"I was playing some stinky, filthy, manky chops..."

"...Jemaine: you had some rotten mutton on the grill
Bret: just some off rhythms, really
J: you had some decomposing flesh on a skillet
B: just rancid grooves, i was layin' on 'em
J: the...skanky...beefs beats you were laying down"

~Flight of the Conchords (spoken word)

A girl sitting at home with a bad cold found this on the interwebs today. It brought her much happiness. (It's long, but really worth it. Their banter is better than their music, I think)

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Anyone who has known me in the last five months knows I'm a bit of a fan of Flight of the Conchords from New Zealand. I blame it on my coworker in Bend, David, who played Business Time for me at work in May...I then proceeded to watch pretty much all of their stuff on YouTube that day (at work) and form a slight celebrity crush on Jemaine (like about a million women on this planet). At camp this summer, I found several fans of the group and we had all sorts of inside jokes involving lyrics to various songs. The theme of the summer with me and my good friend Sonja was from their song The Most Beautiful Girl (in the room): "Lookin' round the room, I can tell that you are the most beautiful girl in the...room...and when you're on the street (depending on the street) I bet you are definitely in the top three..."

Sonja and I, along with two other friends from camp (Jenni and Andrew) came up to Seattle for SubPop's 20th anniversary show at Marymoor. We didn't get tickets because they were sold out, so we spent the afternoon dodging police officers and security personnel telling us to go across the street (what the heck? they're sold out - let us loiter!), all to hear the Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine and Flight of the Conchords. Well worth the almost getting arrested part. I'll post my one video from my favorite song, Jenny, later.

Fast forward to last week, when all of my hopes were dashed: Jemaine got married in August and his wife just gave birth to their son, Sophocles, a week or so ago! What? Jemaine - I thought we really had something...Blast :) I'm "over" it now, but I am considering forming a support group for all the women who are quite disappointed.

A couple of days ago, I found their first TV appearances in New Zealand in 2000 (two years after they officially formed). Let's just say, they've really come a long way with their banter, humor, comedic timing, musical abilities and songwriting in eight years.

I recommend them highly, especially if you just need to smile.

Here as the caves of my memory fade, I’ll hold to the first one

~Fleet Foxes (Drops in the River)

It has come to pass. In many ways, I can’t believe it. In others, I’m not surprised.

(Picture courtesy of Getty Images)

So many thoughts ran through my head while I witnessed the elation at Grant Park in Chicago last night and the impassioned, poignant and inspiring speech by President Elect Obama, where at least two of my friends stood watching. I received a call from my good friend Katie in DC where, at 12:45am, she was outside on a busy street celebrating, yelling and dancing with many of her fellow Americans. Another friend of mine has already purchased a plane ticket to DC for Obama’s inauguration on January 20th, 2009. Memories like those will last a lifetime.

Because my dad’s birthday fell on Election Day this year, I ended up at home last night. A quieter but still very meaningful celebration took place. I do not cry often, but I found myself tearing up (and dancing around) several times as I watched the coverage and considered the impact of such an evening.

In my life, there have been several memorable and historical moments, both negative and positive. I just saw the remnants of the Berlin Wall that fell when I was only five years old firsthand two months ago. I can tell you exactly where I was, what I was doing, what I was wearing and how I reacted to the news on that morning of September 11, 2001. What will I carry with me the rest of my life about yesterday? What will be impressed in your memory? What will we tell future generations about November 4, 2008?

Yet, simply a memory of a historically significant election is not why Obama ran or was elected. I think people are getting so caught up in the fact that racism got one huge slap in the face last night, that they may fail to realize that it is not obliterated, nor is slavery, sexism, persecution, and a whole host of other problems still sadly present in our world. In all of the excitement that the election of Obama brings to many in the world (and to me), I think it is important to realize that what he said last night is so very true:

“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 doctors 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 its been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.”

This will be an uphill battle for Barack and the country. Things will not go perfectly. I cannot believe that anyone, let alone TWO people, would volunteer to be president in such turbulent, unsure and, frankly, worrisome times. But, I am honored, inspired and hopeful that change will come in time because of our new President’s hard work, humility, encouragement and unmatched inspiration.

