I took my first full weekend off in over a month and donated it to the Barack Obama "Drive for Change" Campaign. The national campaign is encouraging people who live in "solid Obama" states who want to volunteer to "Drive for Change" to swing states. Nevada is very close, well within the polling margin of error and a valuable 5 electoral votes. Since Nevada is the nearest swing state to California, I headed to Reno on Friday night.
I eventually got to my home away from home. If you're ever traveling to Reno and don't want to stay downtown, I recommend this Homewood Suites just south of the airport. The property is clean, comfortable, and all of the staff are very nice.
Saturday
Saturday started with the greatest surprise. As Barack Obama was flying back after visiting his grandmother in Hawaii, his first stop on the mainland was Reno for a morning rally at the University of Nevada-Reno baseball stadium. About 11,000 attended this rally. When I volunteered early in the week, I had no idea I'd be able to attend a rally and see Obama in person. All I got were really crappy photos with my camera phone. This is a photo from the Reno Gazette Journal. That is really me inside the red circle... no joke.
After the rally, I made my way to headquarters to check in, get an orientation, and then got paired up with someone to canvass a neighborhood. It was amazing. The line was out the door and almost around the block with volunteers to canvass. Most were from California. If nothing else, we all helped the Reno economy with our hotel rooms, gas, and restaurant visits!
The process is absolutely fascinating. During this canvass, we didn't just visit random homes or everyone on the block. We got a list of people to visit, with their addresses. As we visited each home, we recorded the answers given to each question or whether no one was home. Our list was relatively short, only about 25 names within a relatively tight neighborhood footprint. It took us about 90 minutes to visit all of the houses when we returned to headquarters. Because I brought along my laptop, I helped input the data from all of the canvass report sheets that were turned in. Others were given another canvass visit list and hit the streets again. What will happen is that overnight that information will get uploaded and new canvassing lists will be generated for next day. The data will prune out those who have early voted, or are strongly supporting Obama. That way, they don't get visited again and the campaign's energy and volunteers can target those not visited or still undecided.
After the data was entered, the volunteers were sent home. I dropped off a volunteer at her host's house before making my way to my hotel. Yes, this was a volunteer who had carpooled with a group in California to Reno and was staying at a local host house for the weekend. I was inspired by the willingness of strangers to get together, share their cars, and open their doors for the common cause. I eventually landed at my hotel around 9:00pm... a 12 hour day. It also ended with this... the best sub in the west.
A foot-long Port of Subs #5... smoked turkey, smoked ham and smoked cheddar on a wheat roll. I go to Port of Subs everytime I'm in Nevada or just passing through.
Sunday
It was a bright, crisp morning to start the day. There was even frost on the car! The volunteers call back was 10:00am. One of the organizers on Saturday encouraged all the coffee drinkers to stop by the Human Bean instead of one of the more recognized national chains. It was very good and I would frequent them if they were local. Anyway, I got to canvass on my own. The goal was to re-walk the lists from Saturday and make contact with the "not home" people. I didn't do too badly, contacting 10 of my 26 people. At one stop, the contact name was a man but his wife answered the door. She let me know her husband was in the hospital and very ill. I felt so sorry for her. That was definitely the lowest part of the weekend. I made sure to mark this down so they wouldn't be contacted again during their difficult times.
After returning to headquarters, I helped organize all of the early incoming walk lists and began data entry. Other groups went back out with afternoon lists. Since I did data entry the night before, I became the "trainer in training" helping new volunteers. One of the local volunteers bought lunch for all of the office staff, about 20 people. (Yeah, Port of Subs... another #5 for just bob!) He was one of the first employees of Oracle many years ago, had cashed out quite nicely and moved to Nevada. He admitted that he would be one of those 5% who would see their taxes increase under an Obama Administration, but still is voting for him. His philosophy is that if the economy does better, his business will improve and he'll do better and doesn't mind paying his fair share.
Around 3:00pm, there were plenty of local volunteers to finish out the afternoon lists so I packed up and started my way back to California. All of the people I met, from the local organizers to the national campaign staff, were incredibly dedicated. Despite a lack of sleep they were all still so nice, upbeat, and encouraging. I'm not sure how much my effort or help will pay off next week in Nevada, but I'll be watching those 5 electoral votes very closely.
So long Reno and all my new Vote for Change friends in Nevada. Turn the state blue!
