The Mass Agree Part 3

…is finally here!

But first, a little background:

Way back in the day (read: two months ago) when President Obama was officially elected, I wrote two blogs: The Mass Agree Part 1 and The Mass Agree, Part 2. These blogs were basically reaction blogs to what had transpired on Tuesday, November 4^th. All of the emotions, the feelings, the traffic—all of it. I had also started a poem a few days before he was actually elected…but never finished it…until now.

It has never taken me so long to finish a poem. Ever. I started it on November 2^nd and up until last night, I had only written a line or two at a time, changed some stanzas, did some deleting, critiqued what I had at the time, changed the entire feel of the piece, and just procrastinated pretty hard. I think I just wanted it to be really, really good. I wanted to put my all into it, however one thing I learned from that attempt was…..my best pieces are created when I’m right in the moment at one time…not when I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to perfect it.

Before I present it though, I must give a “shout out” to my homie, Ronnie. For two months, he’s been encouraging me to “kick it in high gear” and get it done. He’s even helped me with the organization of the piece. And when I was particularly not feeling like touching the poem at all and started writing other pieces, he’d remind me, “Yo, Mal….you know you gotta get that Obama piece done…right?” Point blank: he kept me on my toes and made sure I got it done.

You may not even think it’s all that great…and that’s fine. But I’ve been “working on it” for months (literally) and I’m proud of it. I so rarely show my pieces but I think this deserves a showing.

So…without further adieu, here is….The Mass Agree, Part Three. Enjoy:

The Mass Agree, Part Three

Dreams are considered imaginary figments

That mold and develop within the minds of every pigment

While some aren’t meant to be, others stick together like dried cement

But it isn’t the dream itself that holds, it’s the dreamer beneath it

In the segregated years

Shadowing deep angst and mass fears

Blanketed all by lines defined by color that refused to be smeared

So sat in the place of good were a bucket load of tears

MLK marched and had a Dream that color lines were as vague as they are today

And no doubt, he was an integral part in paving the way

There’s still a battle to be fought, but not taking his effort for naught

Without his dreams and sacrifice, the country may be in a deeper state of dismay

Through the emotional rain, there lay a dream big as can be

A dream systematically greater than “the best”--the average Joe & Jane--you and me

Let’s see. How’s a thing so great to be?

The struggle for a remoteness in social equality

The road to change has been paved for ages

And through the years, the tough times, the sacrifices, the many stages

Many said we’d stay lost--say we’d never make it

And were told to chalk our efforts up to trial and error within the black historic pages

Until one man fought against the grain and broke through seemingly unrealistic barriers

And as he continued to look ahead, onlookers became scarier

In fear of the progression that resulted and the trust that was awarded

But as the end drew near, the anticipation became merrier

Gone were the blatant lines drawn, uplifting segregation to the highest level

Temporarily null were the snickers and the stares given that kept blacks in between poverty and unrelenting success—an invisible vestibule

What seemed to vanish were the color lines—the “Black”, the “White”, the “Asian”, the “Hispanic”, and…the ”Other”

No boxes to check; we are one group, one nation standing together

…even if it was just for a moment

This is…a moment of reflection

To relish in the much needed change of the country’s direction

To note our collective struggles, no matter the skin’s complexion

To realize the battle isn’t over and part of the strength is finally awarded…that’s the connection

Some feared change and wanted to relish in the methods of the past and present

Others knew the time had come but in their minds, they were still quite hesitant

In the end, the mass agree with what was truly Heaven Sent

The dream that came true—the coming of our 44^th President

(end)

Today Is An Awesome Day, Part 3

I’m watching the parade now (I promise you no one is working in the office. It’s officially Obama Day!) and Obama done got out the limo and started a-waving—showing his face and all that. Is it wrong of me to be deathly afraid at this point? I really want him to get back in the car!

Okay I’m done…

If you’ve missed them:

Part 1

Part 2

Obama Lover,

Ms_Slim

Today Is An Awesome Day

Today is an awesome day.

