All These Things That I've Done

On Mondays, I typically participate in Monday Listicles, which I love.  However, today's theme of things found in your closet....my closet is a tiny hole in the wall.  I live in an old house.  There's not much in there of interest--mainly hanging shirts and a pile of shoes on the floor.  But, I'm still going to participate with a list, just one of a different topic.  I hope you'll forgive my bending of the rules.

Do you have a constant internal dialogue discussing all the things you need to do or should be doing? I do. And yet, there is so much that I have done.

Yesterday I came across an inspiring list created by Kerstin Auer honoring the things she has done. She was prompted by a blogging link-up by Andrea B  Now, I’m inspired.



In lieu of the closet, here's a few things I've done:

*Attended a presidential rally. Forward!

*Saw my favorite rock icons in concert: Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, and U2.

*Traveled from coast to coast to over 25 Dave Matthews Band concerts.

*Met my significant other online—MySpace to be exact.

*Survived two C-sections and was rewarded with two beautiful daughters.

*Survived the terrible twos, twice.

*Put my foot down and said “no” to my daughters several times, surviving the excruciating pain of knowing they were disappointed.

*Watched my oldest daughter star in her middle school musical (oh, the nerves. She did so well).

*Listened in amazement to my younger daughter practice her clarinet. She’s so talented.

*Read many poems of praise written for me by my daughters.

*Tucked in my girls at bedtime most every night for 14 years. 

*Visited Las Vegas three times.

*Traveled to London, Paris, Nice, Florence, and Lucerne.

*Taken the 3 1/2 hour boat tour around Manhattan.

*Saw Bebe Neuwirth play Velma Kelly in the musical Chicago on Broadway.

*Had “the talk” with my daughters. We aren't done, it is ongoing.

*Was runner-up in Junior Miss Ohio in 1987, which allowed me to go to college with the scholarship awards.

*Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Early Child Education in 2012.

*Have had many jobs: cocktail waitress, daycare worker, fitness center manager, pizza server, telemarketer, wardrobe consultant, retail merchandiser, and stay-at-home mom. My favorite has been stay-at-home mom.

*Confronted my perpetrators. I am a survivor of child sexual abuse.

*I've asked for help.

*I've received help.

*Gained and lost 60 pounds.

*Danced with a professional dance company.

*Danced in my living room.

*Gained and lost ten pounds.

*Recovered from an eating disorder.

*Had two photos selected by the Columbus Museum of Art to be included in their Photo Hunt installations.

*Was honored as a BlogHer 2012 Voice of the Year.

*I've been a wife and an ex-wife.

*Lived in Chicago, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Louisiana, Northern California, and now Columbus, Ohio.

*I've done punk rock karaoke.

*I've been to Bonnaroo, twice. And I want to go back!

I leave you with one of my favorite songs, so apropos:

  photo credit: the camera is a toy. via photopin cc

Wordless Wednesday: President Barack Obama

Obama Rally: We Were There

I heard the familiar ringtone at 8:37 a.m.  It took me a second to realize Sophia was calling from downstairs and not from her dad’s house.  I shook M’s shoulder to wake him and alert him of the time.

“Oh, shit,” were his words.  Or maybe that’s what I was thinking.

I crawled out of bed and said hello to Scruffy who was peering out from his kennel with his e-collared, cone-head.  With a tiny sting of guilt, I left him there to attend to my caller.  Once I reached the bottom of the stairs and peaked into Sophia’s room, I heard the question.

“Are we really going, because I don’t want to go?”

At that moment, I didn't want to go either.  In fact, with depression looming, every morning was a challenge—the fight with wanting nothing but to stay in bed was like that annoying feeling of knowing I needed to put gas in the car but of not knowing if I had enough fuel to get out of the driveway.  It didn't help that I knew everyone needed to shower and I had to pack Sophia and her sister, Antonia, for going to their dad's after the event.   

I answered, “Yes, we are going.”

“Should I get in the shower?”

“Yes.”

The girls showered.  I showered.  M took the dogs outside for business.  The girls packed themselves.  

