it's my strange way of trying to be prepared. But time and time again, no matter how I thought I'd deal with the death of someone I love, the pain and feeling of confusion I get never compares.

So I find myself here today. My favorite singer, my favorite celebrity, my favorite artist. Just my favorite. Michael Jackson is amazing. He was a trailblazer and the truest epitome of an icon. A phenomenon that won't be topped.



Oddly, I have thought about this day. I guess because I knew it would happen. Someone cannot live in such extreme pain but for so long. I take heart, though, in knowing that the suffering--both physical and emotional--is over here on Earth.



There are few people who cause me to be star struck, and only a few are entertainers. But I'm star struck by Michael, always. I've never met him or even come close to him, but I didn't need to. His presence comes though the TV, the radio, the records, the cassettes, the CDs. My mother took me to see Michael perform at the BAD tour in October 1988. I was six years old in the first grade. I understood its magnitude then and I understand it now. It's still the most amazing concert I've ever attended, and I look forward to telling my children all about it.

Tonight I will cry for a man I never met, but for a man I feel I've always known.

Today the music died, but it will live on forever.

Better Late than Never

Today, amid no real fanfare it seems, the United States Senate apologized to the nation for the institutions of slavery and Jim Crow. There's not a whole lot to say about this. Black folks haven't needed an apology, especially this late in the game, but it's nice to have. Honestly, the Obama presidency was the best band-aid possible (notice it's a band-aid, not a cure; no apology or history-making election will cure the ills of the past and their repercussions felt in the present). But I was taught that when you make a mistake, you say apologize. And though Tom Harkin (D-IA) didn't own slaves and supported then-Senator Obama in his quest for high office, he represents a body of people that legitimized slavery and supported unequal treatment of a race of people for centuries. He also sees the effects of slavery each time he takes the floor in the Capitol. Not one black man or woman stands with him in that chamber. That's a disturbing result of Jim Crow. Needless to say, it was long overdue for the Senate to apologize. I'm glad it was done. But let us not forget that there is still MASSIVE work to do.

P.S. : I think they should have waited until tomorrow to at least enjoy a bit of symbolism. I guess they didn't get the message either.

Happy Memorial Day

I don't know where I've been or what I've been doing, but I promise to post something soon! In the meantime, can you believe this guy? Totally a sigh worthy moment. Makes no sense at all...

Glitch

Guys,
I don't know what to tell you. For some reason, everyone who I know has read my last blog about Biggie has seen something different. The videos aren't the same on any two computers. But when I look at the blog on my computer, the "right" thing shows up. So I don't know WHAT'S going on with this technology stuff. But here are the videos (in order) you're supposed to see (hopefully the links work):

Juicy
One More Chance
Big Poppa
All About the Benjamins (remix)

And I was going to add Sky is the Limit because it's still one of my favorite videos of all time (with the little kids playing Biggie, Puff, Busta, Kim, 112, etc) but I couldn't find a good version with sound. Plus it was video overload, and clearly, the videos aren't working anyway...

Enjoy.

Notorious

This weekend, my sister and I rented Notorious, the Biggie Smalls biopic. 3 stars. But it had me reminiscing and wondering, "What if...," and feeling shafted that I didn't enjoy his music more when he was alive and angry that he only recorded two albums, was only alive for the release of one, and was basically a child when he died (24 year old are only kind of adults...).

So here are some of my favorite videos and songs.

Watch more Ready to Die videos on AOL Video

But why were there swimming pools in all of the rap videos from the 90s? Huh? Hype Williams, if you're out there, holla at me on that one. And big ups to Resurrection ;o)



I couldn't WAIT to be old enough to go to parties like these!



And like this. But that girl was BUSTED. "TRUE!" Never understood that one.




And poor Lil Kim, looking like Miss Piggy. And let's be really real; Puff wouldn't have been who he is without BIG, jumping around in all the videos. I remember coming home from school to see this video premiere! Let's hear it for the old MTV...

