...I had to sit still... so I could take it all in...here is the re-cap.

Apologies for the giant blog-pause that I took this week.

To be honest, I am still recovering from Obama's win this past Tuesday. And while we're on an honesty kick, I should let you know that I really did not think he was going to be elected. Somewhere, at the very front and center of my consciousness, I truly did not believe the media was being truthful in its polling or its reporting. Instead, I listened faithfully to the progressive media outlets--who were faithfully reporting cases of voter purging, voter caging, brigades of soldiers on-call for the upcoming riots, fields of fema coffins...ALL very TRUE, yet fear inducing enough to stress me out for a decade!

Call me cynical, pessimistic, skeptical, distrustful, contemptuous--your choice really--the truth is after two stolen elections, eight years of Bush, a war for the sake of capitalism, torture of innocent individuals, the slaughtering of THOUSANDS of innocent Iraqi's and Afghanis, not to mention my own personal exodus from my homeland (due solely to many of the political reasons stated above)... how could anyone really expect me, of all people, to believe America would make a good choice

So, in the end...I was wrong. THANK GOD!

I spent Tuesday night with some of the best and most brilliant people I know; as I decided to make an event of the evening (Aparrently politics = party in my book). We all huddled together in a pub and many of my friends experienced the part of my life that I usually reserve for my blog and for the like-minded (politically charged) people in my life. In any case, it turned out to be one of the most incredible and memorable nights of my life... here's why:

1) If your friends like you enough, they'll party with you over politics

My friends, who don't exactly follow politics with the same fervor, came out--on a Tuesday night--to watch the American election...in Canada. I was very appreciative of their in-person-support. And I love them for it.

2) 10th Grade Logic Question: Barack Obama won AND Barack Obama is a bi-racial American. Why does that matter if and only if Barack Obama is a bi-racial American? (remember that shit? I hated logic!)

Here's why: in 1954, the United States government passed legislation to end segregation. However, in 1964, ten years later, people were still killing one another over race related issues. In addition to being shot with fire hoses and attacked with dogs for protesting, many black Americans were still unable to vote at that time--they had little to no civil rights and it was because of a government that failed to treat black Americans like Americans. That was only 44 years ago. In less than half of a lifetime, Americans, by an overwhelming majority, have elected a black president. This is a BEAUTIFUL reality! (I had originally said it was incredible, but it is actually beautiful. Think about it.)

As someone who personally grew up in an ethnic household with two parents that both personally experienced racism and discrimination--this means the world to me. It means that America is finally growing up. In my opinion, when a nation recognizes all of its citizens and the people of its land as HUMAN BEINGS, it is STEP ONE towards becoming a true nation. (Considering this as the first step, is actually an over statement on my part due to the current treatment of Mexicans and homosexuals in the US---but it's a baby step and definitely a step in the right direction). I am happy beyond belief that for once the true character of an individual is what people are basing their votes upon as opposed to the color of one's skin or the descent of their ancestors.

It also meant a lot to me because, plain and simply, the better guy beat the bad guy! Here's the thing about Obama, he's not exactly a liberal. He's liberal when you compare him to American politicians and you take into consideration how far right America has crept... but in the grand scheme of reality--he's still pro-war, pro-patriot act, anti gay marriage, and pro-capitalism--all things liberals disagree with. Many progressives think he is not much different than anyone else... I beg to differ and think he's a big step up from the alternative. The fact of the matter is when you compare the choices, he was hands down the best choice. And to the Progressives of the world: When you're talking about the United States... think baby steps! I'm from there, and even I know that baby steps are a big deal!

...back to the recap:

When they announced that Obama won, I still couldn't believe it--I kept saying: "it's only a projection"... however I soon received a text from a friend, whose father is an editor at The New York Times. The text said that the paper had just sent to print the issue declaring Obama's as the winner. I guess that sealed the deal. We were all jumping up and down, cheering, hugging... it was fantastic!

3) It was like my favorite team just won the Stanley Cup and I don't even like hockey!!!

After the announcement, we all headed down to Dundas Square. The rumor was they were going to show Obama's speech on a big screen in the square... Unfortunately, that was a rumor. Instead, when we arrived, we joined into a great celebration of people dancing and singing and hugging and cheering... my partner and I just kept looking at one another in awe... It was like nothing we'd ever seen before. In the states, people only cheer like that when sports teams win. It made my little, hippie, heart melt!

4) And the grand finale--Typsy Tears of Joy!

