Movie Theater Review: Lincoln

It is through movies that I have gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for history and culture. This is an interest I developed in college, and the two (movies/history) have been somewhat linked ever since. So of course I had my eyes on the production of this epic biography for some time. It's a monumental task to take on a subject as significant as President Abraham Lincoln, one of our nations greatest leaders, and no doubt called for the best in the business.

Over the past 40 years, Steven Spielberg has established himself as the alpha movie director of American cinematic culture. With numerous classics and cultural icons such as Jaws, The Color Purple, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, War Horse, etc. he is the undisputed champion of the film industry. It is therefore why he was best to be selected to direct and produce this film on the final few years of President Lincoln's life. The screenplay was written by Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Munich) and mostly revolved around the political entanglement of passing the 13th Amendment. Finally there was the title role which also called for one of the best in the business, Daniel-Day Lewis. He is arguably one of the best actors in the industry and a master of the period piece such as, My Left Foot, Gangs of New York, and There Will be Blood. Also it helps that his face greatly resembles that of Abraham Lincoln. He was no doubt the best choice for the role, and with such pressure, he truly transformed into this historical giant on the big screen.

The story gives a very insightful view on President Lincoln's leadership, by focusing on the 13th Amendment, the abolishment of slavery. It is mostly set during the final year of Lincoln's Life and the Civil War, in 1865. Lincoln is tore between two major problems at once; ending the civil war, and passing the amendment through Congress. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was passed in 1863, it needed Congressional Approval to be federal law. And while most of the Union Republicans were in favor of the bill, they did not have the necessary 2/3rds margin over the Congressional Democrats who opposed it. President Lincoln had to convince his own cabinet on the importance of passing this bill before the war ended, as well as gathering the votes he needed to pass the bill.

The film demonstrates Lincoln's political genius of getting everything he wants, through great reasoning, passion, compromise, and using every possible method to sway a vote for the sake of the nation (even if it means bribes). He took some major heat when he delayed a peace offering from the Confederate Armies, just so he could push through the bill before the war ended. At the time Congress was divided between a racial ideal of whether African-Americans should be considered equal to white Americans. The bill was headed up by several notable Republican Congressmen, such as Thaddeus Stevens, who eventually proposed to the assembly that at the given time, African Americans should be freed by the law of the land. The amendment won the majority vote on Jan. 31st of 1865 and adopted on December 6th of 1865. Although Lincoln lived to see the victory of the vote, and the union, he was assassinated on April 15th of 1865 and did not get to partake in it's adoption or the country's new direction. However in this film it is clear to see his historical legacy at work by leading the nation through these two great issues of slavery and a civil war.

This film is politics at its best, and gives a very interesting insight to how issues were handled and deliberated in the 1860s. Spielberg, Kushner, and Daniel Day Lewis made for a powerful trio in representing this juicy subject of American history and politics. It also seems quite coincidental that President Obama faces a very similar political entanglement with Congress over a fiscal budget and tax hikes. This film captures the beauty of democracy, and the necessary process of politics. It is a debate over ideals for the common good of the land, whether slavery or the economy, and requires a compromise of take-and-give, which Lincoln seemed to have mastered. I hope this film gets recognized for several Academy Awards, and I also hope Speilberg will eventually produce a film on George Washington. He is no doubt the best man for the job, and has himself become a film legend.   

Current Politics: The Presidential Debates

One of the most exciting parts of a presidential campaign are no doubt the debates. This is a highly publicized event where the candidates face off in a confrontation of political ideology. Unlike the usual scripted speeches we see or hear on the media, this is the once chance we get to see our political leaders in a natural environment that is completely off the script. In this setting of political and sometimes personal engagement, we get to read the candidates' reactions, body language, and overall character. In this day and age, it's not so much the agenda that wins over the public, yet rather how the person looks, speaks, and handles themselves in the spotlight. Over the past few decades debates have grown more and more popular and have served as a crucial turning point in various elections. Here is a brief look at some past presidential debates and an analysis of the recent ones between incumbent President Barack Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney.

Historic Debates

Although President Abraham Lincoln was known as a great debater, his seven debates in 1858 against Stephen Douglas, were for the seat of Illinois Senate and not for the office of president. Therefore surprisingly the first official presidential debate was not until 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. This event was also televised and famously caught Richard Nixon sweating on stage in the spotlight in front of 70 million viewers. There were a total of four debates that year, of which played an important role in winning JFK the presidency. These first debates were quite historic in changing the presidential race from not just one about political agenda yet also physical character as well.

There were no debates held for the next three elections from 1964, 1968, and 1972 perhaps due to the Vietnam War. It was not until 1976 that the country once again was able to tune into a national televised debate between Governor Jimmy Carter and incumbent President Gerald Ford. This would of course catch the infamous moment where Gerald Ford was caught clueless on foreign matters of the Soviet Union and the eastern bloc. Jimmy Carter would go on to win that election.

However in the 1980 debate, incumbent President Jimmy Carter was belittled on stage by a much more confident looking Governor Ronald Reagan. In the 1984 debates, Reagen would continue this humorous and confident appeal against former Vice President Walter Mondale. In 1988 it was not so much the presidential debates between George HW Bush and Michael Dukakis that caught media attention yet the Vice Presidential debates between Dan Quayle and Lloyd Bernstein. It was at this famous VP debate where Lloyd Bernstein told Dan Quayle that "He was no Jack Kennedy".

In the 1992 debate, incumbent President George H.W. Bush was constantly caught in an impatient state checking his watch and sighing against Governor Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton displayed a more affectionate and composed appeal on camera, that would finally put a Democratic back in the white house after 12 years of Republican leadership. He would continue this cool demeanor in the 1996 debate against Senator Bob Dole. However in the 2000 election, his Vice President Al Gore was unable to duplicate that famous Clinton smoothness. Gore displayed snobby and unlikable characteristics, constantly sighing on stage and shaking his head, while Governor George W. Bush was speaking.

I remember the first campaign and debates I really tuned into was the 2004 election between incumbent President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry. I remember watching each of the three debates with my college friends, and always feeling that Kerry looked ten times more intelligible than George W. Bush I did. I was of course devastated when Bush would go on to win that election. However in 2008 my political passion was finally satisfied with the new fresh face of Senator Barack Obama, who steadily defeated John McCain with a similar cool demeanor as Bill Clinton.  


Obama vs Romney: Night One

This first debate is usually the most important debate, that establishes the candidate's dynamic with each other. I was very nervous for what this dynamic would be between the cool and un-aggressive Barack Obama against the ruthless business-boss, Mitt Romney. Sure enough the first few minutes of the debate were very telling of a fierce top dog executive talking down to everyone in the room. It seemed quite clear from the beginning the President Obama did not have his head in the game, rather looking down at his podium, with a very uninterested demeanor.

