Too oh, oh...niner

FINALLY 2008 is going to be GOOOONNNE. I think I can safely say, on behalf of many of my friends, family and myself, GOODBYE AND GOOD RIDDANCE 2008. 2009 can only be better!!

Originally I was going to post a time line listing all the shiz that went down in '08, but I have decided that I will keep the list and just e-mail a few of you with it so you can laugh and cry over it without the world seeing it all.

On my birthday I made "the year of 24" resolutions, so I do not really have any New Years resolutions per se. But my goals are as follows:

1. Travel to at least 2 places I have never been
- so far this is going well I JUST bought tickets to Vegas for Liz's quarter life crisis party :D AND I plan to visit Officer Rossifer in London (been there, BUT) then go to Scotland or Wales since I have never been to either of those places.

2. Use my creativity
- This too is going well, I am going to be in a sketch comedy in Feb and March. I have also been sewing a rather ridiculous amount.

3. Pay off my F-ing Credit Card
- A word of advice. NEVER put your entire long distance relationship on a credit card. Even a year and some odd months later I am STILL trying to pay it off- its worse than college loans. And then you can't really complain about it to the new guys you date... "Sorry I am not spending this kind of money on you...?"

Sure things of 2009:
1. Bush will be out of office: hu-freaking-zaaaah!!!!
2. I will be starting Grad School: whoop whoop, watch out my brains are gonna be growing!!
3. I will go to Vegas: with like 10 other women... I will take pictures so we can try to remember it all.
4. I will go to London: Ross will arrest me if I do not.
5. Another one of my friends will inevitably get engaged.
6. My mom will call me to ask a simple question and then end up messing it up some how and instead, will have uncontrollable laughter and have to hang up and try again later.
7. My dad will win and I will buy a condo ( he always wins): with what money... I do not know, so if I rob a bank to pay for it, you know NOTHING.
8. I will get caught singing to myself as I am about to get on or off the elevator in my building...again: it's too late to apologize, ooh yeaaaaah yeaaaahh.
9. This sweet tiger my boss gave me to put on my computer will become my mascot: grr rowr.
10. This year will be fantastic, if for no other reason than I will accept no less: I am very stubborn like that.

Anywho! Happy NEW YEAR!! 2009 is sure to be the tops! Be safe and ladies- be careful- its cold and we know we are all about to dressy kinda slutty, so mind the frostbite.

Ode to the Theme Party

So I was looking through my facebook photos today and realized that I am in costume or some sort of planned uniform A LOT. Its not like I just wander around in costume, I have places to go. I just seem to be stock piling such opportunities as of late.

To begin, there was October 14th- the best day of the year, my birthday. We had a theme party, Hippster v. Preppy:Seriously, look at all those hipsters... and then there is me- the Prep and Reggie was Kanye, that mystical mix of prep and hipster.

Of Course there is Halloween, my favorite holiday, when the ladies of the Boca Vis Country club and I rocked out in style and my other fabulous ladies cranked out some fantastic costumes as well:
That same weekend, November 1st- November 4th, I spent everyday in a Jim Esch T-Shirt and hoodie- along with everyone else I know in Omaha: (That's my lovely backside).
November 22nd was the first annual Turkey Tackle. MY TEAM WON! heeeellllllllls yeeaaaahh!!!! ... ahem... anywho, we all had t-shirts made, played football and then feasted:
December 5th: The Movember Party:
This stunning photo is of my friend and Andy and me (I know the mustache had you confused... but yes, it is me). Andy grew a stache for all of November to raise money for prostate cancer, I went along to the party because I am a mustache enthusiast. I helped turn him into Mark Twain (he should have won for his excellent costume, but came in runner-up) and then I dressed for the '80's. (He was 1880's I was 1980's haa...haaa...)

The next night, December 6th, I went to an ugly sweater party: I mean HELLO, classy classy ladies.
I am rather proud of all of these events. I do not know when my life became all about the theme but, I think I saw it coming at Mary's WT birthday bash back in September:

This weekend I am going to this Wondrous event: Santacon.

My life is an ode to the theme party. I live it. I love it. And you should join in.

Ethical Dilemma

Yesterday I was sitting at my desk, at work, when the other department secretary IM's me this: "I think (name of grad student who teaches) is stealing books from the book drive box....? Too awkward to say anything?"