We headed to the Imperial Pub to watch the new "President Elect" give his speech. I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly didn't expect the 1992 television set with volume lower than the iPod blasting out of a meathead's ears at the gym! About 150 people where watching with their necks strained forward, shushing the few drunkards in the room who were being rowdy. I was surprised and reassured by the business-like tone of his speech and I was touched by the restored hope that seemed to be pouring from the public. I think I even shed a couple of tears when I looked into the eyes of a fellow New Yorker who happened to be in the vicinity... but I am sure that was due, in part, to my good old friends: Guinness, Maudite, and Keiths...
It was a good night for so many reasons, well four reasons actually.

So here's the question everyone is asking:

Will Barack Obama CHANGE anything? It's a fantasy of mine that he's a hell of a lot more liberal than he lead us to believe--and, once in office, he actually becomes a liberal! In my opinion, that would be an excellent deception... it would be exactly like G-Dub, except the reciprocal!

The reality is he likely won't change much... we'll all just have to wait and see. I'm truly hoping to see what he'll do about green technologies... We NEED to start focusing on the environment, and if that is all we get out of him, I know for sure that is far better than what the alternative would have been.

So here's to change...
cheers.

...got hope?

A friend today said: "have faith woman!", as yet again I began to babble about a stolen election, riots, maybe even martial law come Wednesday.

Am I hopelessly pessimistic? Why can't I seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel? Why aren't I drunk with Blue-State Giddiness knowing that Obama is ahead in the polls? Well it could be one of two things: because I'm currently listening to Deathcab for Cutie... or, because I've been hoping for a long time now that people would wake-up and take it to the streets. Impeach a couple of neocons, fight to end the war(s), make sure our government is doing the right thing, wake up from the consumerist-coma we've been in for the past 10 years...

We haven't awoken yet.

I hope with all of my heart that I am wrong. Dead wrong. I hope Barack Obama becomes the next President of the United States. That he fights for human rights, peace, equality--all of the great things he has been promising for the past year that he's been campaigning...

On Tuesday night, I will watch, with hopeful-faithfulness (a Bushism I think), as the USA elects its next president.

So, here's to having a little bit of faith...and a nice, cold beer while I'm at it!

If you too are having trouble staying hopeful, Check this out...

Cheers,
E

...where have all the hippies gone?

i decided to post some of the best songs ever written. They're old school, they're revolutionary, They're fantastic! They help me believe we can make this world a better place...

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED--it's true isn't it? Every time there is a protest with hundreds of thousands of people, do we see it on television? NEVER. The media picks and chooses what it shows to us. And just because they don't show it, does not mean it's not happening! Pick up your pickets people, it's time for revolution!



I'M A LOT LIKE YOU WERE. This next one, I love. It reminds of the Vietnam Era soldiers who were sent to fight an unjustified war. I feel like we can/should relate--thus, I love this song. History repeats itself, unfortunately, but at least we know how to fight against oppression.



WHAT'S GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC WITHOUT THE DOOBIE BROTHERS? I wish we would just take it to the streets already, honestly!! Ps. Micheal McDonald is awesome! LOL!

anger issues... when yoga just isn't doing it for you...blog...

So I've come to the conclusion that I have some anger issues. Serious issues that seem to keep me up at night and cause endless word-vomit to spew from my lips through out the day. I verbalize that I'm angry so regularly that it is likely confirmed to most who know me, well... that I have anger issues. Here are my issues:

I'm angry at capitalism--not only because the big guys keeps getting richer, but because they're totally abusing the little guys.

I'm angry at the government(s) and their lack of interest in helping to fix the environment.

I'm angry at people who take advantage of others/organizations who are trying to actually help them--I have first hand experience with this and it's awful.

I'm angry at us for not treating other people like they're human beings--when you think about it, we are all the same. I know it, you know it, yet we can't seem to get it together.

I'm angry that having clean drinking water and food to eat isn't a basic human right. The fact that people go starving and have no clean water to drink while others toss it in the trash, by the truckload, is inconceivable to me.

Obviously, an intelligent person might ask: Well, what are you going to do about all of these extremely open ended and vague things you are soooo angry about Enid?

And to be completely honest, I'm not quite sure what the answer to that question is. I mean, what can I really do to change what seems like the impossible--especially when we continue to elect the same types of men to power (nothing wrong with men, but they don't exactly have the greatest track record when it comes to high office)? I've tried yoga, therapy, intense work outs, playing team sports, public speaking. I've tried activism but was disappointed because I was forced to deal with individuals who were more interested in their own individual gains than the gains of the group--and so, I quit.

