Obama's Inauguration Speech, Illustrated

An acquaintance of mine, fellow Chicagoan and creative Brandy Agerbeck, has a really cool job.

To quote her own website, "Graphic facilitator Brandy Agerbeck creates conceptual maps of conversations. Since 1996, her drawing and thinking skills have facilitated groups of 2 to 1000 across industries. Brandy's images help people navigate the complex world around them and bring clarity to their work."

At left is her representation of President Obama's, inauguration speech, which, as she explains here, took her about three hours.

Obama!!

Today's the day!!

Michelle Obama in 2016

This t-shirt's in the front window of a little boutique on Clark Street. I love it.

Cool

Dear Trolls: Hating Me Doesn't Make Faggots Ungay, or a Black President White

There are a few readers of my blog who pop in occasionally to obsessively read me (though they seem to hate me) and/or leave vaguely-to-extremely negative or passive-aggressive comments which -- when are you going to figure this out? -- I'm never going to publish. (For those of my friends warning me not to publish this post, you should see some of these comments. They range from annoying to disturbing.)

Obviously, you don't like me. I don't know why, because you don't know me, you just read my blog. Maybe I've been making it easier on you lately because I openly admire our President-Elect. Yeah, what a horrible bitch I am, feeling energizing hope and love for my country, and more connected to my fellow citizens through the influence of my state's Senator, and now our President-Elect, Barack Obama. (Yeah, he's our PRESIDENT now, pretty great, huh? Say it with me: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. He's your President, too. How about that?)

Or maybe you hate me because, though I'm a certified hetero myself, I love the faggots and the dykes, and I keep talking about how I'm marching for their rights and whatever. Yeah, I said it. HOMOSEXUALS. They are in my family (gasp!) and in my circle of friends (clutch the pearls!) and I CARE ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS. AND I LOVE THEM. DEAL.

Seriously. Why do you keep coming back? Why do you give a shit? Hating me doesn't make faggots ungay, or make a black President white, if that's what you're going for. Newsflash #1 - I'm nobody, in the grand scheme of things. And you, commenting anonymously and angrily on my blog...what does that make you?

News flash #2 - I know who you are. A) I have a Sitemeter, and B) I'm not an idiot. I know your ISP address, your country, your city, the business or university you are associated with, blah blah et cetera. You're not invisible.

News flash #3 - You can read my blog to your heart's content, but I will continue to delete your comments, and I just wanted to acknowledge that YOU ARE BEING OBSERVED AS WELL, and that you are kind of a pussy.

Wanna make it more fair? How about you send me a link to your blog, which features your real name, where you honestly share thoughts and ideas and talk about things that are really important to you, so you're not just some anonymous coward. No? Don't have the balls? Didn't think so.

Happy Thanksgiving!

50 Things You Didn't Know About Barack Obama

Highlights from Fifty things you might not know about Barack Obama (from Telegraph.co.uk):


He says his worst habit is constantly checking his BlackBerry

Dude, me, too!

He uses an Apple Mac laptop

Dude, me, too!

He's a Grammy winner

Okay, not so much...

His late father was a senior economist for the Kenyan government

Definitely not.

He's a smoker

Oh, now, that's not good. You're a role model, President-Elect Obama!

He bench presses 200 lbs

Hot.

He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee

Aww! Unsexy nerd phase.

He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal

Glad I'm not the only one taking forever.

He plans to install a basketball court in the White House grounds

That is so cool. Dudes, we have a cool president!!!

Yes, We Did

Check out this nice Flickr set of behind the scenes photos with the Obama family, just before Barack Obama's acceptance speech.



I had a ticket to go to Grant Park and be there in person but I let Bryan go without me, and Dan and I had a special election show at ChUC. Being in Chicago on election night 2008 was a great, unforgettable evening. All of my friends who were in Grant Park are still sort of tongue-tied at the intensity of the experience - so many people united in joy and hope. After I have some time to digest all that's happened, I'll write a bit more.

I'm proud of you, America.

Obama Acceptance Speech

Aw, what the heck. One more Obama post (for now).

Part 1 of 3:



Part 2 of 3:



Part 3 of 3:

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video

Still crying every time I watch this (and lots of other things). My god, I feel such hope and have such faith in my fellow Americans, and I think we can all feel that in each other right now.

Babies Love Obama

Hope Triumphs - "A video tribute to the people of the Obama campaign"

WOW. Yet another Obama campaign video snapshot of Americans that makes me weepy and inspired.

Today's the day! This is history -- right here, right now. Obama is in beloved Chicago right now! Tonight's the big celebration downtown!

Girls 4 Obama

We've all seen the cute pix of Obama with babies, and lots of Obama with little boys, and here's a batch of photos of little girl Obama fans with priceless looks of excitement and hope on their faces as they meet, hug, and high five the man himself. I'm not embarrassed to admit these made me all squishy inside. I am "borrowing" some images for this post, but check out even more beautiful photos on the Shakesville blog.

Charles Meets Barack

An eightysomething man whose wife passed away began volunteering for Obama and won a chance to meet the man himself. I dare you to watch this sweet, sincere man speak about hope and "young people" and not break into tears. Made my morning.

Oh No! Now Even Little White Boys Are Doing It!

Link here.

President Obama Huggypants

Healing America, one adorable little boy at a time.