12 dpo

I keep obsessively going to fertility friend to check my (temp-less) chart. As if it can tell me anything I don't know. I'm 12 dpo... and if I don't have a period by Wednesday, I'll probably test. Its hard to wait though.

This month was a lot easier, more laid back. But this part, these last few day, are just as hard. I hate waiting. Wish me luck.

huge, contented sigh

I can't even begin to tell you how nice the past few days have been. Waking up on my own. Relaxing. It's been so nice. Just what I needed after the last few weeks of craziness. I'm so glad I have four more days before I have to go back to work.

It's also been productive around here! Our house is looking better and better! I've been straightening, cleaning, donating, and throwing away. I've taken two big garbage bags worth of stuff to the goodwill already, and I have a half-dozen items to take as well. We're rearranged things to fit better/look nicer... and I believe Trav will be putting a shelf in the top of my closet soon, so that will give us some more space to work with! Today I'm vacuuming, and doing a big kitchen clean. At that point I think we'll be good to go for tomorrow. We still have way too much stuff, and we still have a lot to sort through... but its better then its been in here for a while.

So, our mock-Thanksgiving this past weekend with Ro & Pat went great. We had so much food!! I forgot to take any pictures (grr!)... but we made a turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, corn, and crescent rolls. Ro & Pat brought green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows, and two pies for dessert. So. Much. Food. But sneaky Travis managed to send almost all of the leftovers home with Ro & Pat. ;-) Which is good because we barely have room in the fridge for tomorrows 15lb turkey as is. It was good that we did that though... our trial run definitely helped me feel more confident in "the real deal" tomorrow.

Yesterday I also took some time for me, in between all the cleaning. I headed to the movies for a solo viewing of Twilight. Now I've read all the books, and enjoyed them. They aren't great novels to span the ages, nor are they harry potter. BUT they're quick reads, entertaining, and it was easy to feel like you knew the characters. I definitely wanted to see the movie. All in all, it wasn't too bad. Entertaining... though I wonder what its like if you haven't read the books (actually, would anyone who hasn't read the books go see the movie? probably not.). I feel like I enjoyed the movie because I could fill in its blanks on my own. I think it wasn't perfectly cast, and the in some places it was overplayed. But part of that is just, how do you deal with making a movie out of a book that spends so much time on the physical perfection of half its main characters? Of course some casting can't live up to that. As for the overplayed part. Eh, there are a lot of heavy moments that made me want to laugh instead of swoon... but that's going to happen when you go see a movie aimed at a tween age group. I enjoyed it though, and at least it was a break from cleaning!! :-)

Well, speaking of cleaning... back to it for me! More after the holiday... and this time, I will remember pictures!

let it snow! (a morning in pictures)

I woke up this morning to a rather pretty sight.

The first real snow of the season (not just flurries and actually stuck). I'm excited about it... I do love snow when it doesn't make driving dangerous, and I don't yet have to shovel it!

It was snowing in the city too. Which much improves my view.


I dressed the part today, wearing not only my heavy jacket... but also my boots and a comfy sweater.

Half of the office is out today. So I'm using the time to not only catch up on work items... but also, I'll admit, to prep myself for next week. I'm drawing up a schedule of what I want to get done each day next week to be ready for my family's arrival on Thursday. So far I have:

Monday:
put sheets on guest bed
walk into office, look around, panic
close office door, eat cheese and watch TV
enjoy denial

What do you think?
Honestly, I'm not really worried. I'll certainly be busy, but its my family and they don't care in the slightest if there's some dust on our TV stand or the office rug never got vacuumed (we would need to find it first). I do want to get our house in some semblance of order though... if only so that we don't have to be surrounded by piles anymore. I can clean up best when its just me, with no interruptions and a good span of time to just go at it. So next week is perfect.

In other bits and pieces:

• Trav talked to his brother last night (the one we're getting the puppy from). The puppies have started opening their eyes and trying to walk a bit on shaky legs. He said he'll be picking one out for us soon and asked for a name to start calling her by... so our dogs name is now officially Daisy.
  
  
• I feel much better today... those antibiotics really do work fast! I had the worst heartburn last night when I got in bed, which I think was from all the cranberry juice. So maybe I won't drink that right before bed anymore.
  
  
• My coworker and I are about to head out to the Reading Terminal Market for lunch. I'm really excited since I haven't been there in ages! I think the hardest part will be deciding what delish place I want to get food from.
  
