It's time

It's time for a change. It's time to take responsibility for our actions. It's time to take responsibility for those who need our help. It's time for diplomacy. It's time for love. And most importantly, it's time to find hope, even in the places where there doesn't seem to be any left.

Politics are in season

As much as the candidates on both sides of the line have spoken about changing politics and reforming Washington, this is turning into the most divisive, polarizing campaign in quite some time. Granted, this will only be the fourth time I've been able to vote in a presidential election, but the "water-cooler" talk allows for no middle ground.

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that I'm an Obama supporter. I can't envision a time in the foreseeable future where I would vote republican. But I also would not call myself a democrat because there are many things in the democratic party that I disagree with (but there are few things in the republican party with which I agree). This time, though, I'm inspired by the democratic candidate. I'm voting *for* someone, not against the republican. I'm encourage by the promise of a new kind of politics, by a person who thinks before he speaks, by someone who believes in diplomacy, by someone who voted AGAINST the war!

We desperately need this as a country, both because of the policies Obama wants to enact, but maybe more importantly, because it's time for a large population of people, who have been disenfranchised since the birth of our nation, to have a voice. The time of the old, white politician will not end, but the time of the non-white politician will be born. When all groups are represented, only then will the needs of our country as a whole be addressed.

And yet, as I watched the RNC last night I was profoundly disturbed. Not because of the personal attacks launched by the speakers. This is a form of campaigning that has been successful in recent decades, so why quit now? I was disturbed because people buy it. Because people laughed and jeered when the fact was brought up that Obama was a community organizer. When did this become something negative? Obama spent years of his life helping those less fortunate try to get back on their feet, to empower them to help themselves, and an entire convention of people LAUGHS? What does that say about us as a people?

I sat on my couch, watching the TV, feeling utterly and totally helpless and defeated. We do not have to agree on the policies it will take to get to a better America. In all likelihood, neither party is completely right about anything. But, are we so far gone that we can't agree that there is a lot of common ground on where we want to go? And if so, is name calling and jeering going to get us there?

Lest we forget that less than 250 years ago, most of our ancestors were foreigners, coming to this country to make something for themselves. Many of them were given land or purchased it through land grants, making it accessible to those who came here with virtually nothing. This is a country of immigrants, a country that was founded on the ideals that anyone can make it if they work hard.

When it becomes acceptable to laugh at those trying to help their fellow man, how can we possibly dig ourselves out? I'm concerned that we have landed in a place that is so far removed from what our founding fathers envisioned that it's too late to go back. Of course it is natural to evolve as a country. We should. The global economy, the pressures we face as a nation, could not have in any way been anticipated centuries ago. But the vision of our Democratic country that is championed as a mainstay of our identity as Americans by conservatives and democrats alike, has become nothing more than rhetoric.

Long time, no talk

I guess I haven't blogged in awhile. So, quick synopsis...

I moved into my house. I love it, although things are progressing more slowly than I had intended. I haven't had a housewarming party yet--I haven't even unpacked most of my boxes. But, I didn't want to sacrifice training time, so this is how it's going to be. I'm ok with it, I just kind of wish everything were done already.

I finally bought a new bike, after about 2 months of no bike. It's a used Cervelo, but I LOVE it. I'm still getting used to everything, the gears are in a different place, the handlebars are different, and it actually fits! I'm so excited. Today I've been contemplating what race I want to do. I had originally thought I would like to race a 1/2 ironman this year, but without a bike, I had abandoned that idea. But, now I'm back to contemplating. I know I won't be as fast as I would have been had I been training all summer, but I think I can do it.

I will post more pictures here and on my flickr page soon of the house and other summer pics.

who needs underwear?

Last night I came home to find that Larkin had taken every single pair of underwear out of my laundry basket (I've been living out of laundry baskets until I move), and alternately chewed them up, eaten them, and hidden them around the house. I found underwear hidden in three different rooms in about six different places. She was so neurotic about it that she made the top of her nose bleed from trying to bury them. Of course, she ruined all the good pair and left the granny pants in one piece.