I didn’t think it’d be that awesome at first though. For starters, I didn’t get much sleep last night (good ol’ Insomnia) and got to work about an hour and a half late, not only because I was rushing from lack of sleep but also because…I took the train to work today because I refused to drive. It had snowed super hard this morning. I didn’t feel like it at all. And the trains ran ridiculously off-schedule.

Once I walked into the office, however, everything changed somewhat instantly. I walked in right when the inauguration was starting, Obama was shown, and a couple performances/speeches were being performed/spoken before he came onto the podium. For an hour at the office, no one worked. Our eyes remained glued to the television screen. My coworkers and I were in unison, shouting our “Amen”s, “Yes, Lords” and clapping excitedly as the awesome day began to unravel itself.

The prayers given were beautifully spoken. The poet that performed was awesome and her piece was very articulately read. The cameras showing the droves of people that came from every corner of the country for the event in DC as well as key areas such as Selma, Alabama, Indonesia, and Kenya were very awe-inspiring and touching. The world gathered together—united and stood still for this moment. And for once in our nation’s entire history, the people of the nation were unified and exemplified the very meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. It was an awesome day indeed.

When Obama came up to the podium and gave yet another moving speech, I kid you not that tears found a place almost uncomfortably at the corner of my eyes. I was deeply moved by his words as he mentioned the backroads taken so that we as American People could not only be afforded but also be a part—an integral part--to such change that starts…today. Not a year and a half ago when Obama became a possible candidate for the Democratic party, not in June 2008 when he beat out Hillary Rodham Clinton and became the Democratic nominee, and not even November 4^th when he survived a very tiring yet awesome and expertly constructed campaign run against Republican nominee, John McCain through the months of rumors, suspicions, and mass fear from every corner of not only the country but the world as a whole. None of that counted. What counted…what made things official was…today. January 20^th. 2009 when we, as an American Nation, officially announced our 44^th President of the United States, President Barack Hussein Obama.

Today was an awesome day indeed. I have a poem I've been working on forever. I am still not finished but as soon as it is done, I will be sharing it.

Smiling contently,

Ms_Slim

PS; I’ve just construed three parts to this blog. Consider this Part 1. The other two will be up shortly. (out)

The Mass Agree Part 2

The Mass Agree Part 2

I'm nearly a week late, but...so what? It isnt old news. Here we go.

It was very sunny, very bright, and pretty warm outside. Pretty warm for a November temperature, most definitely as weather here in Chicago tends to go through some pretty major temperature changes, oftentimes dropping from seasonably warm weather (mid 60s and above) to blink-of-an-eye drops. This is pretty common 'round these parts. We're all used to it.

However, today...was just a bit different. Today, the sun shone brightly, radiating over the heads of everyone outside, and put a little extra pep in everyone's step. Today marked an odd start to November. Today was Election Day.

Despite the birds that were singing louder than usual, the happy-go-lucky expressions etched across everyone's faces, and the seasonably warm weather, on the inside, while everyone appeared to be in good spirits, people were really nervous. Very nervous. Today was Election Day.

And it wasn't just any Election Day. Today was the official Presidential Election Day which would help to determine who would help to run the reigns of a now troubled country. At no point in this country's history had Election Day been so important. And it wasnt because the current president had run the economy into the ground and below but also because...whoever won the presidency would surely be marked in history.

The United States, known for its vast historical background that revolves around a 400+ year run with the enslaving of Africans now had an African-American candidate running. On the other end, the typical white male...with a White woman as his 2. Either way the race had went, history was no doubt to be made.

**********************************

On Election Day, I woke up from my sleep amazingly refreshed. For the past week, I had been severely sleep deprived, staying up too late and having to rise to work too early. At around ten o'clock every night, I was always tired, but...I couldnt get to sleep. And if I did? I was sure to awake at the middle of the night to write, read some more of one of the books I am working on, grab a drink of water, go to the bathroom, or talk/text on the phone, or....etc. Insomnia sucks.

