Obama-Biden, Old State Capitol: A Recap In Pictures

Thanks to this handy dandy PictoBrowser, I can share all my images in 1/20th the space. Click through at your own leisure and read the notes on each image.

The quick run down is:
I biked downtown at 10:15, stopped at the library, grabbed a book and headed the few blocks north on foot to where the line was supposed to be. As I got closer, I heard police and campaign volunteers telling people the line wrapped around a few blocks. Not sure I wanted to be honest, follow-the-rules Sarah for once, I headed to a water stand near the beginning of the line. Then managed to place myself almost very nearly at the front of the line, thanks to the distraction of the day's first passed out victim. The ambulance pulling up made it possible for me to jump up from the curb where I was sitting into line right when they started allowing the line to move onto the security checkpoint. Thank you beginning of the line people for letting me (and only me, not me and my friends which is the key point) cut in line without mention or second glance. Especially since the cops were threatening to throw a guy in jail for trying to cut as I was rounding the corner to the metal detectors.

Through the metal detectors with DSLR, environmental book, bike helmet and water cup, I turned and realized I really was one of the very first into the grounds. I quickly snapped out of it and got my butt in gear to stake out my spot. By this time it was already hot and sunny, and we were being corraled into an area with no shade and tall fences. I found a spot one person back from the crowd control gate, right in front of the podium. Such a big difference from last year.

I waited for 3 hours. Rationing what little was left of my water, and prayed that I would not faint as I usually have some issue when I am really warm and in crowds.

I'm proud to say I made it all the way through without feeling the slightest bit ill.

The only time things got iffy was at the very end, as Obama passed me but the crowd continued to surge on me. Trying to go through me. Sadly I had been bumped back a person so I was just out of reach from shaking hands with the possible future president, first lady, VP and 2nd lady (?). As the crowd surged, I decided my well being, mental or otherwise, was much more important than a fleeting chance to touch celebrity (had it been Ben Affleck, it may have been a different story!). As I turned to start my exit, I found that I had a Secret Service agent right behind. Luckily he was not busting me for cutting in line, but I do wonder how long he was there.

As I wound my way to the tiny exit, I was able to see just how many people were there. I couldn't see much past a few "rows" around me during the event. But the lawn was packed. The street was packed, even going down the block where they had jumbo-trons set up. Getting out of the secure location was tough. I watched a women (luckily with her husband) become increasingly more faint up onto the point where they finally made it out of the gate and collapse. Luckily a police officer and a Red Cross worker caught her and carried her directly to the first aid tent.

I finally got out of the secure perimeter and practically sprinted to the library where my bike was parked and I guzzled all the free water I could at the water fountain before biking the couple miles home. Where I collapsed with a giant glass of water and a freezey pop before we rushed out the door to drive up north for the Cubs game Sunday.

Obama Comes Back to Town…

I meant to post yesterday a little recap of my morning/afternoon of Obama, but we had to pretty much fly out the door just as the images (144) finished uploading to my computer.

I was this close to Obama, no zoom necessary. Three people away, just deep enough for my arm not to reach for a handshake.

But for now, my pup needs some attention and I need some sleep after 2 straight days in the sun, two very long car rides and very little sleep last night.

Yikes…Diving into the Design Archives.

An ad I designed at Junior (H.S.) Job Shadowing Day back in 1999

Last night I took a trip down memory lane. After lugging 2 file boxes of college design paper files to 5 locations in 4 years, not to mention the three years of transport to and from ISU, I decided to dive into the archives one more time…and purge.

And boy was it a scary trip.

Quick indian ink sketch to do my first logo work - First Project, Design 1.

All I could think while going through dozens of file folders was "If this was good work, what did the bad work in class look like."

At least I now know I've progressed. Because sometimes, it doesn't feel like it. But I have.

Look, I've had a love for fancy, unusual packaging since the beginning. Final Project, Design 1

You may notice I'm not showing any actual work. I did have good work that I'm still proud of today, but that's in the portfolio and wasn't purged.

Chicago skyline concession men for poster design - Design 2 (thanks for the idea, Gavin!)

Not much of what I saw last night was good. It was a learning process though. It was interesting to see OH SO MANY thumbnails and roughs, all on layout paper. Thicker than tracing paper, but still see-through, and required a trip to Paintin' Place, which is no longer near campus.

The evidence of a nightmare project in the hours before it was due (note the times on the CDs). Enclosure Book - Design 3

Surprisingly, all but a small amount of mounted pieces that I'm hesitant to recycle still, fit in a medium-sized Nordstrom's shopping bag. Perhaps I got rid of stuff before, because some classes (most notably the train wreck of a class Poster Design) have absolutely no paperwork.

I probably tossed that stuff as soon as I walked out the door on the last day.

Being my worst class experience in my entire educational career.

Now I move forward. And the file boxes and dozens of hanging folders will now be used to keep our "archived years" of household files.

I sound grown up now, right?

Happy Blogiversary, Dear Craft & Clutter!

Project #5 in '50 in 2008 challenge' - Only One Wish 2008 Birthday Card edition of 25

Yes, I know. I missed a day in May! Eek. After a really, super long Sunday which involved occupying a 3 year old and a puppy and the driving nearly 3 hours of a 4 hours trip home, then topping that off with having to get up only 6 hours after returning home. I. Was. Beat. Yesterday.

