Yes, We Did!

So, after months of hard work by millions of volunteers, countless donors helping fund the greatest campaign in US history, we have done it.

We control the government now.

House, Senate, and Oval Office.

Yes, We Can, Yes, We Did.

Here's to a great four (eight?) years ahead!

Yes, We Can.

Yes.

We.

Can.

Vote Obama & Biden on Tuesday.

Free Zune!

http://www.iamthedivablog.com/2008/09/free-zune-for-me-free-zune-for-you.html

Just

So Begins The End

Apparently it is nearing the first midterm of my senior year.

Let me reiterate that last statement as it is a bit much to convey and understand simply...

My SENIOR YEAR of college.

Trust me, I'm way more surprised at how much time as flown by. Last I checked I was a Freshman, and apparently I'm now a fourth-year college student and I'm not sure where I lost track.

It's nice though; something along the lines of being a senior in high school where you just feel like the top-dog, yet it's different in college. I'm not sure how to explain it, however I can say that I feel like for the first time a truly real and substantial sense of direction. It's merely a sense of belonging I feel towards thoughts of what I'm going to be doing after college, and I suppose the best way to really express it is to use the "light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel" anecdote.

I am 25% of the way through my senior year. It's been unescapably fast, and without a doubt it has been good. classes and work are just perfect, and I feel like for the first time at Berea I have the perfect semester. Not merely a good or great semester, but a perfect one. With Botany with Thompson, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy with Roy, and Parasitology with Rosen I could not be happier. Work is great, I love the Chem department.

Perhaps in the future I might be digging up dinosaur bones, or working with parasites, growing bacterial cultures, seeing patients, conducting biomedical research, working at the CDC, working in immunology or even doing some hybrid of these. Perhaps is true. It will be one of these, I have such a broad pallete with which to pursue and at times a broad sense of taste can be the kiss of death, yet this time that broad sense of taste is giving me no less than a bottomless barrel from which I'll find my place in the world.

Whatever I do, however, I'll be the best goddamn person at it.

There is no passion; there is serenity.

Goodness, Things ist Gut

Man.

I don't know what happened. I really don't. I went from a lower level 2 back up to a mid-range 8 or so within a day. I feel so much better about everything--and the reason for this new found optimism?

Fuck if I know.

I'm happy though, I've got nothing to complain about really, and the things that I can complain about are little more than selfish, ignorant fears and desires. I need to get myself straight about a few things, and so far I think I'm making good progress.

I've listened to well more than any one person's share of Blue October the last four or five days, and my, oh, my, I am falling more and more in love with this band each listen through. By far, one of the greatest artistic, lyrically endowed alternative rock bands of all time. My god, Justin Furstenfeld is one of, not only, the best singers in Rock today, but one of (if not THE) most talented, and insightful songwriters in Rock music today. He is very much on par with M. Ward in the eclectic, way-too-wise-and-thoughtful lyric department. Do yourself a big favor, and go out and buy (yes, BUY) the album Foiled right this instant. An Alt-Rock classic in its purest, most unadulterated perfection. Not a single bad song, not a single misstep, not a single corner cut. Nay, this is one of the most shining and brilliant examples of what music can and should do for the listener. Lyrics are not meant to tell you everything. No. They are meant to grow, evolve, bring new meanings with each new experience by the listener. The joy that I wrought from this music and words two years ago is nary close to what it is today.

And that is a good thing.

My god, I love Pandora, and to make it better it has finally come to the iphone as an app. I'm addicted. If you want to find new music in the easiest, most intuitive way possible then Pandora is for you. If you haven't discovered Pandora by now then you are living under a rock and still suckling on the radio teat.

New Belgium Ales are now in Nashville. Oh yes. I have finally tried the infamous "Fat Tire" and am currently sipping on the 1554 Enlightened Black Ale.

Dear God. This, my friends, is beer perfection. Intertwined with musical bliss, sonic calamity, and happily centered mind I can't think of a better way to spend my Wednesday night.

Good night all. Remember what I said! Get that Blue October album!

P.S. I am starting to like Dashboard Confessional. Took long enough I suppose. Yes, though, I am getting there. "The Rush" is amazing. I love the drums ;)

P.P.S. As I just wrote that, Dashboard "Don't Wait" just came on my Pandora 'Rock and Indie' station as a potential song that I might like.