I'm in between today. I think everyone of us at one time or the other in our lives are in between. I've been in between many times in my adult life. Of course I am referring to belt notches. You know what I mean, one notch is a bit too loose and your pants are falling down while the other is a bit too tight cutting off your breathing. I refer to it as a "tweener"... the comfort spot being between the two. In looking at the belt, it's hard to imagine that small a gap separating the two holes could make such a big difference. It makes for a very tough decision first thing in the morning.
This time around, being a tweener is a good thing. Today, that third notch on the belt didn't quite work while the fourth notch was a snug fit. It hasn't always been this way. Many times before it was going the other direction with an expanding waistline and a shrinking belt. So I certainly can't be unhappy, just a little off sartorially. But I feel like right now, my belt is a metaphor for life. My place in life isn't quite right, but the comfortable spot is just out of reach. For now, I'll have to pick a place that works until the right notch in the belt emerges.
So which notch did I choose? I picked the slightly tighter notch. That's the one that is moving in the right direction.
All I can say today is WOW...
After Representative Michele Bachmann dug up the ghost of Joseph McCarthy last night on MSNBC's Hardball, the out pouring from all the liberals, leftists, Anti-Americans, Democrats across this country has been awe inspiring. According to CBS News, over $400,000 has been donated in the last 24 hours to Elwyn "El" Tinklenberg, her Democratic opponent for the 6th District seat in Minnesota. To quote Tinklenberg Campaign Manager Anna Richey:
"It's overwhelming," said Richey. "I've gotten 600 e-mail messages into our info e-mail account in the last 12 hours. People are outraged." She said a number of the e-mails decried Bachmann's call for the investigation as modern-day McCarthyism. "People shared personal stories of how their parents were discriminated against" during that time, said Richey. The messaes, she said, came from "Republicans, Democrats, people who professed to be out of work and struggling economically but wanted to give what they could."Consider making a donation at Tinklenberg08.com.
Then... an estimated 100,000 people flooded to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to hear a speech by Barack Obama. It was the largest campaign stop for Obama in the United States. It eclipsed his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer.
This will not be a funny or entertaining post. This will be deadly serious. My blog takes frequent visits to the world of politics. It is an intense interest of mine and of course in the forefront of most every discussion these days. I won't apologize for this, and if you're not particularly interested you may want to check back in a day or two.
Tonight (Friday 10/17) on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota called on the media to investigate all the members of Congress to determine if their views are "pro-America" or "anti-America." Throughout the entirety of the interview, Rep. Bachmann connects the terms "liberal," "leftist," and "anti-American" and seems quite comfortable using them interchangeably. Identifying Sen. Obama as the most liberal member of Congress and Sen. Biden as 3rd most liberal, she effectively and without shame labeled Obama and Biden as anti-American. For good measure, Rep. Bachmann throws in Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Harry Reid as very liberal and therefore anti-American. By inference, this would make anyone who identifies themselves as liberal or progressive as anti-Americans who hate this country according to Rep. Bachmann.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't this sound a lot like the era of McCarthyism of the 1950's? Is Rep. Bachmann the new Joseph McCarthy... calling for an "in-depth expose" of the members of Congress who don't share her views? Is the "Blue Scare" of 2008 threatening to tear down the country the way McCarthy doggedly pursued the "Red Scare" of communism in the 1950's? This is frightening. The implication that liberals are anti-American with calls to have them investigated is taking the blind rage of some conservative Americans to an entirely new level.
Here is the entire Chris Matthews interview with Rep. Bachmann. Her words are not taken out of context. The first 9 minutes of the interview are your basic garden variety Republican talking points that get spewed out at every opportunity. Reverend Wright this, Bill Ayers that, yada... yada... yada. If you don't want to sit through this puke-inducing garbage, you can fast forward to approximately the 9:00 mark where you can hear Rep. Bachmann call for a return to McCarthyism in this country. I do encourage you to view the entire interview though as it gives you a more rounded view of the tone of discussion. You can read a short recap of the interview from Minnesota Public Radio.
Since all of the comments on my last post seemed to indicate I was being a little vague about my epiphany, I will elaborate a bit more.
I am getting oldEpiphany: 3 a (1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b: a revealing scene or moment
There are certain moments in life where things become evident. When you're a child, you come to the realization that you aren't going to be a major league baseball player or world renowned actress. It doesn't mean you lose your love for the activities, or don't continue to strive to be the best you can be, but the dream of being the next Clemens or Streep fades away. As you age, there are moments when you find that your parents were right, that you picked the right or wrong major in college, or that you will always be alone.
