Just Have to Vent ...

So a former classmate posted the following status ...

Mike is preparing to witness the ultimate case of affirmative action which, by the way, can we eliminate now that the myth of a glass ceiling has been debunked?

While I respect everyone's opinion, I couldn't help but to be annoyed by this statement.  Let's look up affirmative action ...

Affirmative Action is a management tool required of federal contractors to ensure equal employment opportunity.

To suggest that Barack Obama will be elected President simply because of the color of his skin is the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard.  If this MONUMENTAL time in history was an affirmative action move, I'd be on the ticket along with Flavor Flav, Homie the Clown and Bud from The Cosby Show.  We'd ALL get a shot.

Electing Bush for a second term was the biggest mistake I've seen in my lifetime!  Now the potential for a qualified African American man to be President is the ULTIMATE case of affirmative action?  That would also suggest that every move made to advance the quality of life for African Americans in this country has been the ULTIMATE case of affirmative action.

Trust that as racist as this country has proven to be, if millions didn't want Obama to be President, he wouldn't have made it this far.  If this was affirmative action, Jesse Jackson would've been elected President back in the 80s; permed-out Rev. Al Sharpton would have won by a land slide in 2004.  Obama is far more qualified than the aforementioned individuals ... even Iowa can see how qualified he is and I'm sure one could probably count on one hand how many African Americans there are in that state.

In my opinion his status is a contradiction within itself.  If there's no such thing as a glass ceiling, how in the World can you see this being the ULTIMATE case of affirmative action?  But I can't imagine that he'd ever be able to understand the glass ceiling theory being a Caucasian history teacher from New Jersey.

Needless to say, I had to delete him because I couldn't help but wonder how he felt about me.  

Caboodles & Fanny Paks Endorses ...

The only choice ...

Let the Countdown Begin ...

Words can't describe how ready I am for Nov. 5. I don't handle anticipation too well. Obama will win. I will cry. The world will change.

Skeptics of Obama don't understand how monumental this is. Aside from him being the first African American president to be, he gives people hope. He makes American believe that they are a part of the process and not pawns played in the proccess.

Obama takes the approach of a round table brainstorm. Everyone's ideas and beliefs are heard, examined and considered. A decision is made among ALL. He said it best ... "My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent you to Washington."

Obama for President. God willing.

I Have Nothing ...

to blog about.

What can I say? I thought of topics for about five seconds (smile) and could think of nothing. Sometimes just writing helps. So ...

There's one person on this Earth that can irk me without even knowing it. That fact, just irks me even more.

For the most part, the average person is a creature of habit. However, when I notice that about someone it annoys me especially when I'm on the receiving end (i.e. asking me the same questions day in and day out).

Sometimes I wonder if I pray the "right" way. When I listen to the ministers at church, they're so eloquent. I talk to God like he's sitting across from me at Starbucks. Regardless, he hears my prayers.

When someone has hurt you repeatedly, I've learned that the best thing to do is turn, walk away and never come back. It may sound simple and obvious but I'm sure you can think of at least three people that should be walking away ... but they won't.

I can't imagine the hurt Jennifer Hudson is feeling right now. I pray for her. God will bring her through this terrible storm. Nancy Grace is and will be all over this. She can be a bit abrasive but I have a feeling that comes from a good place.

Well, that's all I have.

Wanting vs. Being Ready

I told myself I wouldn't be a fair weather blogger. My bad ... 

I believe that most of our wants come from not-so-well thought out desires.  Wants, for me, stem from a place in my life that I feel something ... or someone, is missing.  I don't care how its acquired, I just want it.  I think this is how I felt after my last relationship ended.  There was a void left in me - love, companionship, a best friend.  I wanted someone around to fill that void or at least help me keep my mind off my last relationship.  Rebound in lay man's terms. :)  Now that I've had considerable time to accept the past being the past and making adjustments for the future, I feel that I am truly ready for another relationship.

I also think the battle of wanting versus being ready is fought in many situations.  

... We want the promotion, but are we ready for it?

... We want to be married, have kids and have the wedding of our dreams, but are we ready for the commitment and hard work?

...  We want more money, but are we ready to manage it?

We have to be ready for these things, not just want them.  A want is defined as desire; feel or have desire for.  Wanting is full of emotion and no thinking.  Once we actually think things through and determine how we'll handle them, we're ready. 

When we're ready for something, there isn't an emptiness inside we crave to fill because when we're really "ready" ... 

we're willing to wait. 

Must ♥ Travel

I hope to see many parts of the World. While one may think, well don't we all? Traveling isn't a luxury everyone gets to experience. Some people don't even imagine places outside of the U.S. and Caribbean islands with blue waters and white sand. I want to see Italy. France. England. Morocco. South Africa. I want to see as much as I can and as much as I can afford. I'm even willing to put my first born on hold until I've been to a few places. :)

I once dated a guy that had never been outside the United States. I couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't been. Perhaps some will never get a stamp in their passports for financial reasons which is completely understandable. However, what about the people that just don't think about it? How can you not want to see the World? The idea that there are people who live a completely different life outside of the American way, is amazing (I'm being a little dramatic here, yes I know). I want to see the beauty of a different country.

Must ♥ travel is a requirement for my life mate. He must have the desire to see the World as I do. He cannot just wish, he has to make it happen. Just as I will.

I wonder where my next stamp will come from?

Absentee Ballot - Sent

I'm politically drained.

Despite it being extremely taboo to discuss politics (as well as religion) in the workplace, I can't help but to hear about it day in and day out as the cube farm I now sit in is equiped with seven TVs (this is how I concluded that Palin was chosen to simply deliver blue collar one-liners. you'd be shocked at how many times she delivers the same talking points speeches). People begin by smirking at candidate comments or gasping in disbelief. These actions are then followed by vague conversations between coworkers that couldn't care less about one another and attempt to avoid at all costs revealing who they plan on voting for. After the said water cooler conversations have passed, you hear the tap-tap-tapping of IMs and e-mail forwards to the coworkers you know support the same candidate you do. This occurs 40 hours out of my week, at work alone.

I've read and deleted at least one political e-mail a day. I've heard enoug maverick jokes to make anyone want to commit suicide. I've watched enough SNL satires and seen enough people join political fan pages on facebook to make my blood boil. I've sucked my teeth and rolled my eyes at enough bootleggers selling their own versions of Obama t-shirts and not sharing the profit with campaign.

Again, I'm politically drained.

At this point I'm waiting for Nov. 4. A day I'm sure I will begin the day with an edge that I've never felt before. Wired won't be the word for this is a monumental election. In addition to Obama being the first African American to have a legitimate shot as President, McCain is the oldest candidate (I'm sure) and the U.S. is in complete hell on Earth turmoil. I'll go through the day looking at those seven damn TVs that have drained me in the first place. Watching commentators say nothing but still manage to fill the entire day up with political talk. I'll continue to watch at home with blood shot eyes, drinking wine to calm my nerves, answering calls from friends and family members that are also on a nervous high about who will win.

Eventually, the heat in my apartment and the darkness of the night will overtake me. I will have reached the ultimate pit of political hell and just go to sleep. However, just like having to get up for a 6 a.m. flight, I'll be too nervous to sleep for fear of what the morning will bring.

Yeah, it's time for Nov. 4 to get here.