Change From a Fuzzy Distance

One of the most exciting things I experienced during this election season was the chance to see Barack Obama, up close, in a Pueblo rally.

I took the day off from work to drive a couple hours south to this Colorado town in which we had never previously spent time. I was surprised at how... gosh darned All-American it was. I drove past the high school with its football team practicing, with smokestacks from struggling factories silhouetted in the distance. It was a scene straight out of Friday Night Lights.

The rally itself took place in a honest to god State Fair, where I could see people of all ages, races, and backgrounds streaming in to see our next president (we hoped!). Everyone waiting in the long line to the rally was excited, and I made friendly conversation with a smart, politically active woman who worked in Boulder and a good natured kid wearing a Chuck Norris T shirt who went to the local high school. It was inspiring to be around all this great energy, and when we finally got to see Obama, walking to the podium just meters in front of us, the whole fairground practically shook from the cheering and excitement.

Unfortunately Julia couldn't come to the rally, but I did take a bunch of pictures, which I have posted to my new photo album site (by the way I definitely recommend using Google's free Picassa application to organize and host your photos on the web - it's really convenient, and again, free!). My pictures aren't very good, and they can't capture the feeling of actually being there, but I do attempt to inject some narration via the captions.

Thank you Colorado...

... for contributing to Obama's commanding victory, and for playing a leading role in the Democratic redrawing of the electoral map in the Mountain West. For that matter, Julia and I are proud of our former home, Florida, for going Blue - something I didn't think would happen in my lifetime.

Last night clearly marked a turning point in American history, and we feel privileged to have been a part of it. It reaffirms my faith in the intelligence and higher expectations of American voters today. As evidenced by last night's results, we respond positively to a candidate who speaks to us as an adult, and who treats complex issues with the respect and intelligent analysis that they deserve. We reject - resoundingly - a campaign that simplifies issues into "us vs. them" and tries to persuade us through fear and xenophobia.

Julia and I ate dinner at Sengers on the Fax, a classy but casual restaurant traditionally frequented by yuppy Democrats such as ourselves ;). We drank Miller lite while cheering along with the other patrons, every time Wolf Blitzer would announce another Democratic victory on the large screen TVs. Afterward we crossed the street to the hipster hangout Rockbar, which morphed into "Barackbar" for one night. They set up chairs for viewing CNN while serving free Heinekens to people wearing Obama gear. Everyone was in high spirits, even the Sarah Palin-costumed cross dresser we sat next to (she stayed in character, chiding us every time we cheered Obama).

When Barack came out to give his beautiful and moving victory speech, there was hardly a dry eye in the crowded room. When he was done, the DJ lay down some appropriately Obama-themed dance grooves, to which everyone was more than happy to shake their booties. It was a great way to share our enthusiasm with like-minded Democrats and the perfect way to release some steam after a seemingly interminable and nail-biting general election.

Vote Early

Also, if you live in Colorado and don't have a mail-in ballot, you can (and should!) vote at an early voting location. The lines and wait could be very long on election day, especially due to the large number of constitutional amendments on our ballot.

Find your early voting location here:
http://co.barackobama.com/page/content/coloradoearlyvote
and vote today!

Voting in Colorado 2008

Julia and I just sent in our mail-in ballot for the 2008 election in Colorado, which contains a staggering number of constitutional amendments. If any of you live in our great state, I'd recommend coloradoballot.net as a progressive source of information on what each amendment means and recommendations on how to vote on them.

We only disagreed on Amendment 51 (Increased Funding for the Disabled) - we voted Yes, because we believe it to be a worthy and underfunded cause.

Whatever you do, don't forget to vote (for Obama of course)!

who knew ecuadorians are hip hop?

I could easily take a moment to focus on all the negative things going on right now, but I will abstain. Actually, I think I'll talk about my brother-in-law Tod.

One of the things that attracted me to Drake was his genuine love for animals. Though his webcomic might lead you otherwise, you should see the way he talks to our cats and his jubilant smile when showing me an adorable animal photo that's made it to Yahoo's most emailed photos. As if it's the first photo he's ever seen with so much ridiculous cuteness.

Drake's dedication to animals pales in comparison to Tod's. See, Drake and I talk TO our cats, but Tod actually translates for us. In a recent visit he said, "Domingo likes to be pet while he eats" and "Amira wants you to follow her." Tod is a kitty whisperer.

Last year he took a huge step and left his cushy, NYC tech-job (he worked for J Crew and did freelance writing reviewing video games - how cool is that?!!) and joined the Sea Shepherds in the Pacific Ocean to protect whales from illegal Japanese hunters. As much as we knew the dangers involved Drake and I still encouraged him to 'go for it!.

