My fellow Americans: Please go vote

If you're an American and you're reading this message I urge you to go do your civic duty and vote today. 

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Right now our brothers and sisters in arms are sitting in harms way and protecting the very fundamental  democratic values that so many in this country take for granted.  It's embarrassing that roughly half of the eligible voting population decides the leadership of our country.  I'd never want to meet a serviceman or women and have to tell them that I got lazy on election day and didn't use my right to have a voice in my nation's leadership. 

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Think your vote doesn't count?  If you feel that way then you're sadly mistaken.  The past few national elections have shown this country that every single vote counts.  Senate races, where the Senate majority hangs in the balance, have been won and lost by mere hundreds of votes.  

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Seriously, don't be that person who talks a lot of talk, but doesn't actually do anything to give their voice a chance to be counted.  These elections are too important to suddenly go silent. 

Look, I do not care who you vote for or which political party you support, but I only ask that you vote.  I have never once, in over ten years, have asked my hubs who he votes for or what political party he supports.  I don't ask my parents, my siblings, my friends, anyone else those questions because I truly believe that your right to vote is yours and you can make up your mind all on your own.  The last thing anyone needs is an opinionated red head giving her two cents to everyone :) 

Go to your polling station, wait in line (seriously, people wait for days to score the latest phones and Black Friday deals, but complain about waiting to vote), and give your voice a chance to be heard.  Think about all the years in this nation's history in which not everyone had a right to vote.  If you were born a woman, or poor, or non-white, etc. then there were years where you couldn't vote.  People fought and died for you to have that fundamental right to vote.  Don't insult their fight and dedication by turning your back on your right to vote.  

Please go vote. 

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Sorry, I know this isn't my standard type of post, but life isn't always puppies and rainbows. I saw this video online earlier today and haven't been able to put it out of my mind since. I'm a lucky, lucky, lucky lady because my hubs is a gentle giant who wouldn't harm a fly (okay, technically that's not true because he does squash bugs for me because I'm scared to death of them). Unfortunately, there are others who aren't as lucky and they find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of abuse.

Keira Knightley stars in this shocking new short film, directed by Joe Wright (Atonement and Pride and Prejudice) and brought to you by Women's Aid - the UK's domestic abuse charity.

Now, I know some of you are thinking, "but I live in the US?" Well that's true, but domestic violence knows no national boundaries. It also transcends race, religion, gender, economics and every other form of demographic labels.

I don't ask much of anyone, but please just watch this video. It's a tad over two minutes, so it's not like I'm asking you to read Atlas Shrugged. Hopefully, things will change and domestic violence won't be that little, dirty topic that everyone shoves under the proverbial carpet and ignores. Maybe I'm an idealist, but I'd like to think that if we, as a society, talked about these issues more, maybe those educational discussions could help stop the cycle of abuse.

I will warn you, the video is pretty powerful. I flinched the first time I watched it. It's meant to be shocking.

I can't wait...

I can't wait to tell my future children that I saw President Obama speak in person.

I can't wait to tell my future children that I was a part of what will most likely be the most historical election of my lifetime.

I can't wait to tell my future children that I voted in every presidential election where I was old enough to vote.

I can't wait to tell my future children that I got their father to register to vote.

I can't wait to tell my future children that I got their father to vote.

I can't wait to tell my future children that if they work hard enough, then they can achieve anything they can dream.

I can't wait to tell my future daughter, if I am so lucky to have a daughter, that she can grow up and become the president. For that is my greatest dream today, that as these barriers are coming down, the rest will continue to fall.

I can't wait to tell my future children that their world is better than mine. That they live in a world where it doesn't matter what religion you practice, the color of your skin, where you are born, what school you attend, the gender they were born, who they fall in love with, because in their world people are judged only on their merits.

The truth of the mater is this, I don't agree with President Obama on every issue. Actually, I have quite a few differences with his policies, but today isn't about me. Today will be remembered as a day that transcends normal politics. Today will be remembered as the day when America decided it was ready to take the next step. Also, today isn't just about President Obama, it's about the millions of people who voted for him. Those people said, "I trust this man to be the leader of my country." We used to live in a world where it was a common assumption that person with Obama's background couldn't be the President. Thank God we no longer live in that world.