I had one of these epiphanies (which is a weird word to spell and type) during a conference call on Thursday. I was sitting there, half paying attention, when something that was said struck me. It was as if the speaker at the other end of the call reached through the line and turned on the proverbial lightbulb over my head. It had something to do with the topic being discussed, but it suddenly took a tangent and became more personal for me. It got me thinking about things positive and negative, about memories from the past and visions of the future, about my life, its failings and possibilities. For that instant, it was as if the skies had opened and the questions I had been ignoring were answered. It won't be a quick fix, but out of some initial suffering will be a solid result. 
My friends, I want to tell you about my friends. My friends live all across the country my friends. My friends are in Colorado and Kentucky and Massachusetts and Florida and Rhode Island my friends. My friends are in other places too my friends. My friends, there are some of my friends I haven't personally met. My friends, I know my friends through the blogosphere. My friends have even created a virtual cafe my friends. My friends congregate there my friends. My friends share the good times and commiserate in the bad times my friends.
My friends generally think the way I think my friends. My friends generally enjoy the same things I do my friends. My friends drink beer and play golf my friends. My friends are mostly in the same profession that I am my friends. Some of my friends have big families my friends. My friends, some of my friends are better off than I am. My friends, I enjoy the company of my friends. My friends make me laugh my friends. My friends, there are lots of stories about me and my friends.
My friends, I would like to tell you all more about my friends but I must call my friends now to tell them about my friends and what my friends are doing next week.
This is a great way to spend a Sunday morning...
I did the Bridge to Bridge Run/Walk in San Francisco. Trust me, it was a lot more walk than it was run. It was a 7K or 12K course that started at the Bay Bridge and ended in the Presido at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. The proceeds went to one of my favorite causes, the Special Olympics of Northern California.
Wow, there were a lot of people. These runners take things so seriously. They stretched, warmed up, and were sweating before they even started. I'm guessing they could tell I wasn't one of them when I showed up at start line with my Starbucks Venti Coffee with cream.
Because I pre-registered, the organizers knew the Bobness would be there and arranged for my own personal security detail. This fine SFPD officer is putting away the autograph I signed for him so he can focus all his attention on my safety.
The course was along the Bay, with the first part of the race down the Embarcadero past the piers and Fisherman's Wharf. I made a quick stop at Hooters looking for a little bit of the ol' In-N-Out. As usual, I didn't get any.
7 K's and 66 minutes later, I crossed the finish line to a throng of well wishers and adoring fans. Actually, it was all of the serious runners who had finished waaaay ahead of me. Still, it was cool crossing the finish line under the big digital clock just like the Boston Marathon. I could have almost been mistaken for an athlete. They had doctors on hand for me, thankfully not needed.
One of the local radio stations greeted me with live music. As you can see, they held the entire front row for me and my closest runner/walker pals.
There was a feast fit for kings at the finish line. Heaven knows a bunch of serious runners are looking for a Polish Sausage, Hot Dog, or Chicken Sandwich right after running a 12K.
Apparently we all were racing for Michelob Ultra. Had I only known, I would have moved along a lot faster to get my share while it was still cold. It's not my brand, but beggars can't be choosers.
It was a great morning, great weather, and a great cause.
I woke up this morning upset, mad, and disheartened. Well, I didn't wake up that way, but I soon went from barely awake to barely able to contain myself. All it took was turning on my computer and reading the ignorant, vulgar comment that was left on my previous Mavericks post. Don't bother looking, it's not there now. I deleted it as quickly as I was finished reading it.
Hillybilly Willy (the name he used, not mine) referred to Barack "Hussein" Obama and how someone with a name like that probably had something to do with 9/11. It went further than that, but I won't dignify its ignorance by restating it here, or anywhere. I'm all for political discourse. An open-minded conversation on ideas, philosophy, and beliefs can be healthy and educational. I've had plenty of these spirited discussions in the past, and will likely in the future when it comes to my beliefs. This had nothing to do with facts or civil debate. This was outright vile, disgusting racism. Hillybilly Willy, I invite you to never read my blog again.
I was shaken. I know racism exists, but it still hurts me. Playing golf last week, I was paired up with someone I had never met before. He seemed like a nice enough guy. Some people may even refer to him as an average Joe. The pace of play slowed down as we eventually caught up to groups ahead of us playing. The two groups happened to be of Asian descent. As we waited Joe would linger back a few yards, keeping to himself. This went on for a few holes when I went back to engage him in conversation. If we're going to have to wait, we can at least enjoy it right? When I got back there he sort of chuckled, shook his head in frustration, and said, "I feel like I'm playing in a rice paddy." I went back to my golf cart and don't think I said anything to him the rest of the day.
