An Excerpt from Panem st Circenses

"Do not call them Muslims. That gives them legitimacy. Do not call them Jews, or Christians, or Muslims; call them what they are. Call them terrorists. Terrorism has no religion."
--Dr. Gamal

Donatella Moss

"Actually, Josh, when I said I was assigned to you, I may have been overstating it a little.

Okay, when I said I graduated, I may have been overstating a little.

Look, I think I can be good at this. I think you might find me valuable."



So I was poking around on change.gov and found out that you can apply to work at the White House. And what I really mean is that I found out how to apply to be Donna Moss and Margaret, and Ginger....

You know what? Let's do it. Lets drop everything and go work for our government. Lets go and live in a West Wing episode. (I hope it's as much fun as Sorkin made it look on tv)

An American Moment: My Inspiring Story Submitted to Change.gov

For as long as I can remember being interested in politics I have yearned for the political dialogue of the past, believing that oratory and exchange of ideas was no longer eloquent or inspiring in contemporary politics. I longed for the speeches of the Kennedy brothers, wishing their speech writers would magically become young again and eager to inspire. I dreamed of what it would have been like to be in the same room as Lincoln or Jefferson as they gave resounding voice to our dreams and hopes as a nation; to be in awe as FDR healed our wounds. Perhaps it is a characteristic of our generation to be jaded and cynical for I believed that modern politics consisted of nothing more than going through the motions.

When I turned on the Democratic National Convention in hopes of learning more about a candidate that I admittedly knew very little about, a candidate whom I was supporting simply because I didn't like the other guy and my candidate had already been knocked out of the running, I was wary, worried that once again we had a cookie cutter candidate. I was wrong. Never in my life have I been so inspired by my contemporaries. Never has my heart been so filled with hope and confidence. In an era where attack ads are king and violence plagues the news I heard in the voices of those speaking a glimpse of the past, a reflection of the hearts and minds of a nation. I heard passion, inspiration, hope, and most of all I heard truth. I believed what was being spoken. I believed those whom I never thought I would believe, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Senator Teddy Kennedy, Senator Barack Obama, and Michelle Obama. I wanted to grab a sign and shout at the top of my lungs that this is what our nation has been lacking; this is what politics should be! In an era where politics mostly focuses on the negative, I, for the first time as an eligible voter, felt positive about my choice for president.

I like many others watched the news, read the internet, and researched looking for every bit of new information about the presidential campaign. Where did the candidates stand on the economy, foreign policy, education, civil rights? I watched as Joe Six Pack and Joe the Plumber were introduced, thankful that my candidate wasn’t either. For me he represented so much more. He represented America, the perfect embodiment of the American dream. The son of an immigrant raised in modest means that aspired and worked hard, all the while thinking of his fellow man, someone who was intelligent and not afraid to be so. Shouldn’t we wish for an extraordinary person in the White House?

Election night friends gathered around the television to watch the coverage, coloring in our own electoral maps as the results came in over the major news stations. We’d flip from one to the next since they all were reporting at different speeds. We passed out cupcakes with our candidate’s logo in frosting and cheered out loud when the results favored Senator Obama. I knew in my heart after Pennsylvania and Ohio were called that Senator Barack Obama would become President – Elect Obama once the West Coast’s came in. We cheered and popped Champaign, hugged, and cried as we not only witnessed history in the making but participated in it.

That night I was filled with a fierce hope and pride as I listened to both Senator John McCain’s concession speech and President – Elect Obama’s acceptance speech. They reflected the spirit of America, an America that is tired of red states and blue states. For the first time in my life I felt a part of something greater than myself. For the first time I felt we wouldn’t be lying to our children when we say “You can be anything you dream to be.”

It Grew Strength From the Young People Who Rejected the Myth of Their Generation's Apathy ...

"Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope." ~ President Elect Barack Obama.













(The electoral Map as of 6:55 a.m. November 5, 2008)

Dear America

Hey, America! I could care less who you vote for. Just vote!

I'm not going to preach about which candidate you should or shouldn't vote for, you can make up your own mind. That's the beautiful thing about being an American. But I am going to tell you to get out and rock the vote tomorrow. Get off your butts and show up to your polling station! What's a chunk out of your Tuesday once every four years? Nothing! It's time we as women and young people and everyone else stop being passive about our government and take charge! This is our right as a citizen of this country and it's about time we start exercising it. People all over the world have given their lives in the struggle to vote freely and countless more will. Think government isn't about you? How many of you have student loans to pay? How many have credit-card debt? How many want clean air and clean water and civil liberties? How many want jobs? How many want kids? How many want their kids to go to good schools and walk on safe streets? Decisions are made by those who show up! You gotta rock the vote!

"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for, at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
~Senator Paul Wellstone

Tell Me What You Really Think, America.

Click on the image to make it readable. It's worth it. Trust me.

Apparently All The Grown - Ups Have Gone Home

Upon returning from a business trip in Malaysia Cat, a co-worker of mine, presented me with a beautiful pashmina in hues of warm honey, chrome blue, and woven florals. I don't know how she found it, but it screams me, right down to the metallic silver threads that twinkle when the light catches it just right. I decided to wear my pashmina to work, determined that it be worn for more than just keeping warm on the bus. That's where it all began.

Throughout the day I was showered with compliments about my pashmina and, of course, this made me feel great and international considering my earrings were from Prague and the Pashmina from Malaysia. Well in addition to the compliments John, another co-worker, made it known that the way I was wearing afore mentioned pashmina reminded him of a fighter pilot. He also proceded to tease me about it. The bantering back in forth between he and I that ensued continued throughout the day and eventually came to (what I thought was) a hilarious climax.

3:45 p.m. the office is quiet. Most of the senior administrative types are at meetings...
The community printer located in my cubicle begins to groan to life.

John: (from his cubicle which is next to mine) " Hey Bridget, could you grab that document for me and just hand it over the wall? I'm being lazy.

Me: "Sure thing." (Cross over to printer)







This prints out -







I bust out laughing and stagger over to the cubicle wall that separates John and I and demand an explanation as he stands up (taller than the wall) and gives a huge grin.

John: "I thought it was appropriate."

Me: (Handing the picture over the cubicle wall behind me) Lee, check this out! This is what John thinks I look like!

Lee: (chucking her aviator glasses over the cubicle wall) "Here put these on."

Me: (turning to John's cubicle and posing like the above picture) "Here how about now?" I siad through stifled giggles.

John: (Busts out laughing) That's brilliant!

We all start laughing and Lee says from her cubicle, "Apparently all the grown-ups have gone home."

We continued to laugh...