Concert at Lincoln Memorial

Yesterday I went to probably the best concert I have ever had the pleasure of going to, even if Josh Groben was one of the performers.

Kathryn and I arrived at 9:30 in the morning and we could have gotten a bit closer than we were, but decided that we wanted to have a good view of the screens and from our vantage point we could still see the stage, although the performers looked like wee little bugs dancing about while their voices were broadcast across the front long.



I'd never heard 300,000 people singing the Star Spangled Banner before and it really was a moving sound. Definately worth the five hour wait to hear the concert and our President-Elect speak!

Merry Christmas!

May your days be merry and bright! And may all your days be bright!



PS 26 days to go. Does anyone have any suggestions where on the Mall we should stand to participate in the inauguration?

Veteran's Day

Love love living in this country of ours and I'm especially greatful for those who have fought to make it what it is. Especially you, Mike. I'm very proud of you. I feel a great deal of indebtedness to those who have done something that I know that I'll never do, but I can remember them.

So even though I'm not from our great 51 state...erm I mean Canada I really love the following poem and it means a lot to mean on today for the 11th hour of the 11th month.

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the the crosses, row on row,
That mark the place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up your quarrel with the foe:
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
-Lt. Col. John McCrae

Where Were You When...

That's the question we all asked our parents about certain big events in history that have shaped our lives.

Last night I was doing something about those events. I was voting for the 44th President of the United States of America.

I'm one of probably thousands of people across this country who can say that we've met Mr. Obama on a campain stop. I've voted for him in every primary and every general election I could because I not only agree with his politics, but I genuinely believe he represents what he said about America last night in his acceptance speech. We are the change that can be wrought in the world, not because we want to force our ideals on anyone else or because we have the greatest and the best. We are that hope of building on our past towards a better future. "Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow." That's what our President-Elect told us last night. That's what he's been telling us for the last 21 months. That's why voter turn out was the highest it's been in 40 years. That's why I fell in love with the political process again and contributed.

Thank you Mr. Obama for inspiring us to particiate these last two years. Thank you for letting us know that it was what we can do on an indiviual basis that swells our numbers to that large crowd we saw last night in Grant Park.

Now let's go be the change.

Geek-out in Land of Lincoln Day 2

Today was all Abe all the time! In case we got lost, we had these helpful signs to get us back on track to the sights. Of course we could only go to Lincoln sights and Springfield is only made of one-way streets, so we had to go in circles. I even began to wonder at some points if Springfield ever had any other politicians in it. Oh, yeah…it did, but many of them have ended up in prison.

I love the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. I was geek-tastic for the three and a half hours that we spent there. Of course the best part for me though was the gift shop. Forget the moving words of Lincoln and the totally awesome hologram presentations when I can buy a cheap Lincoln head! Presents for those who couldn’t come with me.

We also went to the Lincoln home. I have once piece of advice. Even if you tremble with excitement at the prospect of visiting historical sites or plan a three hour detour into Pennsylvania to visit Gettysburg for the fourth time, if you’re offered a special presentation at the National Park site at the Lincoln Home before going through the house…RUN. Seriously, I got out my cell phone I was so bored and sent text messages instead. Yawn!

But then we went to the cemetery. Of course it poured and it was under construction, so I don’t have any pictures, just lovely memories of the tomb. So I leave you with a song.

Geek-out in Land of Lincoln Day 1

I have taken a little trip this weekend to the state capital in the Land of Lincoln. Every once in a while I feel the urge to totally geek out over my love all things historical about Civil War history. So, I’m planning a totally Abe-gasmic visit to all the sites here in Springfield. I mean this is where his awesome career started, so everything should be all about Lincoln. My license plates have always told me that it is his land (on a side note, not I was shocked to find out that Illinois is the only state that seems to have dedicated the entire state to one person via car registration, not even England does that for the Queen). Only, when I got to the state capital, I was a little confused as to exactly who’s land I live in. Certainly it started out just fine. I mean we have the great young Abe to greet us as we come up step to the entrance:



And I even get the nice picture of the Little Giant, Stephen Douglas that Lincoln famously debated up and down the state in the 1858 senate race. Sorry, just a Geek-out moment.



Then I saw all the other statues around the building. How did Illinois do without a poor replica of the Liberty Bell?



Wait, I know! We should celebrate the white man’s dominance and superiority of the native peoples of the state by erecting a condescending and inaccurate portrayal of someone that is unidentified.



But then here’s a collection of random parts of statues that I like to think are well-intentioned, but poorly executed tributes to state heroes who just aren’t as cool as good old Honest Abe.

Shy John Palmer


Some Awesome Chair Griffens


Everett Dirksen got something on his pants!


I just hope that tomorrow I get to Geek-out a bit more about Abe and and a bit less about Everett Dirksen's pants.