Please welcome to the blogroll 3 blogs I like to peruse daily, Walk in Brain, Bartlet for America, and Bluegrass Roots to the Links section at right.
Walk in Brain comes out of Cincinnati by my fellow MSU alum Wes, and is a great site for the political junkie and music lover living in these parts.
Bartlet for America is from Georgetown, by another fellow MSU alum Tom, and is a quite entertaining mixed bag of commentary.
Bluegrass Roots is from right here in Lexington and is by its description, "A Blue Blog in a Red State". Get all your local Democratic politics right here.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Monday, September 20, 2004
Road Trip
I was finally granted my promised time off from work Thursday & Friday last week, so Josh and I went to see John Edwards in Portsmouth, Ohio on Thursday, September 16. Since there was still no word on Louisville, up to the motherland (for me) we went.
Disclosure: I was born in Troy, Ohio, spent a few years in Tipp City, Ohio, and moved to grand Mt. Sterling, KY when I was nearly six. So, I am indeed a damn yankee, if y'all consider Kentucky the South.
Back to the trip. The free tickets I printed from the Kerry/Edwards site said gates opened at 11:30 a.m. We arrived just before then and was greeted to a line wrapped around a city block to get into the gate. We made it through the minimal security (a child was even checking purses) and ended up around the middle-back of the crowd.
This was my first political rally, and it was a lot of fun. There were many local and regional politicians revving up the crowd for the first hour, and large, posterboard-sized signs stating "A Stronger America Begins At Home" were passed around, of one I got. Music was played between speeches and a lot of happy, chatty Democrats crowded together in the middle of town waiting anxiously for the main event. I could see the lights from the bus first and eventually saw John Edwards himself waving to the crowd. My view was horrid at the beginning, but then some people wanted out of the crowd, and once people had to shift, I had a great view until the end. He spoke about unemployment, health care, and how Bush's plans just don't work. He was quite the eloquent speaker with his Southern drawl and down home stories that really helped him relate to the Portsmouth crowd. I'm really happy I got to see him on the campaign trail. I even came away with a cool Kerry/Edwards button.
We came home with a side trip to my alma mater, Morehead State University. They've done some great renovations on campus, including a grand update to the student center, ADUC, and have removed part of the main road through campus to make way for a nice courtyard in front of ADUC. I noticed a lot of the buildings had some renovations too, including some quite noticeable ones on Combs Building, where I spent the majority of my time. I'm glad to see MSU in such great shape. Its a wonderful school, and U.S. News & World Report thinks so too.
Disclosure: I was born in Troy, Ohio, spent a few years in Tipp City, Ohio, and moved to grand Mt. Sterling, KY when I was nearly six. So, I am indeed a damn yankee, if y'all consider Kentucky the South.
Back to the trip. The free tickets I printed from the Kerry/Edwards site said gates opened at 11:30 a.m. We arrived just before then and was greeted to a line wrapped around a city block to get into the gate. We made it through the minimal security (a child was even checking purses) and ended up around the middle-back of the crowd.
This was my first political rally, and it was a lot of fun. There were many local and regional politicians revving up the crowd for the first hour, and large, posterboard-sized signs stating "A Stronger America Begins At Home" were passed around, of one I got. Music was played between speeches and a lot of happy, chatty Democrats crowded together in the middle of town waiting anxiously for the main event. I could see the lights from the bus first and eventually saw John Edwards himself waving to the crowd. My view was horrid at the beginning, but then some people wanted out of the crowd, and once people had to shift, I had a great view until the end. He spoke about unemployment, health care, and how Bush's plans just don't work. He was quite the eloquent speaker with his Southern drawl and down home stories that really helped him relate to the Portsmouth crowd. I'm really happy I got to see him on the campaign trail. I even came away with a cool Kerry/Edwards button.
We came home with a side trip to my alma mater, Morehead State University. They've done some great renovations on campus, including a grand update to the student center, ADUC, and have removed part of the main road through campus to make way for a nice courtyard in front of ADUC. I noticed a lot of the buildings had some renovations too, including some quite noticeable ones on Combs Building, where I spent the majority of my time. I'm glad to see MSU in such great shape. Its a wonderful school, and U.S. News & World Report thinks so too.
Monday, September 13, 2004
A new view
I've mentioned my S.O. on here a couple of times, but not by name. His name is Josh, and he will be offering his opinions here whenever the mood hits him. I think he also needs a blog of his own (he was quite vocal in me starting mine), but I'll let him shack up here as long as he wants. Josh is a Georgetown College and UK Law grad and quite political (Democrat, of course). He's living in Mt. Sterling, our hometown, and I'm sure he'll be blogging about local issues as well as regional and national. Also look out for music and book posts from him too, he may veer off the political path on rare occasions.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Garden State
My S.O. and I went to see Garden State a few weeks ago, and it is a great movie, if you haven't seen it, go now. Before I saw it, I knew "that guy from Scrubs" Zach Braff wrote, directed, and stars in it, and that it is called "The Graduate for this generation". I like Scrubs and I like Zach Braff and Natalie Portman and what little I had heard about it, made me want to see it. Then I hear that one of my favorite, now defunct, bands is on the soundtrack: Remy Zero. The rumor is that the soundtrack started out as a mix cd he made for the cast to feel the mood of the film, then they started asking for the rights of the songs to be in the movie, and then eventually a terrific soundtrack. I also found out that Zach Braff has taken to blogging. It is humorous and humble and definitely worth the read.