  

Well, back to work for me. I'm sure I'll poke my head in here sometime next week. There will be pictures too, surely, from both our mock-Thanksgiving with Ro & Pat this Saturday... and from the "real deal" next Thursday. Stay tuned. ;-)

uncomfortable (TMI)

I'm so uncomfortable right now. I woke up this morning having to pee like a sonofa... but unable to really pee, coupled with pressure, some burning, and a teeny tinge of blood. Oh, its a UTI of course. My first, and I'm so not happy. I missed my normal train playing phone tag with my doc, but a few hours later here I am at work chugging water and cranberry juice like there is no tomorrow, with a filled prescription which I get to enjoy twice a day, straight through turkey day. Wee!

(Excuse me, I have to pee...)

Other then that things are fine (though that certainly makes it hard to concentrate on anything else!). I worked a little late Tuesday, since the event we had put me behind in everything else I was working on (I get so much more done when the office is empty and quiet). We went out to dinner that night, which was nice. Yesterday was another event, but a lazy evening at home with our leftovers from the night before. Today is another(!) event, our third of the week... and I think its pretty obvious that I'll be doing nothing tonight, since I'm rather distracted by my nether regions at the moment. Yee-haw.

Otherwise, I'm still just counting down the days until I get to be off of work for 9 days! (Two, including today, I can handle that.)

flurries

Just looked out my window and there are flurries. The first flurries of the season (for me). I don't know if I'm ready!!

DONE!

The dots came in the mail yesterday, and I put them up as soon as I got upstairs.
I'm so happy to say that after 4 months... we are finally done!





We're so happy with how it looks. My mom is going to make us some window treatments as soon as I pick out the material. And at some point we're going to hang a curtain over the closet door, but we are good to go! :-) Yay!!!!!!!!!!

i'm tired.

It was a good weekend, but it was a long weekend... and I'm still tired. Trav and I had a big discussion yesterday full of things with I had to get out and into the open, things that were hard to say and I'm sure harder to hear... which turned into a fight, since they were hard to hear (but, I must say again, needed to be discussed). Now we're fine... we ended the day on a positive note, but it was draining and not how either of us was looking forward to ending the weekend.

I'm not ready for a Monday either, but at least I have a whole week off (next week) to look forward to. I can handle 5 days of work when I know there are 9 days of relaxing to follow. Plus Thanksgiving! Which is always a good time.

So, the weekend...
Friday Trav had the day "off" to go to an event at the Phillies stadium sponsored by a company that wants businesses like Trav's to use their product. So he went to check it out and enjoy all the extras they threw at everyone. That included a tour of the stadium, meeting the Phanatic, and getting to walk on the field. Plus food and drink and all that jazz. Here are some pictures from his tour:







I think he got some good ones... and kudos to whoever snapped the one of him being strangled by the Phanatic. ;-)

Saturday was Ro's baby shower. Something that had been stressing me a bit (as I said)... but which turned out great! Everything looked good, and it all came together nicely. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and most importantly, Ro was really happy.

(It says: "The S***** family is growing by two feet")

Ro got lots of good swag:


I love my mommy:
She was the biggest help and I couldn't have done it without her! She made so much good food for the party (we had so much food!! finger sandwiches, quiche, wraps), and came early with me to help me get everything set up. Trav also made some great food, including his pepperoni dip and these pinwheel things that are pickles wrapped in cream cheese and ham. They sound weird, but they were so damn good! And he was so proud of himself since not only were they tastey, but they were the colors I was using for the shower (pink, green, and white)! Plus, who doesn't associate pickles with pregnant ladies. ;-)
Anyway, I was so lucky to have so much help.

After the party, the boys (who had gone to see a movie) came back and put together Ro's two big items: her glider chair (from Piper, Sabrina, and I) and her jogging stroller (from some of Pat's extended family). Here she is giving the glider a try:

She was definitely happy with it!

Sunday was a much lazier day. It was all about finally getting to relax after the stress of work and party planning. I met Ro to go walking in the morning, then headed home where Trav and I proceeded to get in our fight. After that I just relaxed and watched TV (what was up with the ends of the Eagles [a TIE?! are you freakin kidding] and Steelers games [that touchdown that wasn't a touchdown]? Both were weird!). In the evening Trav and I snuggled our hurt feelings away, and now we're on to a new week.

Now if I can just make it through the three events I have this week... not to mention the cold cold cold weather and possible snow... then I have Lehigh/Lafayette to look forward to this weekend (just a brief visit), followed by a mock-Thanksgiving with Ro & Pat. Next week, my plan is to finish cleaning up, decluttering, putting away around the house to get it ready for guests come Thursday. Not to mention, some shopping for all the food items with need. Then it's December already! Where the hell is the time going?