Just Fallin Out

::blush:: don't you just love him?



By the way, I received my letter of thanks for volunteering at the Easter Egg Roll yesterday, signed by Michelle Obama. I'm telling myself that she saw mine and signed it herself. I know how these things work...but I'm telling myself that anyway (you never know...I mean I know some people in her office, so I could ask...but...).

Just had to share...

This is so classic. Thanks to theYBF.com for the pic. Jay is one of my faves (birthday twins!). I would love to know at what they are looking!

And what happened to the kid behind them???

Sweetest Thing

(photo courtesy of DCist.com/Stacey Viera)

I'm a Christian, so the best thing about Easter is the real purpose of the day, the celebration of Christ's Resurrection.

But the second best thing about Easter is Easter Candy. For other holidays that involve candy (like Valentine's Day and Halloween), companies simply make smaller versions of the their everyday favorites. With the exception of candy corn, you can basically buy holiday candy 365 days a year.

But not Easter candy. Easter candy is only available in the 4 weeks leading up to Easter. Then it's gone for another 48 weeks.

Peeps.

Jelly Beans.

Cadbury Cream Eggs.

Cadbury Cream Eggs are the best candy on the planet. An egg like a truffle, only with a sugary filling that sort of looks like yolk. The chocolate is rich without being too much for your palate. Cadbury Cream Eggs make all other holiday candy worthless. Think candy canes compare? No way.

For some reason this year there was a shortage of cream eggs. I could only find them in a few stores. It was heartbreaking. But the Easter Bunny left me 2 in my basket. Thanks East' Bunny!

White House Easter Egg Roll 2009

So yesterday (this morning), I railed on tourists. And my opinion hasn't changed. In fact, I've added a new gripe:

Don't wear high heels to walk around the city or to the White House or to the Capitol. Don't tell me you're comfortable because you're not. And you're not fooling anyone. We still know you're a tourist.

Anyway, today was the ultimate tourist trap: The White House Easter Egg Roll.

30,000 people received tickets (and that probably doesn't include staffers' kids). And I was there as a volunteer. I braced myself for stinky eggs, whiny kids, and a bunch of tourists thinking they were going to walk right into the West Wing just because they got a ticket to the backyard (so the South Lawn totally feels like a backyard--a giant one nonetheless--but an awesome backyard).

But it was so much fun. The kids were so, so cute. We only had a few criers and even fewer temper tantrums over at the West Egg Roll (my station) and only one or two pushy parents. I think they were more excited than the kids. One cutie pie called it Obamaland. I love that child. It's so true. It was totally Obamaland. A few celebs came by too (Tom Joyner, Chuck Todd, and the farmer from the movie Babe). Unfortunately, I missed the POTUS and FLOTUS. They came in the morning, but I had the afternoon shift. Still, it was so worth it. And now I'm feeling extra maternal and can't wait to dress up my little babies in gingham and argyle and seersucker on the Monday after Easter!

(P.S. Papa Smurf is still the greatest grandpa ever [no offense, Granddaddy]).

Tourists

I have a special relationship with Metro, the subway system in Washington, DC. I even call myself Metro Royalty (explanation at a later date). And even though it's going through a rough patch right now (bad economy, old rails and cars, etc), and I complain about it often, I still love it.

What I don't love, though, is the Metro in the springtime. And it's not Metro's fault. It's the tourists.

I.

Hate.

Tourists.

I'm not exaggerating. I hate them. They're good for the economy and I totally understand why they want to visit in the spring (cherry blossoms & low humidity) especially with the new First Family, now plus dog.

But I still hate them.

Tourists, please don't stand in front of the Metro map studying it for 5 stops only to realize you're going in the wrong direction (you're heading into the Hood!). On the escalator, please walk on the left and stand on the right. This is America. That's how we drive, it's how we ride our bikes, and walk down the sidewalk. Why, when you get on a Metro escalator, do you suddenly think you're in Paris and that everything is opposite? I mean come on.