Then I saw the movie. Wow. It does speak to our generation. Its beautiful, intelligent, witty, heartbreaking, sharp, dark, bright...I could go on and on. I came out of the theater a twist of emotions. My head was humming. Then I remembered that I had heard it described as a movie for all those twenty-somethings that don't quite know what to do with their lives. Well, that's me, even though I'm scarily close to exiting my 20's, and that's my S.O., and that's like a lot of people I know. Do any of us really feel like we're doing what we dreamed we would be doing, or did we just happen into it? I do know some people who I actually think are in their "dream profession" but I think that a lot of us are just doing what we do because it was all there was at the moment, and I am definitely in that group. Some people work to work, they love their work, and some people work so they can play. Here's to those who feel like they are playing when they work because they are lucky indeed.
Then I saw the movie. Wow. It does speak to our generation. Its beautiful, intelligent, witty, heartbreaking, sharp, dark, bright...I could go on and on. I came out of the theater a twist of emotions. My head was humming. Then I remembered that I had heard it described as a movie for all those twenty-somethings that don't quite know what to do with their lives. Well, that's me, even though I'm scarily close to exiting my 20's, and that's my S.O., and that's like a lot of people I know. Do any of us really feel like we're doing what we dreamed we would be doing, or did we just happen into it? I do know some people who I actually think are in their "dream profession" but I think that a lot of us are just doing what we do because it was all there was at the moment, and I am definitely in that group. Some people work to work, they love their work, and some people work so they can play. Here's to those who feel like they are playing when they work because they are lucky indeed.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Annoyance
So, yesterday I read in the Lexington Herald Leader that John Edwards will be coming to Louisville on September 16. Great, I think, I really want to hear him speak. The article says he will probably attend a fundraiser and speak at a public event. Today I get an email from my S.O. asking if I had heard any more about the event since I had emailed him about it yesterday. Directly above his email in my inbox reads the subject line "John Edwards in Lexington". I immediately click it open, quite hopeful, and find out it is from local bookstore chain Joseph Beth announcing the appearance of John Edward, of Crossing Over fame. They got me good. I didn't even glance at the sender of the message.
So I proceed to find out some more information on this visit from our illustrious Veep candidate. I am amazed at the total lack of information on this subject. I find an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal that says basically the same thing as the one in the HL, but has the addition that "his itinerary hasn't been completed". Perhaps that is why there is nothing to be found. I go to johnkerry.com, and all I find is house parties and the like in the Louisville zip code, which is all I ever find in the Cincy and Lex zip codes as well. Even when I know they're going to be in Cincy, nothing is listed on their site until after it has happened. I am a strong supporter of Kerry/Edwards, but my big annoyance with their campaign is that I cannot find out when and where they will be speaking. I know Kentucky is not a battleground state, and I don't expect them to make many appearances here. But I do know that Ohio is one, and I am willing to travel to the Cincy and Dayton area to hear these men speak. I have friends in Cincy and family in Dayton, but really, they're mere day trips from here. I've also checked every politiblog I can think of to see if anyone out there cares, and it seems no one does.
Am I just missing something? Not looking in the right place? Is a week before the appearance too early to be investigating? I would love to attend whatever public event John Edwards might be attending, but as a working woman with an 8-5 (at least) job, this is going to require some time off since the event is 70 miles away. So, my question to the grand universe is: "Does anyone have any information on this event?" Any tidbit would be most appreciated.
UPDATE: Finally, I've figured out how to see what events are coming up instead of just seeing what's been done on the Kerry/Edwards site. If you click the "On the Road" link on the front page showing where they've been, it will take you to more details of that, but it will also show you where they are going under the tickets section. Louisville is still not up, but at least now I know where to look.
So I proceed to find out some more information on this visit from our illustrious Veep candidate. I am amazed at the total lack of information on this subject. I find an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal that says basically the same thing as the one in the HL, but has the addition that "his itinerary hasn't been completed". Perhaps that is why there is nothing to be found. I go to johnkerry.com, and all I find is house parties and the like in the Louisville zip code, which is all I ever find in the Cincy and Lex zip codes as well. Even when I know they're going to be in Cincy, nothing is listed on their site until after it has happened. I am a strong supporter of Kerry/Edwards, but my big annoyance with their campaign is that I cannot find out when and where they will be speaking. I know Kentucky is not a battleground state, and I don't expect them to make many appearances here. But I do know that Ohio is one, and I am willing to travel to the Cincy and Dayton area to hear these men speak. I have friends in Cincy and family in Dayton, but really, they're mere day trips from here. I've also checked every politiblog I can think of to see if anyone out there cares, and it seems no one does.
Am I just missing something? Not looking in the right place? Is a week before the appearance too early to be investigating? I would love to attend whatever public event John Edwards might be attending, but as a working woman with an 8-5 (at least) job, this is going to require some time off since the event is 70 miles away. So, my question to the grand universe is: "Does anyone have any information on this event?" Any tidbit would be most appreciated.
UPDATE: Finally, I've figured out how to see what events are coming up instead of just seeing what's been done on the Kerry/Edwards site. If you click the "On the Road" link on the front page showing where they've been, it will take you to more details of that, but it will also show you where they are going under the tickets section. Louisville is still not up, but at least now I know where to look.
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Melange
After much prodding from my friend Wes, I've started a blog. I really don't know what all I will get into here, whatever piques my interest, I suppose. I am a 29 year old woman living in Lexington, KY. I work for a tier 1 supplier to the automotive industry, hereafter known as "greedy bastards". I used to be quite involved in the local music scene, but nearing 30, so many bands are becoming extinct. So, look for my tributes here. And thanks for reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)