The entire night Mitt Romney stomped over moderator Jim Lehrer, on an overly aggressive attack. In my opinion President Obama was fine on substance however certainly lacked some body language and assertiveness. The media pundits went to town on the post-debate analysis ripping Obama to shreds and boosting Romney in the polls.


Vice Presidential Debate: Joe Biden vs Paul Ryan

That VP debate could not come any sooner, after several days of media scrutiny on President Obama's performance. The debate was moderated by Martha Raddatz as the one and only sit-down vice presidential debate. The dynamic was clear from the beginning; an older, confident, more experienced, and passionate politician against a sharp, poised, and competitive up-and-comer. Joe Biden dominated the stage with passionate body language, laughing and smiling at Paul Ryan's accusations.

Some media pundits may say this was a rude reaction, however in my opinion a smile is far more affective than having one's head down or looking angry at the heart of opposition. Paul Ryan was however no pushover and also brought solid substance and composure throughout the debate despite Biden's aggressive stance. Joe Biden was also quite effective with spot-on fact checks and counter-points for each of Ryan's arguments. The debate pundits declared this a tie, however I think Biden clearly won the stage on both body language and substance. This was a much needed moral booster for the democratic base, however nonetheless VP debates aren't very affective in swaying voters or the polls. The attention and pressure was now on the President to redeem himself from his first night's lackluster performance.

Obama vs Romney: Night Two

On the second debate night the pressure was extremely high for President Obama to attack and outperform Mitt Romney. The setting was a town hall meeting moderated by CNNs Candy Crowley. This time both candidates had the freedom to move around on stage while taking questions from the audience. The debate began very tense, when Mitt Romney got into Obama's personal space, challenging him over oil prices. Obama was however able to maintain his composure throughout the night, with good attacks on Romney.

The big break however came over a question on Libya where Mitt Romney was seen to have gotten his facts wrong. Romney accused Obama of not mentioning the Benghazi consulate attacks as "terrorism", yet was later corrected by moderator Candy Crowley informing Romney that Obama did in fact refer to the event as an act of terror in the Rose Garden. This major flub by Romney was responded with applause from the audience, and a major game changer in the dynamic. The pundits reaction was somewhat mixed, yet in general most agreed that Obama did much better than the 1st night and that Romney shot himself in the foot by constantly interrupting the female moderator as well as getting his facts wrong on Libya.


Obama vs Romney: Night Three

The third and final debate was on foreign policy, a sit down format, moderated by Bob Schieffer. Once again the first few minutes were telling of what was to expect, and it was quite clear to me from the beginning that President Obama was sharp and on his game. It seemed quite obvious to expect that the president would have the upper hand in the foreign policy discussion due to his achievements on Al Qaeda, Bin Laden, ending the war in Iraq, bringing down Gaddafi in Libya, reducing nuclear arms with Russia, and drawing down trips in Afghanistan. He also has much more insight on foreign issues as the commander in chief, having dealt with world leaders, unlike governor Romney's zero experience with foreign leaders.

The third debate was thus a total domination by President Obama on both substance and body language. Romney shifted his strategy from the previous two debates, by agreeing mostly with the president. Of course this time many of the same media pundits had the nerve to say that Obama was being overly aggressive this time. However spin and polarization aside, the majority of the media and viewers agreed that the night belonged to the president. He thus won the debate series 2 of 3 in my opinion.

And so with the end of these very suspenseful and critical debates, we are on to the homestretch of the election. It is almost a week away and the polls couldn't be any closer. The question will come down to voter turnout and whether our nation wants four more years forward or the same policies that got us into an economic recession to begin with. The answer will come on Nov 6th.

Musical Study: Bob Marley

I just recently saw a documentary on the life of Bob Marley directed by Kevin MacDonald and just had to make a post on his extremely interesting life. Before I even knew about Bob Marley, I always felt a warm feeling whenever I heard reggae music. It was perhaps the tropical sounds and playful rhythm I heard in songs as a kid such as "Don't Worry Be Happy" or hits from UB40s such as "Red Red Wine" or "Cant' Help Falling in Love".

I believe the first time I really began to hear and identify the music of Bob Marley was in High School through my older friend, Todd Kearney. And it wasn't until I got into college that I began to understand his impact on both music and perspective. Bob Marley can be considered the father of reggae music, as well as a spiritual prophet of the Rastafarian Movement. He lived a brief yet very interesting life of which I would like to study in this post.

Reggae Music

So it's my understanding that Reggae music grew in the late 1960s as an evolution from ska and rock-steady. The music of ska was popular in the 1950s, with a mixture of Caribbean drums, jazz, rhythm, and blues. In the 1960s Bob Marley and the Wailers, infused all the elements of ska and rocksteady to create a new form of popular music known as reggae. To this day there is no one that quite defines the musical genre of Reggae than Bob Marley.

Musical Career: Bob Marley and the Wailers

Much of the original inspiration and style of Bob Marley's music came from his Rastafarian beliefs. He grew up in Kingston, Jamaica where he met other musicians such as Joe Higgs and Peter Tosh. In 1963 he teamed up with Bunny Mailer, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith to form Bob Marley and the Wailers. Marley was the lead-singer and writer, however backed up by a good team of reggae musicians and vocalists. The band became very popular in Jamaica, however did not gain world attention until the 1970s until the release of their major album, Catch a Fire. After that it was straight to the top, until his demise in 1981, due to cancer.\

By 1975 Bob Marley was one of the most famous Jamaicans in the world. He broke up with the Wailers, yet continued to release major albums and hits. In 1976 before he was about to give a free concert to ease political tensions, in Jamiaca he was wounded in an assassination attempt. He still however went on to perform in front of 80,000 people claiming that he could not take a day off in the fight for peace. In 1978 he performed in another major political concert known as the One Love Peace Concert. This time in front of 32,000 people, Bob Marley gave a passionate performance and united the two hands of the opposing political parties. He gave one final political concert in 1980 in Zimbabwe, calling for Africans to unite and rejecting the apartheid in South Africa.   


Marley's music is defined by his extremely soulful voice. He sings from his heart with such passion and belief in what he is singing about. He has the ability to yell and still make it sound so soothing. His music is relaxing yet energetic at the same time. It is music you can dance to or just nod your head to. It is poetic, political, and spiritual with a greater meaning and purpose. He is no doubt one of my top 10 favorite musicians of all time. Here are some of my all time favorite Marley songs;

• Redemption Song
• No Woman No Cry
• One Love
• Jamaican Rum
• Jamming
• Slave Driver
• Kinky Reggae
• Stir it Up

Rastafarian Movement and Pan-Africanism

Bob Marley was inspired as a young teenager by two influential leaders; Marcus Garvey and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican writer who promoted a philosophy of Pan-Africanism, for all black people to unite. The idea being that African nations and people would unite to improve their social, economic, and political status. This philosophy eventually merged with the practice of the Nation of Islam and most notably the Rastafrian Movement.

