Rock and Roll

Speaking of helping people accomplish goals...

My business partner (who is an awesome musician), just got sponsorship to go to VH1's Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp at Woodstock.

After training with some serious legends, she gets to open for Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Family Stone and a few other heavy rock hitters. In fact, she's being interviewed by one of the local papers sometime next week.

She leaves on August 12. Meanwhile, we've been running a fundraiser to help send her--the sponsorship covers the cost of the camp, but not the travel costs. Take a look at the link: http://davasykes.bbnow.org/ and watch her video EPK on the "About Us" page to get a better idea of her music. Feel free to pass the link along--I'm always about supporting people's big dreams!

Almost...

I'm about 2 months out from getting my Master's--which is definitely in my TOP 10--and also the reason why I've been neglecting this blog, which happens to be my baby, but...I figured I'd post a quick check in just to let people know I'm still working on it. :)

Will return in a few weeks with updates. Meanwhile... work your dreams!

The Definition of Determination

If you can watch this without feeling inspired...something is wrong.

This contestant from China's Got Talent lost BOTH of his arms in a tragic accident as a kid, but learned to play piano...with his FEET. If that ain't determination for you, I don't know what is... Not only is he talented, but I love what he says (rough translation aside)...

What I've Learned So Far...

In chronicling my life list, I've come to realize a few things...

1. the more I accomplish, the more I realize there's more I want to do---if that makes any sense.

2. nothing I have on my list is really as easy as it seems. I've hit several road blocks (most recently some runaround concerning my schooling and funding). I get frustrated, however I am going to find a way to work around it--you can count on that.

3. people who are not living their own dreams will always attempt to find a way to derail yours. I refuse to let this happen.

4. my accomplishments, no matter how small are just that--accomplishments! Sometimes the smaller things turn out to be more amazing and have bigger impact than the larger ones

5. i am learning something about myself everytime I knock something else off the list.

I'm being kind of introspective today and in doing so I'm adding a few more things:

New items:

• get paid to do something on the list (preferably the travel...lol)
• video/photograph/document my accomplishments whenever possible
• take photos nice enough to be blown up and framed/displayed as art in my house
• sit down and make a realistic budget/savings plan (this includes an emergency fund) and stick with it

This is just a side note and not an official list item, but I am also going to start really re-focusing on my writing. I am a writer by profession and it is how I make money outside of my 9-5 (whether that be through poetry or freelancing).

Like I said, I am musing today and being a little introspective.

On a lighter note though, spring is coming in a few weeks (in theory)...any new list suggestions or good ideas for spring activities?

Veni, Vidi, Vici

When Julius Caesar announced to the Senate his victory over Pharnaces he shouted the immortal words "I came-I saw-I conquered".

Today we did. Today is the day we thought we would NEVER see. Collective sigh of relief

So...to give you the first hand account of the parts you didn't see on t.v.

5:45am I'm up. Eye rubbing, teeth brushing, shower taking and out the door to meet up at the Metro Station. Traffic suspiciously clear (but I also live inside the beltway).

7:15 am Park cars and meet up to take very chilly walk to station...even with 3 layers of clothes. Weather 20 degrees.7:45ish stand in a very long line to get into the station. Mood: pretty jovial considering it was the ass crack of morning. Lots of Obama fever! My coffee hasn't kicked in yet.



8:45ish after waiting on freezing outdoor Metro platform, get on train. Smart enough to get on at the end of the line in the last car and secure a seat for the whole ride. (In my best Homer Simpson voice) Woo hoo!

9:00am on for the ride. Train is stuffed. I know what Twinkie filling feels like. Knew I should've left earlier. Wouldn't have helped. Spend the next 45 mins telling people at every stop they can't get on. Thankful I am not motion sick because the trains are carrying so much weight they're leaning harder than D4L.


10am finally make it. shock and awe. the line...the ticket holder line... is about 1 mile long (no exageration). settle in for a wait.
10:30 still waiting (but moving). Have a nice chat with a family from New Orleans.

11 ish Now I heard they were supposed to shut the gates down at 11:30...gettting antsy. See ticket holders walking in my directions saying the gates are closed. Closed my ass! Not going anywhere until I get "official" word. Dumb dumbs who fell for that ploy get out of line. Time to move.


11:15 ish get pretty far up to where the ticket entrance is. Police hold us up for a few to let the crowds go forward. Mood still upbeat. I actually have a ok view from where I am standing. Cops are doing a good job...can't even hate on them cause I can't imagine how jacked up their job must be today. Spot cops putting up barricades out of the corner of my eye...crowd suddenly shoves me to the left and then an open space...I'm on the other side.

11:30 as close as I am going to get. Not great but not bad. Glad I'm tall...I'm on a little bit of a downhill but have just enough of a straight line of sight to see the jumbo tron.







12:00ish become a living witness to history.

