I remember my first week at APCO a colleague said to me:
“Still having fun?”
My answer, which I hope defines my tenure at APCO, was, “Always.”
If APCO hires people, not positions, then I walk away hopeful that I successfully filled the role of Steve Guttenberg’s Sgt. Mahoney from Police Academy.
For every political landscape overview, grassroots mobilization program, budget request and media kit, there was a Five Guys Friday, a transfer request to a Nyuuk, Greenland office, a hockey goal lighting fixture dubbed “the bad idea light” and a life-sized cardboard cutout of Admiral Akbar from the Star Wars films.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned at APCO, it’s that every one of us is capable of taking the work seriously, without taking ourselves too seriously. This is no doubt due to the amazing group of people assembled here that bring out the best in each of our personalities. People have mentored me and helped me develop professionally so that I am well-equipped for the challenges that lie ahead.
I hope to continue to stay in touch with all of you and have included my info below. I know you are all thinking I’m going to use this opportunity to plug my band, “Bonjour, Ganesh!” and our website www.bonjourganesh.com, but I’m not. I leave “Five Guys Fridays” in the capable hands of Brian McLaughlin, the last remaining founding father from APCO’s “Bullpen Era.” Brian is more than capable in leading the charge to consume artery clogging burgers and fries each Friday and help combat “Health Fruit Tuesdays.”
I arrived as your colleague and leave as your friend. With that in mind, please enjoy this short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFyl4GxBzEw&feature=PlayList&p=AADD7BBE3CD48B1B&index=0
Sincerely,
Adam Rosenberg
adam@CDT.org (work email)
Adam.Rosenberg@gmail.com (personal email)
(202) 253-3091 (cell phone)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
New band's first show is TONIGHT!
My new band, Bonjour Ganesh, will be making their debut tonight at Velvet Lounge at 10 PM. We're an 8-piece jam band with a horn section. We're also celebrating our singer, Jessica Savage's birthday. Come on out.
915 u Street, NW - Washington, DC
Doors: 9PM, $8, 21+
www.bonjourganesh.com
915 u Street, NW - Washington, DC
Doors: 9PM, $8, 21+
www.bonjourganesh.com
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Conservatives Losing Gay Marriage Debate
Over the past few weeks, things have changed.
In 2004, the conservative right politicized the gay marriage debate by riding a wave of constitutional referendums in order to try to legislate hate and give people unwarranted reason to fear gays.
"If gays marry, everything you've accomplished with your nuclear family will become worthless!" was the overall slogan of the GOP in the aftermath of San Francisco recognizing gay marriage. After numerous states across the country passed constitutional bans on gay marriage, Republicans seemed to feel safer. As if their concept of marriage was now safe. Then a California Court said that gays could marry and quickly a referendum (Prop 8) was pushed by conservatives to put a stop to this. Overall though, you have to figure conservatives were never THAT worried. I mean, sure CALIFORNIA is going to recognize gay marriage. It's California! It's full of liberals. Though it's the 5th largest economy in the world, it's another planet to conservatives. A lost cause from the beginning. California is a state likely to allow bats to marry dogs, so allowing gays to marry wasn't a shock. They could rest easy after Prop 8 passed, they had constitutional bans on gay marriage in effect in states across the country and now a referendum approved by public vote in arguably the most "liberal" of all those states. If you can stop it in California, you've pretty much stopped it for good, right?
Oh, but that's where things got interesting. A few weeks ago, Vermont's legislature passed legislation recognizing gay marriage. Conservatives must have thought, "Whatever. That's Vermont. It's Howard Dean country. 'Nuff said."
But then came Iowa. Precious Iowa. In the middle of the country. With it's moderate leanings and "heartland" mentality. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that to not allow gays to marry is unconstitutional. This turned all the conservatives on their asses and should signify the exclamation point to how this country has shifted ideologically. This isn't a liberal state like California making a "liberal" ruling. This is IOWA. If states were baseball players, Iowa would be the Republicans No. 6 hitter. Not always on their side, but decent and can be relied on to not do something crazy.
The ruling showed that conservatives are going to have their hands full in this debate over the next several years. Like whack-a-mole, you'll hit one state down only to see another come up. They're chasing an idea that society has finally caught up with. The seemingly foreign concept that all of us are equal and entitled to the same rights and privileges with our spouses regardless of sexual orientation.
I'm proud of the Hawkeye State and the judges on that court. I'm proud of gay-rights groups that keep fighting this, even in states where even us liberals assume we have no chance. Iowa is just the beginning, I can't wait to see the look on the conservative leaders' faces when we cut them at the jugular and get a decent ruling out of true red state.
In 2004, the conservative right politicized the gay marriage debate by riding a wave of constitutional referendums in order to try to legislate hate and give people unwarranted reason to fear gays.
"If gays marry, everything you've accomplished with your nuclear family will become worthless!" was the overall slogan of the GOP in the aftermath of San Francisco recognizing gay marriage. After numerous states across the country passed constitutional bans on gay marriage, Republicans seemed to feel safer. As if their concept of marriage was now safe. Then a California Court said that gays could marry and quickly a referendum (Prop 8) was pushed by conservatives to put a stop to this. Overall though, you have to figure conservatives were never THAT worried. I mean, sure CALIFORNIA is going to recognize gay marriage. It's California! It's full of liberals. Though it's the 5th largest economy in the world, it's another planet to conservatives. A lost cause from the beginning. California is a state likely to allow bats to marry dogs, so allowing gays to marry wasn't a shock. They could rest easy after Prop 8 passed, they had constitutional bans on gay marriage in effect in states across the country and now a referendum approved by public vote in arguably the most "liberal" of all those states. If you can stop it in California, you've pretty much stopped it for good, right?
Oh, but that's where things got interesting. A few weeks ago, Vermont's legislature passed legislation recognizing gay marriage. Conservatives must have thought, "Whatever. That's Vermont. It's Howard Dean country. 'Nuff said."
But then came Iowa. Precious Iowa. In the middle of the country. With it's moderate leanings and "heartland" mentality. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that to not allow gays to marry is unconstitutional. This turned all the conservatives on their asses and should signify the exclamation point to how this country has shifted ideologically. This isn't a liberal state like California making a "liberal" ruling. This is IOWA. If states were baseball players, Iowa would be the Republicans No. 6 hitter. Not always on their side, but decent and can be relied on to not do something crazy.
The ruling showed that conservatives are going to have their hands full in this debate over the next several years. Like whack-a-mole, you'll hit one state down only to see another come up. They're chasing an idea that society has finally caught up with. The seemingly foreign concept that all of us are equal and entitled to the same rights and privileges with our spouses regardless of sexual orientation.
I'm proud of the Hawkeye State and the judges on that court. I'm proud of gay-rights groups that keep fighting this, even in states where even us liberals assume we have no chance. Iowa is just the beginning, I can't wait to see the look on the conservative leaders' faces when we cut them at the jugular and get a decent ruling out of true red state.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
DCist Photo of the Day
Veggies
Originally uploaded by Phillyberg
Had another photo of some veggies picked as Photo of the Day by www.dcist.com. The comments are hilarious.
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