Blue October - Sound of Pulling Heaven Down

That Is All.

On New Directions

So, over the last four days I have had a certain amount of thoughts that have been nothing less than lingering over my head.

This week in lab has been one of those weeks and in the scientific community "one of those weeks" is a very intimidating week. You spend two, three or more weeks concentrating hard on a subject gathering a lot of data and getting somewhere fast. Then, when all else is smoothly sailing along the seas of insight and well-kept-plans, you reach a week where everything slows down to a crawl, things don't work, colonies don't appear on your plates after all that work: PCR magnification, purification, running gels, dna extractions from gels, digests, ligations and then ultimately transfections.

Well, long story short, it's one of those weeks. It's been a lot of hurry-up-and-wait, the kind of work that is necessary; dirty and unhappy, but necessary for the big tickets. I've come to realize a very, very important aspect of my personality that I do not really think I ever fully realized even though I would make self-aware claims like this all the time.

I am dependent on responsibility, pressure and engagement.

When I come home early from lab I feel lazy and unfulfilling. When I sit around with nothing to do I get disgusted with myself. I find some kind of solace in dealing with any problem in my head while working diligently on mixing reagents, running absorbances, whatever--you name it.

Thus, to my real epiphany that I fully uncovered today. I am built for the graduate student life. The stories and stereotypes of grad students staying in lab from 8am to 9pm are not false. They are absolutely true and absolutely ubiquitous. Working weekends are true. It is all true. Grad students work nearly as much as budding doctors, and get less than the credit they deserve. They must grapple with the mindset of undergraduate philosophies that is now meant to think outside of the box completely. Thinking that transcends problem solving--more importantly problem-identifying. There are a million and one ways to ask any question to some far-off answer. Likely there are equal correct ways about doing something, yet it is something wholeheartedly different identifying the best path to answer those questions.

Thus I realized that no matter where I end up in life, I must have pressure, responsibility and expectations piling up at my feet. Otherwise I will live a very unhappy, unfulfilling life.

Now, just can't wait for the beach.

What really grinds my gears...

So, I decided, "you know what? I'm going to sell my Zune 30 on Amazon and get a cool $130-160 for it and help finance a new Zune 80 in the next month or so, right?"

Well, guess what? You have to PAY Amazon $40.00 per month to sell shit like that on there! Granted it is a great deal for buyers--you get a much greater feeling of trust from the seller that it is not crap since they have to pay good money to sell it...but they charge MUCH more on there than Ebay for Marketplace Zune's! Thus, to sell on Amazon I could get about $160, on ebay? $90-100!

That sucks, because Amazon has a buyer guarantee--if I were to sell a bad item to ANYONE, they could call amazon, get reimbursed then I have to deal with Amazon...so why not just use that Policy for sellers of Mp3 players and other big items!? It's crappy, really, and I'm a little dissapointed because I was totally going to use that to finance a new Zune... :(

Oh well, maybe I can sell it somewhere else

On New Things

So, the past week or so I have had quite a bit of an undertaking. I have sampled (well, more than sampled...) pretty much every big release that I have been curious about.

The new Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Black Keys, Weezer, She & Him, and the new Death Cab for Cutie. Let's just start from the beginning of that list.

The new Coldplay is just good, flat-out good. They seem like they have finally found their sound and style and not venturing too far into sappiness that they were so found of for so long. If nothing else, check out the opening track and "42" to really get a good idea of this rocking English band at their best. The new My Morning Jacket Evil Urges, is less than stellar. MMJ has been one of my most favorite bands for quite a long time, yet this is the first album ever that I wasn't blown away the first listen. The tracks that I downloaded before release, "Highly Suspicious" and "Evil Urges," are by far the most exciting songs on the record, and "I'm Amazed" probably being my most favorite track so far. I just can't get into it too much, maybe after i see them live again it will all jostle, but I'm not sure I like this new direction. Z was good, different than normal, but good. Maybe classic, but not sure about this one yet. Black Keys is good, they aren't my favorite band and never will be, but I can put them on most anytime and really dig it.

The new Weezer is awesome. Not as poppy as the last outing, but definitely with some of the most memorable songs I've heard in a while. She & Him has proven to be the most efficient next step for M. Ward. Being a HUUUGE M. Ward fan, I was skeptical how someone else could hope to share his spotlight, but Zooey Deschanel is an amazing singer and the style of the music has only merely changed--if only to fit her singing. A great album.