Let us remember, as so many of my wise friends have already penned in their blogs, that Christ was, is and always will be sovereign and our savior no matter who our Commander in Chief is. No woman or man can fill those shoes, and we should not expect them to. What is required of McCain and Obama supporters (and the rest of the country) alike is to stop the bashing, the regretting, the insinuations, the disrespect, the attacks, and learn how to voice and act on political opinion in a mature and useful manner while giving Barack Obama and his administration the opportunity and support to bring about change we need.

May we be as involved, interested and passionate in the coming four years as we were this last week.

And, read this beautifully written article.

Don't teach me about politics and government: just tell me who to vote for

~Derek Webb ("A New Law")

This is another appropriate song for today

I cannot express how much I am ready for tomorrow. Ready for change. Ready for history to be made. Ready for inspiration and excitement about the future of politics. Ready for new ads on TV.

I have been ecstatic at times this past year how people of all races, creeds, ages, perspectives and political leanings have decided not to vote for party, but for issues and individuals. My pastor gave a good sermon last night on the need to be interested in politics all four years of a term, not just the two months leading up to the election. This resonated heavily with me. I'm no politician, but I need to care enough to keep tabs on what my government is (or isn't) doing for my community.

We see it every election - people impassioned to the point of losing friends (and respect), writing terrible things on public forums, and using religion to justify or ostracize. Enough! It's time for us to see our continual role in politics and to walk the walk on issues we talk a LOT of talk about in October. Some Christians (and hopefully non-Christians too!) are starting to realize that Jesus was not white, middle-class, Republican nor Democrat. The Bible speaks to issues of abortion and homosexuality less than 15 times, but poverty and caring for the poor over 2000 times. Pastor Eugene also made the point that scripture tells us Jesus WAS involved in politics. He called us to be independent, thoughtful, intelligent, respectful and mature in our voting.

That's the key point I'm seeing in all of this: respect. I've been harping on my parents since I got back from Europe in September because they were (and may still be) undecided on the presidential race. It's so easy for me to say: "what are you thinking?" and rant about the insanity of the election, but when it comes down to it, what matters is that each American votes. And by vote, I don't mean showing up at the polls and making pretty patterns out of your chads, I mean thinking long and hard, wrestling with issues of belief, morality, community and future. I mean reading, listening, discussing and caring about the election enough to put more energy into research than is expended complaining about the situations of the past eight years.

There is no right or wrong party. There is no perfect candidate. I have close friends voting for both candidates. I love them all. We don't need to move to another country if our pick doesn't come out on top. What we need to do is be ready for change, get involved and support our president tomorrow, no matter who it is. "Change you can believe in" and "Country First" are great mottos, but let our motto now be "Whatever happens, we're in it together!"

In less than 35 hours, we will be able to move forward. It is my hope that we will do so as a united community that can learn to love despite disagreements.

Now it is time to go put my ballot in the mail.

Of the places I've laid down my [car], I think of two I regret

~Fleet Foxes ("So Long to the Headstrong")

I tell people that I have two vices: swearing and speeding.

Apparently, I need to add a third item to the list: being a complete imbecile.

Today, while working my third shift in downtown Bellevue for my new traveling barista job, I, in typical dumbass form, parked in a strip mall lot because I'm afraid of the cost of skyscraper garage parking.

Of course, a $25 parking ticket hurts worse. Much worse. This is my second in as many months. Yep. Now do you see why I need to add that third vice to the list?

So, let's do the math:
3.25 hours of work @ 10/hour = $32.50
1 parking ticket = $25.00
Gas = $3.00
Taxes = the rest (maybe more)

Perfect, just perfect. Although, on the upside, I got to overhear Financial Advisors talk all day about how manic the market is, how everyone should sell Starbucks stock, how this is the perfect time for ME to invest, how the bailout is a brilliant plan, how redistribution of wealth is unfair (easy for them to say) and other political hot topics. Intriguing. Even though this parking ticket makes me want to rip my hair out, I really like my job.

Just a puppet on a lonely string, oh who would ever want to be king?

