3 Years!

So to say Will and I have been a little busy in the last few months would be putting it mildly.....because things have been a little crazy around here. Between new jobs, new internships, elections, visitors and trips, graduate school and many other things, we've been on our toes. That doesn't mean we didn't set some time aside to celebrate a special day for us: October 27, our 3 year anniversary!

In September I signed us up for a ballroom dancing class, which started in mid-October, and runs for about 8 weeks. We had talked about that, as well as a nice dinner and movie date, being the bulk of our anniversary festivities.  Because of this, I was very surprised when Will texted me one day a week and a half before our anniversary, and asked if we wouldn't like to have dinner....in NYC. Although I knew we shouldn't spend that kind of money so close to Christmas, practicality runs out the window when someone mentions my most favorite city in the whole world....so of course I said yes!

We found amazing prices on airfare, and got a really really nice *bed bug free* room in a beautiful hotel, for a great price! It came together so nicely!!

We made plans to go to the Comedy Cellar for Will, and to see a show for me. The Comedy Cellar on Friday night was actually really awesome, and we saw some note-worthy celebrities. Among them, the least of my favorite Comedians: Dave Attell....Oh well, Will was on Cloud 9. For the show on Saturday night, we got great seats to the revival of Anything Goes! I've been singing that music my whole life, and was so excited to actually get to see it in NYC, finally! On top of this, Sutton Foster, my favorite, was starring. This marked the second time I've seen her in the lead role of a show! Joel Grey was unfortunately out the night we saw it, so I was a little bummed to miss out on that legendary star....but it was so incredible. I did the obligatory autographs and pictures afterward, and then we had a really nice dinner.

Sunday was really special for me, because we went to Zuccotti Park to see Occupy Wall Street. I've been a little involved with Occupy Maine, so to visit the place where it all started was so incredibly moving. The energy was incredible, and there were soooooo many people. I kept telling Will how "beautiful" it all was, because it really really is. There were musicians playing, booths set up with tables and tables of information, lots of creative signs, tons of police, and a feeling of solidarity that you only get when you're involved in something like that. People from all walks of life were there, and it just makes you feel the change that's coming.

After doing that, and a few other things around the city, we met up with one of my oldest friends who recently moved to NYC. It was great to introduce him to Will, and to meet his boyfriend, and see their apartment. It was a lovely way to end our perfect weekend.

I'm undoubtedly a lucky girl. Will and I survived a 900 mile move, our first year of cohabitation, my first year of grad school, and his first year of searching for a job. Throughout it all I haven't doubted us (seriously at least ;)....moving WAS hard haha), at all. I love you babe!

Sorry for that mushy part....Now for your viewing pleasure, just a few of our pictures from our 2nd trip to NYC together:

 We had just a "little" bad weather on Saturday, but it was still beautiful, and we made do!

 We did have room service instead of going out on Saturday though!

 Anything Goes!!!!! 

 She's my favorite :). 

Will remembers way back when, when he thought I used to accost these poor people in a poorly lit alley....

 No big deal...........Ok, yes it is :). 

 See....it is beautiful!!

 "I was looking up. It was the closet thing to heaven." <--- <3

I vote for NYC every year on our anniversary :). 

"Not the last vote of 2011, but the first of 2012!"

Since September I've been working on the 'Yes on 1' campaign. Maine People's Alliance has been the lead organization running the campaign, and it's been a wonderful experience. I've met some incredible people, and learned so much.

'Yes on 1' was an important question on the ballot, regarding same-day voter registration. Maine has had same-day registration for the last 38 years, and is proud to boast of having one of the highest voter participation rates in the country.  It's especially helpful in a state where many people have to work 2 or 3 jobs, and have a very difficult time getting to their town clerk during business hours to register to vote. On top of this, many town clerks in the less populated regions are only open a few days a week, for a few hours. It makes registering before-hand very difficult.  Without any of these logistical reasons for having same day registration, though, why should we make it more difficult for people to practice their democratic right? It's hard enough getting people to vote in an election as it is...why make it more difficult? Maine's system has always worked....Period.  Last spring, however, our incredibly popular governor signed a bill to do away with this right. Among one of the cited reasons for this was voter fraud. After a thorough investigation it was determined, like many suspected, that there are actually zero cases of fraud related to same-day registration. 0. What it really boils down to is that the Republicans are trying to disenfranchise several populations of voters who are more likely to utilize same-day registration: College students, and working-class families. Both populations which are statistically more likely to vote for Democrats. Coincidence? Nope. Maine was just one of many states across the country that is trying to pass voter suppression laws, but the people here have said they will not stand for it.

This past summer Maine People's Alliance led a People's Veto on the subject, and collected more than 71,000 valid signatures. This effectively got the issue on the ballot...which brings us to the next chapter:

All the hard work of so many people came to a head this past Friday, as we started our GOTV (Get Out The Vote) phase of the campaign. For those of you who haven't worked on an election before - this phase is crunch time. I can't even speculate the number of phone calls made, or doors I hit, but it was all worth it. Last night the results came in: we won! Maine said "NO" to Governor LePage, and to people like him, who will try to suppress our democratic right to vote.

Here's a clip from Rachel Maddow, one of my very favorite people, about the issue. This explains things better than I can:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908//vp/45216800#45216800

Other big news: Yesterday the hard work of Equality Maine paid off, as they collected all their necessary signatures for the Marriage Equality initiative. We'll be seeing that on the 2012 ballot. This is so exciting!!

I'd also like to congratulate the voters of Ohio and Mississippi, who did the right thing yesterday. In Ohio, the important collective bargaining rights of the unions were restored. In Mississippi, voters agreed you cannot call a fetus a "person". Initiatives to take away a woman's right to choose are happening everywhere, but yesterday, lawmakers in Mississippi failed.