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, became the central figure in the Rastafarian Movement for a variety of reasons. He was considered the strongest and most prominent of African monarchs and made a powerful appeal to the League of Nations in 1936. He ruled the country of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1974. Early Rastas considered Haile Selassie the reincarnation of Jesus Christ with a purpose to create a paradise known as Zion. Although he himself was more of a political leader, Rastas considered him a spiritual prophet and referred to him as "Jah".


The Movement took hold in Jamaica during the 1950s and 1960s and began to spread globally much thanks to Bob Marley's influential music. It was not so much a religion as it was a way of life, that embraced spiritual peace with oneself and one's brothers and sisters. They encouraged the use of cannabis, a healthy diet, and the rejection of western culture. Much of their beliefs were an off-shoot of the bible, with some new added elements of Pan-Africanism, political equality, and spirituality. To this day there are about a million practicing Rastafarian.

Current Politics: The Democratic National Convention

This year the DNC took place in Charlotte, NC a swing state of course, that should fall in Obama's favor. The coverage began from Tuesday to Thursday and I tried my best to watch every night just as I did the RNC. Although I know there are some who think the idea of political conventions are a waste of time and money, I greatly disagree. I think these conventions are an effective way for political parties to come together and present their case and direction to the American public. Whether Republican or Democratic, I honestly enjoy watching these rallies unfold. It is an assembly of the super-stars, as well as the new up-and-comers to the political-sphere. One of these days I would actually like to attend one of these conventions, and perhaps catch a few notable speeches. Nonetheless here is my analysis of last weeks' DNC.


Rahm Emmanuel

The mayor of Chicago and former White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, was the first speaker I tuned into Tuesday night. I must confess that he wasn't the best speaker, and stuttered way too much. However he got his message across and provided some good insight on his work experience with the president. He described the president' courage to go up against his advisers, and make difficult decisions, such as in the case of the auto-bailout. He did however finish on a strong note, rallying up the chants of "Four-More-Years!"


Deval Patrick

On Tuesday night the first speech that fired me up was from governor Deval Patrick. He succeeded Mitt Romney in 2007 as governor of Massachusetts, and easily won re-election in 2010. He gave a fiery speech, rallying Democrats to "Get a Backbone!" and support President Obama's direction. He was a very passionate and convincing speaker, and could be a potential Democratic candidate in 2016.

Martin O'Maley

Then came another charismatic speech from the popular Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley. He began his career in office as Mayor of Baltimore, from 1999-2007, than governor in 2007. He has won praise for his courage and support of Immigration and Same-Sex issues. As an Irish-Catholic and at only 49 years old he has a very prominent future ahead of him and could be another potential candidate in 2016.

Julian Castro

On Tuesday night the keynote speaker was a new up-and-comer mayor of San Antonio, Julian Castro, who nailed the spotlight with a powerful speech. He was raised in a politically-active, Chicano family (half-Mexican, half-American) and studied law at Harvard. He began his political career in 2009 as mayor of San Antonio and easily won reelection in 2011. On stage, Julian had an affective baritone style of speaking, very similar to President Obama. His charismatic appeal on stage is no doubt what has brought him such popularity within the democratic party.

Michelle Obama

The main star of Tuesday night was first lady, Michelle Obama, who quite possibly gave one of the best first lady speeches of all time. As normal at these conventions, the first lady is expected to show a personal side of the president. And in the past, first ladies have always played the cliche role of "stand-by-your-man" and why the country should chose their husband as the president. Hillary was perhaps the first to break this ceiling and create her own political agenda.

Yet on Tuesday, Michelle captivated the country with a heart-felt speech on what the last four years had meant to her and her family. It is clear that Michelle is no stranger to the stage of public speaking, and presented herself in a favorable personal manner yet also an intelligent manner. As I watched her speak late that Tuesday night, I suddenly realized that the wife of Barack, could possibly have a future in political office. There is no reason to think, that first-lady Michelle, just like Hillary Clinton, could assume a senatorial or gubernatorial position after the presidency. She would be a much welcomed and inspiring democratic leader for the country.

Elizabeth Warren

I didn't get a chance to listen to Elizabeth Warren's speech, however read some mixed reviews. She is running for the highly contested senate seat of Massachusetts against republican Scott Brown. Over the last year she has gained major media attention, most notably from the Huffington Post, for her straight talking approach. She's a Harvard law professor and adviser to the financial protection bureau. One thing I quickly have admired about Warren is how she is able to emphasize the importance and necessity of government. She has stressed that businesses need the many provisions of government such as roads, security, schools, etc. And that small businesses would be nowhere with government support. Wednesday night she countered the Republican's theme with a strong message that "We Built it Together". I heard her speech was a little stumbly at times, yet she got her message out as usual, and hopefully she can win the senate seat on November 6th.

Bill Clinton

Fortunately I was able to hear the Clinton speech live on NPR on my way home from the Indians game Wednesday Night. It was so inspiring that I would later watch it a 2nd time the following day. At age 65, Bill Clinton has still got the charisma that made him famous and won him 8 years as our nations finest president. He was my first political hero, growing up as a kid, and I consider him the godfather of the Democratic party. His wife, Hillary, has been an equal inspiration to me, with her democratic work as senator and secretary of state. So it's always a thrill to see the Clintons take the national stage.

Bill gave a very long speech, over 40 minutes, essentially about why he endorsed president Barack Obama. He based most of his speech on the economy, hardly any social issues whatsoever, which is much better in my opinion. He speaks quite naturally, arguably one of the most comfortable public speakers I have ever seen. He made a clear distinction between the Democratic ideology and the Republican ideology. In this contrast he attacked Romney and Ryan's direction of individual self interest. He emphasized that we are a united nation and work best when we work together. He was very effective at rallying the crowd. When he finished his speech, President Obama, joined him on stage, for some inspiring images; the two champions of the Democratic Party.

Jennifer Granholm

The former governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm gave one of the most animated speeches of the entire convention. She served two terms in Michigan, as a very popular governor from 2003 to 2011. Since her governorship she has become a very effective supporter of the Obama presidency. She hosts a talk show on Al Gore's Current TV and is considered a potential cabinet member or supreme court Justice if Obama wins re-election. Her speech highlighted the benefits of President Obama's Auto-Bailout. She went on an energetic rant explaining all the jobs that were saved from this action. As she listed the amount of jobs saved in each state, the crowd went wild. Granholm should definitely be used on the campaign trail.

