I’m flying back across the US and trying to come down from a huge high. This time yesterday I was standing in a throng of millions of people. Young, old, American, and those from other far reaching points of the world. I considered this to be the most beautiful moment I have ever witnessed in my 24 short years of a pretty great life. I am swallowing back tears writing this and the only reason I resist is because I don’t particularly want to be the one that my fellow passengers go home and refer to as crazy girl who was crying by herself on the plane. No thanks.
I didn’t sleep at all the night before Inauguration. Typical for an insomniac I suppose, but I compulsively looked at my cell phone all night to make sure I wouldn’t miss my alarm, in the event that I would be counting any sheep. Finally, father time put me out of my misery and digitally delivered 5:30 AM on my Blackberry screen. Freaking finally.
After putting on a gazillion layers, the four of us headed out to catch the bus. By a sheer act of fate that the universe loved me (a far cry from the previous day, self-induced, I admit), we caught a free un-crowded bus that took us from Shirlington (in Virginia) to just three blocks away from the National Mall. The transportation gods however, would not display the same mercy on us after Inauguration. More on that in a later entry.
The sun hadn’t quite woken up by the time we’d arrived which was a little before 7AM. I am not good at guesstimating temperatures, nor am I excited to debate how cold it may be when I’m experiencing such harsh conditions. Since exposing myself from these conditions I’ve heard from a few news reports, family members, and my two-million closest friends for the day, we were in the frosty neighborhood of 10 degrees with wind chill. I imagine myself sweating upon my arrival into Portland because it will probably be in the 40’s. Home sweet home.
Not everyone is aligned with my let’s-not-talk-about-how-freaking-cold-it-is mentality. In fact, everyone preferred to do quite the opposite. The Jumbotrons plastered information on how to know if you are experiencing hypothermia and/or frostbite, so that was optimistic. Chicago lady who seriously was the most annoying person I’ve ever come into contact with, decided it would be a good idea to complain about EVERYTHING. I was silently wishing that she’d be the one to endure frostbite and have to leave so I didn’t have to listen to it for the next 5 hours. Example: “It’s only 7? You mean we still got 3 hours before ANYTHING starts?”
When God didn’t grant me this, I figured it had been a pretty spectacular year already being that I was lucky enough to be freezing at the National Mall awaiting for history to transpire before my eyes. Can’t have it all, I guess.
We made some friends outside of Chicago-lady-I-hoped-would-suffer-from-frostbite. We had San Diego guy who apparently was never visiting the East coast again in the winter, cute New York guy, as my friend penned him, and older guy who came solo and I loved him for it. For coming solo and for his sporadic “Oh yeah! Wooh!” that he repeated. Seriously, it was so precious.
As much fun as it is to reminisce the waiting, I think I’ll just get to the good part…the reason this group of strangers were suddenly crammed like a can of “Chicken of the Sea” together. Obama. Let me preface this with the fact that I had begun crying Monday night. These tears were born in pure happiness, anticipation, and disbelief of what was happening to this beautiful country. These tears were born in disgust of the treatment, no, brutality that my ancestors beared; being manacled as they were brought to America not as human beings, but as animals. These tears were born in the tears that my grandmothers both internally shed when they were turned away at diners, grocery stores, drinking fountains in the ugly segregated South. These tears were born in my sincere gratitude and admiration that I hold toward my parents when they had to figure out a way to fill my brother and my bellies without either of us knowing any of the wiser. These tears were born in the success I have been so blessed to be able to achieve because of all these struggles; A 24 African-American woman with a Master’s degree and a great job. Okay, there goes my crying rule on a plane. Let them talk about me.
The only word that comes to mind besides the overly clichéd cool, calm, and collected phrase that I could think of when I first saw Obama gliding his way through the capitol was badass. This actually was happening. Then the waterworks began and didn’t yield until Bush descended from the capitol steps. I did for a nanosecond feel sorry for the guy when the crowd erupted into chants of “nah-nah-nah, hey-hey-hey, goodbye!” I did not participate. It was finally OUR day and whatever Bush may have severely damaged while in office, the pain he has caused people worldwide, and the true in competencies he displayed, he’s gone now. It is our turn now and it’s not likely we can go back in time to 2000 and do the right thing in Florida and put Gore in office. What’s done is done and we are moving on. Farewell G Dub.
