Seriously?

So I'm feeling like talking about anything beyond the election is trite and unnecessary....BUT:

Last night I went to the Carrie Underwood concert at the Nokia Theather in Downtown Los Angeles with three of my best girlfriends, my best friend's mom, her daughter and her boyfriend. We had a great time. My friend's little one just turned 4 on Oct. 24 and she LOVE LOVE LOVES Carrie. She sang her little heart out until she passed out from exhaustion. One thing I noticed that has colored my opinion of Ms. Underwood was this video they showed about 1/3 of the way through the concert. The video showed her winning all the awards she's won, winning American Idol, and doing all of the good that she has done with her new found fame. The problem is this: I always thought that she was a humble, small-town girl because that is what they want you to believe. Her shameless "look at how great I am" video rubbed me the wrong way. I just feel like it was mostly unnecessary and self-gratifying. Is that going to make me stop listening to her? Probably not. I listen to lots of music by people that I wouldn't be friends with, so that's nothing new.

On the flip side in 8 days I'll be going to see the fabulous Mr. Ben Folds at the Wiltern Theater. I would totally be friends with Ben. He's super nice. When I met him in 2001 he was so nice and super nervous. He forgot the words to Brick at the meet and greet. We reminded him. He was pleased that people knew the words to his song better than him. When I saw him last summer at the Holly(weird) Bowl he got on top of the piano to play it. The man is awesome and I want to go get snacks with him and talk about dinosaurs. I'm excited.

I found them

The words, they are here! Last night this great nation elected it's first African-American president. To be able to say that I am an American has never meant more to me. The fact stands that changes need to be made and that Barack Obama will be at the forefront of those changes.
I work in a predominately Republican work-place. I wish I didn't know that. I wish that it didn't matter but it does. That I heard someone offering their condolences to another employee bothers me. Of course, I can't rightly know what my reaction would have been if John McCain had won. I think I would have been crying tears of sorrow last night instead of joy.
I'm glad I live in a country that is ready to embark on a new path. I woke up this morning and said to myself "It's a new day." That essentially sums up how I'm feeling.
On the flip side, I am appalled that Prop. 8 passed. I am horrified to live in a state that has an amendment in the constitution that discriminates against a group of people. I like to believe that this country has come along way and in many ways we have. But to think that there are people in this country that don't have the same rights as others bugs the hell out of me. How can I be so proud and yet so ashamed at the same time.?
For me last night was bittersweet. Yes, I am glad that Obama won. I am proud that this country made the right decision. But I'm also so sad that California has chosen to oppress a group of people. It's not protecting marriage or children or religious freedom; it's using those things to discriminate against others. That is the problem.

I have no words

I cannot accurately express how proud I am of the this country. We have our first Black/African-American President of the United States of America and I have no words.

Decisions

So I've been trying to cool my rage at people who are voting yes on Proposition 8. I mean really trying. I've tried to understand their side of it beyond the God hates gays and the our precious children will be scarred arguments. All it's been leaving me with is that they don't have anything to stand on beyond these arguments. People are using their religions and their children to justify their bigotry and hatred. I think the commercial narrated by Samuel L. Jackson says it best in that it displays the Great State of California's misguided views of "the other".
To take away anyone's rights is one of the worst things that can be done. Speaking as a black woman I cannot espouse anything that supports discrimination or bigotry of any group. The same God the "Yes on 8" people frequently quote also said that we are called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and that all people are made equal in his sight. I can't possibly judge anyone's choices, lifestyle or anything of that nature. That's NOT my job. My duty as a Christian is to love the Lord God and to love my neighbor as myself. That is what I'm supposed to do.
My mom always says that you shouldn't judge someone unless you are prepared to be judged in that same fashion. I don't want to be judged for the way I live my life. I don't want to be judged for how I was born. I don't want to be judged for the choices and mistakes that I have made. The only person I'm prepared to have make judgment calls on me is God and last time I checked I'm not standing at the gates yet.

Life Goals List

This is my list of things I would like to accomplish within my lifetime. I most certainly hope I can complete it:

• Watch all 32 professional football teams play at their home stadiums (2 down, 30 to go).
• Get Master's Degree in Social Work
• Find the forever kind of love
• Sell (at least) one photo
• Go to Greece
• Make a Wedding Cake
• Visit Jamie and family in Washington, D.C.
• See Jakob Dylan/The Wallflowers live
• Get a dog and house train it
• Raise $25,000 for a charity
• Figure out if I'm going to get my JD

That's all I can think of now... I'll be back when there are more.

Edit to add:

• Get certificate in Pastry
• Own house (doesn't have to be big or anything, just mine)