(no subject)
Nailed my music final...not that I was worried about it, but it's nice to do well, no matter what it is. I was one of three that actually showed up for the final. I had an A- without taking it, but I figured a couple points is whether an hour or so of my time.
Picked up Christmas presents for my brother, sister-in-law and my dad. I love wiping out half of my shopping with one trip to the campus store.
Had to reschedule my DSCC interview...apparently, my phone registered as a busy signal when the lady tried to call me. Whatever...I'm assured by the fact that she's made the effort to reschedule twice. Definitely hitting the nerves a bit, but that's ok; I still feel confident about this business.
My Americorps application is one completed reference away from being completed.
Looking forward to going home, if just for the affection.
6th season of West Wing is still treating me nicely.
The 5th chapter of Team of Rivals was phenomenal. I learned that Lincoln ceded his first bid to be Senator in order to nominate a guy more closely aligned to his cause. Basically, what happened was Lincoln was the more popular choice in the Illinois legislature in 1952 (?). The guy in second was a proslavery Dem. However, there was a small contingent of legislators supporting a more strongly antislavery candidate, and they were blocking Lincoln from attaining a majority. So, what did Lincoln do? He withdrew, so that there would be an antislavery candidate, even if it wasn't Lincoln himself. And THAT is why he's my hero. You don't see that a lot back then, and you sure as hell never see it now. There's no such thing as cause and mission in the face of political ambition anymore. She also dramatized the Sumner caning by Preston Brooks in a way that made it more significant than it had ever been to me. The use of language in the telling of that episode was particularly striking, and it's not the only instance of such strong writing in the book, but it's definitely a highlight so far. Goodwin writes with enough detail that you can really get involved in the subject and events, but that you don't get bogged down. She always writes at a perfect level of political maturity for me - she takes somethings as assumed, but clarifies some of the ways things were back then, and thus makes the events she covers even more important. Love this book so far
Also, Harry Reid was absolutely right in what he said. First, this is a man who's pulled his punches far too much lately and it's nice to see him ready to scrap. Would Schumer or Durbin make a better majority leader? Absolutely. But was I proud to hear what I heard today? Yup. The Republican party has been on the side of stagnation and backward policies too many times for me to really worry about their hurt feelings. Plus, if we're going to worry about civility in politics (and I think we should, but it's a pretty forgone issue), let's look at the party that still accuses the current President of the United States of not being a citizen and has no qualms about spreading the idea that Obama is illegitimate. And, of course, to the ones that graciously concede the fact that he is our duly elected head of state, he's a socialist/communist. Come on, folks. If the Republican party were to admonish those who spread these types of lies, maybe I'd be more sympathetic when Harry Reid calls a party that is characteristically racist and sexist...racist and sexist.
Picked up Christmas presents for my brother, sister-in-law and my dad. I love wiping out half of my shopping with one trip to the campus store.
Had to reschedule my DSCC interview...apparently, my phone registered as a busy signal when the lady tried to call me. Whatever...I'm assured by the fact that she's made the effort to reschedule twice. Definitely hitting the nerves a bit, but that's ok; I still feel confident about this business.
My Americorps application is one completed reference away from being completed.
Looking forward to going home, if just for the affection.
6th season of West Wing is still treating me nicely.
The 5th chapter of Team of Rivals was phenomenal. I learned that Lincoln ceded his first bid to be Senator in order to nominate a guy more closely aligned to his cause. Basically, what happened was Lincoln was the more popular choice in the Illinois legislature in 1952 (?). The guy in second was a proslavery Dem. However, there was a small contingent of legislators supporting a more strongly antislavery candidate, and they were blocking Lincoln from attaining a majority. So, what did Lincoln do? He withdrew, so that there would be an antislavery candidate, even if it wasn't Lincoln himself. And THAT is why he's my hero. You don't see that a lot back then, and you sure as hell never see it now. There's no such thing as cause and mission in the face of political ambition anymore. She also dramatized the Sumner caning by Preston Brooks in a way that made it more significant than it had ever been to me. The use of language in the telling of that episode was particularly striking, and it's not the only instance of such strong writing in the book, but it's definitely a highlight so far. Goodwin writes with enough detail that you can really get involved in the subject and events, but that you don't get bogged down. She always writes at a perfect level of political maturity for me - she takes somethings as assumed, but clarifies some of the ways things were back then, and thus makes the events she covers even more important. Love this book so far
Also, Harry Reid was absolutely right in what he said. First, this is a man who's pulled his punches far too much lately and it's nice to see him ready to scrap. Would Schumer or Durbin make a better majority leader? Absolutely. But was I proud to hear what I heard today? Yup. The Republican party has been on the side of stagnation and backward policies too many times for me to really worry about their hurt feelings. Plus, if we're going to worry about civility in politics (and I think we should, but it's a pretty forgone issue), let's look at the party that still accuses the current President of the United States of not being a citizen and has no qualms about spreading the idea that Obama is illegitimate. And, of course, to the ones that graciously concede the fact that he is our duly elected head of state, he's a socialist/communist. Come on, folks. If the Republican party were to admonish those who spread these types of lies, maybe I'd be more sympathetic when Harry Reid calls a party that is characteristically racist and sexist...racist and sexist.