It wasn't long after returning from his Sea Shepherd adventure that he set off on a new journey in the Galapagos to save and socialize animals that are both threatening and being threatened in this fragile ecosystem. His first blog post to SuperVegan was put up this week and talks about the groups he's volunteering for. There are also vivid photos of the works he's doing with the animals.

I became especially intrigued with his new adventure after his first email noted, "I´m probably doing a lot of medical stuff that you´re probably not allowed to do if you´re not in a third world country, and I´m currently covered in feces at this hip hop obsessed Ecuadorian internet cafe."

What a great, yet gross, statement!

At a time when my desk job is getting the best of me, these little glimpses into Tod's (somewhat) selfless adventure remind me that following one's passions can lead to the most success and content.

Of course this altruistic journey of his doesn't come with a paycheck so my support for him also comes in the form of a plug for his personal donations page. Kitty food is hard to come by.

and..... cut!

The DNC is over and the city has settled back into normalcy. We had a fantastic time just being in the center of it all. Paparazzi were everywhere and for a short time Denver was very starstruck. I have to admit I was even strolling the streets with my eyes peeled for someone famous. Annette Benning, John Turturro, and others were reported at a restaurant I frequent for happy hour. Hillary and friends were staying at the hotel next to my office. Spike Lee was hanging out at a local Mexican restaurant my friend's boyfriend works. My coworker was making a phone call in the lobby of our building and Sean Penn walked right by with no entourage and a single cigarette. Ohhh, it was all so cool!
I really enjoyed all the merchandise being sold along the streets. There were Barack action figures, a medley of pins, and shirts of all sorts. Drake and I couldn't help ourselves and bought the Obama, "That's my DJ" shirt.
The Civic Center was used exactly for its purpose. Activists took turns on the stage chanting their messages while others set up in the grass. Someone's slight attempt to recreate the Boston Tea party made me laugh as the tea didn't even color the entire fountain.
One night we went to the park next to our house for a Young Dems party. The chance to see JJ Abrams was our real reason for going as he was on the agenda. We didn't see him but stayed through to hear Joey Pants (from Sopranos) struggle to relate his diagnoses of chronic depression to the importance of health care (uhhh.. vote Demorcrat right?).
I've uploaded our DNC photos. I know there's tons of cop photos but as Drake pointed out to me, "people take pictures of what is out of the ordinary."

As a side note, I also uploaded some photos we took during our visit to Charlotte, NC to visit Drake's parents.

Chaos! - Democrats in Denver cont.

Throughout the day I heard sporadic reports from co-workers of protesters outside our building attempting to rouse-rabble, but other than some anarchists getting hauled away from the 16th Street Mall by police, the protests seemed scattered and less massive than most of us anticipated. It did seem that every colorful cause you can imagine had representation out on the streets, from anti-war and anti-China demonstrators, to population reduction pundits, to advocates of free flu vaccinations. One highlight (or lowlight, come to think of it) was the van that drove around downtown, displaying giant pictures of dead fetuses and the slogan, "Abortion is an Obama Nation". Kind of clever in a sick, sick way.

The relative mildness of the day was soon to be shattered however. As the buses seemed behind schedule that evening, we decided to take a cab from work (sharing it with a cool alternative energy stocks blogger who waited with us at the bus stop). On our way home we saw a huge procession of cops in riot gear hanging off of SUVs with their sirens on, flying West past City Park. When we arrived home, we found out there was a sizeable riot downtown, minutes after we left the city. Pepper spray and hoses were used; people were hospitalized; 100 people were arrested. This is definitely not a boring time to be a Denverite!

calm before the storm

Most of Monday was pretty calm downtown. As I looked down 27 floors from my office onto the main pedestrian mall the foot traffic looked pretty normal with a few people holding signs and handing stuff out. Seems most regular downtown workers decided not to commute in and were replaced with activists and media leaving the streets relatively bearable to navigate.

The big excitement yesterday was an un-permitted protest march around 7pm. Not five minutes after Drake and I caught a cab home (after 30 min. wait for bus) a huge protester-police uproar broke out just two blocks from where we were standing! I can't believe we missed it! Our cab patiently waited as a fleet of cops, armored cars, and riot gear-wearing police holding themselves on the outside of an SUV, roared passed us to the scene. Police used pepper spray and force to contain the rock-holding mob and about a third of the 300 protesters were arrested. Activist groups are screaming mistreatment and brutality of course. I'm all for the freedom of speech, but these are groups that have preemptively said they plan to get arrested and use violence. Some of their signs even say "Riot 4 Peace". So, I'm tending to lean to the side of the police. Without knowing the whole story, I think these groups are looking for a fight and are purposely causing chaos to gain media attention.

