Ok, I'm going to try really hard and not say anything that would be offensive to other people, but let's be real...It is MY blog. So sorry in advance!
Like most things, change is inevitable. And I'm not talking about a campaign slogan, but of my personal growth into "adult-hood". At my great age of 26, I felt as though I was a "grown-up", but recently I've found that I really do have LOTS of learning to do, not saying that I thought I knew everything but recently I stumbled into the realm of politics.
I have friends who are on both sides of the spectrum, and I'm so thankful! I love to listen to everyone give their opinions, because it signals me to do more in-depth research to learn the facts, and then decide where I stand on the issues. I'm not usually one to just go with whatever someone is selling, so these days I'm super thankful for Google! I still have many topics in regards to politics that I'm learning about. And I honestly feel that my involvement in these issues is making me a better person. When I registered to vote back in 2000 at the age of 18, I had not a clue what I was voting for, hence the reason I am a registered Independent. I'm sad to say that I was one of the many who were voting just to vote because it was engraved in my head that if I didn't I was in some crazy way a "bad" American who wasn't taking advantage of our American right to vote. I've found that it is important to vote and to have a choice, but only if you know what you are voting for! This election, now that I'm older and have a family who's future will be heavily impacted on my choices today, I'm reminded of how amazing it is to be an American and how fortunate we all are to have choices.
I waited patiently all weekend for Monday to roll around. My friend Leah waited in line for 2 hours with 2 toddlers to pick up tickets to see Sarah Palin at the Republican Rally being held at the Germain Arena! When Monday finally came I was so excited. I went to the gym in the morning, then drove the boys all the way to Lehigh to my parents house; my dad agreed to watch the boys. Then I drove back to Ft. Myers to my house, took a quick shower and headed over to Leah's tire shop off of Alico to meet up with her and Julie. Julie was already there waiting and Leah pulled up shortly after I did. We all piled into Julie's car and headed to the arena. We decided to park at Miromar Outlets and walk to the arena from there (it didn't hurt to burn a little more calories). The line to get in was unreal. It looped and curved and swirled around the outside of Germain Arena. 9,000 free tickets were handed out for this event that was being held in an arena where the maximum capacity was only 7,000. We found our way to the end of the line and stood there for hours.
Many people tried to sneak their way in front of us. The best was when a group of ladies just stepped right in front of us pretending like they had been there the whole time. When Leah along with the other people standing in line said "this is not the end of the line, it's farther back." The lady turned around and just said "Thanks, we're ok". After it went back and forth like this, with us trying to explain that we have been waiting for a long time and she needs to get in the back of the line, and her saying "ok, we're ok". One of the girls that was in line with us stepped in front of the line cutter and said "No, it's not ok! You need to go to the back of the line!" It was kind of comical the way it was going on.
We FINALLY made it inside the arena after sweating our asses off in the heat. It was one of the coolest things I've been to in a long time. There were just tons of people there. They allowed about 7800 people into the arena. We listened to Mandy Connell speak. I love her, she to me is the Nancy Grace of Daytime Talk Radio. I just love the matter-of-fact tone she uses with her sassy take-no-crap attitude. We also listened to other opening speakers like Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott, Governor Charlie Crist, and United States Congressman Connie Mack. The Barron Collier band was there providing music. It made me feel like I was at a high school football game! We made our way up to the top of a section that was really far away from the stage. After we sat there for a little bit, we noticed that there were lots of empty seats in a closer section. So we hustled down the isles and went around to section 115 that was on the back end of the stage next to the band. Our seats were much better the second time around.
When it was finally time for Sarah Palin to come out, all the lights went out and the music was turned up super loud and a spotlight followed her as she made her way to the podium. It was so great to be part of such a historical time for our nation.
Like most things, change is inevitable. And I'm not talking about a campaign slogan, but of my personal growth into "adult-hood". At my great age of 26, I felt as though I was a "grown-up", but recently I've found that I really do have LOTS of learning to do, not saying that I thought I knew everything but recently I stumbled into the realm of politics.
