Nine More Days

Checking In

Hey there... Just wanted to check in with a short post to remind folks that I'm alive and that this blog is, in fact, still extant.

I've mentioned that I've been working with the Obama campaign, but I'm not sure that I've explained exactly what that entails. In a nutshell, it entails about 90 hours of work each week, from leading canvasses and canvass trainings, to operating our daily phone bank, to running our data entry efforts, and much, much more.

And, honestly, despite being just about the most stressful thing I've done in my life at times, it's been the most rewarding 6 weeks of my life. The number of amazing people that I've met who give up hours, days and weeks of their lives in support of something they believe in so strongly is just staggering.

From talkative-yet-wise-beyond-their-years 16 year old girls, to brilliant astrophysicists, to circus trapeze artists, to seemingly straight-laced IT guys who have skydived over 2,400 times, to awesome women who have become almost my adoptive mothers, to Australian, British, Finnish volunteers with as much passion for Barack Obama's candidacy as our American volunteers, and to two unbelievably smart, hardworking, dedicated young-20's field organizers who hold everything together... I'm just speechless as to how cool this has been so far.

And now we've got just 15 days left until the election. I'm excited for November 4th, and optimistic about our chances, but I'm also a little sad knowing that it's almost over. Despite the stress and the ups and downs, this is the first job that I've ever had that I truly loved. And while a lot of it is because of Barack Obama, most of it is because of the people I've met and worked with.

You hear a lot about how "inclusive" the Obama campaign is. I can tell you from firsthand experience that it's 100% true. If Barack Obama wins this election, it truly will be because of the amazing people who are supporting and building this campaign.

And you still have time to join us. We need your help now more than ever. Join the campaign wherever you live. And if you're in the DC area, email me about finding a time to join us at our office in Old Town Alexandria.

Dead Confederate on Conan Tonight

Yep, I'm still alive. Just wanted to check in and remind folks to watch Dead Confederate on Conan O'Brien tonight. Quite simply, the band rocks harder than just about any other band out there these days.

The L'il O'Reilly Factor

New Crooked Fingers, "Phony Revolutions"

I'm sure this has already made the rounds, but I've obviously been a bit out of it the last few weeks.

Crooked Fingers, "Phony Revolutions"

The track is from Crooked Fingers' new album, Forfeit/Fortune, which comes out next Tuesday (10/7). The album also comes with a DVD. Here's the trailer for the DVD:



I am sad to say that I have to skip the Okkervil River/Crooked Fingers show at Webster Hall next week due to my continuing work on the Obama campaign. If anyone wants to buy my ticket, let me know!

Dirty Pretty Things Split Up

Damn.

Via Kingblind:

Carl Barat, Didz Hammond, Gary Powell and Anthony Rossomando – announced the break-up of the band that formed in 2005 following the split of The Libertines.

Frontman Carl Barat explained that the members of the band would be pursuing new musical projects, but that these would not involve The Libertines.

The band will play a final 11-date tour in England and then call it a day.

I'm not a huge fan of their recent, second album, but I'm still really disappointed by this.

You, Sir, Are a Prick