What a weekend!!!!

This past weekend had its highs and lows, for sure...

I'll start with Friday night. I went to HQ and met Lizzy's parents before making more calls. We stopped around eight pm for the debate. For that, we all went to the Brew just down the street from HQ. Watching the debate was interesting, that's for sure. Obama was confident in his answers, and McCain wouldn't make eye contact with anyone, least of all Obama. He was also condescending in his remarks. I think public opinion is that Obama did the best in this debate. Now we're just waiting for the Veep candidates' debate, which will be Thursday. Once again, we're all going to converge on the Brew for the action. =)

After the debate, Lizzy took me home. During the ride, Melissa called. She and I gabbed long after Lizzy dropped me off. I can talk to her about the work I do as an intern for the Obama campaign not worry about being labeled a liberal. Melissa knows the reasons I'm so involved. She understands where I'm coming from.

So I went to bed Friday night in a good mood. I was planning on working a few hours at HQ on Saturday before going home to finish packing for the overnight trip to Iowa City. Unfortunately I was in for a nasty surprise.

I woke up Saturday morning to find that someone had vandalized our front yard and had taken the Obama/Biden yard sign I had put there and threw it away into the neighbor's yard. Whoever had done this had even bent the wire rods. Mom told me not to stress about it; that she could fix it. But that really wasn't the point. The point is that I have the right to show my support for a candidate by having a yard sign on my property and that nobody, NOBODY should be able to take that away from me!

I called Lizzy to let her know what had happened. Even she thought it wasn't cool at all. But it only strengthened my resolve to not let whoever had done it have their way and I went to work for three hours. After that, I came home and got ready for the trip to Iowa City. The game plan was that I would be up there to perform "The Ten Virgins" and then I would stay up there for the Relief Society General Broadcast and spend the night with Melissa at her place.

The performance went perfectly. The other girls and I had our lines down pat. Not bad for the lasses who'd only gotten their scripts a couple of weeks ago. I had a lot of fun working on it.

The broadcast was exactly what I needed. I sat with Melissa and her sister and we listened to the talks. The one that really stuck out for me was President Uchtdorf's talk, especially the part where he told us that we should never find anything lacking in ourselves, never put ourselves down. After the broadcast, Melissa and I talked about that at length in the car. She won't ever let me get down on myself again.

Since we'd only snacked and were famished, we stopped at Hy-Vee and did some grocery shopping. Just as we were leaving, Jeremy called, wanting to come over and so we invited him over for dinner, a late dinner, but it was still dinner. Once he got there, he helped us in preparing dinner, and I had a chance to share with him what I had learned from working on "The Ten Virgins": that if I don't use the gifts I've been given the way they're intended and/or to glorify my Heavenly Father, what's the use of having them. I had also learned that being a loyal friend can be a fault if that loyalty supercedes my loyalty to my Father in Heaven.

After dinner, we played one game and then Jeremy headed home, leaving Melissa and me to get ready for bed and gab a little more. I love her so much. She's like a sister to me.

Amid all of this, I had been trying to ignore the fact that my body was run down. But yesterday morning, I couldn't really ignore it any longer. I woke up feeling warm, slightly feverish, and with body aches that I could barely handle. Melissa even noticed that I was running a temperature. So I called Josh (my new home teacher) while I was still at her house and asked if he'd be able to give me a priesthood blessing after church. He was able to, and I went back home to Muscatine with the faith I'd be feeling better before long.

I'm actually feeling better now. I had a lousy day at work and ended up leaving early today. But after a nap and an evening in, I'll be going back tomorrow bright and early at nine am.

Slan go foill...

A day in the life of an Obama Campaign for Change Intern...

As I find myself thinking of how I got myself into this internship with the Obama Campaign, my mind drifts back to the movie The Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith about this man who had taken an unpaid internship at a brokerage firm with the possibility of employment at the end of training. Amid it all, Smith's character ended up homeless with his young son. In the end, however, he ended up getting the job and eventually started his own brokerage firm.

Now, I am well aware that I am better off in my life and my own internship than that character in the movie. I still live with my folks, and I have a warm place to sleep at night. And I am learning a lot about politics, and discovering why I need to get involved and be passionate about it (those closest to me are well aware of some of the reasons so I won't go into details on this very public blog!).

In other ways, this internship is becoming my refiner's fire. For one thing, I don't know if I'm going to be able to find a job after the campaign is over. The training and experience is invaluable to my resume, but will there be avenues open to me to show it off? Plus, there's some hostility to the cause. I found this out quickly as I made phone calls to persuade people to Obama (see earlier post).

One thing I am aware of, however, is that my Heavenly Father loves me and is mindful of me. He knows I can handle this internship with my body and spirit intact. And hopefully, by the end, I'll be in a position to take my life and become more self reliant.

Slan go foill...

The phone call from HELL!!!!/Life of an intern for the Obama campaign...

I was making calls yesterday afternoon before I went home for a break, and I called an older woman's number. A man answered and when I asked for her, he asked me who I was. I told him who I was and what I was up to.

His response: "Obama?!?!?! That no good, lying SOB and you're calling for him?!?!?!?!?! Don't ever call this number again!!!!! Take it off your list!!!!!!!!!!"

I did so, and he kept badgering me. Because of my training from when I worked as a telemarketer, I didn't feel right about hanging up on him, so I had to listen to his verbal abuse until he finally deigned to hang up on me! By the time I got off the phone I was so shaken and was more than ready to go home and take a nap. Lizzy told me if I get yelled at like that again, then I should just go ahead and hang up on the jerk! Ah, the life of an intern...

I ended up going back last night and helped getting things ready for our trip to West Liberty to canvass today. I don't feel comfortable canvassing, but Lizzy and others will be with me. That said, I must away to get ready, but will leave you with a pic of me at my new home away from home. =)

Slan go foill...