I have friends who are on both sides of the spectrum, and I'm so thankful! I love to listen to everyone give their opinions, because it signals me to do more in-depth research to learn the facts, and then decide where I stand on the issues. I'm not usually one to just go with whatever someone is selling, so these days I'm super thankful for Google! I still have many topics in regards to politics that I'm learning about. And I honestly feel that my involvement in these issues is making me a better person. When I registered to vote back in 2000 at the age of 18, I had not a clue what I was voting for, hence the reason I am a registered Independent. I'm sad to say that I was one of the many who were voting just to vote because it was engraved in my head that if I didn't I was in some crazy way a "bad" American who wasn't taking advantage of our American right to vote. I've found that it is important to vote and to have a choice, but only if you know what you are voting for! This election, now that I'm older and have a family who's future will be heavily impacted on my choices today, I'm reminded of how amazing it is to be an American and how fortunate we all are to have choices.
I waited patiently all weekend for Monday to roll around. My friend Leah waited in line for 2 hours with 2 toddlers to pick up tickets to see Sarah Palin at the Republican Rally being held at the Germain Arena! When Monday finally came I was so excited. I went to the gym in the morning, then drove the boys all the way to Lehigh to my parents house; my dad agreed to watch the boys. Then I drove back to Ft. Myers to my house, took a quick shower and headed over to Leah's tire shop off of Alico to meet up with her and Julie. Julie was already there waiting and Leah pulled up shortly after I did. We all piled into Julie's car and headed to the arena. We decided to park at Miromar Outlets and walk to the arena from there (it didn't hurt to burn a little more calories). The line to get in was unreal. It looped and curved and swirled around the outside of Germain Arena. 9,000 free tickets were handed out for this event that was being held in an arena where the maximum capacity was only 7,000. We found our way to the end of the line and stood there for hours.
Many people tried to sneak their way in front of us. The best was when a group of ladies just stepped right in front of us pretending like they had been there the whole time. When Leah along with the other people standing in line said "this is not the end of the line, it's farther back." The lady turned around and just said "Thanks, we're ok". After it went back and forth like this, with us trying to explain that we have been waiting for a long time and she needs to get in the back of the line, and her saying "ok, we're ok". One of the girls that was in line with us stepped in front of the line cutter and said "No, it's not ok! You need to go to the back of the line!" It was kind of comical the way it was going on.
We FINALLY made it inside the arena after sweating our asses off in the heat. It was one of the coolest things I've been to in a long time. There were just tons of people there. They allowed about 7800 people into the arena. We listened to Mandy Connell speak. I love her, she to me is the Nancy Grace of Daytime Talk Radio. I just love the matter-of-fact tone she uses with her sassy take-no-crap attitude. We also listened to other opening speakers like Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott, Governor Charlie Crist, and United States Congressman Connie Mack. The Barron Collier band was there providing music. It made me feel like I was at a high school football game! We made our way up to the top of a section that was really far away from the stage. After we sat there for a little bit, we noticed that there were lots of empty seats in a closer section. So we hustled down the isles and went around to section 115 that was on the back end of the stage next to the band. Our seats were much better the second time around.
When it was finally time for Sarah Palin to come out, all the lights went out and the music was turned up super loud and a spotlight followed her as she made her way to the podium. It was so great to be part of such a historical time for our nation.
Julie, Me and Leah in line outside the Germain Arena
Mile long lines on people
And more people
We're in!!!
View from when we first walked into the arena
View from our first set of seats
Mandy Connell is speaking
View from our second set of seats
Lucinda and Julie
We made our way to the main floor and got some great pictures; I'm on Leah's back in a skirt and all...showing off some of my old cheerleading skills!
I Love Sarah Palin
Hitching a ride from Aimee back to our car
Sarah Palin's entrance into the Germain Arena!
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