For now though, its back to work since I still have so much to do to catch up.

yee-haw

So I just sat down to review my work to do list, since our big event is done and done! thereby giving me time to actually work on the other things I need to do, and I realized that I have everything left to do that I started off the week with. That makes me tired.

Yesterday went well. It was a long day, of course, with some snafus... but all in all, good. I got to see one of my favorite people, who works at the place we host the event, so that made the night a little more fun. Afterward my coworkers and I got a drink before I hopped a cab home. I love taking a cab home from the city late at night. Something about it makes me feel very grown up and official. My outfit also helped with that... new black pants, my white tux shirt, and my new black tux vest. Very sleek, professional, and just a bit sexy.

A lovely lay-in (about 8 hours of sleep), a relaxing morning, one missed train, plus one trolley and subway ride later, I'm back at work. With too much to do and not enough time to do it in. Not to mention some errands to run. So off I go. More come Monday, with baby shower pics! Ta-ta!

wish me luck

Today's the big work event. I'm just glad its here, since the waiting part drives me more crazy then the doing it part.

We don't need it... since we're pros at this event now, but wish me luck anyway.

quicky while I wait for lunch

My coworkers and I ordered some soups and salads from Apple.bees for delivery (french onion and Caesar for me, with a raspberry lemonade). I thought I would post a quicky while we waited for it to arrive.

Last night Trav and I ran out to the store to order Ro's baby shower cake (well, technically our second one... but I was not happy with the first place and their options, so now I'm feeling a lot better), and pick up the last minute food stuffs I need for this weekend. I think I'm pretty much all ready. Doesn't make me less nervous, but at least I'm ready.
Trav also did some laundry so I have my clothes for our big event tomorrow. Plus we moved our bookshelf from the dining room upstairs to the office and loaded all our books back onto it (we definitely need another shelving unit, the one we have is filled to bursting... we have a ton of books). That takes care of most of the stuff from the dining room... but we still have a bunch of sorting/moving to do from the office. Slowly but surely!

Okay, lunch is here... off I go.




Ps. A great video about "if you really want to protect marriage, ban divorce!" Uses all the logic that Prop 8 supporters use, but against divorce. Check it out here.

things to look forward to

1. Friday! And being done with the Annual Dinner! It's stressing me out.

2. Puppy!

3. Sunday! And not stressing myself out anymore about wanting Ro's shower to be perfect, since that's what she deserves (all internal stress, not from her! just to clarify!).

4. Ohh, and puppy!!!

5. Next Friday! And being done with the three events we have next week! Not to mention, hopefully all caught up at work. (Can you tell work is bugging the crap out of me right now?)

6. Oh, and then there's that puppy! ;-)

Can you tell I'm already looking forward to the end of January? :-)


Also. Walked last night with my breast buddy, Kate. It was nice to just walk. Trav cleaned up the floor while I was out... so when I got back we moved the futon back into the room (plus a little side table), he hung the new bar in the closet, and I put up the dots! No pictures yet because I had to order some more... but it looks awesome! Even better then I imagined!
Still lots of moving stuff to do in the room, but its getting there.


Well, back to work for me... but a few more pics to end with:












Ps. Happy Veteran's day. My mom's parents both, and my dad's dad were/are veterans. I have friends my age who are also veterans. I thank them all for the sacrifices they made to protect my rights and freedoms. Today is for them.

And on that note, this made me teary:

fun news! (and pretty pictures!)

First the weekend... then the news. :-)

Saturday I was pretty busy. I had a hair appointment, then my friend's daughter's birthday party, then we had dinner at Ro & Pat's. So I headed up to the Lehigh Valley early. It was such a pretty day when I left... I bit overcast, but it wasn't too chilly and the air smelled so good! Like leaves.
On my way up it started to pour... which made highway driving interesting... but it stopped again by the time I arrived at my parents. They were all out, so I entertained myself by playing with Lady:

That's one of her favorite toys... her frizbee.
It's so pretty by my parent's this time of year... so colorful!



Skyeler's party was nice because I always love the chance to see my girls... it doesn't happen nearly enough!

After that it was back home to grab Trav and head over to Ro & Pat's for dinner and relaxing. I had to snap a picture of Ro while I was there as we've both been busy for the past few weeks and haven't been able to get together... her belly is still growing (28 weeks):

Sunday I met Ro at the state park for some walking. It felt really good! Especially since I haven't gotten a lot of walking in since the 3-day... we've been too busy to fit it in.
The day was perfect for it too:


After that I swung by Home Depot to grab one of Trav's Christmas presents. It was big and heavy and barely fit in my car. In fact, the guy who was helping me had to tie it into my truck. Lol. So I had a slow drive home, where luckily there was a neighbor available to help me carry it inside.