John Kerry

The 2004 presidential election was the first time I really got interested in politics and the democratic candidate John Kerry was my guy. I was a sophomore in college, and finally beginning to understand the state of things in the world. In my opinion, President George W. Bush was a war-monger and complete puppet, and needed to be replaced. I thought the Kerry-Edwards ticket was a sure winner, and I got very involved that fall. Yet I was very disappointed when they loss. Nonetheless John Kerry has continued his long career in the senate, and is surely one of the most respected politicians still on the job.

On Thursday night, the Senator of Massachusetts took the attack role, slamming Romney on his misguided approach to foreign policy. He highlighted Romney's numerous over-sea blunders and gaffes, such as Romney's criticism of the London Olympics. He emphasized Obama's dedication and commitment to Israel, as well his achievements in Afghanistan and Iraq. He joked about Romney's understanding of Russia, as if it were still in the Cold War days as depicted in Rocky IV.  He also highlighted Romney's failure to acknowledge soldiers in his nomination speech. Kerry described Romney as a wishy-washy candidate unaware of his stance on foreign policy. This attack on foreign policy will definetely be a theme to the Obama campaign, and rightfully so. Hard to argue against his resume. Kerry did a very effective job at jabbing the Republican candidate.



Joe Biden

Vice President, Joe Biden, is a very effective and likable speaker. He's gained a notorious reputation as a "talker" however looks so natural and comfortable on stage. Along with his wife Jill, he once again presented his story to the country. Beginning with his humble roots in Scranton, PA, to his long tenure as senator of Delaware (he was the fourth most senior senator, since assuming the office of vice president). He was a democratic candidate in 2008, however overshadowed by the popular trio of Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards. When Obama chose Biden as his running mate, I thought this was the perfect balance to the perfect ticket and it proved true. After four years as VP, Joe Biden has done just as expected, supporting the president at all times.

On Thursday night, he gave an incredibly passionate speech, about his close relationship with Barack Obama, a fierce attack on Mitt Romney, and his vision of America. Biden described his loyalty to the president and was admired by Obama's courage. He then went on a fierce attack of Mitt Romney, for seeing people as a product of business, rather than human beings. He also pointed out Romney's lack of outreach to soldiers and veterans who had served their country. Pointing out that Romney didn't consider Afghanistan as an important matter. Throughout his speech he instilled a very strong tone, challenging Romney and Ryan's economic plan. He challenged their notion that the country was in decline and suffering. He echoed a phrase to both Republicans and Democratics, to never bet against America. This was a great rally cry and powerful speech from Joe biden.


Barack Obama

Finally at about 10:30 Thursday Night, came the man of the hour, President Barack Obama. He had proven himself time and time again as a very passionate, soulful speaker. As a matter of fact it was at the DNC in Denver, 2004 when I first witnessed this incredibly charismatic keynote-speaker at work. Barack Obama has always had a powerful skill of speaking, through his baritone voice and his soulful energy. He went on to use this to his advantage throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, his speech at the 2008 DNC, his inauguration speech, as well as his three state of the unions. President Obama always remains a great public speaker. That being said this night wasn't his greatest speech, yet still a convincing speech nonetheless.

Right from the get-go, I honestly thought the tone was rushed and not as passionate as we've come to expect from Obama. However upon consideration, this should only be expected from a man who has already served four years as president. Before Obama's message was an inspiring one of "hope" and "change", however he can no longer serve that same message. For he is now in the driver seat, and must convince the American public, that he needs more time to complete his vision. Thus forth the theme of "forward" is quite fitting for the Obama campaign, to continue with the direction they began with.

In my opinion, President Obama has already had a very efficient presidency with numerous achievements. From his economic stimulus, the auto-bailout (saving GM), health care reform, to an incredible foreign policy (nuclear reductions with Russia, end of Iraq War, death of Osama bin Laden, withdrawals from Afghanistan, end of Gaddafi and Libya Civil War, and supporting democracy in the Middle East) However with all these positive achievements, republicans can still make a case, that jobs and unemployment are still at a low. Yet there is one thing they seem to always overlook, and that's the fact that (A.) Obama inherited a recession and (B.) he has served against a do-nothing congress who according to Mitch O'Connell will do everything in their power to stop Obama from winning a 2nd term. Thus forth it is unfair and inaccurate for Republicans to make the case that the president has not done enough for the country's economy.

President Obama's case to the Convention and the country, was that we needed to press forward. He emphasized that the policies of the past, such as the Bush era of deregulation, is exactly what put us in the economic collapse to begin with. That the best way forward is not to repeal taxes on the wealthy, yet on the Middle Class. This has always been Obama's direction from the beginning, to look out for the middle and lower classes, and should be highly admired. And although he has clearly grown withered of uncompromising politics, he is still undeniably the best man for the job. President Obama has the experience and the better vision to progress this country in a forward direction.

Random Summer Notes 2012

Well with the passing of Labor day, summer is officially over and the Fall Season has begun. Autumn is of course always my favorite season, from the changing weather, the colorful leaves, football season, country trips, camping, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc. It will especially be exciting this year with the upcoming Presidential election between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. However before I thrust into the action of fall, I thought it would be quite fitting to look back upon the very eventful summer that it was. I can honestly say that this summer will rank with some of the best of em (06, 07, 08, 09). So here's the recap of my Summer of 2012.

Indy Mini: My dad always says that summer kicks off with our annual running of the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. We started this race back in 2005, and in those days it marked the end of college and the beginning of summer. Well this year was no different, as we gathered to run our 8th annual mini-marathon. I had begun training back during Lent season and was in very good shape. Marc, Philip, and myself were also considering breaking the family record of 1:43. That May 5th however was the muggiest race we had ever run. I finished in at a time of 1:55. Later that day we had pizza over at Carl and Devons, and then Palmer and myself went to a friend's party. It was a fun day.

Indianapolis Indians: Back during the Lenten season, I was beginning to feel that I needed a new career challenge and then came this great opportunity. It wasn't so much about the meager pay, yet just about the new experience. I began in late April, working at Victory Field home of the Triple A Indianapolis Indians. I worked out of the press-box, where I track pitches and collected data for the Pittsburgh Pirates. On average I worked about 2 games a week, for the entire summer. There were nights where I loved it and nights that would just never end. All-in-all though it was a very rewarding experience that re-ignted my appreciation for baseball.