But on Election Day? You'd think I got my usual eight hours of sleep and had breakfast to boot. In reality, I didn't get to sleep until around midnight and popped up at around 3am looking in my closet for what I already knew I was going to wear for the Big Day, and signing onto facebook, changing my status to: Mal really needs to take her ass to sleep...but she can't because she's too busy worrying about what she's going to wear for the Big Day. Or something like that.

I was too damn excited. That's for sure.

I took pics, prayed, and held onto a hidden worry all day about the possible results of the Election. At 7 o'clock, the first polls would close and the official count down would start for the Electoral College. I kept this in my mind all day long, looking at the time constantly and becoming silently annoyed with how slowly time seemed to creep forward. For me, 7 o'clock could not get here soon enough.

Work for my company let out at 1pm because we expected heavy traffic in downtown Chicago for the rally held at Grant Park, which is about 5 minutes away from my office by car. By the time 1pm hit, several streets were already closed off for the event that expected to start at 8pm. One of my homies, Randy had asked me to come join him and his son at the rally, but when I looked online for tickets, they were unsurprisingly all sold out. He (Randy) didnt have a ticket either but still wanted to go. As for me? As soon as I got off at 1pm and headed back to my area in the Wild 100s, I couldnt really see myself turning back around in all that traffic. Ugh! So I passed. And promised to watch the rally intently on my screen.

A few hours later, I was at my aunt's house. My aunt had organized a small watch party and after doing some minute running around just to pass the time (I was anxious as hell, y'all), I finally sat and watched the results slowly pour in.

[brief sidebar]

Everyone knows that Obama is my president and that I've been putting him into existence since the beginning of October. With all of the scandals and the information that came out about Palin at the last minute, making voters actually swing from dedicated Republicans to a Barack vote, my worries had actually ceased and a huge part of me wondered just why we had to wait until November 4th when it was soooooooo obvious who would be victor. However...when November 4th came, I'll admit that I humbled myself. Fast. I grew nervous (but not too nervous) and started praying more that day than I have for anything. Ever.

[end sidenote]

I really enjoyed watching this election day unfold on the tv screens. With every state that we (Democrats - Obama - Blue States, duh lol) won, I sent a mass text out to about 7 people at a time. I was waaaaaaaayyy too excited. One of my male homies kept asking me to come over to his place for his watch party but I didnt see a point in that and declined about 4 times. About an hour into the watch, one of my homies texted me to meet her at a bar about 7 minutes away. We text back about the plans and I tell my friend to text or call me when she finally gets home (she was on her way back from church and wouldnt be home for about a half hour).

At about 9:25pm/cst, I decided to head towards the bar. I really didnt want to leave my watch party but I left in order to keep an obligation to my friend and the results that had Obama in the lead (180-75, I believe) were moving very slowly. I wasnt worried at this point. Not at all.

I get to the bar, find my friend, and we wait outside. In a long line. As stupid as it was for me to leave my party to go to a bar just to wait in line, it was even more idiotic for me to stay in said line for about 10 minutes, to which case the line never moved. All within that time, I'm shaking now, texting people and asking them what the score was like it's a Lakers v. Celtics Championship game.

A minute after I send the text out...literally ONE minute after I send the text out, people in the line go (in unison), "YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!" My face, now blank, goes, "what happened?" I had just read a text from my friend Joy who reported the same tally of electoral votes that there were when I left the house about 20 minutes before.

"OBAMA WON!!!"

I wanted to shout and get completely out of character but....I didnt. My homegirl and I just left the line, said we'd talk later, got in our cars, and went back to our homes.

As soon as I get in the car, I call my homie Ronnie and was way too excited. He didnt seem all that impressed.

It was then that I noticed my Cool leaving me. Right at this exact second.

As soon as I get off the phone, my phone immediately starts blowing up with calls. One of them was Jen. As soon as I answered Jen's call, "AHHHHH HE WON, GIRL!" was all I could say. I had been at a stop light and dancing in my car to a song I dont even remember now. All I know is...Obama won. And I was very quickly losing my mind.

