firstly, the virginia elections did not go as planned. or as i planned. or as all the people i volunteered/worked with for months planned. it’s always hard to lose, but one side always has to. and i met some awesome people/government officials/higher ups on the government scene. connections are a beautiful thing. that was tuesday.

wednesday was a relaxation day. jumbalaya and corn bread always soothes the soul.

then thursday rolled around. after an exciting day at work (one girl laughed too hard and peed her pants; another girl invited me to her dance party in a specific neighborhood at 8 and “in the driveway there’s a gray and black car and a white one.”). it was a great day. then i get home to endless coverage on the fort hood events. i was stunned; i was so down about the election results and how it crushed me and my confidantes and some of my faith in our government.

“laughing with” by regina spektor is a song that personifies recent events.

after hearing about the horrifying events that you undoubtedly already know about, there was a piece on health care. about the thousands of protesters on capitol hill and republicans denouncing the bill and tearing up the effort to help the millions in our country who don’t have health care because of lost jobs, cut benefits, or even just poverty. the bill may not be perfect, but the concept behind is.

these events remind me of john-jacques rosseau’s famous quote:

“From how many crimes, wars, and murders, from how many horrors and misfortunes might not any one have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, or filling up the ditch, and crying to his fellows: Beware of listening to this impostor; you are undone if you once forget that the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth itself to nobody.“

thursday i headed to the most innovative ankle lab in the country to get my anterior and posterior talofibular ligaments checked out post-surgery. as i began talking to the phd candidate about his schooling, he mentioned that he was in the army. he had done undergrad in the states and then signed up to do field work in combat zones. i asked him where he had been. he listed afghanistan, iraq twice, nicaragua, and another location in the states. he told me he’d worked with the rangers group pat tillman and other groups that he couldn’t speak about. i asked him how it was out there, trying to get a true opinion. one newspaper said this and cnn said that and newsweek said something completely different. how do you know who to believe?

being a college student opens your eyes to new things. and that day, i realized that we are fighting in two wars right now, whether you agree or disagree with the decisions to go to war. remember, patriotism still lives, and the branches of the military are following orders. they don’t personally choose where to go and what to do. they are assigned and shipped and are prepared to defend their country.

he said that he was in kabul on an infamous base and had been stationed in baghdad twice. he had defended against rebels in nicaragua. and he’d helped returning soldiers in the united states. he saw some bad stuff. and when he gets his phd, he will see it again. hearing it firsthand was intriguing and eye opening. i’d never talked about the war on such a personal level.

on friday at work i wore an authentic vietnamese war costume my grandfather brought back for my grandmother after the war. all the kids guessed i was chinese, then japanese, then were stumped and asked if i was a ninja. one employee asked me if i was from mortal combat. that evoked some nostalgic smiles. finally i told them i was from vietnam. many looked puzzled, and i realized it was way before their time. but suddenly, as word got around, some kids came up to me telling me their grandfather had fought in the war. suddenly i felt the connection i had experienced one day before. but then i was surprised by one girl speaking up.

“my dad fought in iraq.” i was blown away. i didn’t know what to say but assumed he was alive considering how proud she looked and the smile on her face. suddenly i realized the reality of our country’s situation.

the economy. healthcare. it’s all we hear in the news today. but what about the two wars we are fighting in right now, at this moment, and the thousands of soldiers putting their lives on the line?

that’s my piece today, and now i have begun to read articles and appreciate their dedication and bravery 8 years post 9/11. we all remember that day. these kids might not, but that’s beside the point.

so welcome veterans home, smile at them on the streets, and appreciate people who serve their country, no matter what your opinion is.

why you need to click

lending a helping hand. responsibility. promises.

we all know these concepts well. yet some of us don’t apply them to our day-to-day lives.

that’s why i got into socialvibe. i pick a cause, they find sponsors, and you just click on the box to the right and do a 10 second ad. every time you come you can do it. every time i come i do it. leave a comment, even just a smiley face or an encouraging word. be a fighter in a world of many evils.

“A tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa”
Nelson Mandela, closing speech of the International Aids Conference, Durban December 2000.

i picked this cause because when i picked one out, this one had $14 raised. total. some had thousands, some hundreds of thousands. and that’s awesome. but i just read a book about aids in africa and it hit me hard. like really hard. there are so many stories about children being infected and parents not knowing they are infected. it’s just another affliction they have to face. just like we come face to face with cancer every day, they come face to face with aids. and nobody knows why but it happens.

arv treatments are the best treatments available for children and adults with aids. but they are expensive and tough to administer. the demand for doctors there is unbelievable. we are so lucky to have modern medicine here, and we need to offer it there.