Lindsay and Josh Cross' Wedding: On May 12th I went to Fort Wayne for Lauren's sister's wedding with Josh Cross. This was an exciting celebration of two people I had known for quite some time. It would of course be a high school reunion, a drunken party, and the perfect chance to kick off the summer. The reception was a good time of drinking and dancing with my friends. We later took the party to the hotel and had a few more drinks there.   

Geist Mini: I continued training hard into the spring. Evening runs and Saturday morning runs on the Monon Trail became my favorite thing to do. Philip and myself decided to do a Redemption Mini from our terrible time at the Indy Mini. This time on May 19th I ran a much better time of 1:46:17 at the Geist Half Marathon.

Memorial Weekend: That weekend I went home to visit the family in Fort Wayne, and do some prep work for the Kekionga Triathlon. Saw the movie Avengers with my mom, had a very nice lunch, and bought a new Schwinn bike and helmet. Later that Sunday I partied it up with Palmer and the family. It was a nice 3-day weekend.

Euro Cup: The 2nd biggest soccer tournament, began in early June, and I followed it very closely. Portugal was of course my favorite team to watch, and really hoped that Cristiano Ronaldo would win his first national tournament. I watched most the games online, and eventually bought a very nice C. Ronaldo Portugal jersey. Portugal was however eliminated in the final four, and Spain went on to win their 3rd consecutive international tournament.

Andres' Visit: Andres came to visit for a week, which was a very nice change of pace in Indianapolis. He went back and forth from my apartment to Philip's apartment. On Tuesday I took him on my RCL delivery route and then later to the Indians game. On Wednesday the three of us played some tennis. On Thursday we went to an open track meet in Whitestown. I was recovering from stomach nausea so could only watch while Philip and Andres participated. I then took him back to Fort Wayne late Friday night.

Chicago Weekend: Ever since I fell in love with the city of Chicago in 2008, I made a promise with myself to re-visit the city at least once a year. And when better a time to visit this amazing city than in the summer. Last summer's Chicago trip was a nightmare, of which we had to cut short due to terrible weather. This year's was complete perfection! We left early in my parent's new KIA, made the 3 hour drive, and found parking in my old neighborhood of Rogers Park. We then boarded the Red Line to take a tour through the city. We walked around downtown, visiting the typical sites such as Memorial Park, Grant Park, and the historic Financial district. We eventually stumbled upon a Puerto Rican festival as well. By late afternoon, we took the train back up north to spend the rest of the day at the beach. Here we had a nice calzone lunch and relaxed under a tree. We left by around 4ish, and eventually stopped in at the famous Don Quixote Spanish restaurant in Valparaiso. My mom had been raving about this restaurant for a long time, so it was quite interesting to finally see what it was like. It was a very classy restaurant, high prices, small quantities, and average taste. The rest of the trip was a tight squeeze in the small KIA and everyone was happy when we finally made it home late in the evening. It was a perfect Chicago day!

Dave Matthews Concert: This was a major event in planning with my college friends to finally see Dave Matthews Band live in concert. DMB of course being one of my favorite modern day bands. That Saturday on June 23rd the experience was once again a total perfect success! It began at an afternoon pool party, then a parking lot tailgate, then the concert itself. It was Lauren, Nate, Brian, Matt Turrow, Jesse Turrow, Lindsay, Lizzie, EJ, and K-man. They were all like family that day. We stood on the lawn for the entire show, singing our lungs out and dancing our feet off. It was like heaven, no doubt one of the funnest times I had ever had before.

Enoch Olympics: For our usual Fourth of July family reunion we went up to Battle Creek, Michigan. We spent the day at Goguac Lake, then later at Aunt Cathy's house. This year was different from previous 4th of Julys, in that it was our grandfather's 100th memorial. We decided to celebrate his past through a series of physical competition. This included push-ups, sit-ups, jump-rope, handstands, and swimming. We later spent the evening at Cathy's house drinking, eating, playing corn-hole, Grandpa trivia, and just visiting with one another.

Kekionga Sprint Triathlon: This had been my baby event four years ago, and this year it was finally going legit. This meant total sponsorship from an outside organization known as Tri-State Triathlon. Derek Wetli came in and completely organized the event to be officially sanctioned by USAT. We had over 50 seasoned triathletes show up that Saturday morning on July 21st to partake. Although only 4 of the original participants showed up (Philip, Shawnna, KB, and myself) and I finished 2nd last, the event was still a success. That evening we had a nice party at Kekionga, of which Palmer finally showed up, as well as LaMaster. Next year I hope to do a lot better in the actual race. 

London Olympics: Ever since Atlanta in 96 I have fallen in love with the Olympic games, and thus had the London games high on my radar. I went to the store that week to buy a digital converter box for my television so that I could get a local channel feed. After some fixing and adjusting I had a clear broadcast picture on my TV and was ready for the opening ceremony. I watched the games nearly every night in my apartment the first week, and almost every night in New England the 2nd week. No matter what the event was, it was always exhilarating to watch the best athletes in the world compete with one another.

New England Vacation: This was the grand finale of the amazing summer of 2012. We carefully planned this vacation back in the springtime, as a family tour through New England, a region I had never set foot in. We rented a van, loaded the bikes, and made the 12 hour drive to begin in Connecticut. We visited Uncle Larry, then went to Boston for a day, then spent the rest of the week in Maine. We saw whales, ate amazing lobster, relaxed at harbors, went to a beach, did some rock-climbing, and even went bowling in Bangor, Maine for Andres. It was a very memorable trip!

B-town Day: After our incredible New England vacation, I took the whole Friday to relax at my parents house. I then left early Saturday morning for Bloomington to party with my friends. This would be the final bang of the summer. It had been over a year since I visited my old college town, and was looking forward to just going nuts with my friends. We started off at Lindsay's house for a barbecue, then got a hotel room, then went to the classic Kirkwood bars. We played "Sink-the-Biz" at Nick's then went to the Upstairs and had an AMF, and that's the last thing I remember. Those AMFs are notorious for black-outs. The day was still a drunken success, and a perfect closure to a perfect summer.

Current Politics: The Republican National Convention

Every four years, on election year, political parties host a major convention for their presidential nominee. These conventions are a political rally, that are structured to support the presidential candidate and demonstrate the political direction. However it is also a major networking opportunity for politicians, and a good chance to be discovered on the national stage. The convention usually consists of three to four days of speeches. I remember the first time I learned of Barack Obama was when he gave a powerful speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention. It became clear to me that this convention served as the ultimate launching pad for up-and-coming politicians. I thus watched the RNC this week to understand Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan's conservative direction as well as scout the new Republican talent.