The new M. Night movie, The Happening was by far one of the most laughable movies I have ever seen. I am the biggest M. Night apologist you'll meet. I loved all the other movies he did, with a passion. From The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, to The Village and Signs I was sold and they are by far the best horror movies I have ever seen. Lady in the Water was good, and I enjoyed it for what is was worth, and maybe The Happening is meant to be taken no more serious than a B-movie...because that is exactly what it is. A B-movie with a twenty million dollar budget. Mark Wahlberg was amazing, always a commanding actor, but there was so much over-acting by actors who are generally some of the most compelling you will ever see, so much black humor, so much just flat out holes in the plot that I believe M. Night was making his modern day 1960s/1970s cheap thrill b-movie.

If that is the case, I loved it. If not, this movie made me lose my faith in politically driven suspense movies forever.

Where To Begin

Wow, so it's been a harrowing past three weeks or so.

I am quite sure that I've gone from one attitude to the next to the next in those three weeks, and for that I feel like I'm actually feeling a little more whole and intact now that I'm in Nashville. Obviously living in a new town would make one feel more focused, right? Yeah, I did not expect that either.

Nashville is an amazing town; though only being here for almost two weeks, I have done enough and seen enough to realize that I really digg this town. From the small side streets with plethora of small shops and hang-outs to the ridiculous downtown of Broadway. I really like Nashville, and I really like Vanderbilt.

I am loving my lab! My PI is one of the most intriguing and interesting fellows I have ever met, and my research is really exciting me. The grad student I am working with is unbelievably helpful and understanding and I could not ask for a better advisor for this summer. The Post-Docs in the lab are all wonderful and nice and full of their own unique flavor. I am one of three domestics in the lab, the rest being internationals from Russian, Ukraine, Iran and even China. I know what your thinking, the axis of evil in my lab, right? Yeah, that sure is an astute observation by such a clever individual as yourself. Go ahead and have yourself a delicious cookie in honor of your hilarious humour.

Things are going well. Too well?

Perhaps the best news in the last week has been not only my PI being completely okay with me taking a leave of absence for a week to go on my family vacation (with literally the entire family ~25 people) to Holden Beach, but also that my best friend in the world, Amy, will be joining me.

I am so excited and it will be, by far, the best vacation ever.

Done deal.

I have beaten GTAIV, downloaded countless new albums (the new Coldplay is amazing! and I generally don't go for them) and the entire M. Ward discography (because he and Zooey Deschanel are coming to Nashville July 30, and I purchased an iPhone. It is amazing. I'm getting along great with the guys down here in my suite (though I don't much like my arrogant roommate--oh well, he doesn't have to know I honestly think he's a piece of shit, right?)

Everything is great, I could not hope to be anywhere else this summer.















3 weeks, 3 weeks!

Nashville At Night

Nashville At Night, originally uploaded by aaronfidler.

Aaron Fidler

Holy Frack

So, in the past few days things have gone from fine to good to great to awesome to "shit, things are fucking awesome!"

I am so alive, and so happy. I've been so confused and unsure about so many things--selfishly and stubbornly I've kept myself from enjoying things, doing things, thinking things and being different shades of myself. It's amazing what a few little tidbits of good news and conversation can do to a man when he feels slightly contemplative about matters.

This past weekend was without a doubt one of the best I've had in a long time. Went up to Lexington on Friday night to ice skate with Kira, Seth and Linds and had a blast--it's been six years since I've done that--then spent the rest of the night chatting at Seth's house then ending up at Kira's dorm at Transylvania with Boyd and Linds and drank a bit and enjoyed the evening highly! I have to make a rather large admission; Kira has not one, but two macs, an iMac and a Macbook, and after spending a bit really checking them out I really want one; honestly I don't know why, but they just have a nice feel to them. I think I would soley use it for music and video and I think that's just fine. Until Zune can be used on macs I think I'll hold out. Camping Saturday night was awesome; we just spent the whole evening looking over Berea and Richmond and listened to the radio via my Zune. Dined on Cheez-Its and Jones root beer (fucking amazing) and stayed until 3pm Sunday.

Registered for classes; good news is I've got Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Botany and Parasitology (which was closesd, but Rosen def. let me in cause I'm awesome) but Senior Seminar is up in the air--maybe until Spring. Fuck it.

