Where's the other 1/2?

Ran the NYC 1/2 marathon this past weekend. And, it was pretty cool - a loop around Central Park (albeit a very loooooooong loop), then down 7th Avenue to Times Square (for the Cheer-along sing-along of various Broadway hits, complete with a jumbo screen of the words to follow along with...) then we went west on 42nd to the West Side Highway. And, continued south to the finish running, literally, on the West Side Drive- with South bound traffic closed for the race. For those of you who were driving on Sunday in Manhattan (or should I say, attempting to drive on Sunday), all apologies.

It was a good time, hot as...well, hell, and far. Far especially for a girl like me who didn't exactly bother with the whole "training" component of the 1/2 marathon. A key component really. But, like my entire year of races - I just keep showing up. Not sure I'll be able to "just show up" to the full marathon next year (2010), so hopefully eventually I'll try out that "training" thing. But, for now... well, I'm just sitting here with some sore quads - glad I did it, and glad it's over.

Next race - More Fitness 4-miler. In Central Park in September - an easy, 4 miles. In the meantime I'm just thankful for a little reprieve from races - and thankful to be sleeping in for the next few weekends to come....

And just counting down the last few days of being able to say "I'm 28" - 28 - a great year indeed.

Hey blog. How ya doin'? Say hello to your mother for me. I miss you, I promise to write soon... - J. Nicole

Both droll and inspired

Hit up the Sounds Like Brooklyn music fest to see Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the BAM Opera Hall. And, it was pretty rad. All the chill but spirited and upbeat head bobbing, the use of four guitars and and a myraid of other instruments made for a rad evening. Valentine’s Day eve…

We will overcome H8

We will.

Let there be a repeal.

Let us look toward the future - NYC, let's legalize

Let the dialouge continue, grow stronger, change the minds of the close-minded

Let our country embrace love, in all its outlets, expressions and forms

Let us not discriminate. Let us not hate.

Again, this isn't just about California...
Arizona, Florida, Arkansas - ignorance nationwide,worldwide - we're looking at you too.

A couple of things left unsaid…

Well, first, let’s start with the beautiful… all the things that are being said (and should be said) -

“Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so Obama could run. Obama’s running so we can all fly,” – Jay-Z
1955-1963-2008…
That our children might fly. That we all can fly…

“Tough days lie ahead. But it’s a moment to dream. Americans have earned that right, along with the renewed respect of the world.” – “Perfecting the Union, Nov. 5, 2008, New York Times, Roger Cohen

“Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.” John McCain, Nov. 4, 2008

We elected, as our 44th President a black man with the middle name of ‘Hussein’.

“The most conspicuous clichés to fall, of course, were the twin suppositions that a decisive number of white Americans wouldn’t vote for a black presidential candidate — and that they were lying to pollsters about their rampant racism.” – Frank Rich, “It Still Felt Good the Morning After,” New York Times, Nov. 9, 2008

“There are two skinny guys from Illinois who made a difference. Abe Lincoln and Barak Obama.” – Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School, Indecision 2008, Nov. 4, 2008

There is such beauty in this election, so much to be proud of – but, I fear there are things I’ve left unsaid – so now I give volume to them:
Giving birth to a baby with a disability is not, and should never be, proof of one’s pure commitment to a Pro-Life stance. My commitment to pro-choice stands unwavered, and let me be clear, aborting disabled children is not a segment of a pro-choice commitment. They are not one and the same, and it is irresponsible and quite svengali to suggest otherwise.

And, if we’re in a morality powerplay, might we discuss the morality (or complete lack) of leveraging your newborn baby for your own machavelian political gain? Political capital is complex and ever shifting. The lines of right and wrong blur in a quest to rule – but, this to me was, in a word, despicable…

And, on to the devastating passing of Proposition 8 in California. Of all places in this large and diverse country, California passed this proposition? An indecent proposition at that. Consider me let down. No, consider me devasated, furous and in shock.

How could California allow $38 billion to think for them? Lies should never be able to purchase their way into truth and then into law. For a country so willing to step up and demand a change, to vote in record numbers for racial barriers to fall and equality to prevail - how could we, not only in California, but in Florida and Arizona too, and Arakansas, deny any subset (minority or otherwise) of the American population their own basic rights?

As I sit in shock over the passing of Prop 8 – well, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for me, I’m sorry for you, I’m sorry for our country. It is an obvious truth that a country that limits the ways in which we can express love to one another is a troubled country.

But, the fight doesn’t end here, it only begins. Let the dialouge begin, let the rebellion begin, let’s really begin to see the change we all believe in. For us, for them, for all.

I think...

...that chocolate chocolate cupcakes and red wine are absolute proof that it's good to be alive.

I say, BaRACK the vote

And we did…. We did.

Thank you United States of America, thank you. I'm so thankful to be able to finally say, with absolute sincerity, I’m PROUD to be an American.

We did...

(Yes we can)