There was a lull between introducing Biden, Michelle Obama, the girls, and President Bush before Obama came out the closed doors. Then a 1600 volt of electricity surged through the crowd and it was no longer cold. American flags waved, screams deafened, numbed feet left the mall ground. Spectacular. There really is no other word to describe the intensity and emotion of that moment. Obama has said “this is our moment” for the last 22 months and here it was. Spectacular. Just the way I hoped it would feel when I first became an Obama supporter in January of 2008 after his New Hampshire primary speech. Here are people who might have never even purchased an American flag, granted these ones were free, that were now waving them with toothy grins spread across their faces and literally were risking hypothermia and/or frostbite to see Barack Hussein Obama II become our 44th President. I believe our American dream has been restored and our American pride unearthed. Dr. King, your dream is manifesting. We are at the peak of the mountaintop and I think Obama will help us weather the storms that may come our way that tries to blow us back down.
Together...YES WE CAN.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Spielberg, Whoopi, & Pausch
After a very frustrating and emotionally crazy evening yesterday, I sat down to watch the Golden Globes. I don’t know why I do this when I could youtube.com the 2 decent acceptance speeches out of the gazillion train wrecks and embarrassing moments. Although, if I would’ve done this, would I have seen J Lo refer to herself as “mama” when her peers wouldn’t shut up for her to present her award? I believe it went something like, “Sshh Mama’s talking, Mama’s talking.” In true Dwight Schrute spirit (for all you ‘Office’ fans), Question: When you become a mother, does that give you free reign to refer to yourself as ‘mama’ to those that are not your children? Is that why all black people call each other sister and brother since they are someone ELSE’S brother and/or sister? Hmm…something to think about.
One of the non-moronic speeches of the night was one that was for an award that was beyond well-deserved and that was none other than Mr. Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg has brought us a story about an Extra Terrestrial living with an American family, put T-Rex in a freaking park in the present day (Yes, this was a book…but the effects are kind of incredible), made Will Smith a badass, and also touched our hearts with a green ogre finding love. Now, most people would think of these ideas at face-value as crazy. You’re going to do what?? Right…no one will ever go for that. An alien living with people, sweet, good luck dude. I mean, M&M’s even refused to have their candy featured on “ET” because they were sure it’d be a flop. Aah, and that’s why Reeses Pieces were invented (this is fact, I tell no lies). I do this all the time. Not create Reeses Pieces, but think an idea is too crazy to be put on paper or screen. But then Spielberg changed my life a little bit. He said: “I always ask myself, can I get away with it?” He refuses to pursue any project where this question isn’t burning in the depths of his skull. Fear drives him and somehow, it hinders a lot of the rest of us from ever pursuing those crazy-not-in-a-hundred-years type of dreams.
Pausch emphasized a similar idea in his book, “The Last Lecture,” when he repeated that we all should follow those crazy wild childhood dreams. And that dude reached zero gravity. Never played in the NFL (which he wanted to-hey can’t have it all I guess), but became a Disney Imagineer and reached zero freaking gravity.
I guess they just had the itch and the only way to relieve it was to scratch the surface of their dreams.
I think Whoopi said it best in ‘Sister Act 2.’ “If you wake up in the morning and the only thing you can think about is singing, then you’re a singer girl.”
[This is a metaphor, I don’t want to be a singer.]
Today, I will write.
One of the non-moronic speeches of the night was one that was for an award that was beyond well-deserved and that was none other than Mr. Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg has brought us a story about an Extra Terrestrial living with an American family, put T-Rex in a freaking park in the present day (Yes, this was a book…but the effects are kind of incredible), made Will Smith a badass, and also touched our hearts with a green ogre finding love. Now, most people would think of these ideas at face-value as crazy. You’re going to do what?? Right…no one will ever go for that. An alien living with people, sweet, good luck dude. I mean, M&M’s even refused to have their candy featured on “ET” because they were sure it’d be a flop. Aah, and that’s why Reeses Pieces were invented (this is fact, I tell no lies). I do this all the time. Not create Reeses Pieces, but think an idea is too crazy to be put on paper or screen. But then Spielberg changed my life a little bit. He said: “I always ask myself, can I get away with it?” He refuses to pursue any project where this question isn’t burning in the depths of his skull. Fear drives him and somehow, it hinders a lot of the rest of us from ever pursuing those crazy-not-in-a-hundred-years type of dreams.