Please stop wearing your Washington, DC, sweatshirts all around town with your fanny packs and cameras and maps and sunscreen. Don't ask me where is the Mall. Figure it out. It's only the HUGE swath of land in the middle of the city. Plus, you don't go anywhere else but the Mall. Use the Smithsonian stop. Pretty easy, because you know you're going to go to a Smithsonian museum. You don't go anywhere else. Just use some sense!

Recognize that people actually work in this town. It's more than the Capitol (actually a place of business, though) and the White House (again, another office building really), but lots of buildings in between where people work. And when you stand in the middle of the street with your class of 8th graders from Cedar Rapids (let's hear it for gay marriage in the prairies), that lady with the crocs on and carrying a tote bag, checking her blackberry is not a chaperone missing her flock. She's actually an underpaid worker, probably trying to desperately get to her office to make sure that your tax dollars are spent wisely.

I'm being harsh. But really, just move to the right. We'll pass on the left. It can be a match made in heaven. Stimulate the economy and we'll get a few good laughs. We like it when you visit our town. But really we can't wait for you to leave. I'll take a humid July over a mild April any day. When I walk out into the sauna like atmosphere, I at least know I can get a seat on the Red Line. And no one will ask me if they're heading towards Virginia. Trust me. I'm not heading to Virginia.


(OMG, They're EVERYWHERE!!!!)

Hiatus Over

Sorry about the delay. I've been busy. I finally got a job (yay health care). It's with the government, so you know that means most websites that are the least bit interesting are blocked by Big Brother (booo). So no blogging at work. But I figured a way around it. So when I can get a minute away from the piles of work I have trying to aid democracy, I'll update.

Moving on...

I hear my entries are too long. I'll work on it (but you know this is me we're talking about. brevity has never been my strong suit).

Anyway, the president was right (to my hidden chagrin). Oh UNC. Well congrats, I guess. Luckily, I love my president. Is this how the Repubs felt about Bush? Whoa. Scary. Maybe this is how they felt aboutReagon. Still...whoa. Scary. (note: "Ronald Reagan" is a bad word in my house. Pretty much up there with the F-word. You don't say it.)

March Madness

This is totally the best time of year. Well. It's not. But it's the best part of the springtime, that's for sure! And by far the best sporting event out there. Even if you don't watch basketball any other time of year, you should pay attention now. About eight years ago, I stopped watching pro ball with any regularity or even excitement. The NBA had become a show of overpaid, overgrown selfish children. It was hard to separate off-court antics from on-court professionalism (and even some on-court antics, thanks Latrell Sprewell and Ron Artest).

But the NCAA! Man! Overgrown children playing for pride, glory, and the love of the game. Cinderella stories. Shattered backboards. The Fab Five. Cheers. Tears. And of course, the best theme song in sports. "One Shining Moment" is a song that transcends sports! And it's sung by both Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross. I mean, COME ON! It just doesn't get much better.

I remember realizing my childhood was really over in the 8th grade when our teacher let the class watch the first round all afternoon one day (it was Catholic school. We just skipped religion probably). It was so much fun. Someone said, "I can't wait to do this next year." And we all realized we wouldn't be together next year, not in the same classroom, or even same school. But we had that last March Madness. I'll never forget that moment.

Then there was the year my Terps won the whole thing. And the stars of the team came back to campus without chips on their shoulders. And we cheered for Lonnie and Cox and Drew and Byron (who happened to be my fave). And we cried for Juan Dixon, the MVP of the game and our hearts. And for Gary. And for Steve Blake. And for Cole Field House. And each other. We knew that would be the best time of their basketball careers. One of them might go on to win a professional championship. But it wouldn't be like 2002. Nope. Not at all.