Then it was time to get to work. Trav had primed our closet while I was out on Saturday, so it was my turn to paint while he was up at Lehigh for a greek alumni council meeting. So two coats of paint, many hours, and more then a few brain cells later... I came out of the closet.

This isn't a great picture, but it was nice by the time I took it... so that's why it looks like two colors, its the shadow cast by the room lighting. The actual color is like the lighter of the two shades, a bit darker then the wainscoting. Yay, another checkmark!

So that was our weekend. Busy, but good. Now our news. Trav talked to his brother on Sunday... who's dog apparently just had puppies. 9 of them! He offered and we discussed it... and we decided that we're getting a puppy! :-) A little girl yellow lab. We are very excited for our new addition, although we have a bit of a wait. They were just born... literally just. Just after midnight on the 9th. Plus his brother will be coming into town at the end of January, so he asked if we wanted him to just bring the puppy then so that we don't have to make an extra trip out. Now we just have to figure out a name (right now the only possibility that we've agreed on is Daisy). So that is out big news!

Anyway, here it is Monday morning... and its shaping up to be a busy week. Tons of normal stuff to do, plus three events next week to prepare for... and our biggest event of the year on Thursday! Wish me luck, and off I go!

wow, this was dead on!

Silly cute quiz thing... only two questions, but damn was it ever dead on!

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Katharine!

You are a Katharine -- "I am happy and open to new things"

Katharines are energetic, lively, and optimistic. They want to contribute to the world.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Give me companionship, affection, and freedom.
• * Engage with me in stimulating conversation and laughter.
• * Appreciate my grand visions and listen to my stories.
• * Don't try to change my style. Accept me the way I am.
• * Be responsible for youself. I dislike clingy or needy people.
• * Don't tell me what to do.

What I Like About Being a Katharine

• * being optimistic and not letting life's troubles get me down
• * being spontaneous and free-spirited
• * being outspoken and outrageous. It's part of the fun.
• * being generous and trying to make the world a better place
• * having the guts to take risks and to try exciting adventures
• * having such varied interests and abilities

What's Hard About Being a Katharine

• * not having enough time to do all the things I want
• * not completing things I start
• * not being able to profit from the benefits that come from specializing; not making a commitment to a career
• * having a tendency to be ungrounded; getting lost in plans or fantasies
• * feeling confined when I'm in a one-to-one relationship

Katharines as Children Often

• * are action oriented and adventuresome
• * drum up excitement
• * prefer being with other children to being alone
• * finesse their way around adults
• * dream of the freedom they'll have when they grow up

Katharines as Parents

• * are often enthusiastic and generous
• * want their children to be exposed to many adventures in life
• * may be too busy with their own activities to be attentive

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

*snort*

Sorry, really... I'll try to be done after this, but these are funny...

so cute

Done with my period now, and told Trav so yesterday. He looked at me and goes, "Well get to ovulating then!" ;-) Lol. What a cutie.

It's good to have those little reminders that he's excited about this too.

i'm sick.

Ugh... so the thing I haven't been writing about for the past few days (though I've been posting like freakin' mad, haven't I?!), while I've been in my politico mode, is that I'm sick. Its that time of year and I have the worst, miserable cold. So I'm a lovely mess of sniffing, nose blowing, sneezing, puffy eyes and achiness all topped with a slowly reddening nose. Fun! I'm generally feeling draggy and a bit out of it... and you can see it in my pale face (as proven by my fellow train rider last night who took one look at me and went, "Ohh, you're sick aren't you." Why yes, and thank you so much for noticing and pointing it out! Really. That's awesome of you!).

I'm just hoping that I feel better by next Thursday, for my work's biggest event of the year! A 14ish hour day, plus having to be "on" with all our big money peeps... ugh, not the greatest time to be ill. Not to mention, I'm sick of blowing my nose and really don't feel like going to this event looking like Rodolph! Lol.

But I am feeling better today then I was, following a good night sleep and a dose of Warming Liquid. And I do have a fun weekend to look forward to. Hopefully I'll have more pictures of the guest bedroom to share come monday.

Well, I really do need to get back to it. Lots of work to do.