This grad student who teaches, is not only an ETHICS teacher, but also a social and political justice teacher. So the thought of her stealing from a book drive for priests in Vietnam is really funny. I of course laugh and think this is just her being confused because of her language barrier issues. So I peek out my door, and sure enough she is on the ground sifting through the books. After getting the uncontrollable giggles out of me, I go over and say, "Oh (name) are you moving those books into the professors office for the day?"

She says, "No I am picking out ones I want."

I reply, "You know those books are for the priests in Vietnam who need them, right?"

She says, "Oh my gosh, oh no I did not know. But, ok. They do not know what they are getting so they will not miss a few."

I stared at this ETHICS teacher in disbelief as she continued to sort out the books she found worthy enough to steal. I then sat down at my desk to ponder my next move... from where I sat I could see she was actually putting the books back now, so I thought maybe she got it- and a freaking conscience- and honestly, maybe she would take 3 books, which whatever, I did not think it was worth the super awkward fight.

I was wrong.

About a minute later she ran by my door with a stack of books so large she was hunched over and using her chin to keep them from toppling over. Not only that, but, SHE CAME BACK FOR MORE! So I called her over and said, "Okay, really? I don't think you should be taking that much! These people NEED these books." She looked at me, and in her tiny little high strung nervous voice she said, "But they do not know what they are to get! Ok... I put some back." and then she took ONE book and put it back in the box, walked into her office and shut the door.

After she left for class I went into her office to see what all she had taken, but some how, that crafty tiny little woman had made off with all of them already.

Clearing up the Lies

So, here I am in Chicago, this time watching my brother's campaign from the sidelines. As you can guess, I am having a hard time not being involved.

Recently, I have received phone calls and e-mails saying that Lee Terry is spreading lies about Jim. Is it sad when someone who has been in Congress for FIVE TERMS has to lie about his opponent? (take a guess at what my opinion is on that one...)

The upside to all this, (as you know I am a glass half full kind of gal), Lee must be scared!

This is from an e-mail sent by Jim's campaign manager Jim Rogers:
- He lies about Jim's position on abortion, because he thinks he can get away with it.
- He falsely accuses Jim of wanting to raise taxes, because he doesn't have a plan to fix the economy.
- He ignores the facts of Jim's energy plan in order to distract from the Big Oil contributors funding his campaign.
- He promised during his first campaign to limit himself to three terms, and is now running for his sixth term in Congress.

I know this is the "nature of the beast" and politics is dirty etc etc... but c'mon, no one wants a liar representing them in Congress; not all politicians need to fit the stereotype. In my opinion, this tactic of lying is old and boring.

YAWN, Lee, I YAWN at you!

Do something new and innovative!! After sending out a mailer that is blatantly untrue don't ask highschoolers to go to church festivals and tell people Jim is not pro-life. They will just bump into my Mom and she will tell them the truth... Oh by the way Lee you lost two young supporters that way, they took information on Jim and thanked my mom and apologized for lying. She said they seemed really hurt that you had them lying to people.

Jim has never looked at this as just a job or a stepping stone- he would have started smaller I think if he viewed politics as a ladder to climb to get to this office. Jim went right for Congress from day one because he knows he can make difference. He sees the changes that need to be made and programs that need sustaining. Most of all, and the thing I respect most about Jim is, he knows he does not have all the answers. But, he will find the people that do and bring them all together to make something amazing happen. And the best part is, these people are in the Second District. They are all around us! Isn't that exciting?? People from our District can make all the difference for our entire nation!

Here are some things I suggest doing:
1. MEET JIM!! ( he's very friendly.. and loves talk about your ideas and his- if you have met anyone in my family you know we love a good conversation)
2. If you see him out and about at an event- PLEASE- introduce him to the people you are with.
3. Stop in at the campaign office, give them a call or shoot someone an e-mail. the office loves hearing what people have to say!
4. Make a donation!
5. Wear your Jim Esch for Congress Shirt/Pin/ Sticker everywhere
6. Put up a Yard Sign
7. Walk door to door
8. Volunteer at the office

He is one of the most passionate and caring people you could ask for in Congress. He has always always worked against injustice. He has always tried to make life better for the people around him, and most of all he has always been reliable.

So show your support. Show that you want innovation and an actual voice out there- isn't it about time?

- Holly