And there was grad school, rooting for the Ivy League champs, the Quakers. We knew they'd lose, but it was still kinda cool, sitting in a Philly sports bar, rooting for the underdog in a town of underdogs. It just doesn't get better. It really doesn't.

So I did my brackets. I have two for the guys and one for the girls (yes, there's a bracket for the ladies too. Get with it).

President Obama picked UNC to win the whole thing for the guys (he didn't do a girls' bracket, at least not on ESPN...sigh...can't win 'em all), so I picked UNC, too. I'm a patriot, and I don't want the president to fail (unlike the GOP in Congress and on the radio, but I digress). But darnit, this is really the first time I've EVER wished anything positive for the Tar Heels. It feels pretty gross actually.

I grew up a Blue Devils fan. I loved them. The Team, the Players, the School. Grant Hill. Christian Laettner. Trajen Langdon. Shane Battier. I still remember opening my acceptance letter with my dad. I hated the crosstown, Tobacco Road rival. Chapel Hill might as well have been a trash heap to me. But I decided to go to Maryland for school. I would have been run out of College Park if I ever wore my Duke sweatshirt. It didn't matter. My school pride transformed my love for the Durham team into a bitter relationship, much like a divorced woman who longed for the innocent days of love shared between two young lovers, but who never again wanted to see her ex happy. I rooted for their failure, but still had a soft spot if they won (and only if the Terps' standing wasn't harmed). But through it all, staying in ACC country, my hatred for UNC only grew. Carolina Blue? Puh-leez. It's totally overrated and overused and pretty much just electric baby blue. ICK!

Yet, as a good follower, I've chosen (geez, it even hurts to say) UNC to win. But really, I think Pitt will take the whole thing, beating UNC in the final four and then Memphis in the end. Then again, I don't like sports towns that monopolize championships. So part of me hopes that Pitt doesn't win (and you can thank the Steelers for that). Maybe North Carolina deserves a little thank you for turning blue back in November (then again, how many of the players on the team voted for Obama in NC? Or at all?). That's the only way I can justify this in my head.

Back to March Madness. Every year there's a new story, a new team that will surprise the country, a new star shining and beating a buzzer. There's always a moment. Ladders, nets, and scissors. Enjoy every minute of it!

I wanted to post my brackets, but I couldn't find one that I could link to the blog until tonight on the NYT website. They won't let me fill it out now that the games have started. UGH! Anyway, my Final Four is Louisville/Memphis and Pitt/UNC with UNC winning (thanks to the pres) OR Louisville/UConn (thanks to the Maryland upset I'm predicting against Memphis) and Pitt/UNC with Pitt taking it all.
For the ladies, I have Connecticut/Stanford and Maryland/Rutger. Yes, the Lady Terps will bring it home to the Comcast Center one more time! (Go Kristi!)

M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D! Maryland Will Win! GO TERPS!

::Sigh::

I don't even have to explain why this is a sigh-worthy moment. When Sexting Goes Bad (sex texting, my friend. All the cool kids are doing it, just not on government issued two-ways and blackberries). Just read a few and you will be sighing right along with me. BUT, you won't be able to pull yourself away. Seriously. Six thousand new sexts were released on Monday. This is some hilarious stuff (but then you remember that real people and real lives and real families are involved, and then it's a little sad).

We all have a friend like Christine and a friend like Kwame (I'm not naming names), just not to this extreme! SMH and LMAO all at the same time.

Note to her friends, though: You KNOW your girl was getting played. And I just can't believe no one stopped her, because I also can't believe that not one of you knew it was going down. I mean, really, come on. She really really REALLY played herself with some of these, hitting us with the, "I love you so much my heart will explode if I don't catch a glimpse of you and if I can't have you now then I'll have you in eternity, where our hearts and bodies become one" BS. And then he hits her back with the, "Yeah. I want that THAIYAA." (sidenote: I can't wait to figure out what that actually means. I know to what it refers, but I want to know what it means. Don't let me meet Kwame, because I'm asking).