How can a country that has come so far still have people who think like this? How can a person hate an entire group of people because of the color of their skin, their religion or lack of one, or their sexual orientation? It just doesn't make any sense. It is so irrational. It makes me sad that people can harbor such dark, deep seeded hate within their hearts and minds. It makes me sad that people have died, and continue to die, because of this hatred. It makes me sad that the struggles and sacrifices of those oppressed sometimes seem to have all been in vain.
But then I look to the television. There's Barack Obama giving a speech in Virginia. A black man, running for the Presidency of the United States, giving a speech in a state that was part of the Confederacy during the Civil War. I wonder aloud sometimes how big a lead in the polls he might have if he was a white man with the same message. I wonder how many people believe in his call for change, but can't get past the color of his skin. I wonder and tremble at the thought that the only reason he may lose the election is because of those people. It makes me sick to think about it. But I have hope. Obama has a slight lead in the polls and more importantly has the support of many of America's youth. They are a new generation of Americans that don't see the color of skin or sexual orientation. They don't see the barriers that separate us; they see the things that bring us together. They don't see differences, they see diversity. They are the hope for the future, no matter how this election ends up. If they can translate their support into votes, history will be made on November.
This Saturday morning reminded me the power of hope will always be stronger than the power of hate.
Tom Cruise was Maverick in Top Gun
James Garner was Bret Maverick
Roger Moore was Beau Maverick
Maverick is an air to surface missile
Dirk Nowitzki is a Dallas Maverick
Maverick is a Roller Coaster in Cedar Point, Ohio
Mavericks is a surf contest in Northern California
The Mavericks are an alternative country band
There's a Maverick County in southwest Texas
These are not mavericks
I was thinking last night as I lay in bed unable to fall asleep that I have not written in a while about my depression. That was brought to mind because RC had mentioned in a comment recently that: "Anyway, what I find so interesting about this post is there isn't that usual despair that I've read in your posts before...there is a twinge of hope." Of course, this sparked some more thought on my part. Hence, this post.
I know that my depression is never far from the surface. RC is correct, I haven't had the kind of spike lately that would trigger one of those Fog inducing episodes. Not getting interviewed for that last job opportunity did not reach the level of plunging me into the darkness. Why haven't those kinds of things brought me down? In the past I would have disappeared for days, retreated into my foxhole, and sought solace of mind on my own. It would have taken days, sometimes weeks to slowly emerge back into society. But why not this time? Do I really have a twinge of hope somewhere inside me?
I haven't felt well lately physically. Nothing really stands out as a glaring concern, but just a collection of little things that one on top of the next have been affecting me recently. That's one of the things that has taken my attention. It's also one of the reasons I have been blogging less frequently... sleep substituting for writing. But the overwhelming thing that has distracted me is the state of the country in which we live. I've spent so much time worrying about the other 305+ million fellow Americans that I haven't had the time or inclination to ruminate over my problems, concerns, and failings. The possible fall and collapse of our country's economy, people losing their jobs and homes, 401(k) retirement plans being decimated on a daily basis on Wall Street, no end in sight to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistan, people in the southeast still unable to get gasoline weeks after Hurricanes Gustov and Ike, a soon to arrive winter and skyrocketing home heating bills awaiting those in the Northeast, people struggling once again to rebuild their lives in Texas and Louisiana, on and on and on and on. In my mind there is so much uncertainty about all of our futures that there is no time to be selfish and worry about my own irrational problems.
Even closer to home, Suzanne is struggling with all that is on her plate, Robyn is battling cancer again, Random Chick is under the weather and in pain, and Mr. Shife has a new baby on the way and just got laid off, Karen is reliving a nightmare, and Cecile is having a crap day. Everyone is on the ropes, trying to survive the round only to come out to fight again. How can I possibly complain about my minutiae while so many others have so many more significant issues?
The Red Sox are in the playoffs and I can't get excited about it. I played golf for the first time in over three months and did much better than I could have ever imagined. Even that could only register a fleeting smile, a sense of accomplishment, then a realization that I wish I could play more but can't due to life. You all know work sucks, so need to even go there. My underlying depression is ever present but currently under wraps. It is on the sidelines, studying the field, waiting to come into the game. There is no joy in my life, but the personal lows haven't been that low. So I haven't been bitching about it. When it moves back into the forefront, you'll know.