Nationwide Arena

That’s how we made it to downtown Columbus by 10:30 a.m. for the Obama rally. Despite Antonia’s mysterious headache, M’s Sunday Night Football hangover, Sophia’s teenage pleas, and my depressive paralysis, we were there.  Standing under the mid-morning sun with thousands of others, lined up close on the cold, concrete sidewalk, a black mesh gate keeping us at a safe distance from the impressive brick, glass, and metal structure that is Nationwide Arena.

Me, Antonia, and Sophia in line at Nationwide Arena

The doors did not open until noon.

In line, we played I Spy.

We danced the cold away.

We watched the news helicopter.

We tried to identify people who may be Secret Service.

Sophia saw several high school peers, some who came up to her to say "hello," validating her presence at the event.

When the line began to move, we became aware of our bladders and our thirst.  But I was excited.

I said, "Sophia, if you wouldn't have called this morning, we wouldn't be here!  I'm so grateful!"

Her adolescent brain was annoyed by this.  Her real brain was proud.

The line-cutters did not squelch our enthusiasm, nor did being physically scanned by Columbus Police once we got inside.  We followed the herd to our seats and were pumped up by campaign videos and speeches from local officials.  We pledged our allegiance to the flag, held hands for a prayer, and stood for the Star Spangled Banner. Then we waited.  And waited. For what may have been an hour.

After a lullaby of a performance from Bruce Springsteen (I loved it, but it did nothing to wake the girls). . .

. . . Finally. . .

After a rousing, sign-waving raucous from the stage at the opposite end of the arena, Jay-Z introduced President Barack Obama.

They felt it.  They got it.  It was big.

***

Today, I voted to protect their rights.  I voted for moving forward, not for returning to old ideology.

I couldn't answer all the questions after yesterday’s rally at Nationwide Arena:

“Why can’t teenagers vote?"

“What are some good, unbiased things you can tell me about Romney?”

I am still researching the best answers.  But, I know for certain, today my girls understand that the President and honoring our right to vote is a big deal.  I am looking forward to kindling their new fire.

Me, walking from my polling place

Ready to Go O-H-I-O

Source: new.livestream.com via Sperk* on Pinterest

After the 2010 Ohio Gubernatorial Election results were in, I was physically ill.

Shocked. 

Even though the polls indicated a close race between Democratic incumbent Governor Ted Strickland and his opponent John Kasich, I thought the possibility of the people of Ohio allowing a former managing director of Lehman Brothers to reside in the Governor’s mansion was akin to me gaining the super-power-ability to afford my property taxes without selling the silver.

Impossible.

As I tried to fathom how this could happen, I remembered the young man wearing ripped jeans and a Pearl Jam t-shirt who came to my door earlier that summer.  He asked for my support for Governor Strickland, which he received.  However, to the question, “Could you afford a little time to help the campaign?”  I answered, “No.”

When Kasich won the election--when I was ill, shocked and selling my silver--I vowed to say "Yes," to the next person who asked me to help in campaigning for a candidate I support. 

Today in Columbus, President Barack Obama officially launched his campaign for reelection at The Ohio State University.  He opened the Ready to Go Rally by saying:

“Hello, Ohio! It is good to be back in Ohio. . . We’re going to win this thing the old fashioned way, door by door, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood.”

You are in my blogosphere neighborhood. I’m on your block and knocking at your door.

Source: new.livestream.com via Sperk* on Pinterest

I'm asking friends if they can make a $5 donation to my grassroots fundraising page for President Obama. 

My goal is to raise $200.  By making a donation, you ensure America moves "Forward."  Click the badge below or in the sidebar to donate:

Why?

Unlike during the 2010 Ohio Gubernatorial campaign, to the 2012 Presidential campaign, I say, "Yes."

Why am I supporting the reelection of President Barack Obama?  

He answered better than I could today when he said:

“If people ask you what this campaign is about, you tell them it’s still about hope. It’s still about change. It’s about ordinary people who believe that in the face of the greatest odds, we can make a difference in this country.”