Change is coming folks. The time to get involved is now.

Part 2. Enjoy.

A W&M-ECA Exclusive

Here is part 1 of one of my latest as well my longest set to date.  There is quite a bit of new material here for all the non-Mainers reading that I hope you will enjoy.  Stay tuned for part 2 as well.  It should be up in a day or two.  

Maureen is famous!

Here she is!

Maureen testifies during a committee meeting at the Maine State House!

Port Clyde Weekend

Maureen and I took a weekend trip at the end of September to stay at a B&B in Port Clyde, Maine!  It was Maureen's belated birthday present.  We had a fantastic time in a beautiful little town.  

Our cute room when we arrived.  

Outside Ocean House.  On our way to grab a bite to eat at the only place still open at 8:30. 

The Harpoon Restaurant.

Waiting for the seafood chowder and haddock sandwiches we ordered.   Very tasty.

Patsy, the owner, had cheese, crackers, and wine waiting for us when we returned!  Nice work Patsy!

The view out our window.  It was a cloudy, gray weekend.  Port Clyde was still quaint as all get out!

Geared up for kayaking!

Ditto!!!

Our low tide launch is in the lower right.  This is also the dock where you get on the ferry to Monhegan Island.  Supposedly that is an awesome trip we need to do someday.  It's a little island with a population of year round lobstermen (and women) and seasonal artists.  

Waiting to launch.  It was kind of foggy which was a little of a bummer but it also gave the place a cool, mysterious, ambiance.  I mean, what else would you expect from a Maine fishing village

Carrying boats.

Our guide is there with the hat on.  I feel like his name was Cody... I'll have to have Maureen edit this if I am mistaken.  He lives here and said he kayaks everyday and it never gets old.  He also lives in Hawaii part of the year.  You have got quite the life Cody, if that is your real name...a

Ready to do some paddling! 

We mostly stuck near the shore.  So at first we paddled past all the boats in the harbor.

Boats.

Nice work Maureen!

Pine trees and ocean are a magical combination.

Did I mention boats?

This guy will put a dock if for you if you need one!

It started raining so I had to put the camera away.  This is actually on the way back in.  We saw more beautiful Maine coast, seals and porpoises though... I swear!

All right, it's a little narcissistic but it's the only shot of yourself you can get when you're kayaking and you're the one with the camera!

I think Maureen sea kayaking as well as sea flirting with the other guy on the tour...  He is a newlywed Maureen!   His wife, her overbearing mother, and I aren't going to like it if you run (or kayak) off with him!

The fog started to lift on the way back in.  Visibility increased!

Why thank you!

Don't slip!

Maureen all wet and kayaked out.  You can see in the background how much the tide rose while we were out.   Where we launched is like 10 feet under water.  Weird.

When we got back Maureen napped and I wandered around the B&B.  

Snapping photos.

It was pretty cute and very old.  We were on the third floor.  

To the right is the Port Clyde General Store and to the left is the Dip Net.  Which is where we ate lunch after kayaking.  Maureen's lobster grilled cheese sandwich upset her stomach a little.  (Should I be mentioning that?  If not, Maureen, feel free to edit that out.) 

Ocean House, daytime.

St. George Fishermen Memorial.  Port Clyde is located on the St. George Peninsula.  There were quite a few names on the other side.  Some were quite recent too.  

Marshal Point Lighthouse, aka the lighthouse Tom Hanks ran to the end of for a scene in Forrest Gump!  You know, when he started "run-nin" back and forth across the country.  

Maureen, wondering if I got a good picture of her running Forrest Gump style.  I did not.  

So, Maureen asked me to get a shot of her running like Forrest Gump up the walkway to the lighthouse.  I thought she meant a video... If you're wondering why she is running without moving her arms very much, it's because she thought I was taking a still photograph.  This video makes me laugh everytime.....!  

Me and the lighthouse.

Here she is, run-nin.

More ocean and pine trees.  

Tom!  This picture was in the little museum next to the light.

They used to catch a lot of sardines here.   

Gray but pretty.

Summer Recap - August Edition

August

August flew by almost as quickly as July did! We started out the month by continuing Will's birthday celebrations from May, by going to see Louis C.K. in Hampton Beach, NH. It was so much fun!! We actually weren't that crazy about Hampton Beach itself, though, so we ended up taking one of our days there and heading to Salem, MA instead. I loved Salem, and would love to go back this fall! We had a great weekend away!

Our seats were right up against the stage! We were only about 2 feet away from the microphone! Seriously awesome!

We got outside as quickly as we could, but he'd just gotten into his car to drive away. It's ok though, Will got to be very close to his comedic idol!

our friend we made after we got our ice cream.

an actual artifact from the real dungeon used during the trials.

This was a few days after we got back, but my amazing boyfriend made me a delicious breakfast in bed! The transition into my birthday celebrations was amazing!

Randy and Erin came back again, but this time with Randy's mom (and Will's Ovid mom) Melanie! It was so great to get to show her around, as well as see Randy and Erin again!! They helped me celebrate my birthday, and consoled me about turning 24...Getting so old ;).

It feels like school started so quickly, and Will started his new job! You're pretty much up to date past that point. Between some of the gaps of visitors we did do a lot of other things, including Will's stand up almost every Wednesday and Thursday night. And also, lots of hanging out with some of our amazing friends here in Portland. We're so lucky to have gotten to know some incredible people here, and even though there aren't pictures of everyone (I'm so bad with the camera, 90% of all the pictures occurred because of Will),  we made some great memories. This summer was vastly different than summer 2010, for both Will and I, but in such a great way.

And now onto fall!

xoxo.