Weekend looks awesome; bonfire Friday with Amy, Linds, Boyd, Seth, Lena and Kira

To celebrate a great weekend and week (so far) here's an awesome new tune:

M.I.A. - Paper Planes (my new favorite song)

How fast can you type?

Pretty interesting to see how much I could actually type--and wow, I'm impressed.

69 words

Speedtest

The Avett Brothers - The Weight of Lies

The weight of lies will bring you down
And follow you to every town
'cause, nothing happens here
That doesn't happen there

So when you run, make sure you run
To something, and not away from
'cause lies don't need an aeroplane
To chase you down

The Avett Brothers - The Weight of Lies

New Chapter

So, a new day it is. A new chapter has started, I feel, and I'm oddly glad to be done with the last portion of my life. Oddly I feel excited to start living fully and not confined to another person for awhile. Do what I want, when I want, and how I want.

Friday was a confusing day, a very confusing day. Started off well enough--8am Psych was a breeze, no Buddhism, Physics at 1pm, and Hiking was spent creating do-it-yourself burners from tuna cans, parafin and cardboard. Quick and easy day. Yet, that wasn't all; had a final spat with my significant other, and called it quits.

I feel like it's a definite this time and not anything to take lightly. I don't feel like there is a future there at all and for that reason I can't even muster enough sadness, remorse or regret to make myself feel like I just came out of a long, six year relationship. I just feel emptier, and a little less solid. I don't have my usual strategy to take on the day and I don't have my habits to fall back on--we are creatures of habit and when we lose something that was integral to those habits it is hard to not feel lost and confused and a little disoriented.

Disoriented, that is certainly how I feel. Yet, I feel optimistic about the future. Just finish out this semester and then I'll be heading to Vanderbilt University to do some research this summer with Dr. Billy G. Hudson. I am very excited and anxious for this opportunity; I know I can do it and I know I'll be fine there, but it's a big university and this research is going to be intensive and very much real world research. I've got to prepare, how will I do that? By reading a metric ton of published papers and knowing them quite well.

I just watched Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries this weekend with Jeffrey and Johnny and I am completely blown away by this show! It is phenomenal--highly suggested to any sci-fi fan, and any drama fan. It will certainly transcend those who have a sci-fi-aversion. It is superb. I couldn't wait for the season 1 first disc to come in netflix so I thought I'd try the Amazon Unbox download service while I was at it--whole first season for $20. Not bad. It just finished downloading, so I shall be watching that in just a few moments.

Things are pretty good I must say, just have to get my academics in full gear, my social life tweaked, and get my head to stop spinning long enough so I don't miss the next road sign.

Bon Iver - re: Stacks

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Memory Lane via MP3

So, I'm sitting here listening to some old sappy songs about love and love lost, and all the melancholic feelings it invariable inspires, and this little Irish chap I'm listening never has let me down.

Why? Well, I'll tell you, because that's how I am feeling tonight; it's quite particularly something tonight. Don't know why, don't really care, all I know is I'm feeling a little down and these are a few Damien Rice songs that get me feeling quite alright about my state. Enjoy.

Damien Rice - Amie (O)
Damien Rice - Delicate (O)
Damien Rice - Cannonball (O)

I bought Children of Men, Syriana, and Serenity yesterday at a crappy consignment shop all for $18, and yes I was (am) quite happy. Absolutely loved Children of Men, but never got to finish/really watch Syriana and that's a movie that really demands attention, and of course I love Firefly so by default I love the movie, Serenity.

Also, enjoy this new tune by the Evangelicals.
Evangelicals - Skeleton Man (The Evening Descends)

Time to go to bed. Classes start back Monday. I am certainly well-rested and ready for them.

Big Hard Sun, Beating Down On Me

So, I finally got around to watching Into the Wild and I have to say it is one of the most fascinating and involving films I've ever seen. I had wanted to watch it when it first came out in theaters but with a full class schedule at Berea as a science major, that says otherwise. So, I put it into my Netflix queue on a whim and not a few days later a friend of mine mentioned I would love it. I was pretty confident I was going to enjoy the movie. I knew only vague bits about the story of Christopher McCandless, and ultimately I had no real idea what was going to happen in the film.

