33

Last night, Margie gave me the sweetest birthday gift of all: nearly 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. She's started occasionally dropping her midnight feeding, which means that she sleeps from around 8pm to 4:30am before needing to eat. Now, she was hungry (so hungry) when she woke up at 4:45, but eventually that will stretch longer and longer, I'm told, and she'll just wake up ravenous at her normal 7:30am wakeup time :)  I fully expect her to wake up at midnight to eat tonight, which is fine. I'm following her lead and (somehow) cherishing these little middle of the night moments we spend together. But if her lead means that she starts sleeping longer? Ok by me. And if we plateau here, and eventually I need to sleep more, and we have to train her not to eat overnight? We'll deal with that then. For now, it's manageable, and I'm hopeful that the fact that she's done this twice in the last week is a sign of change to come. Wow, it's easy to get sidetracked by baby sleep talk.

Anyway. I turned 33 today. And I'm feeling more like giving back than anything else. It's a real shit time for our country, and I realize how lucky I am to be relatively sheltered from the mess. It's a position of privilege, to be able to look at it, read about it, and go back to my little life where not much has changed. I am very, very lucky. Hashtag blessed.

Between Planned Parenthood, supporting refugee families, rides to support the environment, and friends dealing with unexpected medical expenses (how is it acceptable in this country that people have to crowdfund their cancer treatments?!), opportunities to help are definitely out there. And I'm trying to make a dent wherever I can. If you can, I urge you to as well. Disqus (where I work) gives the option for employee birthdays to have an edible/drinkable item to share with the office, or a donation to the cause of your choice. This year, I put my birthday funds towards Planned Parenthood.

It's just little things - I still have a family to look out for, and I'm not about to win any philanthropist of the year awards or anything...but it's nice to reflect on what I have and am able to provide for my family, and give something to people who aren't so lucky. Giving is a luxury I'm glad I have.

Give to yourself. Give to others. Do what you can. <3

Roger

I'd like to introduce you to Roger.

Nick Dazé has been a good friend of mine for more than 10 years now, and I am proud to have been a small part of helping this book happen.  Please take a minute to watch the video and check out the Kickstarter page for more information about how you can get this book published (and get a copy)!

If you're in the mood for some social media, check out Roger on Twitter and Facebook and spread the word!

Nicko, I will be your editor forever if it means getting to work on projects like these. So proud of you and this project.

Le Politics

We are catching up on about a week's worth of Colbert and Stewart, and I've finally started catching up with The New Yorker, and, well, I'm not living under a rock right now.  So of course, my head is spinning with all the ridiculousness that is the Republican Primaries.

I'm not going to go into why I think these Republican candidates are all major jokers, but I am going to list out some bullet points. Questions, statements, notions, whathaveyou...things that just blow my mind.  Oh, and I'm not going back to edit, because what's the point of a rant if you go back and edit afterwards?

Rant: begin

• If you don't want to have an abortion, don't have an abortion.  Don't force someone to have a child they don't want, whether she was abused, raped, or otherwise unable to give her consent OR she just didn't want to have a child.  Women are simply not running out to get abortions right and left because that's more convenient than using contraception.  Making abortion illegal will not stop abortions; it will just stop abortions from happening safely, putting more women in harm's way.  So shut up about it already.  I don't care about your religious beliefs.  You certainly don't care about mine.  So get out of my body.
• If you don't like gay marriage, don't get gay married.  If you believe that two men or two women in a loving, consensual relationship are doing more harm to "The Institution of Marriage" or "Family Values" than a man who is on his third wife after cheating on the first two while they were ill (ahemnewtgingrichahem) or a woman who marries a clueless basketball player because she's afraid her sisters are more grown up than she is, spends a quajillion dollars on a very public wedding for her TV show, and then divorces the poor sucker a couple months later (kimkardashianyouareadisgracetothenamekimbutsomehowistillpayattentiontoyou)...well, then you're an idiot.  It's fine to believe that your God doesn't believe in gay marriage.  It's fine to privately believe it's wrong (you'll be close-minded and on the wrong side of history, but you are entitled to your beliefs).  It is not fine to treat people like second-class citizens because of their sexual preferences.  It is not fine to pretend that someone else's happy, loving marriage in any way devalues your own. 
• Just in general, keep your religious beliefs out of politics. It drives me batty when politicians are favored because they let God guide them through their decisions.  Hello! Last time I checked, we had a separation of Church and State, and we are a country made up of people with many different religious beliefs!  Since when does the Christian God get to make decisions for the rest of us?  I want a leader that does not make decisions for this country based on his or her religious beliefs, but on his or her rational, logical decision-making skills, and actual knowledge of politics and foreign affairs.  Weird, I know.
• On that note, I don't want people in positions of power in areas about which they know nothing.  See this clip from The Daily Show if you don't know what I'm talking about.  Too lazy?  Ok.  How about how the fine gentlemen in charge of internet legislation having no idea how the internet works?  How about old white men claiming to be the best experts in women's reproductive issues? 