Ps. Story in Pictures: Obama... so beautiful and moving. Really captures the whole scene in a different way.

what can I say... I just love my some Angie (and who doesn't need a change from the heavy politica)

Angelina Jolie: 'I Am Still... Just A Punk Kid With Tattoos'

By Access Hollywood
November 3, 2008, 2:12 pm PST

Harper s BazaarAccess Hollywood

LONDON, U.K. -- She's a cover fixture on newsstands across the world, but despite the praise for her style, beauty and activism, Angelina Jolie still identifies herself as being an outsider.

"I am still, at heart - and always will be - just a punk kid with tattoos," she told the December issue of Britain's Harper's Bazaar, as excerpted by the UK's Metro newspaper.

Though her moves across the years -- and her romances -- have attracted a host of headlines, the mother of six said she has no need to defend her past.

"I don't walk around feeling I need to apologize or explain myself," she told the magazine.

Angelina is featured on the cover of Harper's Bazaar UK edition, out on Thursday, under the headline "Angelina Up Close."

In the interview, to promote her new film, "Changeling," Angelina said she has chosen her acting parts, thus far, based on whether she'd want to come face to face with the character in real life.

"I tell stories that are about the type of woman I'd want to meet. The type of woman where I think, even if it's silly characters I've played, like in Tomb Raider, there's something about her that will be fun for my daughters to see one day," she said.

And while characters like Lara Croft wield knives and swords, Angelina said she and partner Brad Pitt explain the difference between the big screen and real life to their brood.

"My kids play video games. I let them play with toy soldiers. We don't take war and violence lightly, but we don't hide it from anybody," she said. "We say, 'Mommy and daddy have movies where we play these characters, but there's real death and violence in the world.'"

comments from around the web

(Yeah, yeah, yeah... more politics. Promise I'll talk about something else soon, but people... this is HUGE! Lol.)

Some of the responses I've been reading around the web:

Mainline Mom:
Why I Am Not Sad This Morning

I think these words from John Piper pretty much sum up exactly why I am not devestated that Barack Obama was elected our President. (Except for the Sarah Palin bit.) I AM overjoyed that in this country we have come so far past racism that we elected a black man into the highest office in our nation. It really does say to me that our personal opportunities are boundless. Racism is a great evil, and I know it is not dead, but hope and equality are speaking louder today. But I do not agree with Obama's policies or positions, on the economy, on healthcare, on the war, and mostly on abortion. So why am I so at peace? Because GOD is sovereign in this world! He holds the globe in his hand and as long as He is my King, I have nothing to fear.

My reply: I am a firm Obama supporter, and am so happy to read this. I hope that we can all join together and acheive great things as a country. I too believe that God has us all in his hand... and that he chose Obama as our next leader for a reason. Here's to a huge step forward for civil rights and race relations. And here's to being hopeful for our country's future!

Friday Playdate:
Brave New World (Now with cupcakes!)

Yesterday I read, over and over, accounts of parents my age, or parents of kids the ages of mine, who said that they wanted to impress on their children how historic this election was. And while I agree, I couldn’t help thinking that what makes it truly remarkable is not what came before but what comes next. My children will never remember a time when a black man couldn’t be president, just like they will never remember a time before 9/11.

I was a year old when the first men walked on the moon. For my parents, this was huge, that people went to the MOON and then CAME BACK — it was like Columbus sailing off toward the horizon and proving that the earth was ROUND you all and not FLAT! But I never really understood what the big deal was, because in my lifetime, space travel was always possible, was always a reality. That’s how my kids will feel about a black president; it will be something that is just part of the landscape for them.

Making It Lovely:
Yes We Did

I’m proud of our country. I’m proud that a man I helped elect to the senate and supported in the primaries has now been elected president. I’m proud to have had a candidate that I actually feel represented my interests and the best interests of the country. I’m proud that we will have an honest, intelligent, and thoughtful leader. I’m proud to have experienced an event so monumental that both my husband and I were moved to tears. I’m proud that my child will be born in this historic time.

Thank you, America.

Our Baby Blue:
Steps Up & Back

I’m exhausted. I cried with overwhelming relief as Obama gave his acceptance speech. I don’t think I’d acknowledged how much of a weight had been on my shoulders. For the first time in my adult life, I have hope and trust my president.

I also cried as I refreshed the page over and over, watching the Proposition 8 numbers come in. It may not be over yet, but the amount of people fueled by hate and propeganda voting to pass the legislation is boggling. In California no less. We need states like that to forge ahead to create a path for states like mine to follow. We don’t even have domestic partnerships or legal protection for discrimination based on sexual orientation. California is brighter than that. Brighter than Prop 8. How is this happening?