Scott Walker

I began watching on Tuesday night and was quite disgusted to first see Scott Walker speaking on stage. This governor from Wisconsin came to notoriety last year, when he led an assault on collective bargaining rights. This led to a major protest amongst labor unions in Wisconsin that lasted for several months, resulted in the fleeing of state representatives, and finally a recall of Gov. Walker's office. It was only the 3rd governor recall in history, and Walker rounded up as much money as he could not to be humiliated. Milwaukee mayor, Tom Barrett, had no chance in the recall election, outspent 10 to 1 in campaign funding. At the RNC, Walker then went on to present his case as if the people had spoken in favor of big business and no labor rights. The fact that he was nearly ousted from office gives him absolutely no credit to speak. Shame on him!

Nikki Haley

This governor from South Carolina, seemed to be quite the new appeal Tuesday night. She is a middle-aged attractive, tea party-conservative, who was quite sharp on the attacks of President Obama. And although she gave a very impressive and passionate speech, she has no grounds as a 2nd generation Indian immigrant, to be so firmly against immigration. Illegal immigration is no doubt an issue, yet conservatives sometimes tend to forget that we are a nation of immigrants, and should be a little more tolerant.

Ann Romney

The wife of candidate Mitt Romney, and potential First Lady, was on everyone's eyes that night. In my opinion she came off a little fake and cheesy and was the cliche, rich Caucasian, political wife. However her history is surely more admirable than Mitt Romney's. She has dealt with the struggles of cancer and raising 5 boys. Major kudos to that. However she continued to echo the theme of "We Built It" trying to emphasize the importance of small businesses. What this theme doesn't consider is the necessary government services such as roads, education, health, agriculture, scientific research, security, environmental protection, and many other services that a private company would not want to fund.

Chris Christie

The animated governor of New Jersey, took center stage Tuesday night as the Keynote Speaker and gave a fiery speech. Although I did not stay up for this one, I heard it was loud and mostly about himself. He only mentioned Mitt Romney's name 7 times, and clearly seemed to be more interested in his own future. Christie is no doubt a very passionate politician yet he doesn't serve as a good healthy role model. He is however very popular and was considered a favorite had he run in the Republican Primaries. He could definitely be a front-runner candidate in 2016 or 2020 depending on who wins this election.

Mike Huckabee

The evangelical radio host and former 2008 republican contender, gave a fierce speech revolving around religion. He attempted to portray Romney's Mormon faith in good light, yet ultimately declared his leadership of America was more important than his faith. (A questionable stance coming from a religious extremist) He then however wasted no time to attack Obama on his religious faults and misdirection concerning gay-rights and abortion. Huckabee claimed that Obama had created government as the ultimate God. I don't understand how Christian-Republicans can make this argument against Democrats who simply want to take care of the sick and poor. After all was this not Jesus' greatest mission?  

Condeleeza Rice

The former Secretary of State during the Bush administration, was a potential running mate. She has made an apparent desire to return to the national spotlight. She gave a strong speech on foreign policy and American Ideals. She was one of the many speakers to highlight the rise from humble beginnings to success. And although her story was quite inspiring, she lacked passion or emotion, and was merely reaching out to a certain demographic.

Susana Martinez

Latinos seemed to be the main demographic target in this convention, with numerous Latino speakers and small business success stories. This especially frustrates me considering Romney's strict regulation on immigration. He does not oppose Immigration enforcement laws (such as in Arizona), wants to build a wall on the Southern Border, and hardly any amnesty whatsoever on illegal immigrants. Gov Susana Martinez gave a typical likable story of humble beginnings to success, in an attempt to reach out to Latin voters, however she represents only a fraction of the Latino population. Conservatives try to align themselves with these "Texicans" (Southern Mexican-Americans) through gun-rights and Christian values, yet only appeal to them when it's time to round up the votes. Latinos should not expect any Republican legislation whatsoever in their favor.


Paul Ryan

I have to honestly admit that Paul Ryan is the future face of the Republican party, with the total political package; Ideology and Charisma. He is a family man in his mid 40s, with small town roots. Similar to Obama he has a genuine charisma and likability of relating with the people. I found that I have more in common with him then Obama; he is a Catholic, fitness advocate (P90x), and listens to Led Zeppelin. Paul Ryan could surely be a president in the future.

However his economic ideology is way out of touch. He was inspired by the Russian capitalist philosopher, Ayn Rand. She was quite hypocritical, against collectivism, yet accepted government scholarships and medical aid. Paul Ryan however is firmly against government collectivism. He came to fame as the chairman of the House Budge Committee and has been considered one of the lead congressmen against government spending. Yet this laissez-faire approach of economics, suits only a few, 1% in particular. A free market ideology such as this is a complete survival-of-the-fittest approach, that would not care for the weak. This is simply an unethical, un-Catholic, and unacceptable ideal!

Marco Rubio

Here is a name I have heard over and over again on NPR, (mostly controversy relating to his citizenship), yet had never seen before. Marco Rubio is a Cuban-American Republican Senator of Florida, with another cliche rags-to-riches story. He was the ideal person to introduce Romney on Thursday night, once again reaching out to the Latin vote. I must admit that second to Paul Ryan, he was a very charismatic speaker to be noted in the future. He went on and on about American exceptionalism as well as his own personal story. He demonstrated an admirable strength and passion on the national stage and he will surely pave the future direction of the Republican party.

Mitt Romney

So after about 6 years now, beginning sometime in 2006, Mitt Romney has finally secured the Republican nomination for president. At first glance he has the presidential qualities; cliche Caucasian in his mid 60s, full batch of hair, firm stature, and a strong persona. He is a loving father and a loving husband, with a trophy attractive blond wife. He is very involved with his Mormon faith and gives a lot to charity. At first glance Mitt Romney seems like Mr. Perfect. Yet then he opens his mouth, and reveals his ideals and personal history of sheer capitalistic prowess. Although he had a brief term as governor of Massachusetts he is ultimately a business man, not a government man, concerned more for profit than sustainability.

Mitt Romney was raised into a high-class life from the beginning through his father George Romney, governor of Michigan from 1963-1969. It is thus fair to say that he was handed success, and used that wealthy upbringing to only climb higher and higher. With his powerful network, Romney was able to climb the business ladder, through Harvard Business school and eventually managing a Finance Company known as Bain Capital. Here he demonstrated not only his business skills yet leadership and organizational skills to direct, save, and especially invest in many companies. Some may argue that his venture capitalist tactics were a sheer takeover method, and he was only creating his own financial empire. Nonetheless Romney attained a significant fortune from his investment and finanical career, and could thus turn to a career in politics.

