Boston

I'm having a really hard time composing this post to truly capture the feelings I have regarding the bombings at the Boston Marathon. Being a runner, a friend of runners and a sister, daughter, cousin, and niece of runners, this hits very close to home. An event that is so innocent and so much about overcoming obstacles, and doing something that is so ingrained as one of the simplest freedoms we have, should be a celebration and not a tragedy. And the fact that the determination and accomplishment of the runners cannot be celebrated in the way they deserve is saddening.

I heard about the news on my way to dinner over the radio. It wasn't until I got home and read more about it that it truly hit me. I sat on my couch crying over what, whoever did this, has taken from me. The safety and security I feel when I run races, just like I did  this past weekend, will never be the same. I will keep running, in fact I am more determined now than ever before, but I will do it with different purpose. I will run for what we are losing in America and around the world. I will run for those who can't or don't think they can. I will run for people whose lives have been lost too soon for whatever reason.

I will run because I can.

I spoke a few years ago about how running has become my form of religion. It is where I do my deepest thinking and examination of my life and goals. For someone to bomb a marathon is like them bombing my church. It is a place of safety, challenges, communication and reflection. To tamper with something like that is a sign to me of how scary this world is becoming. How no one is safe anywhere. Not at work, school, the movies or walking around public streets. It makes me reexamine my life goals and my outlook. Nothing is guaranteed.

So while I won't go around being scared every time I leave my house, I will take this tragedy, like I do when anything bad happens, and use it to steer me in a direction of fulfillment. No one is owed anything in this world, so you have to make the most of your life every single day.

I hope you run today (or sometime soon) for Boston and that you help the healing effort in any way you can.

I will keep running.

My Two Cents

When I think about living in America, I think of a melting pot, a land of opportunity, starting over, making your own life and living it with convictions; not settling, fighting for what is right, equality, and freedom.

Election seasons always give us a time to think about what is important to us as individuals. What ideas light the fires beneath us? What do we think is good for the country? Or more (or less) importantly, what is good for us as individuals?

I grew up in a house of liberals, though I never knew until I got older (though my grandparents were conservative). I remember when I heard on the news as a teenager about some law regarding abortion, and how outraged I was that it was legal for someone to tell me what I could and could not do with my body! I had never talked politics with my parents and never knew who they liked, but that night I learned what fired me up and what fired my mom up as well.

In government class my senior year of high school, our class was polarized as Democrats and Republicans. We had debates and often argued about our views. That was the first time I realized I was a true liberal. I had a political identity! It was exciting and frustrating at the same time, because I realized people did not think like I did about everything that mattered most to me.

I remember in my first election how shell shocked I was that Bush won reelection. How could people not get as fired up as I got about the issues that mattered to me?! How could women vote for a party that wants to decide their rights for them? How could it be acceptable for gay people to be treated as unequals in parts of their life? I was in a funk for days and weeks after that 2004 election.

As the years have gone on, I have come to understand more about each of the sides. I have found that I am actually moderate- fiscally conservative but socially liberal (and now leaning libertarian)- and that the political process and role of the President is so much more complicated than who wins the elections. I have conflicting feelings about who wins (no candidate is perfect), how campaigns are run (can't we use all this money for the greater good instead of flying candidates all over the county and running a million political ads?!) and the limits of the two party system (hello Gary Johnson!).

I also hate the nastiness. The point of an election is for people's voice to be heard, not to hate and yell at differing opinions. The name calling, the social media rants- that is never ok. People have their reasons to vote a certain way- it is what is important to THEM. It is part of their freedom of speech. That it may differ from your opinion does not warrant nastiness or hatred. It should create a forum where we can discuss and evaluate our opinions. I am happy to talk politics with someone, but I also know that what they say will not change what is important in my heart.

When I go into that voting booth, my heart is decided by the candidate or party that supports the rights of all his/her people. The one that does not tell me what I can or cannot do as a woman. The one who agrees that all people should be treated as equal- no matter sex, sexual orientation, social class, or country of origin. To me, social issues are the cornerstone of my soul. Equality, equal opportunity, and personal choice are the most important parts of what I take as being an American. You may call that foolish or not agree with me, but it is what matters most to me.

The two party system is outdated. But while the Democratic party is not perfect by any means, I fully believe that America has turned a corner and until the Republicans can embrace a more socially moderate platform and stop ignoring what is becoming a majority of the population, they will keep losing with their old ideals. The country old-school "white majority" is dwindling (hello, Latino immigrants!) and pretending it's not gets the party no where. Just come look at the students at my school and tell me they deserve less rights and opportunities because their parents decided to come to America for a better life.

And as my friend said- "Make no mistake. Change is a motherfucker when you run from it."

I Voted!

I voted at 7:30 am for President/Vice President, Virginia Senate, Virginia House, Richmond Mayor, Richmond District 1 School Board Rep and two Virgina Constitutional Amendments.

Did you?