I remembered that I didn't blog as I was drifting off to sleep. And there was no way I was getting out of bed, no matter the guilt.

But today's a new day. A very special day, indeed. Today marks Craft & Clutter's 2nd Anniversary. Two years, and probably stronger than ever.

To mark the event, I'm going to do a GIVE-AWAY!!!! Yay, my first. No pictures of the item yet, but since this is a birthday of sorts and my birthday is at the end of the month, I'm going to make a birthday banner to celebrate. Kinda like this. And while I'm at it, I'm going to make one for myself as well. So it's a twofer of crafting motivation.

To make things more fun, I thought I'd ask for anyone who wants to be put in the drawing to share their favorite birthday tradition with me. I'm always on the look out for new traditions to start, especially since our family is starting to grow (no Mom, I'm not pregnant…I mean Nibs).

The give-away will be open until Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 11:59 pm CST. I'll pick a lucky winner with the Random Number Generator, and then email you, so please leave your email address in your comment since blogger is iffy about linking comments to the owner thru email. (I suggest the "name at provider dot com" method myself, but that decision is yours).

As for my image up there, that's the elusive project number 5 in my '50 in 2008 Challenge.' The 2008 block print edition of birthday cards. Hand tinted, and really still not done. But it just seemed appropriate because of the timing. I swear I will sit down and finish them one of these days.

Could today be historic?

I froze my balls off this morning. That is, if I had them.

This morning was quite a day here in the Land O' Lincoln, one of our own (though technically, not) made his announcement of his intent to run for President in '08. I, along with an estimated 15,000 other people, stood in the bitter cold in the shadow of the Old State Capitol (us, unlike Barack as he kept saying) to hear Barack Obama make his announcement.

My first real political thing…and hey! if he does win, I'm part of history, right?

As you can see, I was behind A LOT of people. I could see nothing. Luckily the sound system was working.

My husband, on the other hand, was somewhere in the sun and within 20 ft of the podium. I ask, why couldn't he fake a media pass for me? This was the most I saw of Obama. Luckily that girl in pink moved at just the right moment to get the campaign sign to point directly to Obama's head. Oh, and I must note that my camera is zoomed in at its full capacity. And you can still barely tell who it is!

The morning, though I was near frostbite in my fingers and toes, I believe, was good for a couple chuckles.

• The asian news crew walking down the block long line (who knows how long it went around the corner because I cut) waving their hands in the universal symbol for 'Lez make some noize!'
• The extremely tall black man that was dressed like an eskimo explaining his children's maniac behavior towards said news crew and their camera by saying, 'They don't get out much.' Totally deadpan too.
  
• The frenetic rumors going around that Oprah wasn't coming down to support Obama because he had promised to announce his candidacy on her show
• Me saying that Oprah was in fact there, and actually mingling within the people, and getting a laugh from my neighboring sardines
• The feverish reports that not only was Oprah in town but she hit the town last night with Brad Pitt at some place called the Alamo (I'm still new to the area so I have no idea what this place is, but it sounds like a college bar)
• The utter disappointment that Matt Damon nor George Clooney would be in attendance
• The short, stocky, older, white man standing next to me, exclaiming 'Amen!' when Obama would make a point in reference to the civil war, civil rights or Martin Luther King, Jr as if he were a brother of soul (now please don't get me wrong, he may have been religious, and I in no way am against any of these things…but it was funny)
• The old women next to me who was probably 70, trying to start a chant
• And last, but not least… BARACK THE VOTE!
  

Etched…

Five years ago today, was one of those days that will always be etched in the mind of those who were alive and old enough to remember for the rest of their lives. Though I'm not trying to forget what happened, I try not to really talk about it (especially in public spaces such as this), but my day has left me with plenty of time to relive and reflect on the day. I still don't feel completely right in sharing about it, for I was a complete bystander. I had no personal connection to anyone, anywhere near what happened. Ok, lie. I have a cousin who lives in NY, and had recently moved there before 9/11, but that never seemed like enough. Yes he walked home over a bridge with thousands of others, but still… Maybe it's because I've never been to NY, but I just don't feel like I have the right.

But today, I listened to the whole thing unfold. My coworkers are Howard Stern fans, so I am subjected to listening to the crudeness of Howard every workday (I would much rather be listening to Martha Stewart). And today on the fifth anniversary, Howard replayed in its entirety, his 9/11 show by request from his audience. Now on that day, I actually caught a majority of the coverage as it was happening by fluke. I was up early to listen to Mike on the campus radio at 7am, but ran across what was unfolding on national television while looking for the weather. I watched the 2nd plane hit, and both towers fall. All I could think was, this is a movie, but fully well knew it was not a movie…action movies of that sort don't play so early in the morning on network tv on a Tuesday. I informed girls on my floor of what had happened as they sleepily stumbled into the bathrooms having just woken up.

We came in on the real time broadcast, about the time that I had tuned in to the tv on that day. My morning was spent living in real time and real emotion of what had transpired. I found myself very anxious all day. Fear being reinstilled. Thinking back to the question I asked Mike days after it happened, as the country was stunned and still…"Will things ever be the same?"

Things are different, but then again, they don't really seem to have changed so much. Is this because we're just used to it? Or have we not learned from what happened? Or am I just too displaced from the center of what occurred? Every so often I find myself dwelling on that, and today even more so. I can't figure it out. I was so scared at the time, and it scares me now that I can't tell.