Afternoon Love "Something to Believe" edition

"Something's always coming you can hear it in the ground. It swells into the air with the rising, rising sound. And never comes, but shakes the boards and rattles all the doors. What are waiting for? What are we waiting for? So give me something to believe, 'cause I am living just to breathe… And I need something more to keep on breathing for. So, give me something to believe…" - "Something to Believe" by The Bravery (This song is still highly regarded here at the house.) "I suggest we learn to love ourselves before it's made illegal." - "Warning" by Incubus Good Afternoon, my lovelies, I told ya' we would have something to talk about, and indeed we do. Quite an election, huh? We here at the "House of Love" felt the vibe all day yesterday. People were friendly as we all waited on the LONG lines to vote. Your dear editor loved that apathy had left the window in this country. After all, the lines were longer than waiting to buy tickets to a Stones concert. We'll see what is to come, but rest assured… No matter what happens, we'll always have love here to give. Without further ado, let's begin… AFTERNOON QUOTES: "What can I get you? We're semi-pro drinkers here. You name it." - "Notes on a Scandal" (2006) "Your face looks like Robin Williams' knuckles." - "Knocked Up" (2007) NEWS CORNER: Unless, you've been living under a rock, you probably already know what I'm about to post. We here at the "House of Love" definitely took notice… After historic win, Obama looks to future Wed Nov 5, 2008 1:16pm EST By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent WASHINGTON, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama pivoted on Wednesday from the glow of a historic White House victory to the daunting challenge of leading a country mired in a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars. The day after a sweeping election triumph that will make him the first black president in U.S. history, Obama faced the task of quickly building a new administration and defining his priorities for the formal takeover on Jan. 20. "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America -- I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there," Obama told more than 200,000 jubilant supporters in Chicago's Grant Park late on Tuesday. Obama led Democrats to a decisive victory that expanded their majorities in both houses of Congress, as Americans emphatically rejected Republican President George W. Bush's eight years of leadership. Raucous street celebrations erupted across the country, but Obama has little time to enjoy the triumph. Once in office, he will face immediate pressure to deliver on his campaign promises and resolve a long list of lingering problems. Obama has vowed to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in the first 16 months of his term and to bolster U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, but his first task will be tackling the U.S. financial crisis, the worst since the Great Depression. World leaders will gather in Washington on Nov. 15 for a summit on the global financial meltdown. The White House has said it does not expect the president-elect to attend, but Obama has not yet stated his plans. Reports released on Wednesday showed the U.S. private sector jobs market deteriorated rapidly in October and the service sector contracted sharply, highlighting the economic challenges for Obama. Appearing in the White House Rose Garden, Bush said he had spoken with Obama and congratulated him on an "impressive victory" that represented a "dream fulfilled" for civil rights. He pledged his cooperation in the transition. "During this time of transition, I will keep the president-elect fully informed on important decisions," Bush said. Obama's planning for the takeover has been under way for weeks and he is expected to move quickly to fill positions such as Treasury secretary and secretary of state. Obama has reportedly asked Rahm Emanuel, a Democratic congressman from Illinois who served in President Bill Clinton's administration, to lead his White House as chief of staff. A QUIET MORNING Obama's first morning as president-elect was spent in more prosaic duties. He had breakfast at home in Chicago with histwo daughters, then headed to the gym for a workout. He planned a stop at campaign headquarters later to thank his staff. The son of a black father from Kenya and white mother from Kansas, Obama's triumph over Republican rival John McCain on Tuesday was a milestone that could help the United States move beyond its long struggle with racism. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reflected the joy of many black Americans, calling Obama "inspirational" and praising the United States for its ability to surprise. "As an African-American, I'm especially proud, because this is a country that's been through a long journey, in terms of overcoming wounds and making race not the factor in our lives," Rice told reporters. "That work is not done, but yesterday was obviously an extraordinary step forward," she said. Many world leaders welcomed Obama's victory. Some hailed it as an opportunity to restore a tarnished U.S. image; others urged him to help forge a new economic order. "Your election has raised enormous hope in France, in Europe and beyond," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said. Initial market reaction was muted. U.S. stock indexes fell 3 percent by midday on Wednesday as worries about the weakening economy returned to center stage. Obama won at least 349 Electoral College votes with two states still too close to call. With 96 percent of the popular vote counted, he led McCain by 52 percent to 46 percent. Democrats gained at least five Senate seats and about 20 in the House of Representatives, giving them a commanding majority in Congress and strengthening Obama's hand. Four Senate seats remained undecided. Americans celebrated in front of the White House to mark Obama's win and Bush's imminent departure. Cars jammed downtown Washington streets, with drivers honking their horns and leaning out their windows to cheer. Thousands more joined street celebrations in New York's Times Square and in cities and towns across the country. "This is a great night. This is an unbelievable night," U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, who was brutally beaten by police in Alabama during a civil rights march in the 1960s, said at an Atlanta celebration. (Additional reporting by Randall Mikkelsen and Ross Colvin; Editing by David Wiessler) MUSIC CORNER/MORE SONGS FOR YOUR AUTUMN SOUNDTRACK: Since we are cleaning and re-decorating here at the "House of Love", the music has been pumping to help us along. Here are some suggestions to help you boogie, rock out, or waltz if the mood strikes you. We've gotta slew of songs to choose from, and away we go… 1. "We are gonna be friends" by The White Stripes 2. "Into the Great Wide Open" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 3. "My Sundown" by Jimmy Eat World 4. "Authority Song" by Jimmy Eat World 5. "Pets" by Porno for Pyros 6. "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" by Foghat 7. "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode 8. "Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car" by U2 9. "Can't you see" by Total f/ Notorious B.I.G. 10. "Human Nature" by Madonna 11. "Mother We Just Can't Get Enough" by the New Radicals 12. "Alison's Starting to Happen" by The Lemonheads 13. "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin 14. "Comin' Up From Behind" by Marcy's Playground 15. "Gouge Away" by The Pixies 16. "Living in Chaos" by Offspring (This one is still on heavy rotation in the "Houseof Love") 17. "Use One and Destroy" by Hole (For some reason this song use to help me prepare before Tae Kwon Do tests in front of Master Yu. I don't know why, it just did.) 18. "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi (He appeals to the "Jersey Girl" in me. J ) 19. "A Girl Like You" by Edwyn Collins 20. "Warning" by Incubus (Another song on heavy rotation in the "House of Love") 21. "Got to Give it Up" by Marvin Gaye (All hail, Marvin.) 22. "All These Things that I've Done" by The Killers 23. "On A Plain" by Nirvana 24. "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind 25. "Stop" by Jane's Addiction DAWNY'S 2-CENTS- Well, there ya' go, 25 more songs to add to your arsenal. More songs for your autumn soundtrack to come. Next… "HOUSE OF LOVE" MOVIE-OF-THE DAY: "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) "Do the chickens have large talons?" - "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) "Because for a limited time only. Glamour shots by Deb are seventy-five percent off." - "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) DAWNY'S 2-CENTS- There are many reasons to love this adorable flick: Rex Kwon Do, Tina (was she a llama, what was that?), the Happy Hands club, La Fwonda, and of course…Uncle Rico. So if you haven't seen it—and I'd be surprised if you haven't, rent it. I promise it'll be worthwhile. Whoever thought geek and cool could go together? Since Obama defeated his own "Summer Wheatley", I figured we should honor the film "Napoleon Dynamite today, and remember…Vote for Pedro. Next… RANDOM MUSINGS: That's all you get in your stocking cap today, my lovelies. By the way, can you believe the holidays are just around the bend? YOWZA. I guess time truly does fly. I'll see ya' soon, my lovelies…unless you see me first. UNTIL NEXT TIME…