We should really focus on the real momentous events occurring.

Day One - Democrats in Denver

Julia and I took the bus to work early this morning to beat the chaos downtown. We were surprised to find that the bus was not crowded and the traffic seemed almost normal. As we passed the Brown Palace (where we heard the Clintons were staying), Julia commented on the lack of commotion, though we did see a guy standing in front of the building with a camera tripod, no doubt waiting for celebrity to emerge.

As I walked to my building, I felt half relieved and half disappointed - was I expecting a mob of anarchists and grizzled protesters chanting and blocking my way at 7:30 AM? As Julia noted those guys probably sleep in late.

I was soon reminded that not all was normal; before I could open the door to my office, I noticed a man in a black suit sitting at a newly erected desk in the lobby, watching me. He politely demanded to see my security pass before he would let me proceed.

I work just blocks away from the convention center, so this added security makes sense. Julia works in the tallest building in Denver, so I am sure the security there is just as well-planned; probably more so. I expect this to be an exciting week here in the heart of the Mile High city.

When in Denver, do as the Dems do.

There's no way to avoid it - the DNC has rolled in and Denver is hopping! Over the past month it's been exciting to watch downtown prep for the convention. Since Friday the energy has doubled around town. Even our neighborhood, which if four miles away, has had a surge of police and traffic. Tomorrow we'll go to work downtown, me in the tallest building in Denver and Drake a couple blocks away, and will finally experience what has been whispered through the streets these last couple weeks. Major roads are shut down, protester parades will run all day, police will be on every corner, visitors fill every square foot, and the sleeping dragon barricades which are apt to cause the most disruption to traffic, are all part of the agenda. As everyone else here, I wish mostly for safety this week (and some kickass Democratic history!)

veep veep

I have to say that I've been really at a loss on who should be Barack's VP running mate. Drake likes the idea of Kathleen Sebelius, Democratic governor of the very red Kansas, as she's been extremely successful in unifying the parties. Though, I'm more keen on a mate who has a stronger public presence. So much so that I was even entertaining the idea of Al Gore a couple weeks ago. C'mon, even republicans like Al. But after reading an editorial in today's Denver post, I think I've solidified my choice - Bill Richardson.

McCain and Obama will fight for the Independent votes in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. With Richardson, Obama can strengthen his victory in the West. When running for president, Richardson's platform was based on experience; real, well-respected experience. His strong record in foreign relations, energy, balancing budgets, economic vitality, and overall forward-looking progress is an ideal match for Obama.

So there I go. With only a few weeks left until the convention, I'm putting my support behind Richardson. Now I just hope his beard doesn't elicit the same silly reaction as Gore's did in 2001. Although, readers of the daily kos seem to like his beard as do I.

beaches, earth and space

Last night we saw Wall-E. What a great movie! Wall-E's loyalty, goodness and steadfastness makes him a lovable character who you want to succeed. I know the most disturbing part of the movie is supposed to be trash-ridden Earth 700 years in the future, but honestly the human characters most disgusted me. The parallel to Wal-Mart customers and the Florida natives I grew up around was too close for comfort. Perhaps the Wal-Mart documentary I watched yesterday and Colorado recently being ranked the leanest state left me with a heightened sensitivity to that culture.

When I told a coworker I was going to a local beach this weekend for the first time she said, "it's not like the ones you're used, but it's nice." This is true. Drake and I visited Chatfield State Park on Friday to enjoy a day of sunbathing and relaxation. It was quite pleasant! Chatfield has a marina, a beach, camp grounds, and enough space for sail boats, canoes, and wakeboarders to all intermingle. Although the sound of roaring waves and smell of ocean were missing, the quack of ducks and Colorado sand filled the void to provide exactly what a Colorado beach can offer. This state is good at overcoming its landlocked disposition.

Happy Fourth of July!

We hope everyone is having a fun and relaxing July 4. Julia and I just attended the Rockies vs. Marlins game last night, in which our Blake St. Bombers rallied for a nail biting 11 inning win. We were then treated to a spectacular fireworks display. The colorful explosions seemed stunningly near and we could smell the sulfurous smoke as ashen debris rained down on festive Coors Field. As our friends Greg and Karen mentioned, what could be more American than baseball, fireworks, and the Fourth of July? It was the perfect way to celebrate a beautiful Denver summer day off from work, and to reflect upon the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy as Americans, as well as look forward to an even better tomorrow for our country.

you know who's the bottom in that relationship.

