"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated, but more often, men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom." -
B. Obama, Inauguration Speech, 2009We were there in the icy wind, bleary eyed from no sleep and buzzing with anticipation, standing on a hill on the Mall and looking eastward at all the people looking eastward.
All the people who came from all over the world to hear this speech. When I heard this passage, it stuck with me. I had to look around the crowd into the upturned faces of those around me. Trying to see the "Doer" in them. Trying to see the "Risk-takers" and "Maker's-of-Things" obscure in their labors.
I thought about my Dad and how he was up at 4 am every day, to travel an hour to another city to go to work, and who would then bust his butt to get to a night class, so that he could earn his degree in Engineering. I looked at the faces around me and wondered, how many of them had taken risks just to be here. I thought about the fact that we busted our butts to make this Obama game. I thought about the fact that our mission was to bring folks together and to laugh and interact. I thought about my friend Barry Brown of Lost and Found, Inc. , who aided us in infusing it with a sense of purpose.
I thought about how most people simply want work that matters,
satisfies, and supports them and their families. And that most people aren't greedy and want to be able to lead fulfilling, peaceful lives. I think about so many of my friends that have recently lost their jobs and I thought about the fact that both, Kurt and Charlie have recently been laid off from their respective jobs and there they both were, wearing silly "bug" hats and hugging as many people as they could in the middle of 17th street and Constitution at the entrance to the Mall.
And I was struck by how hopeful everyone was, for hearing these words. Hope, infused with action can be very powerful.
So it is my extreme wish for you that you can "be" something. Be a doer. Be a risk-taker. Be a maker of things.
J.
"We are the makers of music, and we are the dreamers of dreams"
-Willy Wonka
Kurt, Myself and Charlie watching the monitor from an unwieldy angle.
The only monitor to which we could get close.
! We are off to the Toy Fair next!
So we have received some wonderful emails and pics from friends that we made in our short inaugural stay in Wash DC! Special shout outs to Jamie, Rachel and M! Thank you for the pics!
I thought about my Dad and how he was up at 4 am every day, to travel an hour to another city to go to work, and who would then bust his butt to get to a night class, so that he could earn his degree in Engineering. I looked at the faces around me and wondered, how many of them had taken risks just to be here. I thought about the fact that we busted our butts to make this Obama game. I thought about the fact that our mission was to bring folks together and to laugh and interact. I thought about my friend Barry Brown of Lost and Found, Inc. , who aided us in infusing it with a sense of purpose.
satisfies, and supports them and their families. And that most people aren't greedy and want to be able to lead fulfilling, peaceful lives. I think about so many of my friends that have recently lost their jobs and I thought about the fact that both, Kurt and Charlie have recently been laid off from their respective jobs and there they both were, wearing silly "bug" hats and hugging as many people as they could in the middle of 17th street and Constitution at the entrance to the Mall.
Charlie is strategizing!