Those are my main gripes for now.  Political rant over.  For now...

That Video

Everyone and their mother is talking about this video, where Congressman Barney Frank puts a terrifyingly ridiculous woman in her place. I thought I'd share it here for those of you who somehow use my blog as a source for news. I don't know why you would...but in case you missed this elsewhere, here it is. PS- for the sake of giving credit where credit's due, I got it from Elon's blog.

Yet Another "I Love Obama" Moment

Just see this article from NPR, where Obama writes a note for a little girl who missed school to see him speak. Yeah, he also talks some politics, but that's not the point of the video. Oh, Obama, you are too charming for words.

Happy Inauguration Day!

I hope everyone out there has a chance to watch the Inauguration events today, whether you attended in person, watched it at work, or recorded it somehow to watch later. I'm sure every media source is streaming or posting videos all day long, so if you missed any of the action, it shouldn't be hard to find! And the official website of the White House, www.whitehouse.gov, has been updated. What a great day for America!

Aretha's performance of My Country Tis of Thee made me teary, despite the cheesy montage. Watch it here if you missed it. CBS News also has a lot of content if you're bored at work or tired of studying. And, um, also...I love that Malia was taking pictures the whole time...I'm sure those will get published in a book at some point.

The Boy took this picture on the UC Berkeley campus this morning

Map Gadget

I'm embedding this gadget, with live updating results right here on my blog, for anyone who wants to stay updated but wants to avoid the major news sites. You can get it for yourself or get more information here.

Tavi!

I don't know who this girl is, but she's awesome. Found her through Emily's Shared Items, and am loving her. What a smart kid. Check out the video below, and her blog too if you like.


Untitled from Tavi G on Vimeo.

Election Day!!!

Well, folks, this is it. It is already a ridiculously historic election, and results haven't even come in yet. Well, except for that awesome little (tiny!) town in North East New Hampshire called Dixville Notch - that is all about Obama! The first Democratic landslide since the 1960's! Change We Need!

I don't want to jinx it, but it's looking good so far for the big O. I'm going to be on pins and needles, anxious all day until we know for sure...which honestly, probably won't be until tomorrow morning. I hope it's such an overwhelming landslide that we know for certain tonight though!!! I can't wait anymore!

Observations so far...and it's only 8:00am:

• Polls in Berkeley opened at 7am. At 7:45am we drove past a building that I didn't even know was a polling place, and the line had already stretched out the door and wrapped around the block! My mom called from the Elementary School in Topanga Canyon, CA where she teaches, and said this is the first time EVER that there has been a line at the school's polling station, and she's worked there for 16 years! It's exciting to me that people are SO motivated, SO excited to get out there and vote, that even in hippie towns like Berkeley and Topanga Canyon - even in an obviously blue California - people are making their voices heard. There has, in the past, been an attitude of "my vote doesn't matter; California is going to vote Democrat anyway," but not this year!!!
• Obama's volunteers are STILL getting out the vote! The Boy and I were making calls until 9pm last night, first to our Dems in swing states (Colorado last night, having called Florida on Sunday) and then to local volunteers to recruit people to make calls all day today from the Mega Phone Bank in Oakland. And even by 9pm last night, there were around 50 people at the HQ, and more across the street at the Prop FF office who was letting us use their space. Not once have I been there and seen it even close to empty. On Sunday afternoon, I drove by the HQ (don't worry, I phone banked all morning!), and not only was it PACKED with people inside, but folks were spilling out onto the sidewalk, sitting on the ground and making calls. Same goes for the FF office AND the Inner City Services office down the street. It's been unbelievable so far to be a part of this campaign, and I can only imagine what it must be like to be able to devote all of your time to it (like my friend Miranda, who has been working in Ohio for the last few months)!
• People are PUMPED! Even people who have never voted before, even those in their 70's and 80's (and older!) are voting this time around. There's just this universal sense that this is a uniquely important time in our lives and it's time to step up and exercise our right to vote!

I may not have time to blog throughout the day, but you can bet that I will be sharing things that I'm reading - with commentary! So exciting, I know!