Drake and I went to our first Pride festival last weekend. I was told it's the 9th largest event in the U.S. along with the Macy's parade and DC fireworks. Not sure if that's true, but being there made me believe it! The best description is that it's like an outdoor rave-esque festival, complete with funnel cakes, beer, beads, and techno DJs. The best part was the community feeling of acceptance - unless of course you weren't flaunting your high-fashion threads and Zoolander face, which were benchmarks of beauty (see Burberry umbrella).
We were very happy to participate in Pride and imagine we'll do it next year as it was so much fun. It was a stark difference to the WWE show
we went to last month.

the land of enchantment says it all

A couple of weeks ago we traveled to New Mexico for the first time. After almost six hours of driving through the beautiful mountains and farms of CO and NM we arrived at the Taos Pueblos. These pueblos are inhabited now for over 1,000 years. There is no running water or electricity in the village and traditional ceremonies are still held here. This was our first taste of New Mexico's unique and rich culture.

My favorite time was spent hiking Bandelier National Monument. Here, cliff dwellings, rock paintings and ceremonial architecture provide a glimpse of how the natives once inhabited this land. The drive there winds through the mountains and the large Los Alamos satellite visible at one turn is the only sign of modern life.

We stayed in Santa Fe and were very impressed with the historical areas - Old Town, Palace of the Governors, churches, and Railyard District. At many points I envisioned my life as an interior designer with an endless budget to decorate a home. Oh the art was awesome!

Along with the beauty and unique culture in New Mexico, it is also a state with severe economic depression. The back road driving was riddled with mangy dogs, neglected homes, and fortresses with so much junk that one might think every family owns its own junk yard. A visit to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque showed how far this depression went. Most exhibits hadn't been updated since last year, Pluto is still recognized as a planet and light bulbs that needed replacement were ignored. Despite the apparent lack of state funding I didn't see one homeless person. This may be a strength in culture rarely seen elsewhere.

New Mexico is truly a magical place with strong ties to the past and visionary steps of the future. The food, art and culture is some of the best in the U.S. and is worth experiencing.

Still Alive

Hello out there! It's been a while since we last blogged, but we have not fallen off Mt. Galbraith to our doom. We have been extraordinarily busy with work as well as with fun. Just this week, my company was bought by the First Data Corporation (we have yet to see how that will affect my job), and Julia got accepted into DU, the University of Denver, for graduate school. Congratulations Julia!

As far as extracurricular activities, we had opportunity to see two excellent shows this week alone - Roger Waters, of Pink Floyd fame, and the fun international-flavored jazz band, Pink Martini, playing with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra (funny, two pink flavored bands in one week).

Roger Waters was amazing, playing the entire Dark Side of the Moon album, along with perfect renditions of favorites from The Wall and Wish You Were Here. At one point we were blessed to witness a flying Obama Pig zooming around the Pepsi Center while the band rocked out one of my favorite songs, "Dogs". Pink Martini wowed us with their virtuosity and seamless blending of old movie-based jazz tunes, exotic foreign language pieces, and bold, modern renditions of Ravel's Bolero and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. That is one classy and interesting band, and they looked like they were having a ball. Incidentally, in August they will be at the Democratic National Convention here in Denver.

Tomorrow, to round out the week of entertainment with some sports, we see a Rockies game vs. the LA Dodgers. Hopefully our home team can rally and get out of their slump.

As you can see, Colorado has more than enough to keep us busy. Till next time!

types of coloradoans - part 2

Boulder women - These women are very intriguing to me. They are wealthy and hippie at the same time. True Bobos. Like, I'm pretty sure these women compost their human waste; yet, you'll see them shopping on the Pearl Street Mall at the chic boutiques, wearing expensive, designers clothes which fall over their freely, sagging breasts. No bra, unshaven bodies, and no makeup, yet still an air of class to them. It's a way of life in Boulder. In fact, I think keeping up with the Jones means who can live the greenest life.