P.S. the two fellas with me in the pic are Rep. Nathan Reichert (big brother figure to me!!!) and fellow volunteer Tracy

What the hell is going on here?!?!?!?!

Okay, I don't get it. I really don't get it!

Yep, those with really sensitive eyes might want to turn away now because I'm about to do some serious VENTING!!!!

At first the week started out fun. I had just gotten home from the Nauvoo Singles conference for my church and it really recharged my batteries, so I was ready to really work on the Obama campaign. So first thing Monday, I went with Lizzy to MCC so we could get some more signatures from the students and faculty for our petitions for satellite voting booths (for early voting) at various places around the county, including MCC. As we went all over campus, I told Lizzy about some of my experiences at MCC, first as a music major, and then as an Administrative and Office Support major. We ended up at the choir room, getting a signature from Jan Phillips, MCC Music Director/Muscatine Civic Chorale director, and of course she razzed me a bit for not being a part of the Civic Chorale concert this time around. I admit I told her a half truth, that I was busy with Murder By Poe, and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to juggle both the play and Civic Chorale. I just didn't tell her I also was going to be busy volunteering with the Democratic Party.

So that was Monday. Tuesday was pretty uneventful, and yesterday was probably the wtf day so far this week.

Yesterday, I got there around ten am and started with preparing mailings. When that was done, I started making calls around my precinct and other places. For the first time since I got started this time around, I got yelled at by someone, got a lecture how I shouldn't be asking people how they're going to vote come November, and was told by someone else that they weren't going to vote at all. But the call that really took the cake was the last one I made before going to meet my mom at the hairdresser's.

This woman, Mandy*, was a fellow Edwards supporter during the caucus days (like Yours Truly), and she said she was leaning toward McCain because she's curious about Sarah Palin.

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

She basically told me (after I tried oh so gently to persuade her to our side, even appealing to the common link we share as fellow former Edwards gals) that if she had to vote tomorrow, she'd vote for McCain. After I got off the phone and was gathering my junk, I vented to Lizzy a bit and gave her the gist of the call. She was understandably shocked. I'm running out of ideas to bring these people to our cause.

We can't have four more years of Republican policy. We just can't!!!!!!!

Slan go foill...

*Name has been changed

Getting discouraged and a little scared in the Obama campaign/The usual fun with Stephen's Green last night...

First off, I officially started volunteering on the Obama campaign on Saturday. I went there for a couple of hours, making calls and then went home. Monday was cold and rainy, and I trekked down there to put in some hours, and then I put in a few hours yesterday before going to Pat McGuire's for the last time until November (since the guys are going to Ireland next month).

I'll get to the pilgrimage in a minute. Let me talk a little bit about my experiences volunteering for the Obama campaign so far.

The woman in charge of our branch, Liz, is close to my age, and very nice. Like in the past when I've volunteered and gotten along well with the employees for the Democratic Party, this time is no exception, and I have a feeling that she and I are going to be friends even after the election.

Monday, I helped with getting mailings ready to send to people. Some wanted some absentee ballot request forms; others wanted more info on Senator Obama. As I was folding those briefs and stuffing envelopes, I found myself reading about his ideas for health care. Those close to me know why this issue is near and dear to me, so I won't go into details on this blog. After Liz ordered lunch, I spent some time making calls, mostly to women because I feel like I can connect with them more on the issues.

Yesterday, I went back. I started out with the mailings again, which was great. Contrary to popular belief, I don't like to spend all of my time on the phone. It's cool to mix it up some. =) Rep. Nathan Reichert stopped by, so I had a chance to gab with him. His signs are popping up everywhere in town now (I was lazy and didn't take my Reichert sign down after the primary in June!). ;)

My parents and I had the usual fun with Stephen's Green last night. Of course, the Cubs lost last night so that kinda put a damper on things, but not too much. I'll just be avoiding Tracy for a couple of days.

I wish I had gone with my gut and worn my Obama button to Pat McGuire's last night. I had told Andy I almost had decided to.
His response, "Why not?"
I replied, "Because of him." (pointing in Barney Barnhill's general direction)
Andy's response, "Screw him!" (meaning I shouldn't care about Barney's opinion about my button)

I was really tired for some reason last night and couldn't stop yawning near the end of the night. By the time we got home, I was practically asleep on my feet and took to my bed by midnight. I slept in this morning, and will be heading off in an hour to put in my time down at HQ. That said, I will away. Must go help with the Obama campaign today! :)

Slan go foill...

P.S. The reason I'm getting discouraged is because I see the polls and Obama's slightly behind. I'm getting scared. I DO NOT want four more years of Republican policy!

Another play...

I auditioned for another play last night. This one is called Murder By Poe and it's definitely NOT a musical. And it's a far cry from the fun of Lucky Stiff. I read for some of the female parts and I enjoyed it very much. I'm ready to do something different, something not a musical and/or a comedy.

Chad (the director) told us all that we were in it; he just wants to do another read-through so he knows better what roles to assign us. This is going to be fun. =)

Slan go foill...

I have a confession...

Yes, my faithful readers, I have a confession...

I was a New Kids on the Block fan back when I was a teenager! *lol*

I found out about their music when I was thirteen, during the summer of 1989. I drove my brothers insane because I loved NKOTB so much. I first fell for Jordan Knight, but then I started liking Jonathan and Joe. So from 1989 to 1992, I was into NKOTB.

They're back together now and have come out with a new album. I'll eventually pick it up, but not right now. I'm older, and I'm not as teenybopper toward them as I was back then.

And I'm such a terrible liar!!!! They totally rock!!!!! =D

Slan go foill...