To-Do List #68 - Support a Candidate I believe in

So it's not a secret to anyone I know that I am very much an Obama supporter. I believe in his proposed policies, and even more important, I believe he can actually accomplish them. In my opinion, a Presidents main job is to inspire. The President of our nation needs to inspire the country to believe in themselves. To believe that we are still "the greatest generation" of patriots that most believe died away decades ago. I love this country. I love this country AND i am a liberal democrat. I believe that Barack Obama can make this country great again, in a new way. In a way that the rest of the world can respect. In a way that I, and the rest of the nation, is ready for.

This evening I went to the kick off for the Wake County for Obama Campaign at Bogart's. It was so incredible. 500 people. Standing room only. Young adults, children, older men and women, black, white, hispanic, middle eastern. It was amazing. People were all so excited to be a part of something so big. I signed up to register new voters this Friday and Saturday night. I can't express my excitement about this.

To-Do list #27 - Work on a Cruise ship

When I was 19 I went on a cruise with my parents. We sailed with Carnival Cruise Lines around the Caribbean. I immediately became fascinated with the crew members, where they lived, what they did, who they were... I wanted so badly to have that experience of living and working on a cruise ship.
And so on tax day, 2006 I went to a job fair for Norwegian Cruise Line America. It was a disastrous day. I had been working on my taxes all day, completely stressed. When I finally made it to the fair (late!) I spilled my drink all over my shirt. Horrific. Well, I finally made it to the presentation, with my hair a mess, a wet shirt and a horrible mood. When I spoke to the recruiter and he offered a position of Stateroom Steward - I was thrilled. Okay, so Stateroom Steward means maid, right? But I mean come on, it's a maid in Hawaii! So after a full physical, drug test and a couple of months to prepare this drastic change, I made the first leg of my journey to Piney Point, MD. There I trained for 5 weeks (I will post about that experience a different day) On August 10, 2006 I flew to my new home in Hawaii, my new paradise. As if the land was not incredible enough, I was even more in love with my new home, the M/V Pride of America.
The ship was huge. I got lost many times. I had chin splints from walking forward to aft 20 times a day. I was exhausted from 10 hour days with no days off (literally). Embarkations, well, they speak for themselves. I was homesick, tired, in pain and perfectly happy. I loved every second. I fell in love with the ship the moment I stepped abourd and cried the day I walked off my ship for the last time. Yes, she was mine. I thought she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Don't get me wrong, she was an ugly ship. Her bow is to short and she is far too blocky. She has sunk once before (truly!) She was completely cut in half to add an addition. She dragged a buoy, chains and a 2 ton concrete block entangled in her rutter, hundrers of miles from Oahu to Maui. She is a perfect mess, and I think it's brilliant. I love her and my experience of working on a ship is exactly what I hoped it would be. and more.

To-Do List #12 - Celebrate the New Year in Times Square

I have always wanted to spend New Years Eve in Times Square, so I suppose that was my first check off my to-do list in 2008, although many have been checked before that moment. My sister, Melissa and I arrived around 3pm and there was already thousands of people in the middle on Manhattan. With 9 whole hours until that ball dropped we found ways of entertaining ourselves (and holding "it" -- there are no bathroom breaks allowed!) We played I Spy with our new best friends on the corner of 48th st. and 7th... Melissa downloaded Jeopardy on her phone and her, Michael (more on him later) and I enjoyed that for a while. We discussed politics, health care systems in America and Holland. We sang along to favorite songs and made fun of Carrie Underwood's performance. It was everything I wanted it to be.

Now, back to Michael... While making friends with everyone around us, I noticed one guy by himself, laughing at Melissa and I... I mean, we are pretty funny (at least we think so) So later, we started talking to him, and eventually, he became our new best friend. Michael is from Amsterdam, so listening to his views on American politics was very interesting. I always love a different perspective. It was definitely wonderful to meet him, and what an inspiration he is! For the travelers of the world, he is up towards the top of the hall-of-fame list. Having been to more countries than I can name, always in hostels, always for weeks at a time. He has sky-dived well over 100 times. He was truly a breathtaking person, his life full of sorrow and triumph. It was a pleasure to meet him.

The night was perfect, the weather amazing and the crowd deafining. Each hour we would countdown for other countries, but when it was finally our turn it became surreal. Minutes before the ball dropped they played Imagine and everyone, that's about 1 million people, started singing along with my favorite song. Amazing. As the countdown started I just kept thinking I was there, I was in Times Square, I was finally doing it! The minute counted down, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR! I couldn't stop smiling, I didn't stop smiling - not for several days.

After the ball dropped and we possibly did some serious vocal cord damage from the many happy new year's shouted, we went off to find Dale, my best friend. He tried to meet us earlier in the afternoon, but the blocks were barricaded and couldn't get there, so we agreed to meet up later. Michael joined us at a great diner on the east side where we met Dale. Everything, after a year, fell back in to place, the best friends, the kindred spirits, the rabbit and the hare, it was all there. We talked for ages and he read my palm as always, we had amazing moments, and serious moments and perfect moments and meaningful moments like we always do. We talked about 2008 being our year. We decided our new years resolutions for each other. He said that mine was to let the world see what I saw in myself. To let the world see the strong, independent, caring, loving, empathetic side that I see in myself. I thought it was a brilliant resolution and I am trying to stick to it.

Aloha Hawaii.

I don't think I can ever express how much I miss these times and the peace of this place.

To-Do List #61 - Move to Yosemite National Park!

On April 20th, I will be leaving Raleigh to drive across the country. Destination: Groveland, CA, my new home. Call my a gypsy, a wanderer, a free-spirit, I suppose I am all of those. I will be working at the Evergreen Lodge directly outside Yosemite National Park. With the bears... and the mountain lions... and the bobcats... and the apparently psychotic squirrels. It should be an interesting experience!

It all started with a friend from my ship days, Alex. Alex was my trainer at NCLA's training center in Piney Point, MD. We were great friends there and even though we hadn't seen each other for about 2 years we still talked constantly. Alex informed me a few months ago that he would begin working at the Evergreen Lodge at the beginning of 2008. I instantly knew I wanted to take the opportunity to work in one of America's most beautiful areas, so I called another friend, Lana. Lana was Alex's friend as well and mine, from our time on the M/V Pride of America. I asked if she would be interested in moving out there and working for a while in Yosemite. Within a day we had it all planned, we would road trip out there and begin a new life (again!)

So, on April 20th I will begin the first half of my trip with my Mother. Mom and I will drive from our home in Raleigh, NC to her sister's home in New Concord, OH. We will stay with her a couple of days and on the 23rd of April they will drive me to Lana's home in Decatur, IN. The next day we begin our journey, stopping at every cheesy road side attraction and tourist trap, and complete with a three day stay in Fabulous Las Vegas! We will arrive in Groveland, CA on April 30th and begin our new job on May 1st.