An Insubstantial Blog

Wow, our new president is just so tech savvy. Or at least he knows people who are. Regardless, who knew that photos chronicling his family during the election would be up on Flickr? The album of 82 photos can be found here.

The photographs cover the Obama family once they arrived at the hotel close to Grant Park through the speech at Grant Park. It's funny to think that Obama basically found out he was president when we did as their family gathers around the television. My favorite photos seem to have been taken during McCain's concession speech and before a bunch of people come to congratulate him. They seem to capture the sentiment of "Holy shit, I'm president. Oh shit, that's a lot of responsibility!"

Okay, it doesn't seem as if the photos will upload right now. Soooo, follow these links for my two personal favorites. Link and Link.

• Surprise, surprise. Palin's may be more stupid and more corrupt than anyone gave her credit for. And it's the McCain camp that's ratting her out. Priceless.
• Just like everyone else, I really just want to know what Obama's new puppy will look like.
• Election night celebrations and partying went on without me. I have strep throat. Apparently, my throat is strep-py enough for the doctor to make the expression "DAMN" and not even bother with a strep test.
• Which means I've called off twice at the job that doesn't give me hours to begin with. Dammit.
• Ahhh, failing world economies. The pound has now dropped from 2.05 this summer to 1.58 to every American dollar. The euro? Down to 1.28. European shopping sprees await.
• Nervous obsession over the move to London ensues. Will I like it? Will people like me? Am I forgetting something really important? Will they ban me from entering the country???
• Less nervousness knowing that with Obama just elected, there will be a little less direct hatred to overcome when meeting Europeans.
• New book to read: The Savage Detective by Roberto Bolano. 10 pages in. Do not like it so far. Too much masturbation and odd sexual situations for only 10 pages in.
  

Ohio was the first red state to turn blue. Wow, what a good feeling.

And now I'm watching McCain's speech as he acknowledges that we have elected the first African American (/Hawaiian) president. As someone who respected McCain in previous campaigns, I don't really see how he changed so much in this one. Or what made him think Palin was a wise choice.

Regardless, props for manning up in this speech. It seems that McCain fans have gotten out of control. While McCain is the most composed he has been, his fans are completely rude and shows the real divide in the Republican party. McCain calls for support of the new president and they boo him?

While some would have preferred a woman elected, I also feel confident about our new first lady! An interesting segment on the daily show tonight featured a man who went to Harvard when both Michelle and Barack went there. Interestingly enough, he always thought Michelle would be the one in office. Regardless, by electing Barack, we will also have a strong first lady which we haven't had since Clinton.

In other news, I don't have to move to Canada! Yay! However, by the time Obama is sworn in I will be living in London.

Ahh, Halloween my favorite holiday. It's kind of bumming me out now that I'm so old. Since I graduated, I really can't go trick or treating or I'll just be creepy. But I don't really want to start popping out kids now. I should steal other people's kids to take out with me. I did dress up and hang with school friends. There was drunkeness and costumes and fun yet jinxed as everything was broken up or stopped the second we entered. C'est la vie.

Tomorrow I must work 8 hours AND wake up early. This hasn't been done in about a month. Then, I will be making delicious jello shots. Well, here's a useful topic for my craft blog! Jello Shots!

This is how you make them PERFECT. I can make 2 things in this world and they are one of them.

Follow the directions on the side of the box. Pour in one thing of Jello mix to the hot water. Then add 2-3 packets of the knox gelatin. Yes, I know it's a lot but TRUST ME. As these shots are week substitute some of the cold water for more cold vodka. And when you pour them, do it fast as they will set...FAST. Don't pour them into Dixie paper cups. There's other plastic cups about the same size which work much better. And are reusable if you want to wash them all out. This way, when the shot sets, stick your finger around the edged. You'll be able to pick out the jello shot whole from the cup. Best jello shots ever...sooo gelatinous.

As it is officially November, I'm minorly freaking out about many things which are all coming together right now like umm...

in 1 day the election which could change america FOREVER
in 1 day I have to have an awkward lunch encounter/interview for grad school applications. yes, i worry too much. it will be fine, but still.
I have about 5 essays to write for these applications which I would like to turn in by December 15th.
Oh, and I'm packing up, leaving the country, and ending up at some pub in England. WHAT? I am so not ready.
Annnd, I still have to finish those 14 cross stitch designs

As of 10/23, Ohio was changed from a swing state to "leaning Obama" on Real Clear Politics!

::does a happy dance::

I would love to live in a blue state once again.

In other wtf news, Obama is gaining ground in....MONTANA! How the hell did that happen? Montana was currently leaning towards McCain (not in the least surprising) and has now become a swing state. Not that anyone is too worried about it's 3 electoral votes. Maybe there's more gay cowboys out there than we think.

Want to support your favorite candidate AND be fashionable? Well, if you are a McCain fan, you may be out of luck. I searched both but McCain just doesn't seem to inspire the creative types.