Pausch emphasized a similar idea in his book, “The Last Lecture,” when he repeated that we all should follow those crazy wild childhood dreams. And that dude reached zero gravity. Never played in the NFL (which he wanted to-hey can’t have it all I guess), but became a Disney Imagineer and reached zero freaking gravity.
I guess they just had the itch and the only way to relieve it was to scratch the surface of their dreams.
I think Whoopi said it best in ‘Sister Act 2.’ “If you wake up in the morning and the only thing you can think about is singing, then you’re a singer girl.”
[This is a metaphor, I don’t want to be a singer.]
Today, I will write.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Oh-Nine
Another year has started...and I am older but none the wiser.
Okay, so that last statement may be fictitious, but I certainly was not looking forward to ending another year and I really became irritated about the big hoopLAH of what a new year brings. What is the big deal? So the Earth has finished rotating around the sun...so? That dictates how you want to change your life and gives us this surmountable pressure to list all these things we want to do in the next 365 days and if we fall short we are failures? Eh, I'm not so much of a fan of setting myself up for disappointment.
Now what I might say next may make you think of me as hypocritical (get used to it-I'm allowed, it's my blog). After my initial annoyance of New Year's Resolutions, I began to think what I want to accomplish in Oh-Nine. I look at them as "goals" however and not so much as resolutions. Not any of that, "I'm going to work out everyday" and "No more Reeses Pieces Peanut Butter Cups for me" garbage. More like, I'm just going to be the best person that I can be and here are a few things I need to do, places I need to go, and habits that need to be avoided.
Things I need to do:
-Continue to read as much as possible
-WRITE!!!!!!!!! WRITE!!!!!!!!! WRITE!!!!!!! (Hence the creation of my blog)
-Throw parties for obscure holidays just for the hell of it and to spend time with friends :)
-Continue to be the best correspondent I can be and keeping in touch with my family and extended family (AKA good friends)
Places I need to go:
CHECK-DC for Inauguration
-Peru in November
-Somewhere in the states that isn't glamourous but probably fantastic
Habits that need to be avoided:
-Being unproductive on weekends (Well, I can be lazy to an extent)
-Getting all worked up over the small things (And as Frances McDormand and George Clooney remind us on the fabulous film that IS 'Burn After Reading'..."They're ALL small things")
DISCLAIMER: This does not mean I am not ever going to get irritated, upset, or cry. I am afterall human.
These lists are subject to change and grow.
Okay, so that last statement may be fictitious, but I certainly was not looking forward to ending another year and I really became irritated about the big hoopLAH of what a new year brings. What is the big deal? So the Earth has finished rotating around the sun...so? That dictates how you want to change your life and gives us this surmountable pressure to list all these things we want to do in the next 365 days and if we fall short we are failures? Eh, I'm not so much of a fan of setting myself up for disappointment.
Now what I might say next may make you think of me as hypocritical (get used to it-I'm allowed, it's my blog). After my initial annoyance of New Year's Resolutions, I began to think what I want to accomplish in Oh-Nine. I look at them as "goals" however and not so much as resolutions. Not any of that, "I'm going to work out everyday" and "No more Reeses Pieces Peanut Butter Cups for me" garbage. More like, I'm just going to be the best person that I can be and here are a few things I need to do, places I need to go, and habits that need to be avoided.
Things I need to do:
-Continue to read as much as possible
-WRITE!!!!!!!!! WRITE!!!!!!!!! WRITE!!!!!!! (Hence the creation of my blog)
-Throw parties for obscure holidays just for the hell of it and to spend time with friends :)
-Continue to be the best correspondent I can be and keeping in touch with my family and extended family (AKA good friends)
Places I need to go:
CHECK-DC for Inauguration
-Peru in November
-Somewhere in the states that isn't glamourous but probably fantastic
Habits that need to be avoided:
-Being unproductive on weekends (Well, I can be lazy to an extent)
-Getting all worked up over the small things (And as Frances McDormand and George Clooney remind us on the fabulous film that IS 'Burn After Reading'..."They're ALL small things")
DISCLAIMER: This does not mean I am not ever going to get irritated, upset, or cry. I am afterall human.
These lists are subject to change and grow.
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