He came to national prominence when he rescued the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic games, through his organizational leadership. He of coursed used this heroic national achievement to secure a governor office in Massachusetts. During his four years as governor he was able to turn the state's debt into a significant "rainy-day" fund, however also was noted for his statewide medical reform. This statewide medical reform is the exact law that President Obama passed in 2010, requiring all Americans to get health insurance. Yet now Romney has strongly stood against Obama's health care bill, calling it unconstitutional with a platform to repeal it. This is sheer nerve and total hypocrisy from Mitt Romney!

Yet his greatest flaw is not his business profile yet instead his disconnect from the people. Mitt Romney has come to the national stage at a time of economic recession and instability in the world. The gap between the rich and poor has undeniably continued to grow, resulting in widespread frustration. Romney represents the essence of the privileged 1%, who ruthlessly achieved their fortune through a powerful network and the hard labor of others. He is no doubt a strong leader, yet he is a business leader, that is out of touch with normal workers and normal people.

Romney would undoubtedly be an efficient and powerful leader yet his desire for power would undermine the infrastructure. Businesses would thrive beyond the global market, resulting in a sudden collapse of production. Time and time again history has shown that this free market approach, only leads to economic depression. The only sustainable approach for this country is a balanced economy that does not produce beyond its means. This is why government regulation is a necessity! My hope is that people can see through Romney's broken approach that favors 1% of the population and recognize Obama's genuine appeal to the other 99% of Americans.

New England Vacation

This vacation had been long over due, ever since I had my Costa Rica adventure in 2009. Sure I've taken a few weekend trips here and there (Chicago, Michigan, Camping) in the past three years, yet nothing quite as cultural as I would have liked. This has mostly been due to work and finances. Well now I finally had a secure plan to enjoy a full week in a far-off land. That land was the northeastern part of the country, known as New England, one of the few regions in America I had not yet seen. I planned it with my family, to rent a car, stay at a motel, and take a weeks' tour through this beautiful landscape. It was a successful and very memorable experience.


Day 1

I got to Fort Wayne early that Thursday evening, and was very excited to pack up the car rental and get things moving. We had a 12 hour drive ahead of us to Hartford, Connecticut to visit our uncle Larry. My dad wanted to drive through the night, across the hilly and windy Appalachians, and get there early Friday morning. Once we finally had the van loaded up with bikes on the back, it was a tight fight. There were 6 of us; my dad, my mom, Andres, Gabriel, his girlfriend Rachel, and myself. We also brought our pet chihuahua, Stella, who always makes things all the more interesting. Nonetheless we said our prayer and set off by around 8:30pm.

Day 2

The Road Trip was of course part of the experience, and we all knew going into it, that we would be driving a lot. Everyone brought loads of entertainment, and our van had a DVD player in the back. We began the first few hours of the trip watching the funny movie, Bridesmaids. By around 12:30am, we made our first food stop to get some late night Taco Bell and Wendys. It was somewhere in Ohio where we ate outside in the parking lot. I then began the 2nd shift of driving through the night. As it got later and later into the night, my dad and I had to switch on-and-off about every hour to get some shut-eye.

By sunrise, we had reached the beautiful mountain ranges of Pennsylvania. These roads were no easy task, very hilly and curvy, and all the more distracting was the incredible landscape that surrounded. However we pressed on, especially in search for our first sit-down breakfast. We spent some time trying to find the perfect local restaurant and after several attempts we came upon the small town of Milford, PA at a cafe called Water Wheel. It was the perfect location, full of cultural history along a creek. We sat outside, and enjoyed a good breakfast at a very fair price.

We finally reached Uncle Larry's house in Hartford, CT  by late afternoon,a little behind our schedule Everyone was very happy to finally get out of the car, take a shower, and relax. I played some soccer and baseball with Andres, then went on a good bike ride around the neighborhood. We later enjoyed the evening watching the Olympics, and catching up with Larry and Janet. They cooked us an incredible dinner of hamburgers, brats, and salads. Janet had some very interesting stories about the area, the history, and her experience with ghosts. We had a few drinks then went to bed quite exhausted by around 10pm. 

Day 3

That morning we had a nice simple breakfast of fruit, cinnamon rolls, and orange juice at Larry and Janet's table. We discussed politics, Olympics, and our plans for the day. By around 8am we once again had the van packed up, and we're ready for the next phase of our trip; Boston! We agreed on parking on the outskirts of the city and taking the subway in. This has always been our plan of attack for major cities, such as New York or Chicago. The anticipation was quite high when we climbed up the subway stairs and into the heart of Boston for my first time ever.

I was able to use my telephone navigation to get us onto the Historic Freedom Trail. This 2 mile trail would take us along many of the historic sights of the American Revolution. I was immediately in love with the historic culture of the city. Since it was Saturday the city was booming with activity; tourists, scavenger hunts, historic re-enactors, street performers, the works. We first visited the Granary Burying Ground, one of the oldest cemeteries in Boston. It was specifically built to honor patriotic heroes of the American Revolution, and holds notable names such as Paul Revere and the victims of the Boston Massacre. We also visited old churches, houses, and meeting places where the patriots would gather. We had Subway for lunch in a small plaza, then continued on.

We then saw the site of the Boston Massacre, a circular stone in the ground. It was very surreal to stand on the exact sight where 5 civilians were murdered that would later inspire a revolution. I could of spent the entire week in awe of the historical significance of the city, however everyone else wanted to keep moving. We went of course for a while to visit an Italian street festivals and bought some smoothies. We then walked along the Paul Revere trail as well as his house. The final stop on the trail, was on-board the USS Constitution, the first and oldest US naval vessel afloat. We did not visit the actual site of Bunker Hill, however were able to see it from afar. By the end of the day I was in love with the city of Boston, and although we did not return during the vacation, I hope to visit again sometime for a longer duration.

We were then able to navigate back to the subway and out of the city. My mom had reserved us a motel in a southern city of Waterville, Maine. We however stopped along the way, in Kittery Maine, for our first official seafood dinner. My dad, Andres, and myself ordered lobsters, which are quite affordable in Maine. It was my first time with this delicacy, and after cracking through the shells and dipping the meat into butter, I understood why it was so expensive. This was the steak of seafood! We spent a good 2 hours at this restaurant, and didn't get to our small motel room till late at night. It was a very tight fit for 6 people, however we were all exhausted and fell right asleep.

Day 4

That morning my dad woke up very early to take a bike ride around town in search of church. He came back into the room at around 7am, with a wild story of riding up and down hills for a good 3 miles. Andres and myself decided to accompany him to the 8:30 mass. It's always interesting seeing different parishes in different locations. After mass we had Dunkin Donuts for breakfast, packed up, and drove to Bangor, Maine. We got there by 1pm and swam in the pool for a while, until the rooms were ready. My mom got us two bedrooms, which was a very nice change from the previous uncomfortable night.