So to everyone out there who's listening: stay tuned, hang in there, and make a last effort to reach out to voters in those battleground states! You can call from home, from the office, from the park - all you need is a phone! Just pick a state and start calling!

But seriously, VOTE!

I finally got around to watching this, and am re-posting it everywhere I can.

Oh, and PS

I submitted my absentee ballot today!

This time Tuesday, we may just know who our next President will be...so get out there and VOTE!

Also, I know I mentioned them earlier, but they're worth mentioning again. Margaret and Helen. Check 'em out.

Political Pumpkin! ...and a super-cute standard one too!

The Boy and I (finally) carved pumpkins tonight, and I have to say, they . look . AWESOME!!!!!

I used a stencil from Yes We Carve

Illuminated!

Artsy!

They look even better in person...come on by on Halloween and check 'em out! Wooooooo! By the way, I am really excited - even though I don't *technically* have a costume yet. Oh well. I have a bucket full of candy, and I'm ready for fun!

The Most Awesome Kids

Chrissie sent me this video, and it is awesome.



Also, check out this blog. Only if you want to read the awesome political rants of some hip old ladies.

Awesome.

um, duh...

So, I forgot to mention one VERY CRUCIAL thing that I am doing tonight - besides carving political pumpkins - FILLING OUT MY ABSENTEE BALLOT!

I am going to sit down with the large and in charge voter information pamphlet and my sample ballot and mark it all up! Only when I have filled out my sample ballot and am 100% certain I won't mess up will I put a pen to the real thing. Messing up is costly, as I found out during the primaries...not that it makes a huge difference here in CA, but it takes a LONG time to get a new absentee ballot if you mess up on the first one.

And I'm not gonna risk it!

Mail your absentee ballots by Saturday to make sure they get in by EOD Tuesday! And go out there and Get Out The Vote!

Not sure where your polling place is? www.maps.google.com/vote

Only 5 days left!!!

No on 8

My buddy Cheshire, fed up with the current "No on 8" ads that he feels are not getting the point across, made his own ad. It's pretty strong...check it out.

Videos Politicos

Great videos that Emily shared...

An Obama supporter from Ohio...


The Obamas discuss dressing on a budget...

Click here to watch one where he stands up for his dance moves, and makes a funny joke.

Palin doesn't know what a pre-condition is...


And here's a pretty good No on 8 Ad...

I know I don't usually get too political...but...

The next (less than!) two weeks are pretty important. There's this election coming up, you know, the outcome of which could really change this country for the better. Yeah, yeah, I know that politicians promise a lot of things that don't always happen, but I have to believe that Barack Obama has the right intentions and the right kind of support (like, say, from most of the world) and mostly, the right attitude. What this country needs is someone who believes in hope and equality and helping people and not starting wars for all the wrong reasons and education and giving people the right to choose! And yes, you all have the right to choose who you want to vote for, and what propositions you're behind and all that...so no matter who you're voting for, I urge you to get out there and find your polling place and just do it!

And I have to add that if you feel really strongly pro-Obama, or even a little strongly, volunteer with Obama's campaign! This election is too close right now, and with just under two weeks to go, now is the time to get off your couches and do something about it. It doesn't take much -- you don't have to quit your job or drive to another state or knock on doors or even buy anything. Stop by your local headquarters (mine is here) and ask what they need help with. Chances are, they need people to call the registered voters in swing states and just ask if they've decided who they're voting for. If they say Obama, remind them where their polling place is and mostly just encourage them to vote! Tell them what I'm telling you - that every vote counts, and we need those votes!

If you're not comfortable calling people, you can do data entry (I entered the results from those phone calls, as well as the contact information of new volunteers last night!) or help set up at an event, or bring food to the callers, or print up fliers...the opportunities to get involved are endless! But the point is that we need your help.

If you have even an hour after work over the next two weeks (two weeks! that's it!) that you could spend volunteering instead of watching TV, know that it could just make the difference this country needs!

I've been devouring a lot of articles, blogs, photos, reports and such lately, so check out my shared items to see what I've been reading if you're interested. Big props to Emily, who is the main source of my political information online.

Vote!

I say this a lot, but I have some really awesome friends.

Vote!

The awesome Brett wants you to vote!

Back to Back

Ok I KNOW it's a lot of videos lately, but I've been just going crazy, and Palin is driving me crazy. Here's a little back-to-back SNL-to-real-interview action for you. See if YOU'RE not terrified. Or disgusted. Or both.