Reporting and Interviewing

Well, today I received the bad news that once again, I had been rejected. Although Senator K received Norm Coleman's tickets, she did a lottery and I did not recieve any tickets. Bummer. Bummer. Bummer.

Although I have not gotten tickets, I am at least grateful that her office has kept me up to speed on what has happened and let me know I was not on a random makr-beleive list waiting for Santa to bring my tickets. I simply cannot say the same for Keith, and as such, am pretty much totally finished with him--although the Dusty guy from his office is nice.

On the upside, I received a call from Nancy Marshall-Genzer, today. She is a NPR Biography Assistant Producer in the Newscast Unit. She is going to interview me tomorrow on NPR! I am going to talk about going to the Young People's Ball and how Clinton and Gore did not come until after we left. What a major let down!!! Anyway, I am very excited to be interviewed--and at this point it is the only fun thing that's happened to me since I voted (except for my fun party).

It should be fun! I am looking forward to going to St. Paul!

After I found all of this out, wouldn't you know that I see Bobby's teacher and she asks us to come to class and give a report of what happened? Cool. We will have to see.

I was thinking about getting a Flip Minio like Tara has to take some mini movies of our activities, and let Bobby take some too--not sure if Steve still has a discount or not....if so it seems like it might be fun to do--just to upload my experience and also do some mini interviews with Bobby while we are there. He can be a little Anderson Cooper--especially since we have been learning so much about the City and its history.

More to come. Wish me luck tomorrow.

One Week Left

One week to go and we are ready to welcome a new president. We are reading the "Capital! From A to Z" and Bobby was interested in learning about the candy desk. Apparently, this desk is located on the Republican side of the Senate chamber, and has been stocked with candy and treats since 1968. Not sure if it still exists.

We are getting so exicted to see our friends and family. Rob's parents are going and so are mine. My brother will also be there. It should be cool. Beyond that, we now have plans to o to a party on 1/20 so we will be getting dressed up and going out!!! Wooohooo!

More to come.

I also just bought two posters from the PICA committee. I am not sure why I keep buying stuff--since it's the People's Inaugural and I have tickets to nothing--but it will be a nice keepsake to sock away for Bobby.....

9 And Counting

So it is nine days until the big Inauguration. Bobby and I need to get out scrapbook together a little bit better and renew our Library Books. We have been reading about the city and learning the historical significance of some of the sights. I think this will be a cool trip, and I hope that Bobby enjoys himself, despite the crowds.

Earlier this week, Earlier this week, I had a massive temper tantrum. I was already pissed that I did not get tickets from Ellison--it's hard to believe that he really gave all of his tickets to people in his District (never had a good experience with him anyway.....) but you would think that there would be one benefit to owning a house in the North.....anyway. I logged onto the blog and tried to get tickets to the parade. Apparently, they were selling 5,000 parade tickets. I sprinted back to my desk after the field trip (see previous post) and huffed to my desk. Logged on and go on the phone line. The tickets sold out in under a minute on Ticketmaster. Apparently, there also will be standing room that’s first come, first served, so Jamillia and I need to decide where we're going to stand.

On the upside, I got a note from Amy K's chief of staff letting me know she got some of Coleman's tickets and will be distributing them by lottery to people who have asked to be placed on a waiting list and who can confirm that they have arrangements to be in Washington on Inauguration Day.

Since I have been trying to buckle down and spend less money, it is sort of (okay, really disapointing) that we have spent so much money on plane tickets and have no plans to speak of. I am sort of bummed out and embarassed to keep telling people that we have plane tickets and no plans. BUT-on the upside, I get to spend the Inauguration with the Ferris ladies, which is outstanding, and Bobby will say that he was there, which is outstanding. And, I have a place to stay downtown, which is amazing. And, on the upside, Senator Klobuchar is hosting an open house reception at her office at the Hart Senate Office Building on January 19--so Bobby will get to see where daddy was a Page. Right?

Field Trip

On Friday, I went to Minnesota Public Radio with the St. Louis Park Junior High School "Breakfast Buddies" and the members of the Junior League committee. It was fun. Although the girls were not initally excited to go, once they saw the beautiful modern offices, and the friendly and passionate staffers, they got pretty excited. One of the most interesting things that my group learned was that fame is relative. The kids were very excited to know what "famous" people had played in the studio. When Steve, our tour guide said Yo-Yo Ma, the kids were like who? I thought it was interesting that they had mot considered that some people outside of their immediate frame of reference, might actually be famous to someone else. All in all very good.

Cheap Wine Review

Okay. I just drank some wine that was not finished fermenting. Puke. Worse yet, it was from my favorite retailer, Trader Joe's.

Moving swiftly to the "Do NOT Drink" list is:
Trader Joe's
French Market
Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Vintage


Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

No other words.

Fearless Reading

In the spirit of encouraging Bobby to be a fearless reader (school's word, not mine), I told him to bring home some books with words, not just comic books. So, in an effort to listen, he brought home two books with actual words. Amazing.

Except, one of the books was, "In The Night Kitchen" by Maurice Sendak. I have read the book before and have found it to be sort of boring. As we read, we began talking about the illustrations--the little boy in the "Night Kitchen" looks a lot like Max from "Where The Wild Things Are"--with one major exception. He's naked. Super naked and being baked, dunked into milk, etc. The stuff that 7-year old giggles are made of.