This is why dogs are better than men...

Because they don't get married and then hit on single women anyway.

Home

I'm closing on my house in exactly one week. I'm SO excited, but nervous at the same time. I have no furniture (except a bed), no silverware, no flatware...pretty much nothing. And that amounts to a lot of money...but, I'll make due and pick up things along the way. The important part is that I'll have a roof over my head, I won't be paying rent, and have my dogs. The rest will fall into place eventually.

This is a picture:

I also start my second class for grad school next week (it technically starts this week, but I'll be out of town). Hopefully I'll get more into the swing of things. The final paper I had to write for my last class was a nightmare--I hadn't had to do that in many years. It's kind of like riding a bike, though.

Home inspection tomorrow...

Keep your fingers and toes (and anything else that you can cross) crossed!

I'm going to put a bid in on a house. I'm going to go sign the paperwork in about 15 minutes and I'm nervous, and excited, and every other emotion you can imagine.

Even 6 months ago, I never thought there was even a chance that I would be able to buy a house any time in the near future. But, apparently, I can (or so the mortgage brokers say), even though I did a bang-up job screwing up my credit after college.

The house is fairly small (about 950 sq feet), which is fine by me because that means there will be less to heat and cool, and since it's just me and the dogs, I don't need much more. The people who lived there before had a nice garden in the back, so I will be excited to see what grows in in the spring if I get the house!

It's on the "wrong" side of the freeway, but I have friends who live over there, and they seem to manage just fine. Most people that I know, that are around my age, can't afford to live in Clintonville anymore, so many are choosing to buy to this side of the freeway. Plus, I'm sure the Rotties will do their fair share to deter people from coming too close to the house. The neighborhood is called Weldon Park. How British :)

I'm so excited about the possibility of dinner parties and cookouts when the weather is warmer. And I can't wait to paint everything exactly what I want! (Never mind that I have absolutely no furniture except for a matress...I'll just sit on the dogs beds for awhile!)

OSU is too big, it's really freaking cold, and other non-related issues

I moved out of Chris's (my) house right before Christmas. I stayed with my mom for a couple of weeks, but that was something of a challenge. The main problem was the dogs. I have two, she has two, which makes 4 and they don't all love each other unconditionally. Plus, I'm pretty much my mom's clone (which used to bother me, but as an adult, I've decided there isn't a much better person to be like) and that means we tend to butt heads--a lot. Two headstrong women in the same house = tension.

So, now I'm living at my grandma's house. No one lives there except my cousin who has an apartment over the garage. Why doesn't he live in the house, you ask? Because he says he's seen ghosts in the house. I, thank goodness, have not seen any yet. Staying out there is GREAT! In fact, I'm getting nervous that I'll never want to leave. I know the dogs won't. It's in Dublin, so it's not too far away from anything, but there are 22 acres for my dogs to explore, a creek for them to wade through (as long as it's not frozen like it is now--15 degrees this morning!), and deer and coyotes to trail.

I'm going to buy a house which is scary and intimidating and exciting all at once. Of course, it won't be a huge place and I can't afford to live in Grandview or Clintonville like I would prefer, but that will give me something to aim for. I've been looking for about a month and a half now. I'm starting to narrow it down, but it kind of feels like a crap shoot. Everyone tells me to be patient, so I try to keep that in the back of my mind.

I started grad school, sort of. They screwed up my admission, so now I don't know if the class I've been attending for 4 weeks is actually going to count for anything. It's a really long story, but suffice to say, OSU is huge and there is way too much red tape, too many departments, and too many people telling me different and competing information.

All-in-all, things are good. My dogs have been lifesavers. It's nice to come home to them every night. I talk to them like they are people, which is a habit that I'll have to break if I want to socialize like a normal human being.