Our President the Nike Model

Looking at the BBC homepage today, it seems that Obama signed a killer modeling deal with Nike, or Adidas or Puma. I mean, look at him, he's working hardcore amidst the snowfall in a David Beckham-Esq post. Perhaps this is just the start of Obama's modeling career. Or maybe he's thinking of using Nike's slogan to guide his leadership style. Send more troops to Afghanistan? Just do it. Deal out trillions? Just do it. Give starving grad students a year supply of Chipotle gift certificates? Just do it. Sweet!

Anyway, he totally has the athletic model pose down. Way to go. Next stop: the runways of Paris! Ooo la la.

I know I Said Three Weeks But....

I know I said three weeks, but I just have to briefly relay what my grandmother said this morning. I was eating lunch with my family after my cousin's, daughter's baptism (I'm her Godmother, my first time in such an important position). So my grandma's wearing this gorgeous necklace and she's like, "Colleen, do you like my necklace?" I'm like, "yeaahh, it's beautiful, where did you get it??"

Grandma: "It's vintage, it's from the 1940s. You know why I never wear it?"

Me: "No..."

Grandma: "It's because I got it from the other guy. The one that I was seeing when I got engaged to your grandfather."

Me: "Hahahaha, so you figure 13 years after Grandpa died you could now wear it?"

Grandma: (Shrugs). "I suppose."

That's right. My grandmother was seeing someone else when she got engaged to my grandpa. Apparently he was in Germany, and had been for awhile, so, um, I guess stuff changes?? Ha. Things were different back then. The poor fella got a killer break-up note I'm sure. Sorry, we have to break up, I'm engaged to another man."

That is one part of my grandmother's history I will definitely not repeat:) You have to be pretty smooth to get away with that - and I'm kind of the opposite of anything 'smooth.'

Three Weeks

Note to my faithful blog followers: There will most likely be a lack of posts for the next three weeks. I will be in survival mode as I desperately try to compile three research papers before the end of the semester. Don't worry however - this summer, I have absolutely nothing to do - so expect a flurry of blog posts.

Ok that is all for now. Back to coding CNN articles.

Liberian Prez Part II

OK I was reprimanded for abruptly halting my last post – so let me continue on....

Back to the Liberian President. As I mentioned, she was recently elected after Liberia emerged from a 14-year civil war. As one may expect, Liberia’s war was pretty intense. Upon its demise, the war left a seriously corrupt government and pervasive poverty in its wake. Liberia was in rough shape.

In 2005, the country held its first democratic election – part of its attempt to pick itself up and start over. Johnson-Sirleif was elected, and since then, Liberia’s economic and social situation has dramatically improved. Its paid more than half its national debt, has increased its government revenue by more than $280 million dollars (enabling a pay raise for federal workers), installed three new community colleges outside of its capital, implemented a scholarship program for young girls (of which 3,000 have received scholarships to attend school already), and set an unprecedented standard for freedom of the press in Africa. Additionally, Transparency International recently recognized Liberia’s significant progress in in fighting corruption within its government. Obviously, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and there is still a long way to go, but as the Dean of Minnesota’s Humphrey Insitute of Public Affairs stated, Liberia’s progress is considered “miraculous.”

When President Johnson-Sirlief was introduced, her introducer (I think I just made that word up) gave a rundown of her experience. Her resume is quite impressive, and includes stints such as Minister of Finance for Liberia, Vice President of the Africa Regional Office of Citibank, Director of UN Development Programme Regional Bureau for Africa and of course, President of Liberia. Undoubtedly, President Johnson-Sirleif’s experience has contributed to her ability to give her country hope. This makes sense. Consequently, this leads me to conclude that all high-ranking government leaders should have the kind of leadership and international experience Sirleif-Johnson had when she took office. I mean, I know I’m drawing assumptive conclusions – but look at Democratic Republic of Congo. The country’s in bad shape due to an overwhelming amount of oppressive historical factors. However, I wonder if the DRC would be in better shape if its president, Joseph Kabila, had more education than a supposed degree from some mysterious online university, and more leadership experience than simply being the son of a former president.