In the spirit of not making a big deal out of it (we were doing fearless reading afterall), I Googled the book, and informed Bobby that the book was a banned book. We had a great disucssion on what banned books are and looked through the list. We learned that Harry Potter and How To Eat Fried Worms are also banned. Interesting. Certainly a worthwhile teaching moment.

Time for A Contest Entry

I am so excited that we are entering a New Year. Although it does not seem real, it is really exciting. I am excited to see what the Obama kids do in the White House, and how a new President might make our nation respected once more. I have enjoyed 10 years in a fun, meaningful marriage, and best of all have a good Spaniel (Trooper) and a great son.

I am happy for the Blessings I have in my life, and am not taking a single solitary one for granted. To that end, I am REALLY excited to see my dear friend and college roommate. We're going to DC to visit her, her baby, mom and hubby. I think I am going to buy baby Sadie a tutu. In looking up mommy blogs, I found this cool web site: hannah's tutus. Check these out: http://www.hannahstutus.com aren't they adorable? I think it is always nice to bring someone something they might not buy for themselves. I also think these tutus will be perfect for my friend's little girl Sofia. She is a girly princess and will wear it everyday--to school, the grocery store, her play house...you name it. This is a must-have present for her.

Anyways, my brother was listening to WTOP News and heard that the Inaugural Committee is hosting an essay contest--you have to tell the Campaign what the inauguration means to you. I am so excited to start the year off visiting Washington, D.C. and also connecting with my friends. It will be so special for our families to watch the Swearing In together, even if it is just on TV (huge bummer for ex-Clinton-Gore workers and transition team members). However, we have experienced so many things together--she came to see me after 9/11, before the baby was born; I came to see her run the ING NYC Marathon; we were in each other's weddings.....the list goes on.

Anyway, I am pasting a version of what I wrote, as I think it is a nice summary of who I am and what I believe. I always tell people, you are the sum of your parts. Every experience you have makes you who you are. Well, here I am:

Essay Question: What does this inauguration mean to me?
This January, I plan to visit Washington, D. C., with my 7-year old son, Bobby. Together we are planning to attend the Inauguration of President-elect Barak Obama. In our home we read stories, visit museums and spend a lot of time volunteering. As a parent, I try to teach Bobby that by learning about the past, we are investing in our future. I do this because it is something my mother did for me.

My mother grew up on a farm that was a Civil War battlefield during the Battle of Bull Run. She later attended segregated schools and an integrated college. A librarian by trade, my mom took our family on vacations that taught us how America’s history laid the foundation for its future. We spent many summers in the family car driving from Boston Harbor to Roanoke, learning about our nation’s history. Memories of those vacations helped shape my view of the world as a child and become an adult who votes, volunteers and believes our country can always amaze America and the world.

Obama’s inauguration is very meaningful to me—as a black mother and as a student of American history, I feel privileged to witness how far our country has come. In one Presidential election, we have taken strides toward moving beyond the missteps of the past. In addition to teaching my son about our great nation, I want him to witness history for himself. Winning the tickets to attend the Inauguration, would afford me the opportunity to do that.

Real Simple's Smoky Corn Chowder

Sharing and saving one of my favorite recipes from the dynamic magazine, Real Simple. Enjoy!!

Smoky Corn Chowder

What You'll Need:
8 ounces sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large sweet onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 10-ounce packages frozen corn
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup half-and-half
Kosher salt and pepper
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced


Cook the bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings and return the pot to medium heat.

Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and red pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, broth, and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir to combine.

Divide the soup among individual bowls and top with the scallions and reserved bacon.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

CALORIES 359 (58% from fat); FAT 23g (sat 9g); CHOLESTEROL 41mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32g; SODIUM 597mg; PROTEIN 10g; FIBER 6g; SUGAR 20g

Real Simple, FEBRUARY 2008

Compare and Contrast

I am pleased to report that Trader Joe's has recyclable totes. These are not just any "green totes" but specially engineered totes that hold six bottles of wine. Awesome.

In acknowledgement of these tough economic times, I am exploring cheap wines. Today I am offering feedback in two:

El Torito
Tempranillo
2007
Spanish
-Yuck
-Busy on the pallate
-Went flat fast
-Do not recommend buying ever again

Il Valore
Sangiovese
2007
Italian
-Very tasty
-Loved the friendly back label--it suggests storage and pairings
-Would definitely buy again

New Year. New You.

Today is New Year's Day. My New Year's Resolutions in order:

• Shop Locally: I am hoping to buy more goods (and food items) from local merchants. In terms of supporting small business, I just learned about Modern Apealing Clothing in SF. While not near me, this is a local merchant, and I am more than willing to buy stuff from them.

• Be more responsible with my money: this includes checking the bank account, helping to pay bills, using coupons (including and not limited to my Cub Bucks!) and following my Share Builder account.

• Eat better: this doesn't mean that i have to diet (barf), but I want to try to clean up our pantry and maye even cook once a month. A little less eating out would also support ojective number two!!

More to come.