And this... this was too cute not to post:
Singing to a Bipartisan Beat

"You Can Vote However You Like" Lyrics
Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

(McCain supporters)
McCain's the best candidate
With Palin as his running mate
They'll fight for gun rights, pro life,
The conservative right
Our future is bright
Better economy in site
And all the world will feel our military might

(Obama supporters)
But McCain and Bush are real close right
They vote alike and keep it tight
Obama's new, he's younger too
The Middle Class he will help you
He'll bring a change, he's got the brains
McCain and Bush are just the same
You are to blame, Iraq's a shame
Four more years would be insane

Lower your Taxes - you know Obama Won't
PROTECT THE LOWER CLASS - You know McCain won't!
Have enough experience — you know that they don't
STOP GLOBAL WARMING — you know that you won't

I want Obama
FORGET OBAMA
Stick with McCain and you're going to have some drama
We need it
HE'LL BRING IT
He'll be it
YOU'LL SEE IT
We'll do it
GET TO IT
Let's move it
DO IT!

Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

I'm talking big pipe lines, and low gas prices
Below $2.00 that would be nice

But to do it right we gotta start today
Finding renewable ways that are here to stay

I want Obama
FORGET OBAMA,
Stick wit McCain you gone have some drama
MORE WAR IN IRAQ
Iran he will attack
CAN'T BRING OUR TROOPS BACK
We gotta vote Barack!

Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah


Love it! Okay, I think I'm done now... :-)

ballot measures

The one thing pulling down on my considerable (natural) high today is a few horrible ballot measures that ended up passing. Arizona, Florida, and California all passed their hateful measures to ban gay marriage. And Arkansas passed their disgraceful measure to ban gay couples from adopting (just what we need... less good homes for children in need!).

At least Colorado voted against the ridiculous "human life from moment of conception" measure... which would have essentially ended IVF and other infertility treatments in the state. Michigan voted to allow stem cell research (and medical marijuana*). And Washington voted to allow doctor assisted suicide!

Energy measures met a mixed fate. In Missouri, voters approved a measure requiring the state's three investor-owned electric utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021. But California voters defeated an even more ambitious measure that would have required the state's utilities to generate half their electricity from windmills, solar systems, geothermal reserves and other renewable sources by 2025.


I'm so sorry to all of my GLBTQ friends. Just as it too way too long for the last of the laws making it illegal for interracial couples to marry to be struck down (didn't happen until 1967!! that's only 40 years ago for Pete's sake!), so too does this fight continue too long. Hopefully we'll get the chance to right this wrong soon.






* The marijuana reform movement won two prized victories, with Massachusetts voters decriminalizing possession of small amounts of the drug and Michigan joining 12 other states in allowing use of pot for medical purposes. Henceforth, people caught in Massachusetts with an ounce or less of pot will no longer face criminal penalties. Instead, they'll forfeit the marijuana and pay a $100 civil fine.
The Michigan measure will allow severely ill patients to register with the state and legally buy, grow and use small amounts of marijuana to relieve pain, nausea, appetite loss and other symptoms. [Source]

yes we can.

President-elect Obama's acceptance speech, so great:
(Video first, transcript below.)

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

This speech moved me to tears. Both times I listened to it. The story of Ann Nixon Cooper really got to me... just imagining the changes she's seen in her life. The hope it gives me for change in my lifetime is so great.

McCain's speech to concede... which was gracious, and also moving. I hope that everyone can do as he suggested, and ban together behind our new (soon to be) leader, to make America all that it can be:


The world rejoices too:

"Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place," South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela, said in a letter of congratulations to Obama.

What an amazing time to be an American. I am so proud and so full of hope. Today is a great day!




Ps. I still can't seem to get a definite answer on Prop 8... though it doesn't look good at the moment with 95% of precincts reported in. Fingers are still crossed.

President Obama!!!!!!

So freakin proud, so freakin happy! I can't stop smiling!

History is being made now... and I can't wait to be a part of it. This is thrilling.

And I hope that conservative Jonah Goldberg's words are an indication of how our country can (if initially grudgingly) pull together around this decision:

Look, I expect to be one of the most severe critics of the Obama administration and the Democrats generally in the years ahead (though I sincerely hope I won't find that necessary). But Obama ran a brilliant race and he should be congratulated for it. Moreover, during the debate over the financial crisis, Obama said that a president should be able to do more than one thing at a time. Well, I think we members of the loyal opposition should be able to make distinctions simultaneously. It is a wonderful thing to have the first African-American president. It is a wonderful thing that in a country where feelings are so intense that power can be transferred so peacefully. Let us hope that the Obama his most dedicated — and most sensible! — fans see turns out to be the real Obama. Let us hope that Obama succeeds and becomes a great president, for all the right reasons.