Ahhh… anyway, those are my long-winded thoughts on Friday’s event. It is really encouraging to see that things can change – esp. in a continent way too many think is beyond hope (it’s not!). This means that it’s possible my intelligence-level will change (for the better) tomorrow and I’ll be able to successfully finish this semester. Yeah! I love change. Yes we can.

Liberian President Comes to Town

Friday, I found myself embedded in a crowd of about 3,000 people, listening to the majority robustly sing the Liberian national anthem. For a moment, I had one of those “how did I get here” moments – I can’t say I experience the Liberian national anthem everyday.

The moment’s foreignness dissolved as I gazed upon the familiar stage of Northrup Auditorium - a reminder I was close to home. It was the woman I was there to see, however, who had traveled far from home to speak that day. Ellen Johnson Surleif is the president of Liberia – a small African country of about 3.5 million that has just emerged from 14 years of civil war.

Undoubtedly, the 25,000 Liberian refugees currently living here inspired her visit to Minneapolis. Liberian refugees arrived in Minnesota beginning in the 80s, when civil war erupted in their country. Currently, controversy is boiling among the Liberian community for since the civil war has ended, they are facing deportation back to Liberia, despite the fact that many have built there lives here for the past 20-something years.

Ok this post to be continued as I have to finish something else at the moment. Check back later...

I Have Secrets

It's April Fool's Day. Perhaps all the lies being told today are getting to me, for I'm in a tell-all mood. I have a few secrets that have been weighing me down lately, and I feel the odd need to confess them to my blogging community. So, let us begin.

Some Secrets
1) Sometimes, I don't get my homework done, or get enough sleep, because I stay up really late looking at fashion blogs or shopping online. I can't help it, it's a guilty, stress-relieving pleasure that results in delayed stress when I am sleepless and my homework's incomplete the next day.

2) I don't really like skiing. I admit, I have told many guys that I kind of like skiing, because I used to do it when I was younger a lot. I've realized however, that I am lying to them. I don't like skiing. I get cold, and going downhill at high speeds stresses me out hardcore. I say I like it because I like to sound adventerous. I'm done with that - I'm telling the truth. I don't really like skiing. Unless, it's in the Mtns of Colorado, and even then... However, I would like to try snowboarding at some point.

3) On that note, I'm not crazy fantastic about the outdoors for long periods of time. And by long periods of time I mean weeks. I like it for a few days. But then I want to shower. I know, it's natural beauty. I love natural beauty, but only for so long and only without bugs. I love adventures, but if outdoor adventures aren't adventurous enough --- count me out. I'll stay inside where there are toilets and 99 percent less mosquitoes.

4) At the airport, I've stopped bothering to put my liquids in a plastic bag. Why? Because I forgot once and they totally didn't say anything. So now, I forgo the little baggie. I take that back, the last time I put my 4 oz bottle of lotion in my bag and they found it. Then, they proceeded to say - next time, put that in a plastic bag. Ok. Will do. Thanks...

5) I may have been a public relations major, but I still am helplessly victimized by mascara ads and any ad for anti-wrinkle cream. I totally fall for them, and not rationally. Each time I see those ads, I understand their promised benefits won't provide. Yet, I am still entranced by the idea that their product could make my lashes look 50 times longer and forever prevent wrinkles. I've adapted a steady pattern when it comes to viewing awesome mascara ads. It goes like this: Become amazed at mascara, go out and buy it, discover it's not any different than the last and experience disappointment. Unless, of course, it's Lancome's Definicils. The best I've discovered so far. No one even paid me to say that.

6) I'm tired at the moment. But don't worry, I have more secrets. I will save them for another perfect spring day like today (which, will be tomorrow, undoubtedly. I love MN weather...).

7) Oh I almost forgot! Secret seven is that I am not really in a relationship despite what facebook says. The end.