Today is the day where I don't have to wait to tell someone they can do whatever they want. Today is the day when I can tell my nephew he can become the President. That reminds me... I really should call him and tell him that. He can stick with his dance career, but that's totally up to him.





Go Blue Hens!!! It's a Udel thing.


Mr. President


(Don't tell the hubs, but the new tv photographs much better than the old tv )

Jax and Jewels wanted to grab a piece of the political action:

He loves me!

Today, was one of those days where I just have to remind myself of how lucky I am. Why? Well, because today, my hubs, accompanied me to an event that he had absolutely no desire to attend. He didn't complain, although he did ask that we go a bit later in the day, but he did not complain. He was also incredibly sick this morning and he didn't try to use that as an excuse not to go. I told him I would be fine going by myself, but he wouldn't hear of such a thing.

My hubs may not have the best taste in O's paraphernalia or give the perfect blow-out, but he does keep his word. He promised me weeks ago that he would brave the crowds and see President-Elect Obama today when he gave a speech in Baltimore. I really thought the sub-freezing temperatures would be a deal-breaker. I should know better by now than to underestimate him.

The hubs and I are avoiding D.C. this week due to the sheer craziness expected with Obama's inauguration. While the hubs and I don't agree on politics, we both realized that we should go to hear Obama speak while he was in Baltimore. Ultimately, it came down to us thinking, "Will we feel comfortable telling our (potential) children that we were too lazy to see Obama while he was 20 minutes away?" We put aside our differences and hopped on the light rail heading for downtown (side-note: way to go MTA. Tons of people on the light rail today and there wasn't a single person checking tickets. The state wonders why its budget is in trouble).

Frozen solid, sick, tired, and somehow still awake.


Okay, he's not a saint. He refused to smile for a picture.

I'm not usually one to share personal politics, but I think many people understand the significance of this week's events. I hope all of us can put aside our differences and just be proud of the boundaries that are being broken down, one day at a time. I'll have more pictures posted on my Flickr site, that way those of you who want to see them can and no one is forced to see them.

Rock the vote!

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if you know how to use a computer, then you must know that today is Election Day. It's not a question, but a statement.

Vote. Simple as that. I'm not urging you to vote for a particular party, candidate, issue, or whatever, but I just want you to vote. Make yourself count. Give your views a voice (odd statement- I admit that). Get your butt out to your polling place and vote. It takes mere minutes and yet the outcome could last a lifetime.

Vote. Then, go get free Starbucks, Krispy Kremes, or Ben & Jerry's. The sugar high will last you through the rest of the day. Go vote. It's that important.

Vote. I'll never ask you who you voted for or what issues you voted against. I won't even ask my husband those questions. Your vote is between you and the booth. You don't have to defend yourself to anyone, well, you will if you don't vote. You'll have to explain to people why you didn't think you mattered enough to take the time to vote. Just do it!

Vote.

Don't vote!

Catchy title isn't it. The folks over at DeclareYourself.com have come up with this new slogan. I watched the video and I must say, it's pretty cool. A bunch of celebrities urge us not to vote and then of course tell us that we should vote. There are some pretty memorable lines in the video. Some of which are not work or kid friendly (thank you Johan Hill and Giovanni Ribisi).

Laura Linney- "Reading, literacy... really?"

Jennifer Aniston- "I hear polar bears can swim."

Jonah Hill- "I have 19 kids. Never used abortion once."

Jonah Hill- "I've never fought a war on drugs. I've never done shit on drugs besides play Halo 2."

Sarah Silverman "You can literally register to vote while pooping if you have a laptop."

Ellen DeGeneres- "You're obviously smart enough to play Scrabble on this thing or poker or whatever you're doing... or porn. It's none of my business."

Courtney Cox- "I did have five friends."

Sarah Silverman - "Rampant. Like herpes, but for positive..."

So please, if you haven't done so already, register to vote.

Click here to watch the video. Yeah, I tried to upload it onto my blog and couldn't figure it out. Oh well.