72,300 (and growing) *knockout*

If you have been following the weather, you will know that there is a little ice on the roadways here in Texas and a lot worse up north. Well, yesterday morning, I woke up around 7:15 and turned on the television to see if our university was closed for work. Expecting to get back in the bed, I went to our universities’ webpage and sure enough – nothing was cancelled. My immediate reaction was “Damn, every other school is out.” Then, I was quickly reminded of a headline that I watched on CNN the day prior that read “72,300 lost jobs in 1 day”. Then yesterday, I read that another 8,000 jobs were cut. Hundreds of thousands of people have no source of income. These thoughts alone forced me to quit the complaining and get ready for work. I even messed up trimming my mustache.

The situation of people losing their jobs is turning from a recession to a depression. Businesses from Texas Instrument, Target, Home Depot to Microsoft… just to name a cutting back as consumer confidence is slashed. The economy is failing at a fast pace, there’s a mortgage crisis, from Wall Street to Main Street… this is bad, y’all. Now, I’m listening to reporters say that the situations are going to become bleaker before the healing starts. There are already millions of workers without employment. This will create an uphill challenge for them to find work. I’m not an economist, but no source of income equates to less money being spent to stimulate the economy – which further increases the number of companies forced to lay people off and more homes foreclosed.

Let’s be prayerful for those who are just graduating college seeking employment and those who were laid off.

*knockout*

Pics from D.C.

Between Lionel and I, we took over 500 pictures. Most were of the crowds, the different bands and buildings. This is by far the most amazing trip that I have ever taken. There were people from all corners of the globe gathering in one city to witness the first African-American assume presidency of this great nation. I am truly convinced that under President Obama's administration, we will have a new level of service, we will reclaim our rightful standing in the world, and afford opportunities for advancement for all Americans. This is a new day, as President Obama often mentions. I am excited to be able to witness such an amazing "new day". *knockout*

blogs from the inauguration

these are blogs from the inauguration... unfortunately, i wasn't able to post them in real-time.


inauguration update (8:07 AM - 1/20/2009)
Been standing in the national mall for about 3 hours now. My hands are friggin freezing while typing this. My toes are so cold that they are starting to burn. There are huge jumbo trons setup all across the mall. Snippers are positioned atop of buildings. We are watching the replay of the concert. Folks are mad. The crowd is swelling. Hands hurt... will update when get on train. *knockout*

4:57 lane (4:57 AM - 1/20/2009)
So we are waiting to turn into the metro line. There are sooooooooo many cars in front of us. Mind you, it is 4:57 in the a-m. I can only imagine the congestion on the rail itself and the shoulder room only at the rail station. Lionel and I are listening to some good ole fashion gospel music. This car line is like mad crazy. I need me a venti white chocolate mocha with a tripple shot from Starbucks right about now! I'm trying to get adjusted to the mobile blogging. About to catch a few zzzzzz's while we wait in this long car line. *knockout*

4 o'clock (4:00 AM - 1/20/2009)
So, it's four o'clock. Literally. I'm laying on my back, listening to Roland Martin and Soledad O'Brien on CNN at a forum at Howard University. I am about to freshen up and be out the door by 4:15 to be on the metro rail... *knockout*

inauguration eve (11:00 PM - 1/19/2009)
i'm sitting here and it's midnight. in less than 4 hours, i'll be preparing to head to the national mall to witness president obama assume the duties of the highest office in the nation! the excitement here in dc is building by the second. i'm extremely exhausted from a long day. i'll start mobile blogging and will put up some pictures and videos from this trip as soon as i find the time.

oh, and if you were watching cnn today, you would have saw me "acting up" while soledad o'brien was interviewing dr. king's son!*knockout*

inauguration eve

i'm sitting here and it's midnight. in less than 4 hours, i'll be preparing to head to the national mall to witness president obama assume the duties of the highest office in the nation! the excitement here in dc is building by the second.

i'm extremely exhausted from a long day. i'll start mobile blogging and will put up some pictures and videos from this trip as soon as i find the time.

oh, and if you were watching cnn today, you would have saw me "acting up" while soledad o'brien was interviewing dr. king's son!

*knockout*

Coutdown to Change

This is almost surreal.

As I prepare to buy more wintery clothes for the inauguration to witness this historic moment in D.C., I am waiting for someone to awake me from this dream! Reading an article on CNN and watching the pictures of President-elect Obama step off the Air Force One aircraft, I almost cried. It is more than just PE Obama being a black man. His inspirational story of coming from a family whose father left him, grandmother struggled to raise him – using social services at one point and rising to earn a first-class education at Harvard; going on to become a representative, then senator and now the newly elected president of this nation… simply amazing.

I am counting down to change. We have only 13 more days!!!

Turnaround

Watching the playoff game between the Chargers and the Colts reminded me of how life can be. The Chargers started the season off with a meager 4-8 record. Tonight, with about thirty seconds on the clock, Nate Kaeding, kicked a field goal to tie the game and led them into overtime. The Chargers, facing a team with a quarterback who was named MVP for the third time and their very own running back Ladainian Thomson faced with groin injuries – who sat out the entire second half - they were all but counted out. They managed to surprise the Colts in the opening playoff game and came out on top. In this AFC playoff game, the Colts taught us all a life lesson: although we might be faced with an uphill journey with situations mounting; through hard work and perseverance we can make a dramatic turnaround.

*knockout*