(And I also didn't hate on anyone else who voted differently than me)

I Hate Politics

Talk about a dirty word.

You say politics to anyone and tensions run high and annoyances run deep. People get hot, sweaty and fired up to talk about their beliefs. They base it on fact, family, friends, TV and actual research. They take it personally. And few sway.

Facebook, twitter and other social media blow up. People take sides. Anger. Insults. Generalizations. No one knows everything but everyone knows something. Compromise? Nah, no room for either. You pick a side based on some lies, some truths, some misconceptions, some promises and some slogans.

I absolutely hate election season. I hate the ads, I hate the dirty talk politicians say to one another, I hate the lies, I hate the explosion of opinions on social media, I hate the scandals the media promote, and I hate the bias coverage on CNN and Fox. I hate that people ask "what you are" (i.e. Dem or Rep) and when you say, "I vote for people not sides" they roll their eyes and assume you are liberal or libertarian. They don't agree with that either.

I don't care who you vote for as long as you have a valid reason (i.e. it is actually a reason and not just because your family or spouse or friend votes a certain way). People vote differently and for different reasons- some care more about money, others social issues, others environmental and each one is fine. Vote for what matters to you. You and no one else. I hate people who vote when they don't know the whole story or vote because they have always voted a certain way. That all being said, please do your homework in private- I don't care to know your political affiliations.

And I think it is weird that more people don't agree with me and get on their soapboxes at any chance to preach to me their "right" beliefs.

I also wish we had more than two major political parties.

But maybe that is just me.

Post-Trip

It's my boyfriend! 

So, it's a Thursday night and I am sitting on my couch watching "Parenthood" on demand getting over my post-trip depression that I experience nine times out of ten when coming back from a cool place. I was in NYC Sunday through Wednesday for a work conference. As I stated here last year, I LOVE NYC. Like, it is my favorite city ever. I am just happy when I am there, even if I am in a boring conference room and especially if I am wandering the streets. It is magical. This time a coworker and I stayed in the Hilton New York on the corner of 53rd and 6th for a Gear Up Conference (a grant program my school has for our seniors), where I actually stayed when I went with my parents in Christmas 2003. It is a perfect location right between Times Square and Rockefeller Plaza. I love nice hotels with a nice gym (but sadly no free wifi) and having a room all to myself- I always feel so pampered!

We were able to see a lot in between meetings Monday and Tuesday and even got on the Today Show AND a trivia game with Kathie Lee during the 4th hour on Wednesday before we left (I am still trying to find the link online and when I do I will post it here- she was literally a foot from me for 15 minutes and we got on camera)! No matter how many times I see the Today Show I just can't get enough. It is part of my childhood!

It also snowed the 1st night we were there. You can't really tell, but it was so cool:)

It was also fashion week. Sadly no star sightings, but we did venture over to the Lincoln Center and see people suspiciously standing around with lots of cameras. We stalked for a little bit and saw no one.

Very empty on a misty, February morning! Definitely a good non-tourist time to visit!

Gearing up for our on-air trivia game! The two young girls work for NBC.

And a lovely, perfect, idealistic NYC evening with ice skating and a showing of Lady and the Tramp:)

Ten Years Ago Today

I was fifteen, a sophomore in high school. I was in my chorus class for 3rd period when the band teacher came into the room and told my teacher that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I had never been to New York and didn't even really know what the building was. We were all confused, and many of my classmates got nervous because they had family or friends in NYC. The bell rang and I went to my next class (Mrs. McGrath's Perspectives course) and we told her what we had heard. We had access to a TV and watched it all unfold. I stood by the TV to give it better reception. We saw (live) both towers collapse. There was confusion and sadness. I remember most how sad I was for something and people I never knew. It was as if everyone knew that with those Towers collapsing, life as we knew it would never be the same.

I have now been to New York City 5 or 6 times. I have seen where the Towers stood and walked where the devastation occurred. I have watched the videos of that day near Ground Zero and know how scary and awful it was. Most of my adult life has been post- 9/11. Terrorism, airport security and a different New York have been most of all I have ever known. In 5 years half of my life will be post-9/11. It is getting harder to remember what it was even like before, though I still hold on to the little that I do.

But what I take most of that day is how people came together; sitting in front of the TV in shock and knowing that life would be different; that our world was changing and as safe as we felt or thought we were, we really will never be 100% safe again; that there would be a before and after 9/11. And a distinct difference.

However, as time has gone by, life feels just the same that it did. I used to get choked up whenever I thought about 9/11. Now it doesn't hit me as hard. But I always remember it when flying or going to NYC or driving by the Pentagon. It will never be forgotten, but the pain is less and life is more like it was before. Maybe that's not good, maybe the feeling I used to get while thinking about that day should never go away. But life is about moving on and I will always remember 9/11/01 as a day of sadness and shock, but also as a day that America really came together. I only wish it didn't take tragedies like that to unite our nation as one.

Ten years later it feels different, but is never forgotten. I will never forget.