Boulder men - The counterpart to Boulder women. Strolling through the Pearl Street Mall, ever block or so, you'll come across a crazy-looking, middle-aged, homeless man. Yet these men, with their over-grown beards and manes, ashkenazi noses with spectacles atop, shirts disheveled on their torsos, are wearing expensive, clean shoes. In fact, all their clothes have been carefully picked from store racks. They also seem to be carrying leather-bound journals and look as if they're on their way to sip espresso. I have yet to determine if they are the husbands of the Prada-wearing, hippie women.

the time is now

This weekend I was asked a question I had never thought about before. Someone said to me, "So, when did you get into Obama?" I didn't know. After a few hems and haws and crinkling of the face, I narrowed it down to a period of time. It must have started after the 2004 DNC where Barack was the keynote speaker. At this point in my life I was just graduating college where I spent those years immersed in media and had a fervent hunger for politics. I remember snippets and references to the speech all over the news and from that moment on it became a snowball of media coverage until today. I can't remember not being 'into' Obama, because the more I learned about him the more my admiration for him grew; so it was only natural to support the idea of him running for president when it was first introduced.

At the time of the 2004 speech, I don't think anyone, including Barack, thought he would be the top presidential (not just democratic) candidate for 2008. But the people are speaking louder than ever. This is the time. This this his time. This is OUR time. It must be now. I truly believe if we let this great leader pass us by at this very moment in history, that it will be too late for our nation to recover and rebuild to the respected posture we once modeled.

Obama is what the world needs now.

Dunk that Junk

Looking over all the mail we got this week, I think almost 90% of it is junk - credit card offers, home equity and debt consolidation pitches, catalogs, and other assorted cruft that goes straight to the recycle bin without even being opened. What a waste of paper!

I decided to spend a chunk of today figuring out how to stop the endless tide of junk mail. Luckily I found a very informative website that details how to opt-out of direct mail (as well as telephone solicitations).

In summary here are the steps I took today:

• Credit Bureaus Main Opt-Out Line - Probably the majority of my junk mail results from lists provided by credit agencies such as Equifax and Transunion - these are the credit card and loan offers. I called 888 567-8688 and found out I can opt-out permanently online by visiting: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/. From here you can fill out an online form, and then you must print out and mail a paper form.

• Experian Consumer Services - I called 402 458-5247 to opt out of non-credit offers from Experian. I simply had to leave my name, address, and phone number after the voice recording.

• Direct Mail Lists - I wrote a simple letter to each of the following organizations and politely asked them to remove me from their direct mailing lists. I included my name and address.

DMA - Direct Marketing Association Opt-Out
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 282
Carmel, NY 10512

Dunn & Bradstreet
Customer Service
899 Eaton Ave.
Bethlehem, PA 18025

Metromail Corporation
List Maintenance
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521

R.L. Polk & Co. - Name Deletion File
List Compilation Development
26955 Northwestern Hwy
Southfield, MI 48034-4716

Database America
Compilation Department
470 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff, NJ 07677

I really hope these actions will help reduce the junk in our mailbox and save a few trees.

Don't Forget to Vote

I wanted to remind everyone who doesn't live in one of the states that already held a presidential primary or caucus, to vote! As implied in our blog's title, we live in Colorado, and like over 20 other states, our caucus takes place February 5. If you also live in our great state, please take a moment to figure out how to caucus. It's a rather baroque process, and not as straightforward as a primary - as we found out, having moved from Florida.

You can find out here the location of your caucus (yes, the link is through Barack Obama's site - we are unabashed supporters of Obama - but I would emphasize that we would rather you vote, even if it's for someone else, than not vote at all!).

green is the new black

Today our first BioBags order came in the mail! In my constant struggle to be more green I'm trying to eliminate the number of plastic bags that go to the landfill. Though I recycle most of our plastic shopping bags, we still have our kitchen bags, our kitty-poop bags and our waste basket bags which all get thrown into the weekly trash. The new BioBags are a unique vegetable makeup which completely bio-degrades into the earth. The bright green color is a bit different than the traditional white, but the end result is one step closer to a healthy planet.
What step did you take today to be more green?

obama rama

After Bush's reelection in 2004 I lost confidence in the voters. How could any person make a conscience choice to keep that administration in office? But on Thursday, when Barack swept the Iowa caucus, that confidence returned. For the first time in years the people are speaking out. They want their country back. Frank Rich of the New York Times echoed my feelings exactly in his recent column, when he said, "AFTER so many years of fear and loathing, we had almost forgotten what it’s like to feel good about our country. On Thursday night, that long-dormant emotion came rushing back, like an old dream that pops out of the deepest recesses of memory, suddenly as clear as light."
Barack's victory speech had me in tears. Tears of joy, hope and the extraordinary feeling that history is being made. This man will lead our country the way it should be led. His genuineness, strength and ability to unite are what Americans deserve after seven years of Bush and we shouldn't demand anything less.
Go Barack!