After that it pretty much becomes a blur. We left shortly after all of the speeches (I caught about 2/3 of Obama's speech on my video camera...which is mostly shots of the backs of peoples heads but you get a REALLY good idea of what it was like to stand in the middle of it all). Took a nice walk back to a less crowded Metro station and rode home. It pretty much was a choice of seeing the oath or watching the parade (you pretty much had to be there super super early to be on the parade side and they only let 350K in then they shut it down)...So after a pretty breezy ride back I got here just in time to watch the parade from the comfort of my nice warm living room. Current temperature 30, but 16 with the wind chill. Was hoping that typing it all up would help my fingers defrost...not even a little...LOL. But was it worth it???

Hell YES!!!!

I have never met so many nice people. I have never seen my city so crowded. EVER. I still can't quite feel my fingers. My feet hurt from all the walking/slash standing I did. But I have a new president. My president. Our president. And I'm pretty damn happy.

PS I have some video that I will post on youtube and then embed. It's the swearing in and about 2/3 of the speech (it's a large file so I'll have to compress it). Meanwhile I am going to go recoup.

Item #121 CHECK.

Speechless...

Omg!!!

In the imortal words of SpongeBob Squarepants: Today is the best day EVER!!!

Why. did. I. just. score. an inaugural ticket?

Ok...let me pick my own jaw up off the floor.

Cliff notes version, it happened completely by accident. I came across a lady on one of my social networking sites who had tickets, but lives out of the area and is unable to attend.

Wow! That's all I can say right now...

While I am at it...Parade Magazine has published an open letter from Obama to his daughters.
http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/news/2009/01/barack-obama-letter-to-my-daughters.html

...speechless.

Update on Item # 121- Inaugural tickets

I received this email just prior to Christmas:

Thank you for contacting Senator Webb’s office regarding Inauguration tickets. As you may know, the Senator’s office has received more than 35,000 total ticket requests and has been allotted only a few hundred tickets. Unfortunately, at this time, we are unable to accommodate your request for tickets to the Inaugural Swearing-In Ceremony on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol. However, please note that the remaining sections of the National Mall will be open to members of the public who were unable to obtain the limited tickets available. These areas will have large screens to ensure that the general public can easily view the ceremony and festivities.

We wanted to give you this status update well in advance of Inauguration Day so that you can plan accordingly. Please also be aware that in addition to the public viewing area on the National Mall, there are a number of events during the week, including the Inaugural Parade, that do not require tickets.

Due to the extraordinarily high interest in the Swearing-In Ceremony, Senator Webb has sent a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein, Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, requesting additional tickets to account for Virginia’s proximity to Washington D.C. Should Senator Webb receive additional tickets from the Inaugural Committee or any other source and be able to accommodate your request, we will be sure to let you know.

The Swearing-In Ceremony is the only Inaugural event to which our office has received tickets...

Blah blah blah... long story short, I still may have an angle on tickets, but I am going to Plan B/C which is to say I am either 1. going to brave the cold and the expected 4 million people who are coming to my town in about 2 weeks and watch the inauguration from the Mall or 2. I am going to go to the Verizon Center or Convention Center which are fairly close, but have seats and heat, and watch on the big screens from there. I'm leaning more toward the first since this is a once in a lifetime moment.

Suggestions?

No Resolutions!?!

Happy New Year all.

This year I am resolving NOT to make resolutions. That's right! No resolutions. Resolutions are temporary--how many people do you know who've actually kept theirs? Instead I'm adding goals to my life list.

So here are the new additions:

• Read the Kama Sutra
• Start a photo journal
• Do the Rocky Horror Picture show (thanks Tyler for suggesting that one)
• Write another "Audrey" book for Drey
• Learn to a hip hop or rock song on a violin
• Bake a perfect batch of cookies
• Be as bold/self confident/assertive as Drey (see my previous blog)
• Take a picture with "The Awakening" (on the National Waterfront in DC)
• Take dance lessons (I'm thinking ballroom or salsa)
• Build a bear at a Build-a-Bear workshop
• Have someone send or send myself flowers at work
• gamble in Monte Carlo
• Slip a secret into a Post Secret book
• Learn a cool bar trick
• Keep up with this blog

I am probably going to add a few more things, but I think that's a good start for 2009. Lol.

So, let's toast to a great New Year and new accomplishments!

The Best Inspiration Ever!!!

I want to share with you the best inspiration I have ever had, courtesy of my 4 year old.

Yesterday among the presents my daughter got was this little Tinkerbell wand. Of all the things she got this is by far her favorite--she has been carrying it around ever since.

This morning my mom and I took her to the store with us while we shopped the day after Christmas sales. Of course you know the lines were long and the store was crowded!

What did my 4 year old INSIST on doing but walking up to EVERY single person in the ENTIRE store and say:

"Excuse me," (yes she has fantastic manners...lol) "can you hold out your hand."

As soon as they did, she would touch them with the magic wand and say "I'm giving you fairy dust so that all your dreams come true."

I never saw so many people smile.


Thanks Audrey! :)