If no one comes out with a play or dramatic reading of these texts, I will. I can't wait until the bound copy of all of the texts (without the redaction except when protecting the names of the innocent and children) become available. Talk about a summer reading list!

Facebook

Oh No! Where did I go? I didn't even realize it had been a week since I've posted. But I'm here now! I kinda got a little obsessed (or at least distracted by) the Michael Steele fiasco (there's part of me that actually feels bad for him...or just embarrassed for and by him) and The West Wing. I love that show. Seven seasons to remind me why I love politics and, quite frankly, why I don't have a job. Did I mention I'm unemployed? Who really goes into a career field that's based on a calendar made of cycles that most people don't even realize exist? And really who wants to be a lobbyist these days? (Oh wait, I do. D'oh!)

Anyway, I got rid of Facebook in January. It was difficult, but a lot like pulling of a band-aid. Quick, painful, it stings a little, but you end up glad that you did it. I think Facebook is amazing. The things you can do (register to vote, find an old flame, track your friend's birthdays, start a movement, elect a President) are astounding. Really. Online organizing humbles me. I don't get it, but I like it and support it.

But Facebook just isn't for me anymore. It jumped the shark a little while ago. Those (we?) early adopoters don't even recognize it anymore. I preferred it when there were a few of us on there, no (real) adults and certainly no high schoolers. Groups meant something (kind of), and friends of friends were actually friends. You didn't need high privacy settings, and Katie Couric (for instance) wasn't checking to see if by chance you did something stupid at a frat party that might actually be newsworthy because you happen to be tagged in a photo that might make the President believe you aren't trustworthy...or at least that you're silly and a possible political liability.

I don't miss it. I thought I would, but I really don't even think about it unless someone asks me, "Why aren't you on Facebook anymore?" Sometimes I want to be nosy, but seriously, if I still had Facebook, I promise this blog wouldn't exist (I'd be stalking inappropriate people as we speak, including ex-friends' ex-boyfriends' new girlfriends' gay lovers). And what would life be like without this blog????? (wink)

But it seems a few folks agree with me. I miss none of this, especially #9 and #20. When the new Facebook (not Twitter -- I think that's just dumb for the most part) comes along, I might be compelled to join. But really, they all just go the way of Black Planet, Friendster, and pretty much a few other things about which I probably don't even know.

Hilarity of the Day

Today was the first day of a new late night line up. I discovered Conan O'Brien probably in high school, but totally changed my classes so I could stay up late and watch him while I was in college. I just love that Irishman! So at 12:36am, I was anxious to see what Jimmy Fallon had to offer. I think Jimmy is hilarious, so I was really expecting greatness. Ehhh, not so much. He was obviously and irritatingly nervous. But then again those are big shoes to fill. And Robert DiNero seemed like he wanted the guy to fail. I kept thinking, "Help him out, Bob!" Either way, the highlight of the show was definitely having the Roots as the in-house band. How cool is that? And this skit saved the night from utter humiliation. (?uestlove pretty much makes everything better.)


Kind of reminds me of this old joy.

Jimmy Fallon - Idiot Boyfriend
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup

Jimmy, you'll get the hang of it soon. I think the show will be great, and I plan to watch as often as I can. Reprising some of your best SNL skits might not be a bad idea. Just no more making out with fishbowls. That's kinda, well, gross.

And since we're talking SNL, this just never gets old.


On another note, what in the world????

::Sigh::

Are you kidding me???? Only a few minutes after my last post??? What???? Oh Mike. Don't let them tear you down, man! Pull yourself together! Dust the dirt off your shoulders. Let the haters hate! But don't...don't...not this!!!! ::sigh::

Man of Steele

I don't have too many nemeses in this world -- real or fictional. Most people like me (yay) or at least like me enough not to hate me. Well most people. Can you let me know if you know someone who doesn't like me? Thanks.