I loved the screenplay, certainly all credit is to be given to Sean Penn for taking this story from John Krakauer's book and turning it into a story of not what happens to Chris when he makes it to Alaska, but rather what happens to him along the way and ultimately the fragility and indelible sanctity of the relationships we form during our lives. The ability for us to spend entire lives with someone and only finally realize that you can never understand each other and the other rarer and more special relationships involving those who understand us within a breaths leaving us and how an entire existence of someone can be so easily transduced to someone we hardly know and just met. That is exactly what this film evokes among other things. Including the fragility of relationships is the undeniable beauty and draw some of us feel towards the Great Outdoors.

I myself have felt that call, the call of the simple--of the free and unorganized. I felt a great urge and to a great extent still do, to hike the Appalachian Trail. The thought of leaving behind my cellphone, my laptop, my Zune, my Xbox and my lightbulbs seemed to draw me based on the hopes of a sort of cleansing it would create. To lose all those attachments, the obsessions we create based on nothing more than our own sedentary lifestyles at times. Truly, this film has inspired me moreso, and has also redirected these desires towards the great Northwest. Alaska always seemed desirable, but moreso now. I'd have to go in late spring/early summer. To brave the cold on first trek would be very unwise. I hope to one day. To be able to drop all I am doing and head there would be the greatest experience I could ever hope to accomplish. I would love to visit the site of the Magic Bus. I feel as if McCandless has become a sort of heroic figure in my eyes--much against (I'm sure) his intentions. He embodies what I believe we all on some level hope to do; drop our attachments, our silly obligations, drop the mold that we feel so strongly about filling and head out into the woods. Where else could it be simpler I ask? I've spent my share of camping in the forests of Appalachia.

I know as well as anyone that its not some simple, easy going life. There is struggle. Food is not readily available like a fridge or pantry, and thus you must work for your nourishment and your shelter. Taking care of your equipment can mean the difference between a good time, an annoying time and a nearly fatal experience. However, the work and the struggle of spending great lengths of time in the wild could only be an experience that would relax the mind and calm oneself. As a student of Buddhism, this feeling is even more so true. To finally attain the understanding to leave behind one's fetters and head into the unknown and ultimately realize the great things there are to know--the things you can not learn from a textbook or a classroom or a movie or from sitting comfortably in your home--seems undeniable fascinating and I hope I can one day--soon--spend only a little while trying to figure myself out in the wild.

I've ordered Krakauer's book and hope to start reading it very soon.


clip of McCandless' discovery of his famed 'Magic Bus'

Enjoy these amazing Eddie Vedder tunes from the soundtrack:
Eddie Vedder - Guaranteed
Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun

Here's to hearing your call of the wild.

Let It Break

I love spring break. I just do. I don't know why, I never do anything extraordinary like travel to the coast or head to the mountains, but I do always go to my brother & sister-in-law's abode in Cincinnati for a bit, and invariably head home for the final days.

Well, here I am whence more, and it's lovely. Dined on some authentic Thai food (Mae Ploy, Pad Thai, Coconut Curry, Pineapple Fried Rice), and currently we are watching what has so far been the most unexciting stretch of NCAA tournament play I've ever seen--especially for Elite Eight play. UCLA destroying Xavier (my choice) today, Davidson, Kansas, Texas and Memphis yesterday all dominating in the games and winning by nearly 20 points. Not exciting, and not worthy of too much attention since none of the teams are my teams. Louisville and UNC right now, L'ville not doing so great right now. Down a few. I'm not sure who to root for in this match-up; too many ties and rivalries with these two teams and UK. I'll figure that out before long though.

Tomorrow we are heading to the Bodies exhibit at the Cincy Museum and I am very excited. I know the Pre-Med Club is heading there after break sometime, so looks like I'll be visiting this place twice, I do hope it is only half as cool as I hope it is. If that is the case, I will be very happy.

I've felt empty lately. Very much so. I've reestablished a very important contact within the last couple weeks and honestly that's been the best part of my year so far; though still quite bittersweet. I just don't it'll ever be fine with me, just that feeling--that deep down feeling--just hasn't gone away and I doubt that it will. It's OK though, things are going alright and I've got plenty to look forward to. I've just got to get my head on straight--it feels like it is for a little stretch of time and before I know it I'm back to where I was. I just need a good adhesive I suppose.