As for John McCain, he is an American hero and arguably the best candidate we could have fielded. I will in the days to come offer no small amount of criticism about his campaign. But where his campaign may have lacked qualities that would have helped it win, the candidate never lacked for honor and integrity. Thank you John McCain for your sacrifice, commitment, and honor.

God bless America, and may He guide Obama to be the best president possible.

I think that was pretty gracious, all things considered.

As McCain put it: "The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly."

Yes. Yes we did.


(Now I'm off to bed... but my fingers are crossed for a NO on Prop 8!)

no one as irish as barak obama

Lol, this is great:


Now go vote! And may the luck of the Irish be with us!! ;-)

vote your hopes, not your fears

Today I voted*. I voted for hope, change, and a different future that represents a different America. I voted for the rights of all families (not just the ones that look exactly like yours), for my right to be in control of my body and health, and for those without a voice. I voted for getting back to the heart of our country and pulling ourselves up before we try to impress ourselves on others. I voted for discussion before fighting and for a push towards energy independence. If I lived in Cali, I would be voting NO on Prop 8, as well (see post below).

No matter what you believe**, I hope you voted today too.





* Technically speaking, I will vote... since I'm going after work, that doesn't have the same ring to it though. But believe me, my voice will be heard today!! Will yours?

** Though I really do hope you'll be voting Obama too.

prop 8

I felt the need to repost Lag Liv's blog on Prop 8 here. I think it is wonderful, well written, and really illustrates my own thoughts beautifully. Feel free to follow the link to comment on her original post:

On Marriage, Giraffes, and Proposition 8

I have little respect for people who see the world in black and white- especially in politics, where you can find intelligent, thoughtful people on both sides of almost any issue. However, there is one issue on which I cannot understand the other side, and that is gay marriage.

This is an issue that feels so personal to me I can barely write about it without tearing up. My best friend since I was five, the boy I grew up with, who was a "bridesman" in my wedding, and someone I've known and loved longer than my own brother, is gay. He told me that in high school and it rocked me to my core in a way you can only understand if you grew up in a suburb as conservative as mine. And while I struggled with what that meant in the aftermath of our conversation, one thing remained absolutely clear: this was my best friend, the same boy I made forts with on the greenbelt and immediately told the truth about Santa Claus when I discovered it - nothing about him had changed and my friendship with him didn't change either. From that point forward I was a secret gay-rights activist. I glared at those who used "gay" as an insult (which in high school is pretty much everyone) and I worried about my best friend growing up in an America that discriminated against him.

And that's what it is- discrimination. Treating two like people differently. I have yet to hear a single coherent, non-religious reason why same-sex couples should be an exception to the Constitution's fundamental right to marry. I've heard "marriage is a religious institution" and while that's true, it is also a governmental one, and until the government stops being the regulator of marital unions, you can't use religion as an argument when there is a Constitutionally mandated separation between church and state. Of course the flip side of that is that churches don't have to have anything to do with these ceremonies, but as a governmental matter, there is no reason to deny a governmental right to an entire class of people. And those rights are numerous and important- joint tax returns, hospital visiting rights, rights of survivorship in wills, the right to sue for wrongful death, automatic inheritance of a portion of your spouse's estate, exemptions in estate and gift taxes, insurance benefits, and so many more.

To me, it is a civil rights issue. Just as I find it crazy that my grandparents lived during a time when it was illegal in some states for blacks and whites to marry, I hope that my children will find it bizarre that I lived in a time when it was illegal for two gay people to marry. Another argument I've heard is that marriage has traditionally been between a man and a woman- well, black people were traditionally slaves and that didn't make it any more right. There's also the "it isn't natural" argument which I'm pretty sure people also said that about interracial marriage, plus there are numerous members of the animal kingdom who prefer to mate with the same sex and I'm not sure it gets much more "natural" than a bunch of giraffes out in the wild who have more same sex "couplings" than heterosexual ones (a random fact brought to you by Wikipedia). But as a married person, the argument that offends me the most is the one that says heterosexual marriage is somehow threatened by same sex marriage. I don't know about the state of your marriage, but mine is decidedly not threatened, weakened, or undermined in any way because more people want to join in pledging their lives to each other. And it's probably worth noting that this is one of the few issues on which JP and I are in total agreement.