~Coldplay (Viva la Vida)

I'm back! It's been so long since I've blogged that I'm in one of those "is it even worth writing anything?" moods. But, I'll fight through it. So much has happened in the last five months worth recording and sharing, and though it will most assuredly be out of order, it will be good to write down memories from my time at camp this summer, Europe, and thoughts from the present craziness in the world and my life.

In a somewhat turbulent time of elections and significant trouble for America, and many big (but less noticed because of our own issues at home) international happenings, I keep wondering what I will remember about 2008. My big 401K obliteration? I think I'll be able to buy some saltines when I retire. That'll be nice. The amazingly interesting and questionable turn of events in the Presidential Race the past few months and the sad but unfortunately imminent questions of how some of our country will deal with a President who is a minority (yes, I'm calling it. deal.)? Or, will I be self-centered enough to remember only that 2008 has been the most random, exciting, busy and growth-inducing year of my life thus far? Admittedly, I am old enough now that forgetting any of it should not be permissible.

I watched Charlie Wilson's War with my parents last week, and while my mom and dad couldn't look beyond the nudity and profanity to admit that it was a good movie, I really enjoyed it. Without forging into a full-on review, I'll say this rather ashamedly: I had no idea that the events portrayed in the movie (the US involvement in Afghanistan in the late 80s-90s) had occurred. Granted, I was in preschool when it all began, but I am still surprised that we did not study that relationship and how it deeply effects the history of the past eight years in high school, especially because September 11, 2001 was the second week of my senior year. This realization is also timely because I am now a graduate student again, this time to obtain my master's in teaching, and I keep thinking about the school's responsibility to arm students with the knowledge and understanding of past and present. History and politics were always difficult but interesting subjects to me - how can students realize that understanding their world is so crucial? I was hit with this again just recently when I visited two formerly communist-controlled cities: Berlin and Prague. I learned quite a bit about their history and have a thirst to understand it more fully. Would American students take more interest in and ownership of their education if their country's history was staring them in the face daily in the form of patched up buildings, memorials, political graffiti, and other reminders of what their families have endured in the last few decades?

In one of my classes this quarter, we talk about teaching styles, philosophies and theories. I know I won't fully develop mine until I am in the classroom and have some experience, but the passions I brought in for teaching have only become more strong, even as I realize how difficult it will be to feel I have creative freedom while being told exactly what to do by the district, board and parents. My biggest hope is that I can present science in a way that students will be able to make connections to the world around them, figure out things for themselves, ask questions and realize that learning is the key.

This presidential race has been quite a rollercoaster and promises to deliver surprises in the last week. Oh, how I long for next Tuesday to be over and for our country to start moving in a new direction - united, I hope! One thing is for sure, I would not take that job for anything. I admire and appreciate that there are individuals who are actually willing to take the helm in one of the least desirable times in recent history.

Change is afoot. They think so in Britain, at least.

(I took this photo in a tube station in London in September...this was everywhere!)

The World is Your Oyster

~ The Cranberries

A snapshot of my time in Berlin and Prague so far. So much to say. 700 pictures might be a start.

And Berlin is so ugly in the morning light...

~Beirut ("In the Mausoleum")

We'll see, Zach Condon, we'll just see about that.

After a three-month blog dryspell while I was working as a counselor, I'm off to Europe tomorrow until the end of the month!! I'm really excited, but very much in that mood of "okay, what am I forgetting?" and "30lb weight limit for baggage? seriously?" and "just how badly am I going to get screwed by the exchange rates?" and "i hope people in europe care less about the election in Europe than BBC would imply."

Armed with some radical new music to listen to (I love Easystreet with all my heart), hardly any clothes, four camera batteries, very hairy legs (I figure, why not?), 2 pairs of shoes and 5 GB of digital memory, I'm about to take eight plane flights and see Berlin, Prague, Venice, Stockholm and London in a mere three weeks! I'm atrophying money at an insane rate, but, these are the perks of saving and being single, so they say.

Stories and photos aplenty will fill this blog either during or after the trip...I can't wait for the randomness and weirdness to ensue!

Look out, Europe, here she comes...