trinityofone

I was laid off from my last job in August, and thus have been out of work for almost six months.

Obama's been in office for less than three hours.

About twenty minutes ago, I was offered a new job.

IT'S WORKING! ALREADY! ( THIS MAN IS MAGIC! )

Yes we freakin' can have gainful employment! \o/

The spirit of Halloween survives!

THREE MORE DAYS!!!

For the last few weeks, I've been doing data management for the Obama campaign. This means I've been spending about twelve hours a week going to phone banks and organizing and entering all the gathered information in the big online database the campaign uses to track potential voters and volunteers. I've really been enjoying it—not only is it the kind of detail-oriented OCD-type work I can really get into, it's genuinely helpful and important. At the same time, it's not hugely difficult and it doesn't take up massive amounts of time, which means that anybody can help like this. That's possibly the greatest thing I'm learning helping out in this campaign: how easy it is to help, to give yourself a personal stake in this election. I've seen people who come back every week, and I've seen people who stop in briefly and make calls for an hour. Whatever you can give is immensely appreciated and can make a huge difference.

It's really easy to get involved. I urge all of you to go on my.barackobama.com and do a search for phone banks and other events near you. If you're in a swing state, obviously you can be a huge help. But even if you're someplace that's solidly blue—like my own California—or even solidly red, your work is equally vital. In California, for example, we've teamed up with Nevada, a state that Kerry lost by only about 20,000 votes in 2004. Already through work making calls and registering voters and going door-to-door, Obama is pulling ahead in Nevada. It's a great feeling to see your work really making a difference.

Please feel free to ask me any questions about this. It's been a great experience for me so far, and one of the best ways to help stay sane during this election season.

---

Separate but related: the polls have turned, and right now it's looking like California's Proposition 8, which would take away the right to marry that California same-sex couples won earlier this year, may pass after all. There are good articles explaining what's happening here and here. The idea of this passing infuriates me, and it should infuriate you, too. I just donated money to Equality For All, and I think anyone who cares about this issue and has a little to spare right now should donate as well. Even if you're not a Californian, you'd be standing up for basic rights on an issue that certainly has nationwide—and even worldwide—ramifications. You can give as little as $5. That's less than the cost of a sandwich! (Well, in L.A. it is, anyway. :\ ) But just think about what a difference it would make if everyone in fandom gave just one day's lunch money.

I got in! I'm going this weekend to train, and then after that I'll probably be going to Nevada for a weekend, and then again at the end of October until election day. I am so excited! I hope I can do well at this. *crosses fingers and toes*

My big problem now is that the camp is in Long Beach and I don't have any way of getting there.

Does anybody know anyone who is going to Camp Obama in Long Beach this weekend and might be interested in carpooling with someone from West L.A.?

I've already asked at obama_ca and at barackobama2008 (no luck so far). Does anybody have any ideas of what else I might try?

*bounces, tentatively*

Tim Gunn, how are you so awesome?

In other news, my internet keeps going out. How else am I supposed to read articles in which Tim Gunn is delightfully bitchy about Cindy McCain apply for jobs without the interwebs? Woe!

Time Warner sucks. Anybody in the L.A. area use something different/better? I've about had it.

Myself and more than twenty others were laid off from my company yesterday with no warning. We were called into meetings in groups of about five at a time, chatted up by the human resources ladies, and then abruptly let go. We were then escorted from the building.

This is a handout that was in our "bye bye!" packets. Don't you just love that exclamation mark? So cheery!

I'm still sort of numb and in shock. I can't believe I didn't get up and go to work today. I hate the idea that I have to start the long, annoying process of looking for work again. I actually liked my job. I was good at my job. But with the economy the way it is, my (former) company was forced to eliminate my job.

Thank you, George W. Bush, for this unique opportunity to be unemployed.

siriaeve has discovered the wonderful obama_daily. It is full of adorableness and awesomeness, and also more evidence to support a certain theory…

Siria and Trin investigate!

Siria: http://i28.tinypic.com/fw7equ.jpg *bursts out laughing* i don't even know.
he's Spider-Man?
Trin: ahahaha, what?
Obama-Man, Obama-Man, does whatever an Obama can?
Siria: can leap congress in a single bound \o/
Trin: :D
Siria: does this mean McCain is Doc Ock?
Trin: heeee
maybe!
*tries to think of most appropriate Spider-Man villain*
maybe Vulture?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulture_%28comics%29
Siria: "Although Toomes is advanced in age, he is a strong fighter and a remorseless killer. On one occasion, he restored his youth through biochemical means, though this wore off after exposure to the corpse of an elemental superhuman. At one point he had used a device to steal Spider-Man's youth, leaving Vulture young and Spider-Man elderly, but this effect wore off within hours." :)))))
Trin: EXACTLY!

I can only hope the Obama campaign is prepared for this potential strategy move! *nods seriously*

And while I’m being serious and respectful… Things Younger Than McCain.

Anonymous Bible-quoting in my Yay! California Gay Marriage post

Is it wrong that this just makes me laugh? A lot?

But then, how can I be sad when so many people will be having average, boring, gay-married sex soon? I AM SURROUNDED BY AN UMBRELLA OF LOVE.

...I also seem to have just invented a new condom euphemism. \o/

Last week, I commented on sheafrotherdon's very thoughtful post about a recent infuriating statement of Hillary Clinton's that I wanted back the allowance money I had donated to Bill Clinton's '92 campaign. ( When I got home today, this was in my mailbox )

*flails* You guys rock beyond all measure. I am framing this, seriously. And, since I've gotten this money back and my "allowance" these days is considerably more than it was when I was eight, I've decided to use this opportunity to make another donation of $25 to Barack Obama's campaign. You can, too.

Anyway, sorry to make this about politics. The point I hope we're all in agreement on is, Cate and Siria are awesome, no? YES. YES THEY ARE.

I used to love the Fourth of July. It was probably my favorite non-presents holiday. I used to get all dressed up in an extravagant red, white & blue outfit--I'd even wear RW&B hair-ribbons in my ponytail. My parents would give us sparklers and we'd pack a big picnic and take it over to this huge, empty field at Middlebury College where there would be a free concert (I always liked the 1812 Overture) and then fireworks during the final number. It was wonderful: the food, the music, the atmosphere, the company. But even more than that, it was wonderful to believe. It was wonderful to believe in America--and I did. I did so strongly, and for so long. I believed that we were truly the best nation on earth, one with a history of human and civil rights, a precious, pure, bastion of freedom.

Now it makes me sick to hear that word. It's been turned into a false thing, and it's just one of many that this administration has turned in on itself. When I think back and realize that it's been less than five years--less than five years--since I believed in and trusted and even, yes, loved my country...I am flabbergasted. So much has changed in so little time. And admittedly, part of my changing feelings may be the price of growing up, but even as an adult, I would have liked to have had this one day to still believe. Instead the lies sting me, and what we've become burns me, all the worse.

So Happy Birthday, America. I hope I can someday believe in you again. But I fear that day may be a long time coming.

ETA: From jetspeaks, too appropriate:

( How American Are You? )