Aren’t we all from somewhere else?

I’ve kept quiet this election cycle much more than I did in 2008. I suspect this is because I have been busy in my personal life, in my blogging life over at GMS, and in my work life. But I have to take a moment to talk about last night’s debate, because these issues affect everyone.

I am voting for Barack Obama, and I am guessing this is no surprise to any of you. But I am not merely supporting the President for re-election because I support him fiercely (which I do) but because I am afraid of what a world would look like if Romney wins.

When this election cycle started, no one knew that it was going to be the election that was about not rolling back women’s rights, but that’s what it’s become. Romney and Ryan’s plans to limit my access to contraceptives, abortion (should I God forbid ever need it,) and general family planning is horrifying, and unacceptable.

In addition, I believe that we should take assault weapons off the streets. And the fact that Romney made a question about gun control about making sure that families have two parents (married, off course, a subtle nod that gay parents won’t cut it) was horrific. Or is there a study I missed pointing to single parents as the parents of most murders?

If I hear Romney refer to middle class as “middle-income” one more, I swear, I’m going to lose it. Because, in case you didn’t hear it, Romney defines middle-income as people who are making $250,000 a year – not actually the middle class OR middle-income in this country (which is, in fact, $50,000.)

And, by the way, they are illegal immigrants, not “illegals.” 

My sorella wrote a lot about this today, so I’ll let her post speak to more points that asserted my belief in Barack. I believe in everything she said, luckily, and she beat me to the punch today, plus you guys probably read her blog, too, right?

have you ever had a dream you wanted to follow? we do, too.

I started my 10K training yesterday. I hadn’t run since the 5K race, taking a month off to catch up on things and pursue other exercise options (read: yoga and Wii fit.)

I have learned if I don’t have a training schedule, I will not run just to run. And so, I will train for something. I love structure, and planning, and organization, and a goal, so for me, this is perfect.

For those of you who know me, you know I have several reoccurring dreams: the one when I realize it’s three weeks into the semester and I’ve gone to no classes, the one where I have to retake high school math even though I have a college degree, the one where I am at the final soccer game of the season and realize I’ve forgotten my shin guards…but the one I have most is the one where I am running, my lungs do not hurt, I am running fast and free and far, and I am happy.

I’ve always wanted to have that dream, to be that dream. I thought it not possible, but I proved myself wrong by running two 5Ks. And now, I want to prove myself wrong by running a 10K. And maybe, someday, more. I realize in order to make this dream come true, I must baby step up to the plate. It won’t be easy, it won’t happen overnight, but it is absolutely achievable, and that’s what matters.

My sister posted this video on the book today (below), and I thought it was accurate to the way a lot of people feel about health; they’ve given up, accepted status quo, let their current health state define who they are. But that’s not right, that’s not how it should be. You must define your own path. You must believe in yourself. You must push yourself to be the best you you can be.

As Sara Bareilles says, “Compare who you are to where you want to be and you’ll get nowhere.”

but she just came/to wash into the sea/away

In anticipation of our Train concert this weekend, I made Ana a mixed tape/cd/playlist of my favorite (and some of the singles) of Train’s career.

I started listening to Train circa 1998, which is when their first CD came out. They helped me through times good, and bad, and I have a soft spot for Drops of Jupiter, but equally love I Got You and Free.
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When two people meet, each one is changed by the other so you’ve got two new people.

The title of this post is a quote from John Steinbeck, an author my dad and sister and I have been slowly reading through for the past nine years, ever since we headed to San Francisco on a family vacation.

I think it’s fitting for my dad, who turns 50 today. He’s the type of person that learns from everyone he meets, who is constantly looking for knowledge from people, places, classes, the Internet, and beyond.

I wrote about my dad recently when I was helping him raise money for his Heart Walk, so hopefully you already know all about him. He’s a delight to have as a father, a medical professional, and a friend who you can always call for a laugh, or advice, or just to talk.  I am so lucky to have him around!

This is a picture of my dad and me, circa 2008, when he was in town for my college graduation.

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everyday is day one

this weekend was: catching up on National Geographics, Glee, and loving the New Normal because it’s got Riley from National Treasure and because it’s about feelings; exploring new neighborhoods in the hopes of finding a new apartment; the most delicious sandwich I’ve ever had, and new Pink, DMB, Matchbox Twenty, and a surprising album from Jon McLaughlin; swapping clothes with friends; birthday parties, goodbye parties, and intense games of shuffleboard; more apartments tucked in the hills, coffee and a celebrity, bagels, and the Los Angeles Opera, the Two Foscari, and fancy dresses in ninety degree heat; delicious sandwiches from Grub, and politics, and the Master and everything that Joaquin and Amy and Philip have to teach us; Mario and blogging, and staying up past my bedtime.