However, if you love Obama, he has inspired many crafty people lately. I just bought three buttons on Etsy from RememberMeEmily. Her awesome buttons feature vintage photographs with quirky sayings like "Elitists for Obama" and "Middle Aged White Women for Obama." I bought the second one for my mom.

Etsy, if you have never been, is an online store where anyone can sell their handmade goods.

SquidInkCollective features an Anti-Palin Pro-Polar Bear shirt entitled "Palin shot my paw!" How cute! Poor polar bears. :-(

And finally, for all of you science nerds who are also Obama fans, there is this shirt. Ob, also known as Barack, is the "element" of change. Harhar...

Going on Etsy is a bad idea. So many things to buy and such little money. The next time I have money, I will be splurging on some Scrabble tile pendants. They seem to be all the rage right now but I especially love the ones by HomeStudio. They are also VERY affordable!!!

Ever wonder if there is any humor in the bible? Wonder no more.
The site answers some other useful things like, "Why does smoking pot cause the munchies?"

Whether you like John McCain or Barack Obama, you must watch this hilarious video. John McCain has one too, but it's not quite as funny. McCain pokes fun at people but Obama wins at life for name dropping Facebook, Yankee Stadium, and lip stick wearing pigs.

My favorite quote? As Obama reads his "facebook profile" outloud, "My greatest strength is my humility. My greatest weakness? It's possible I'm a little too awesome."

Oh Obama, you are WAY too awesome.

Anyone watch SNL tonight? Anyone think Palin just stood there awkwardly while they tried to not let her talk? Anyone still completely freaked out that her and Tina Fey look that much alike? Anyone also freaked out that Tina Fey is a better Sarah Palin than Sarah Palin?!?

But seriously, the skit is worth watching simply for all the awesome celeb cameos.

These things are all I have to entertain me between long, excruciating shifts at my minimum wage job. Feel sorry for me...now!

I missed half of the debates as I was too busy at my mind-numbing job.

It's a shame. I missed the great quote "Sarah Palin is a role model for all women." Also, now that she's had a Down's Syndrome baby who is...how old? she's now apparently an expert on all special needs children. What was that autistic comment? Does she have an autistic kid? I was just confused. Regardless, she is a not a role model for me because I'm not that stupid of a woman, thank you.

Overall, it was a fairly amusing last half. Poor John McCain. I think he's really losing steam. The split screen wasn't doing much for him either. I loved watching how calm and eloquent Obama was while McCain got more and more irritated as Obama talked. He sure can't control himself very well. So much blinking! By the time he got to answer, he was so worked up that he just blurted things out to be like HA, you're wrong! GOTCHA!

Props to Obama, yet again, for actually getting me interested in politics. Oh, and props to Sarah Palin, without which I would not feel quite so invest in Obama winning. While I always supported Obama, I wasn't nearly that dead set on him until Palin came around.

So, if anyone is out there reading. If I were to have a little drinking game on election night, what would be a McCain/Palin themes cocktail? My dad suggested something expensive and snooty for the whole Republican thing but I can't imagine we are going to sit around sipping Scotch. Yuck! My friend suggested Natty Light but McCain really isn't a redneck type of Republican so I don't know if that works either.

Obama Love! Show your support and carve an Obama pumpkin! You certainly wouldn't be the first to. Damn, some of those take talent!


My new favorite series on the internets...Pot Psychology brought to you by jezebel.com. Basically, they get stoned and answer advice questions. This one is a personal favorite. It features a guest appearance by someone from Top Model who seems to be the most stoned of anyone. Her views on anal sex are quite enlightening.


Now, I know some of you may be sick of all the talk of Palin. Unfortunately, I am not. Seriously, who can resist a good Palin bashing now and then? And for setting the women's right movement back to the 1800s, she does kind of deserve it. I can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I watch this clip.


In other news, I'm trying to get an election party together in the hopes that it won't involve depressing binge drinking like the last election. Last election was my first time voting. Like everyone else on my campus, I had to wait in line for 5 hours to vote. Others had to wait as long as 10 hours. When we finally voted, it made us feel awesome. For a moment, we believed in democracy and that we were helping to change America for the better. The whole small town came to a stand still as everyone was stuck in line. However, the poll results later that night caused a massive drinking binge throughout campus as our state went red. Our small town had voted 90% blue.

Hopefully, there will be celebratory drinking this year. I want to make Bahama Mamas, which I shall rename Obama Mamas. I kind of want a McCain/Palin themed drink as well. But Republicans just aren't fun and I can't think of fun drinks.

I should also mention that my favorite holiday is Halloween but I don't know if I'll be doing anything this year for it. Since I don't want to blow money on a costume, I thought I'd wear my Texans for Palin shirt and go as a Republican. My mom also claims to have Palin-like glasses which I can borrow.

If not, I will reuse my bumblebee costume and be the fat bumblebee from Blind Melon's No Rain video.