Thursday, January 27, 2011

Moving Forward Together: 2011 SOTU address

By: Ebony L. McCline

Tuesday night, I sat in anticipation for many reasons. First and foremost, I was anxious to see what my President had to say to his country, the good old U.S. of A. Even though I was eager to hear the State of the Union address, I was equally as anxious to see how many people I knew would actually watch it. The reason for this deep thought can be summed up in two words: “The Game.” 

No, not the championship game that broke so many Chicagoans hearts, that was Sunday. No, not the Superbowl, it’s a little too early. “The Game” that I’m referring to is the television show. Now, I know what you’re thinking, what does that have to do with the State of the Union address? Well, if you’re a fan of the show, then you’d know that Tuesday nights are owned by, “The Game.” The President’s speech wouldn’t be the length of two hours, but I was sure that some part of it would conflict with this popular television show. So, I waited to see the outcome.

I was delighted to learn that by the end of President Barack Obama’s speech, #StateoftheUnion and #sotu were trending on Twitter. In addition to this revelation, Facebook statuses were consistently being updated about his speech and not that television show that we all seem to adore.

As my President delivered his speech in front of a Chamber of both Republicans and Democrats, he offered hope among other things. Those in the audience seemed to at least appreciate the things he said, even if they disagreed. Throughout the address, unity seemed to be a common thread. There were a number of one-liners, but my favorite speaks for itself: “We will move forward together or not at all.”

Obama spoke passionately about a number of issues. He encouraged our nation to “win the future.” Innovation was a key point, as he stressed the importance of Americans putting their creativity to use. He encouraged parents to play a role in education, insinuating that teaching doesn’t stop or start in the classrooms. Parents are teachers, as well.

Additionally, as America lacks in the quality of math and science, by 2021 the goal is to have 100,000 new teachers trained in math, science and technology. Lastly, pointing out America’s “D” on infrastructure, Obama spoke about South Korea’s extensive Internet access, China’s new trains and airports and European countries investments in their roads. He plans to continue to rebuild for the future, which in turn will create more jobs in the construction industry.

The hour long speech included many more goals and proposals, but as he spoke, I waited. I listened carefully, but I still wanted more. Finally, he admitted that it wouldn’t be easy, which ironically put me at ease. After that statement, I knew that even though he wanted to instill hope for our future, he was also being realistic, which meant a great deal to me.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

New Year, New Beginnings



As daylight creeped into night, guests started to flow into ThreePeas Arts Loungein Chicago’s South Loop Thursday evening. One guest turned into two, and two guests turned into many, as a night of raffles, networking, drinks and idle conversation filled the room. In addition to celebrating a new year of GlossMagazineOnline, we partnered with Dime Child Foundation in honor of N
ational Mentoring Month. Now, this wasn’t a reason for us to simply “toot
our own horns,” it was more importantly an event to acknowledge those that make each issue of the magazine possible.

As guests filled the cozy Three Peas Arts Lounge, colorful artwork graced the walls, wine circulated, music played softly in the distance and beautiful people struggled to cease intriguing conversations when the time came to get their much-needed attention. Trust me, I know.


As I stood in front of the crowd to thank all who made the event successful, chatter turned into whispers and whispers eventually became silence. I didn’t take offense, I took it as a sign that everything was going as planned. I was delighted that everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

As a bonus, Bon Bon Vie donated chic bags for winners of the raffles. No, the bags weren’t the only surprise. Inside all of the bags was an official “Get Glossy” v-neck and a book from authors who were featured in the magazine.

It seemed like time was moving extremely fast, before I knew it, it was time to call it a night. People were saying their good-byes as we thanked those who came to show their support.

Even though it was freezing outside and snow filled the streets, I had a warm feeling exiting Three Peas that Thursday night. I was proud of how the night turned out. I was anxious to see what others thought. I was nervous about the future. While all of these emotions consumed my body at once, I knew that there wasn’t anywhere for GMO to go but up. I’m positive about one thing: we love a challenge and we’re all ready for the top.



Check out more coverage of the 2011 GMO Launch Party at Three Peas Art Lounge!

Read Flair TV's Chundria's post on the Chicago Now Blog!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Welcome to the January/February 2011 Glossy Blog


Welcome to the January/February 2011 issue of GlossMagazineOnline.com! It’s a new year and that means a new issue of GMO––the online magazine written BY you and FOR you. 

Once again, we thank you for continuing to turn to GMO for the latest news, hot topics, and creative pieces written by young, up-and-coming talents just like you! So, go ahead and flip through the virtual pages of YOUR online magazine!


In This Issue:

and so much more!

So what are you waiting for?? Get Glossy!

Have any comments on the stories in the issue? Simply leave them here (including the title of the article) and maybe see your comments in the issue itself! Go ahead, let us know what you think!