When I get back to my aunt's house, my aunt and my grandmother were on the phone with my mom. I was on the phone with Joy. It was all too much. The excitement got the best of me and I got off the phone....and cried. When Obama won PA, I cried a little. But this? This was different. I looked at my 80, going on 18 year old grandmother who sat comfortably talking to my mother on the phone about everything, while she wiped tears of joy from her face. She has told me so many stories of her own bouts with race that she's experienced and seeing the first African American president (mixed or not) is something out of a dream. As soon as I saw her and her reaction, I immediately wished that my other grandparents had seen such an achievement. My grandmother is the only one left and this was huge for her!

I knew right then that I may not be able to write at all the next day. The feeling was incredibly surreal.

And as usual...I couldn't sleep. I was too excited and I needed to make sure that this was real. I couldnt believe it. We have our first African-American President of the United States and............the mass agreed.

Part 3 Coming Soon....

The Mass Agree Part 1

I've actually been trying to write a blog all day. Fact is, I am way too in my emotions about this. I am too happy. I am too estatic. I am too overjoyed, overwhelmed with excitement, and overemotional about the last several days. I have not been this emotional all year long. I just....havent.

(God, I love this man)

So...since I am at a loss for words, I need some time. I need some time to let it all sink in. I need some time gather my words together. I need some time to get my "Cool" back....because I've definitely lost it since 11pm cst. Trust.



Please stay tuned. And here's a small clip. Enjoy. LOL

Peace.

Barack the Vote!

Let’s see here—12:42pm. I have 18 minutes before I’m busting out of the workplace and continuing on with my day—Election Day.. Ahh what a beautiful day it is.

I actually told myself yesterday that I was done writing on politics and this whole thing until tomorrow at least. But I can’t pull away from it. Not this go ‘round.

I feel so wholesome this election season. It’s an indescribable feeling that leaves me filled up and whole within every orifice in my being. My soul feels a divine sense of worth and belonging—something I’ll admit that I never truly felt until this election season.

I absolutely love the changes that Obama has made already, without having stepped foot in the White House yet. I love him with a passion—to the core of my being. And why? I love him because he isn’t just a Black man wanting to paint the White House brown and making changes his way, but because he’s smart and brilliant. A man that sees the severity of the change needed and is willing to work towards achieving such tremendous change, not for him, but for the good of Americas as a whole.

Michelle should really feel like the most blessed woman in the world.

Through all of the scandal, the media attention, and lies and stretched statements that starters have tried time and again to make Obama out to be a force to fear, he has pulled through, risen above it all, and remained standing tall. You cant help but grin in his direction or whenever you hear his name. Just his name alone has the ability to leave you (or at least myself) with a filled heart that I can’t ignore.

Today in downtown’s Grant Park, Obama will have a rally that is expecting something like a million people from all over the nation. Right now, some streets are closed and things are bound to get crazy pretty soon, especially tonight. I do not have a ticket to get into the event but I know that I can still make it. I haven’t decided whether I’ll be there or not but one thing’s for sure: I’ll definitely be bookmarking this moment in history. Today, I will be taking pictures of everything. Tomorrow I will too. Call it a Before and After show of sorts. I am expecting things to change somewhat 180—all within a matter of hours.

I can’t wait.

I’m going to wrap this up now. It’s almost time to catch my train outta here. If you haven’t voted yet…………Please go and do so. The time is now for change.

BARACK THE VOTE!!!!!

I'm Proud

As some of you know, last weekend I went campaigning in Merrillville and Gary, Indiana for the Obama campaign. The campaigning was for door-to-door campaigns within a list of homes that were either Democratic or Undecided residences. The purpose was to make sure that all residences for which we were instructed to "hit" were registered, understood this year's election process, and encourage early voting as since this election will be bananas in the polls. Voting early is extremely encouraged.

All in all, it was a pretty good turnout. Aside from the seemingly endless McCain/Palin '08 signs that were hung up on trees, planted firmly in front of lawns, and stuck in windowsills on the way to our "target areas", everything ran pretty smoothly. I even met an elderly white woman who had just recently moved to the slums of Gary, Indiana from her hometown in a rural area in Mississippi who invited me and my homegirl inside her home, attempt to get her registration taken care of via calling our Head Coordinator of the event, and chat almost endlessly about her son who lives in the area she just moved to and her deceased husband. We were about two minutes away from being offered some hot chocolate before we realized that we had an entire list of other homes to spread the word to.