I was informed by the head of our biology department, Dr. Dawn Anderson, that I was selected to go to Vanderbilt this summer as a research program! I'm so excited and it's going to be several levels above what I did last summer. I will be working for Dr. Billy G. Hudson at the Vanderbilt University Cancer Center. This man is huge in the industry--with some 120 publications, two drugs produced from his lab with one finishing phase II trials and the other in phase I, and he's founded two companies. He deals with renal diseases (kidney) and is not a lightweight. I'll be doing real-world research and spending my days working on projects that will maybe benefit someone one day.

I'm so incredibly excited, and so nervous. Not only is it a big university, but it's a real-deal biomedical researcher. It's going to be something else.

You should really check out the new NIN album. I got it when it first came out and it's amazing. It's only available from NIN online, and it's only $5 for the whole download. All instrumental, and to me that is how Nine Inch Nails should be. Get it here.

Well, I've got the new Mass Effect episode downloaded and ready to play when I get home. Yes, I am excited.

Weird things just happen

So, my coffee maker apparently adjusted itself for DST without my help, nor my roommates.

How this happened, I am not sure and really I am quite perturbed by this. I know it was the correct time before, because it would automatically start making my coffee at 7:15am on the dot every morning since months ago.

Yet, now, my demon coffee maker has decided to put itself an hour ahead and save me the apparent trouble of putting the time a head an hour.

Wow.

Ok, back to Buddhism...

Let It Rain

It's been quite the Kentucky weather as of late. Not more than last week it was ~17-23 Fahrenheit, yet yesterday it was no less than 60 degrees and today--almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit!

It's quite the predicament, I do say. Do I embrace the weather and enjoy all that spring is/has/will entail, or should I accept it all at face-value and hope I don't get to attached to the wonderful feeling that is seventy degrees, sunny and slightly breezy? Well, that was an easy one. I should freaking hope I don't get attached and expect shitty-ness tomorrow.

In fact, as it goes, tomorrow will be shitty and I don't expect I'll be anything other than affirmed come this time tomorrow afternoon.

This semester has become something of a blur. I'm not sure how to handle 'blurs' and likely I'll treat these feelings as I did the original 'blurs,' thus continuing some sort of evil scheme to uproot all collegiate types in the hope of offsetting the bliss that is intelligence. Seriously, though, I've been taken aback recently at how fast the semester has gone. On one hand, I've already had an exam in Psychology and Quant Chemistry (yet, not Physics or Buddhism) and this is mind-boggling. I need to study...essentially I feel like an ant and I'm not sure how long until I get squashed.

The past few days have been both therapeutic as well as unsettling. I've finally come forth with those little nagging (and by little I mean impossibly huge) feelings that seem to bother me EVERY GOD DAMN DAY.

It's all true.

All of it.

I'm afraid the truth hurts. I'm afraid that, somehow, putting out the truth is something equivalent to the kiss-of-death.

Spring is almost here.

I need to go to sleep, but tomorrow (or when it's pretty again) I'll celebrate that fact.

From Senator Obama, Just Now:

Aaron --

We learned something extraordinary since I wrote to you last night.

We've crunched all the numbers and discovered that we are within striking distance of something historic: one million people donating to this campaign.

Think about that ... nearly one million people taking ownership of this movement, five dollars or twenty-five dollars at a time.

We're already more than 900,000 strong, including over half-a-million donating so far this year. This unprecedented foundation of support has built a campaign that has shaken the status quo and proven that ordinary people can compete in a political process too often dominated by special interests.

Unlike Senator Clinton or Senator McCain, we haven't taken a dime from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs. Our campaign is responsible to no one but the people.

One million donors would be a remarkable feat -- something that's never been done before in a presidential primary and something no one ever thought would be possible for us. And your generosity made it possible.

But it's going to take an incredible organizing effort to bring in 100,000 new donors before March 4th.

Be a part of this historic effort. Make a donation as part of our matching program, and you will bring in a first-time donor by doubling the impact of their contribution. You can even choose to exchange notes and let them know why you are part of this movement.

There's less than two weeks until March 4th, but you can be part of this historic push right now. Make your matching donation here:

https://donate.barackobama.com/promise

We started this improbable journey a little over a year ago in Springfield, Illinois.

And because you've joined together to make your voices heard, this journey isn't looking as improbable anymore.

Since our victory on February 5th, we've won ten straight contests.

But on March 4th, we face a huge challenge in Texas and Ohio, who will vote along with Rhode Island and Vermont. We are behind in the big states and need as many people involved as possible if we're going to win.