so please, click on my cause, even if it’s your first visit or your last. help somebody, even if you haven’t been touched personally. i believe in six degrees of separation, and i hope you do too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS

first off, i was handing out stickers at a jody wagner event. i kept signing people in and giving people stickers and smiling and being helpful like i always try to be. then this big bus pulls up that happens to be part of the painters, insulators, and heating union. and jody wagner pops out. my friend who works on the campaign said he looked inside and it was ridiculously decked out. we’re talking hardwood floors and leather couches and dining room. it was legit.

anyways, so this lady comes up to me and i’m about to offer her a sticker when she starts shaking my hand and saying thank you for helping. and i look at my boyfriend and mouth, “who was that?” guess who it was.

continuing on, another man comes walking by. and everyone was dressed in their best and i didn’t look at his face just began the normal “hi, would you like a jody sticker?” he said sure, and reached for one until he was asked to sign in. then i looked up and realized that it was tim kaine. smooth move hannah.

finally a sister shows up wanting to see the governor speak. and i usher her in as tom shields begins to talk about his policies and mission and the other candidates’ agendas, including, of course, creigh deeds. it was well done and i talk to tom all the time and he’s an awesome guy. an aside, but the first time i met tom, i talked to him for about 15 minutes until i realized he wasn’t steve shannon. great times.

so we slide into place as tom began speaking and listen quietly and clap and smile. all the stuff you’re supposed to do at a political event. then he says “well a big thank you to creigh’s children right here” and points to them. i look next to me and they’re standing right there. some other people i gave stickers to. this is getting ridiculous.

but anyways, i got to shake hands with jody and i met tim kaine so that was cool. and i got my picture with creigh deeds and my boyfriend in a local newspaper so that was neat. i think i just have this uncanny habit of looking at people and not really seeing them until i begin to volunteer a smile or a handshake or information, or, in today’s case, a sticker.

life is funny, especially in a political environment. and when you’re right there in the midst of it and behind the scenes a bit as well, it really gets interesting. public service is important, so get out there and vote no matter who you support. and get informed. don’t go straight ticket all the time; get to know the candidates and their policies and what they stand for. and who they really are.

that’s my way too political piece for the night. have a great evening and talk to you soon.

ps. this race is getting extremely interesting.. can’t wait to hear from obama on tuesday! oh, and if i wanted to go, i could get a guaranteed ticket. but there are people who need to hear him speak more than i do, and i can’t argue with that.

this is purrfect

after playing little kids in football today i must admit it was a cat-like prowess i showed on the field.

and slipping away after dinner and coming back in to check something as my mom talked ish about me without knowing i was there? epic fail on her part. i was quick as a kitten! she made up for it with an email with a cake emoticon in it. who knew she was that up to date on technology??

speaking of kittens, i went to the office where roosevelt was found and enjoyed some memories of days past since i’m such a regular.

oh, and i snatched up a weekly to see the picture! very typical us; it was funny!

i saw the mouse catcher in action; unfortunately no twisted spines. gross.. like i wanted to see that. i crushed a spider with my shoe before i left; after island experience i’m scared to death of them.

i also got to play tonight with kitties and stuffed animals and cuddly things instead of dead rodents.

all in all i’m a cougar and i’m dating jailbait. can it get any better than that??

actually it can. just check out personals on an infamous list

i know everyone is out looking but please if you know anything about the disappearance of morgan dana harrington please please please let somebody know. tips are important and time is ticking. it’s hitting everyone on campuses hard and i think that it’s important to get the word out about safety and being under the influence and sketchy situations etc. i’m not judging her or any of you but anything can happen anywhere, especially to women. so be careful and be smart. don’t let too much fun get the best of you. happiness is great but realize there are always people out there that you can lend a helping hand to. appreciate all you have and realize there are problems in the world and no matter how you feel about different issues sometimes we all need to band together to make the world better. there are good people out there; become one of them and make a difference.

but anyways i get paid 8+ an hour and just hang out with kids for 3 hours. maybe even mornings too. m-f though since i’m very flexible at this point.

still waiting to hear on the freelance job. they said 2 weeks so i’m hoping it comes through. if it doesn’t at least i’m guaranteed about $120 a week which is pretty nice. as much as i made waitressing a week in high school and that was hard work!playing sports and wii = even harder.

new excitement. birthday is tomorrow (ah!) even though my time on my blog is ridiculously off. it says i’m writing at 3:55 AM right now. okay fine by the time i finish this it’ll be tomorrow.

but anyways i’m super excited about the job and the people i’m working with are cool etc etc etc.

and praying for something in the driveway friday. wishing on a star

but yeah don’t be too thirsty tonight and have fun! miss a lot of you guys! not.. hehe

and for all the dead rodents out there, RIP. except the mice; they’re disgusting. chipmunks can. they’re cute at least. but not when your cat leaves the stomach hanging out of the severed carcass. mom really approved. dad had to clean up. brother and i laughed at the disgustingness (that’s not a word..) of it all. but i cried inside

sorry to gross you out. i’m happy, you’re disgusted, and everything is looking good. love to my brothas and mothas and sistas and lovas