We've all heard the saying "ignorance is bliss"--and believe me, there are days when I wish I was still that ignorant American girl who was obsessed with 'The Real World' on MTV, but the fact is, there's no going back. Things have changed drastically for me and I accept that. These days, what I obsess over mostly are the 5 things I wish I could change.

So is my anger due to an inability to act? Or is it a byproduct of the times in which we live? Do I go back to pretending that it's not really happening--like most of the people I know? Or do I continue to look for the best way that I can contribute? (<-- the best answer, I know)

I guess I need to sort it out eh?

**As an end note, I want to Thank Laura K. at wmtc for giving me a shout-out on her blog today. She's a pretty awesome lady and a true patriot. As for me, I'm working on it.

OHMmmmmmmmm.....

the end of what? maybe the end of capitalism...

I think this picture is indicative of what many of us may be feeling as of late. I have always been a firm believer in human intuition and its ability to warn of us peril in its own ominous and subtle way. I believe that most people do not depend or use this ability to their advantage as much as they should. Instead we suppress our own natural instinct and listen to what marketing firms have become so brilliant at: programming us. We're basically caught up in a manufactured state of 'iFear', 'iCool', 'iRight', 'iWrong'--you get my drift. Unfortunately, our lack of interest in reality has brought us to a point in history where the world is in absolute and utter crisis--economically, socially, and environmentally. Yet most people are still blind to what is happening; unable to become sober with the severity of the current situation.

I feel as though I have been talking about this underlying feeling of impending doom for a long time and just recently others are beginning to admit to feeling similarly. It feels as though something is about to end and it's an unsettling type of terrifying.

"This thing" which is seemingly coming to an end is ambiguous and vague and matters not. What matters is this unshakable feeling that I am about to fall fast and hard. As if I am standing on the very edge of a cliff; teetering and stammering in a desperate attempt to keep my balance even though I know I am about to plunge. It's that very last second before you fall and everything is in slow motion.

If the end is really near, I just wonder what "the end" is. And for the sake of all human beings, I truly hope it is the end of corruption, or inequality, or hatred, or poverty. Though I hate to sound like a finalist in a beauty pageant, I hope there is warm, crystal blue tropical water to break our fall...Fuck, I'll even take the Atlantic waters off the coast of Jersey. Anything but what is seemingly the inevitable.

(photograph taken by me, Toronto Island '08)

blogging in the pursuit of happiness...

I thought I'd start blogging...you know, get my thoughts out there. I'm not really sure who will read them, if anyone at all, but, I can't lie, it's a bit exciting to think someone might. The truth is that these days you're not always surrounded by people you know, or people who know you for that matter. It makes for a difficult time expressing what's really on your mind. And if you live in a city, like I do, it's even harder.

I've always been intrigued by blogging (since the days when it first became "mainstream" on the revolutionary pages on Myspace and "Generation Acronym" was still in high school) but I was reluctant because it seemed as though it was something only the kids were doing. I finally decided to pick up the dirty habit because, to be completely honest, I think I have a lot of good things to say. Things that don't pertain to celebrities, or fashion, or any other on-the-surface, bullshit conversation that saturates my ears (and CNN) these days.

As a potential regular in "E.B.'s Pub", I thought you might like to know some of my fundamental beliefs (in no particular order). So grab a cold one and enjoy!

~ KARMA. I basically believe if you're an asshole, chances are life will find a way to slap you around. And let's face it, most all assholes deserve to be slapped around. I don't consider myself an asshole, however I do think I have instantaneous karma. As a kid, if i cursed in the hallway at school, the principal or a teacher usually (always) seemed to be walking by at the exact same time (I still curse, but I'm an adult now so it's ok). Or if I returned something that I'd found, something valuable was always returned to me. It's an important part of who I am--some may think it's hokey, but so are religious fanatics. I try, desperately, to stay on the side of "good-karma".

~GOODNESS. If we all just tried to be good people, the world would be a completely different place. Think about it.

~HEALTH. It's so important and I am dumbfounded by how many people ignore their health. I believe that most sickness today is caused by the toxins we are constantly consuming: in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the processed foods that we eat.

~RELIGION. Well, I don't exactly believe in religion, it actually pisses me off.

~PEOPLE. I believe in us. I think we can be better and I hope to be right about this belief.

~CONSPIRACY THEORIES. I think 9-11 was rigged, I think a handful of people run the world, I think religion is a way to control the masses...

~EQUALITY. I believe in equality. Who the fuck cares if Barack Obama is black?! Can he run a country? The truth is, we're all in this together.

~THIS BLOG. I believe it will be pretty interesting. Guarenteed to make you think, make you angry, and make you laugh. So please visit again!

cheers,
E