Anyway, when I was a sophomore in college, the Young Repubs, Young Dems, and Black Government and Politics Society hosted a forum with the then-head of the Maryland Republican Committee: Michael Steele. I learned then, in my last year as a teenager, the important lesson that a person (me) can be completely mesmerized and turned one (not sexually) by someone s/he (I) cannot stand. I mean, like, really despise because their personal views are just totally contrary to your own. It was an awesome forum, mostly because I argued with Mr. Steele (fact about me: I love to argue!!!!). He and I went back and forth and back and forth. A worthy opponent, I must say. And then after it was all over and we shook hands and he cordially gave me his business card and told me to keep in touch, I boarded the shuttle bus back to my dorm, and thought long and hard (after telling my mother all about this awful person) about how on earth a seemingly normal and nice person, someone with whom I'd actually like to drink a beer and chit chat, could be so wrong about everything. He became my nemesis. I mean I was 19 (lots of people have kids and houses and real responsibilities by then), and I had an internship on Capitol Hill (with the now infamous Blago, no doubt) so I knew how to fix this country and make it better.

The next morning, I sat down and wrote him an email (he did give me his card after all). I hit send and thought I'd never hear from him again. I felt good. I stood up for what I believed and didn't back down. I wasn't intimidated by his title or position. And I knew I was right. And I knew he knew that I was right. And his silence was just his way of saying I wasn't important enough. And that I was right.

Then one day, I received a response. A public official actually responded? And not in a form letter that some staffer wrote? Trust me. I had written those letters myself. This one was from him. I read it. And reread it. And read it out loud. Then I got it. I figured out the difference between Democrats and Republicans: the size of government. He and I just didn't agree on how big or how small of a role government should play in the lives of its citizens, nor even on what the role of government is. I still think he's wrong, but I accept his opinion.

I had NO clue then that he'd be the RNC chairman less than a decade later. I definitely would have lost that bet. And so far I've been more embarrassed than impressed. Is it really necessary (or even politically savvy) to "hip-hop" up the GOP? And does he really have to use stereotypically urban colloquialisms to move forward his agenda? Come On! Was he at least offended when one of his own mocked Ebonics by saying, "You be da man," (emphasis on "da") during her thank you remarks after he spoke at the CPAC meeting in late February?

At least he's checking one of his own -- and a powerful one at that too. So I guess I'm saying: Good Job, Mike. I had lost complete faith in you and nearing a total loss of respect for you. But maybe, just maybe, I can continue to have a love/hate relationship with you. I'd prefer that. I'd rather you be my nemesis and not just the butt of the joke. You're a worthy opponent. So, please stop using the unnecessary and silly vernacular. It doesn't make you cool. It makes you irrelevant. I want to see you succeed, even if I also want to see your party implode. Good luck.

And, I just wanted to share this, for old times sake.

Google Reader

So, it turns out the Barnes&Noble photo was real! I searched and searched (but then pretty much stopped) to see if I could find an answer or explanation last week, but then today stumbled on this thanks to Jack and Jill Politics.

I saw the article thanks to Google Reader! GR has changed my life -- and my reading habits. I'm totally going to mess up the technical explanation of this, but here's my attempt to explain why I love it and how it works. Basically, if you have gmail (and who really doesn't), click in the top left corner on "Reader". From there you can subscribe to anything on the web with an RSS feed (like I really know what that is), like blogs and news sites (I've heard you can even follow airline sites to see how prices go up and down). Then, whenever something new is posted to the site with the RSS feed, it will show up in your handy Google Reader page! It makes way more sense when you see it. But I LOVE it! I read everything from Mrs. O to CNN to wedding planning blogs.