We didn't stay at the hotel for a long, and quickly unpacked everything into the rooms, and then set off again. We had some China Buffet for lunch, which had a nice giant screen for the Olympics, then set off for Bar Harbor, Maine. It was about an hour drive from Bangor, to this beautiful coastal harbor town. We easily found parking, and began to explore the harbor. The view was quite heavenly; the calm ocean, a rocky shoreline, islands in the distance, and several docked boats. There was also a grassy hill where people would sit and relax looking out into the sea. The entire area was so relaxing, and everyone seemed to be in a state of peaceful bliss.

We stayed there for most the evening, walking around the docks, the shorelines, climbing the rocks, shopping at the souvenir stores, and sitting on the grass. My dad and I had some wine, and we all just relaxed on the grass. It felt like heaven. That night we ordered a big bucket of KFC for dinner, then went back to the rooms and watched the Olympics.

Day 5

We woke up and once again hit the road by around 8ish this Monday morning. This time our destination was Booth Bay Harbor, Maine with an intent to go whale watching. My parents had been to this site, many years ago and were quite fond of it. We finally got there around 10ish, and bought tickets on board the Harbor Princess, a Whale Watching Tourist Boat. I believe this would be my first time out on the ocean, or even on a big boat (I do remember taking a quick cruise ship for our class trip in DC along a river, but that doesn't count).

We sat on the upper level, and the Captain took us out to the sea. The view was amazing as we pushed out of the harbor, and into the open waters. Along the way, a naturalist would inform us on animals, fishes, and interesting facts of the ocean. We saw porpoises, minke whales, seals, and eventually the giant humpback whales. Each time our guide would spot a whale in the distance, we would speed to come up on it as close as possible. This was quite exhilarating, and for a while I rode in the Front Bow with Andres, bouncing up and down the waves. This would of course later make my stomach a little queasy, however I didn't get as sick as most tourists on the boat did. The trip was a total success, and we were on there for a good 4 hours and saw lots of stuff.

Afterwards we had a nice lunch at a restaurant along the harbor. I ordered a clam roll and some clam chowder. Stella wasn't allowed in the restaurant and we had to take shifts watching her outside. After lunch we explored the tourist shops and bought some souvenirs. We left by around 3ish, and made a few stops at some rocky viewpoints. At Bangor, Maine we had some Mexican cuisine for dinner, then called it an early night and watched the Olympics in the hotel room.

Day 6

That Tuesday we decided to get some nature in, and visit the National Park of Acadia. We got there by early afternoon, parked the cars, hiked down a trail, and set up our chairs on a packed beach. It was a very hot day, and I knew I had to submerge myself into the Atlantic Ocean. Andres and myself made a mad dash into the water, and I fully plunged in and without a moment's hesitation I sprinted back out. The water was freezing!! My dad was also able to take the plunge, and withstand it a little longer than I. Andres however blew us all away, and stayed in the water for several hours. He always has been a cold-blooded fish.

My dad and I were then able to go on a very exciting hike, along the rocky shorelines. We decided to venture for about 30 minutes along the coast, then turn around. This became in an exhilarating rock-climbing experience, along the coast. Several times we had to scale upwards and downwards, carefully watching our footing. I grew a greater appreciation for the sport of rock-climbing and mountain-climbing. It was a great hike!

For lunch we drove back to Bar Harbor, and ordered some carry out food. I got myself a Reuben sandwich and we had a picnic on the soft grass. We then spent the afternoon, relaxing on the grassy hill, taking naps, and practicing hand-stands. My mom, Rachel, and Gabriel went shopping and my dad and I went on a bike ride around town. This was another exhilarating experience. We stayed there for a while longer, but then headed back to the hotel. We stopped a few outlet stores so the girls could do their shopping. We then ordered Papa John's pizza for dinner and watched the Olympics in our rooms.

Day 7

It was the final day of our vacation, and we wanted to make the most of it. Of course by this point there was tension with our family and everyone wanted to do different things; horseback riding, Bar Harbor, sailing, Boston, a lobster museum, shopping, bowling, etc. We had breakfast at a restaurant called Governors, and the friendly waitress gave us all kinds of ideas for the day. We decided to once again head to Bar Harbor and make stops along the way. The first stop was at an Oceanarium; a sea museum. Here we learned mostly about lobsters; from the traps, the trade, to the species itself.

We then drove to a lighthouse, and did some very good hiking in the woods. I once again ventured out to the rocky coastline, to do some rock climbing. We did this for a good hour or so, then saw the lighthouse. It was a very beautiful area. We then found a great place for lunch at a harbor restaurant called Thurston's in Bernard, Maine. Of course everyone wanted to eat lobster after our information session at the Oceanrium. I ordered a lobster roll, and Gabriel and Rachel had their first full lobsters. It was a very nice spot, in the midst of the sea-trades. We were in the midst of the the lobster action; the harbor, the fishermen, lobster traps, the works. It felt like a true local experience. We took pictures of the area then loaded up the van.

Our final stop that day was of course our favorite place; Bar Harbor. We stayed there for just a while, in the usual grassy hill, relaxing and enjoying the view. I once again had a cup of wine, enjoying every second of the blissful experience. I thought of the site as an interface for heaven and joked around with the others. I would have liked to watch the sunset there, yet there was still one final event to happen; bowling for Andres.

For some peculiar reason, Andres was very persistent from the beginning of the trip, that we all go on a bowling trip in Bangor, Maine. This was because he had done some research on Bangor, and also wanted to relive a memory he had in San Diego. Of course none of us wanted to go bowling, especially on vacation in New England, however we finally decided to compromise and give-in to Andres' wish. I hadn't gone bowling in several years, yet it was all-in-all a very fun time. We ordered some drinks, some greasy food, listened to good music, and bowled two games. It was the perfect bonding and end to our family vacation. We finished the night in the hotel room watching the Olympics as usual.

Day 8

We got up quite early that morning, and prepared for the very long 16 hour drive home. My dad took the first shift for several hours and we eventually stopped at BK for breakfast. I then took the next shift and got us to a small town in Connecticut where we had a Mexican lunch. Driving through hilly Pennsylvania was the bulk of the trip, which was especially challenging with rainy weather. We picked up a very late dinner in Ohio, at Taco Bell and McDonald's. We finally got home at around 4:30am. We were quite thankful that the long trip was over, however also sad that the vacation was over. It would take several days after for me to let go of the New England state of mind, and get back into the swing of reality. I was very satisfied with the vacation and the family experience and especially gained a new found admiration for the seacoast.