Jerry Sanders, a conservative Republican mayor of San Diego who has campaigned for Proposition 8 which seeks to "eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry" (quoting the text of the Proposition), decided not to veto a city council decision to support same-sex marriage. In an emotional press conference that made me cry at my desk, he gets it right: "As I reflected on the choices I had before me last night, I just could not bring myself to tell an entire group of people in our community they were less important, less worthy or less deserving of the rights and responsibilities of marriage than anyone else simply because of their sexual orientation... In the end I couldn’t look any of them in the face and tell them their relationship, their very lives, were any less meaningful than the marriage I share with my wife."



We need more politicians like him- and by that I don't mean ones who think like me (though I wouldn't complain). We need leaders who are willing to truly reconsider their positions, who don't cling blindly to the positions of their party, and who are willing to take a stand and do what is right for the people they serve. I wish I lived in California so that I could vote No on Proposition 8 tomorrow for my best friend who deserves to have his relationship respected by the government just like mine.

Vote No on Prop 8. Protect all families, not just those that look exactly like yours.

xoxo

what a weekend!!

Right now I'm sitting here, with my heater on full blast (even though its actually suposed to be pretty warm today!), tallying up baby shower RSVPs, drinking a big container of OJ with an Airborne in it... just hoping that it will do something benificial when it comes to my sore, swollen throat and general feeling of Ugh. Not my favorite way to start a monday, but c'est la vie. Seriously though... what a weekend! For having "nothing" to do, we sure got a lot done.

First, Friday! Office closed and Phillies Parade to attend! It was crazy! Packed!

I took the 11:25 which got me into the city around 11:45, with the parade set to start at noon. Suburban Station, we heard about 5 minutes out, was CLOSED! Too full to let more people off. Right as we were about to pass through though, it re-opened... so off I got. Headed to my normal exit... can't get out, the streets are so packed you literally can't get out of the stairwell. Second exit, the same... third, fourth, the same! Finally the fifth exit I headed too you could just squeeze out. I was on Broad and headed down a bit until I found a spot to park myself, just before Chestnut.

Here's the view where the parade was turning from Market onto Broad:

Crazy packed! People were standing on every free surface... sidewalks, planters, steps, statues, etc... and hanging out of windows above too. It was a beautiful clear, warm day... perfect for the parade, although I'm sure the turnout would have been just as good if I had been cold and rainy. These fans were there to support!

Phillies Phanatic:

There's the trophy:

People watching from a ledge on the tenth? twelveth? floor:

Willy Penn atop city hall, with confetti:

Baseball players:

More baseball player:


Afterwards I headed to the office, just for a clean bathroom, and a few minutes of quiet! As I was walking in... I ran into Miyano, Hiro, and Yu-yu walking out. I got to snap a picture of Yuilu dressed in his bat costume before they turned for home:

I relaxed for a little, just to give the mob a chance to spread out a bit... then headed to 30th St station... which I figured would be less packed then Suburban. I was right... but it was still PACKED:

I was able to just squeeze on the next train that came through (all the seats were full, plus there were two rows of people standing in the aisle) ... though a lot of people had to wait for the next train. Once I got home, I lit our pumpkins, lit our fall scented candle, turned on the porch light, and relaxed until Trav got home. Then I change into my costume (I was a Hogwarts witch! Lol.) to wait for the trick-or-treaters:

I'm such a dork. :-) We watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show while we handed out candy, which was great... I love that movie. We really didn't get many kids though, a bit disappointing. I think it was definitely our slowest year yet. I'm wondering if some people were just too tired out from the parade earlier, and spend the night in.

Saturday we got up, ate, then headed straight to the guest bedroom to get to work. It took much of the day, but we got the rest of the wainscoting up. Plus we took out two shelves in the closet (the only real "renovations" we're making in there)... which makes it look a lot neater, and actually is much more practical.

Sunday Trav primed a few spots that still needed to be primed on the bottom of the door jams and the heater cover, then we headed to breakfast. Afterwards we were able to return some extra wainscoting panels and caulk at the Home Depot (they are great about returns!)... then headed home where we painted all the trim and wainscoting:


I honestly couldn't be more thrilled with how it looks!! It turned out great!
Now all we have to do is re-clean the floor (since it is dusty as hell now), paint the closet, and put up the dots! We're so close!

And just to refresh your memory, a before/after:

Such an improvement!

Okay, back to work for me. And I'm sure I don't have to remind you, but tomorrow is election day people... so don't forget to vote!!!!

Ps. In that political vein: a piece from the blurbomat and from mrs. blue, which together, sum up my feelings nicely.