It was refreshing to find such a good heart within the realm of the perceived hatred that is assumed within a lot of elder Caucasians. My heart was warmed in this woman's presence. I wish I could have remembered her address for she would surely get a Christmas card from me had I remembered it…or wrote it down.

This morning I finally decided to take care of my own responsibility I have towards this country and vote and help to put my president in the White House. In the words of my new idol, Mrs. Michelle Obama, "I have never felt so proud to be an American this day".

(How could you NOT love Mrs. Obama?)

Today as I strolled in my car to the village hall for which I am registered, I immediately noticed the extremely densely packed parking lot. Cars of every size, color, make and model were all lined within the spaces of the three very large parking lots surrounding the village hall, cars were alongside the perimeter of the parking lot, cars were even outside the village hall altogether as there was obviously no more space to park. It mattered not. There were people that came to vote. Many people.

The air, reminiscent of a polar bear's toenails, clipped the residence's of the area's noses, making them squint their eyes to see comfortably through the immense sun and the sharp winds that wrapped angrily around their bodies, almost trying to prevent what they've come to do. It's cold as the coldest place on Earth outside. But it mattered not in the least. There were people that came to vote. Many people.

When I finally get inside the village hall, I am asked to fill out an Early Voter Registration Form, take a ticket, and sit until my ticket number is called. It is called after waiting for forty minutes. While waiting, I notice something….most, if not all, of the people that filled the small space are African-American.

My heart almost does a creative African dance. I am sooo filled at what this election has brought that I almost drop a tear through my Ugly Betty's. Never ever ever have I even anticipated such a turnout on the part of my Black American sistren and brethren. It's as if we all collectively see a new path being paved for us. The only thing is….the path actually looks a bit more than promising for us. It's attainable in every sense of the word and as members of a class that's been handed below scores no matter how much effort we've collectively put into anything we've ever tried, we all—at once—can sigh a real and well-deserved sigh of relief for a job well done, because guess what? We all notice that though this path is in front of us and the path is promising, we all know that we have all contributed to the construction of the path. As a team, we've all worked together and made the path a promise, a reality, that we've never before thought we could even remotely achieve or see come to such a fantastic fruition.

Of course there were those team members that didn't work as hard but will still get to benefit from the collective labor. But who cares? As a nation of Black American peoples, it is our time to finally exhale. Our time has come to finally rise up and stand tall with our backs straight, our heads high, and a look that looks onward, not backward.

It's our time and we're satisfied.

The fight isn't over. But it feels damn good to be such an integral part to said fight, doesn't it?

A Comparison Worth Noting (A Note I Stumbled upon on Facebook.com)

Disclaimer: I did not write this note but rather, I stumbled across it on facebook.com. I thought that it was more than necessary to share this. I will be putting this on my myspace blog as well. Enjoy.

I'm not really that deep into politics but a friend of mine sent me this email and I found it very interesting and as voters you should

With America facing historic debt, multiple war fronts, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, skyrocketing Federal spending, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, etc. etc., this is an unusually critical election year.


Let's look at the educational background of the candidates and see what they bring to the job:


Obama:

Occidental College - Two years.

Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.

Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude


& Biden:

University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.

Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)


vs.


McCain:

United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 out of 899 (meaning that, like George Bush, McCain was at the bottom of his class)


Palin:

Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester

North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study

University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism

Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester

University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism


Now, which team are you going to hire to lead the most influential nation in the world?


Please send this information to your friends and colleagues who vote!

--------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------



* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents,you're "exotic, different."

* If you grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, you're a quintessential American story.


* If your name is Barack, you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* If you name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.


* If you graduate from Harvard law School, you are unstable.

* If you attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.



* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new

voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with fewer than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.



* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.


* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system, while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.



* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.

* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.



Hmmmm, what a conundrum.