You can also organize each blog that you read into folders, which makes reading a lot easier. Plus, I read the "serious" ones first and then work my way to the exciting ones. My categories are Local (local news and events), News (national), Politics, Sexy Style (really its gossip, but I don't want to call it that -- oh wait there's also some fashion in there), and Weddings. Then I have two blogs -- Smitten Kitchen and Bakerella -- that don't fit into a category. They're both cooking blogs, and I feel that if they get a folder, then that means I'll actually have to start cooking. And I'm not ready for that kind of commitment to the kitchen! Soon, though, because I love what I see and I really can't afford to eat out all of the time.

But check out Google Reader. You'll feed better about yourself. You get to be smart and fun all at the same time!

Photo Shop?

HA! My first blog from a coffee shop. I feel so...techie! Anyway, I'm supposed to be doing work, but I'm sidetracked, as usual. Unemployment stinks (anyone looking for a great public policy maker assistant type of person????) but hopefully this status isn't for long. Verizon hates me right now. Well, it love me really. I can't stay off the phone with all this new free time, talking to people with jobs who thinks it's cool to call me on their office phones. "Hey look at me! I'm at work! I can use my office line. Costs me NOTHING!" Grrr....I should make the employed chatterboxes pay for my time...

Anyway, two photos have me excited today:
The First Lady wearing my favorite color and rocking the loose curls. It's a great look for her. Not an everyday kind of vibe, but definitely one worthy of a fun night out with Little Stevie Wonder!

Barnes & Noble is pulling a New York Post. I haven't confirmed if this image is real, but it doesn't look photoshopped to me. Apparently, this is some B&N in New Jersey. I Snoped it (I always check snopes before forwarding anything) but I didn't see any mention of it. I Googled it, and saw nothing. So I don't know. Someone get to the bottom of this! Not cool not cool! (Sidebar: making verbs out of nouns is fun! It drives Spellcheck--I say like it's my BFF--bananas.)

So what do we do? Should we write to the White House to let the FLOTUS know we're digging the look (s)? Do we boycott B&N, or is this just another "Tommy Hilfiger/Mystic/Timberland/etc. hate black people" internet urban legend?

::Sigh::

This is my daily, or hourly, or weekly, or whenever moment to just sit back and shake my head. ::sigh:: I hope there aren't too many, but it's Hour 2, and I already have a ::sigh:: worthy moment...

I have this odd attraction to Charles Barkley. Don't know what it is. We worked out at the same gym for about six months, and I must say I enjoyed the elliptical machine more when he was next to me. But, oh Chucky. I thought we were going to the Governor's mansion together. But alas, you've dug a hole from which I can't dig you. ::Sigh::

Presidential Address to Congress

Did you watch it? If not, find it on the White House website. What do you think? What about the Republican response?

Sidebar: I want to go shopping in Nancy Pelosi's closet in about 35 years.

Welcome

I planned to start this blog the day I met President-Elect Obama. It was an amazing moment. He walked in the room, preceded by the tallest Secret Service agent I have ever seen, shook some hands, reached out to me, shook mine, said a few words, and moved on. I don't know what he said. Something about basketball and getting back to work. It really doesn't matter. It was still amazing. But life took over (after I stopped shaking from excitement and g-chatting about the moment to all of my friends) and I never got around to starting this blog.

So now I'm here. The night of President Obama's first address to the Congress, laying out his vision for the next four years. I must say, I hope it's eight years. That was just amazing. For so many reasons. What he said, who he is, all that he is not. I'm not grandizing him, but I believe in him and in his passion. It's not the first time I've been proud to be an American, but daggonit, it makes me proud of this country in ways that I've never felt before. Pride can grow, right? Well it feels pretty amazing right about now. And I can't WAIT until the 4th of July. Even if I do the same thing I've done for the past few years on July 4 this year, I promise it will FEEL different. And that's pretty cool.

Anyway, I don't know if you actually care what I think or what I don't think. But I like to talk. And this is my forum to put it out there for all to see. And it'll be a wide variety. Everything from music to fashion to politics to education to tennis to television shows to weddings to whatever. So enjoy!