If we can reach our goal of one million donors by March 4th, we can send a powerful message that the Washington establishment and big-money interests cannot ignore.

As one million people with one voice, we can tell them that their days of dominating Washington are coming to an end -- the old politics are crumbling and a new voice is breaking through. Our voice.

Will you make a matching donation now to make it happen?

https://donate.barackobama.com/promise

I learned the power of ordinary people coming together as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago.

I worked side-by-side with people who had been laid off from steel plants that were moved overseas. These were people who needed new jobs to rebuild their lives, and their political leaders were ignoring them.

But even though the odds were stacked against them, they discovered that by coming together with one voice, they could no longer be ignored.

When we launched this campaign, we knew we were up against similar odds. We knew we'd be running against a massive political machine with deep ties to the Washington establishment.

We knew it wouldn't be easy.

But if we can do this, we're not just going to win an election. We're going to change our country.

Thank you so much,

Barack

An Open Letter to the Superdelegates and Undecided Voters of America

Dear Esteemed Superdelegates of this Great Land:

I am a twenty year-old guy who is currently attending Berea College in Berea, Kentucky studying--amongst a wide variety of subjects--Biology and Chemistry as a Pre-Medical Student.

Last time around, circa Fall 2004, I was unable to voice my opinion on who should be the Commander-in-Chief of my favorite country on Earth. I begged those of my peers who were at least 18 and not interested in voting to go vote. I felt that if I could somehow persuade others who could vote to vote for whom I thought (and still truly believe) would have been the better candidate out of the two options, I could somehow have some satisfaction in something close to actually casting a ballot.

I was not as fortunate as I had believed we might be as my candidate was not chosen. I was heartbroken, I honestly did not understand how so many people could have voted for the wrong person. I agreed with nothing he stood (stands) for and every part of my body was against his re-election. Yet, here I am four years later and I am old enough, two years to spare! I do, in retrospect, look at the election four years ago and wonder to myself was it meant to be that Bush was SUPPOSED to be re-elected? Is somehow our country in the need of a revolution? What if Bush wouldn't have been re-elected? Where would we be? I'm not sure, however I do believe that we would have been better off than we are now.

However, I am not fully convinced of this. I really do believe that Bush was SUPPOSED to be re-elected just because Barack Obama was SUPPOSED to be the change we all crave and long for so much that it hurts to think of what would happen if we got a Bush 2.0!

I have never been so strongly political in my beliefs until I first heard Senator Barack Obama speak. It was perfect, I felt his sincerity, his earnest, his desire to bring change, but most importantly, I could FEEL his pain--the same pain I feel and as do most Americans at the state of our Great Union.

I do not know Barack Obama, nor will I probably ever personally know him. It does not matter, however. What matters is I have found the one political figure that my entire family can agree on and whom all my peers, colleagues, college professors, enemies and people I will never know can really stand behind.

We need someone to restore our credibility, our global voice that once was held with such high regard and respect. We were the "do-no-wronger's" of the world. Of course I'd be arrogant to believe that it was just so Utopian. Yet, I'd be a fool to believe that we are not THE superpower of the world. The most capable union of like-minded colonists who strove to tear our bindings from an oppressive dictator and form a piece of earth devoid of that kind of oppression, that kind of political back-stabbing, that kind of totalitarianism. The perfect ideal of perfection in any sense of the Human condition. I feel that we have become the enemy we once hated, the enemy our wise Forefathers stood against in the name of freedom and justice and peace.

It is not just this country's reputation that needs Obama's prowess, it is not just the economy that needs Obama's conviction, nor the dreadful war, the health care atrocity, the housing crisis, the impoverished people's, the pre-college students, the people who still live in the hell that was Hurricane Katrina's destruction, nor myself.

Who really needs Obama now, more than ever, is the common person--the person who does not have endless money in trust funds, inheritance, or enjoy the fruits of life like royalty.

However, I also do need Obama, and I would be forever grateful if you decide to pledge yourself for Senator Barack Obama so that he may truly prove himself worthy and become the Fourty-Fourth President of the United States of America and serve his well-needed time in the 56th and maybe 57th terms of United States Presidency.

Please, FOR ALL OUR SAKES, help Barack Obama in any way you can, especially with your decisive pledge.

In pursuit of the American Dream,

Aaron Fidler