America The Story of Us Premieres THIS Sunday!

After months and months (and months) of working on the exciting media campaign for HISTORY's America The Story of Us... the time is finally here! The campaign has been going so well (check out an AdWeek article about it here and see a really cool video of the transformation of Grand Central in NYC, Union Station in DC, and the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in CA here. Pictures below :) ).

The Main Concourse of Grand Central Station, NYC

Union Station, Washington DC

Photo Credit: Matt Garbow

Union Station, Washington DC

Photo Credit: Matt Garbow :)

And now the premiere is this Sunday at 9pm on HISTORY... And y'all, I can't wait!

If you know me at all, you know I'm the first to admit to (and embrace) my inner nerd... But honestly, I'd be excited for this premiere regardless because it really is going to tell and depict America's history like we've never seen it before. It's a brand new look at the lesser known events and people who impacted the forming of a nation in a big way. Complete with tons of CGI and reenactments, HISTORY is really going to bring the story to life. You can see for yourself in the trailer below:

You don't even have to take my word for it - the series has been getting a ton of great press, from The New York Times to USA Today to a really great segment on The Today Show last week:

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President Obama is even introducing the first night of the six-part special event... I mean, how amazing is that?? You can see it here.

All this to say: Hope y'all tune in for the premiere and enjoy! America The Story of Us on HISTORY this Sunday April 25th at 9pm/8pm Central. :)

A Loved One at Their Sides

Well, if this news doesn't make for a Happy Friday, I don't know what does...

Excerpts from The New York Times article "Obama Widens Medical Rights for Gay Partners" are below, and read the whole thing here.

“'Every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindness and caring of a loved one at their sides,'Mr. Obama said in the [April 15th] memorandum, adding that the rules [aimed at granting hospital visiting rights to same-sex partners] could also help widows and widowers who rely on friends and members of religious orders who care for one another. But he says gay men and lesbians are 'uniquely affected' because they are often barred from visiting partners with whom they have spent decades.

Richard Socarides, who advised President Bill Clinton on gay rights issues, said that while the memorandum on its own did not grant any new rights, it did 'draw attention to the very real and tragic situations many gays and lesbians face when a partner is hospitalized.'

[...]

In some instances in the past, hospitals have barred bedside visits by the person who held the medical power of attorney for a patient.

Gay rights advocates said the rules change was inspired by one of those cases involving a same-sex couple, Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond, who were profiled in The New York Times last year. After Ms. Pond was stricken with a fatal brain aneurysm, Ms. Langbehn was denied visiting rights in 2007 by a Florida hospital. Although Ms. Langbehn had power of attorney and she and Ms. Pond were parents to four children they had adopted, the hospital refused for eight hours to allow her and the children to see Ms. Pond, her partner for 18 years. Ms. Pond died as Ms. Langbehn tried in vain to get to her side.

Ms. Langbehn, represented by Lambda Legal, a legal advocacy organization, brought suit against the hospital, Jackson Memorial in Miami, but lost. On Thursday night, Mr. Obama called her from Air Force One to say that he had been moved by her case.

'I was so humbled that he would know Lisa’s name and know our story,' Ms. Langbehn said in a telephone interview. 'He apologized for how we were treated. For the last three years, that’s what I’ve been asking the hospital to do. Even now, three years later, they still refuse to apologize to the children and I for the fact that Lisa died alone.'

[...]

The memorandum is intended to 'help ensure that patients will be able to face difficult times in hospitals with compassion, dignity and respect,' a White House spokesman, Shin Inouye, said Thursday night. 'By taking these steps, we can better protect the interests and needs of patients that are gay or lesbian, widows and widowers with no children, members of religious orders, or others for whom their loved ones are not always immediate relatives. Because all Americans should be able to have loved ones there for them in their time of need.'"

Goodbye, Betty

I'm not even kind of ashamed to admit that I'm pretty darn upset that tonight is the series finale of Ugly Betty... I don't care how silly it makes me that I still watch it when it seems like the rest of my demographic has moved on -- Ugly Betty was one of the few shows left on broadcast that I could count on for quality story lines, smart writing, lots of laughs, a few tears, and (perhaps most importantly) pretty, pretty clothes... every. single. week.

EW blogger Tanner Stransky did a beautiful job of summing up Why It Mattered.

"That pilot, right down to the fade-out song I once loved so, “Suddenly I See,” felt like someone had taken the past couple years of my life, candy-coated it, wrapped it in a Guadalajara poncho, and given it an 8 p.m. time slot on national television. Granted, I was not Betty. I did not work at a fashion magazine. I was not fighting all the b*tchery and prejudice that she did. But I understood her plight in so many ways: her desire to reach her dreams, her wanton lust for writing, her near-constant feeling that she was an outsider. The show’s wildly successful run as the lead-in to on Thursday nights must have meant many other people did, too."

Thanks for the fabulous and entertaining four years, UB! Here's hoping tonight ends with the start of a very happily ever after for everyone... :)

"That's love, right? When you know somebody better than they do and you would do anything in the world to protect them."

-Hilda Suarez, Betty's older sister

I Know My Redeemer Lives

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning
Who told the ocean you can only come this far?
Who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives.

The very same God that spins things in orbit
He runs to the weary, the worn, and the weak
And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory.

Now I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer, He lives

To take away my shame
And He lives forever I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
But now He's alive
And there's an empty grave.

And I know my Redeemer, He lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives.

-"Redeemer," Nicole Mullen

My heart is so full of happiness, gratitude and hope at the truth that He lives... What a wonderful reason to celebrate with dear friends and worship with my Apostles family tonight -- and we'd love to have you join us if you're looking for a service in NYC.

He is Risen! Hallelujah! Happy Easter to you all.

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
-Job 19:25