Rainy Day: Pull Up a Chair

crossposted at firedoglake 17 oct 2009



"Into every life, a little rain must fall"

Good morning pups, I hope you are in a nice dry place waiting for these heavy rains to pass! Wasn't it just summer? The dour Scottish part of me rather likes these days, an opportunity to be indoors, if we're fortunate enough to have indoor work, and to contemplate life.

It's a chance to think about how things grow and change, how we can go through the storms and come out on the other side.

A lot of people are under heavy weather economically this year, and it looks like unemployment - a lagging factor in any economic recovery - seems destined to rise a little more before we get real relief.

If ever there was a need for community, this is it. Many folks here are struggling, and we all know friends and neighbors who are shocked to realize the safety net didn't include them. We need to share ideas.

I would like your thoughts and suggestions about how to reach out to our family members, neighbors, friends, and strangers in need during this economic storm.

We need to rethink our participation in the local food bank and other agencies that are there for us all when we need it.

This would be a good time to gather up warm clothing and especially coats that we are not using, and donate them to a local organization that will get them to people who will be cold without them.

There may be elderly in your neighborhood who need extra help as the friends they have counted on slip away from age or infirmity.

Pups, let's be there for each other. Folks who have never commented before - a special invitation to you, we would love to hear from you in the comments.

I've got fresh-baked blueberry muffins along with some hot tea and coffee and cocoa with extra little marshmallows, so let's gather together and think what we can do. Pull up a chair....

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photo by .faramarz

Mud Season: Pull Up A Chair

crossposted at firedoglake 29 March 2008

Hey firepups! Hope you're shaking off the tail end of winter and getting some sunshine at last. When I lived in Boston we used to say we had six seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter, more winter, and mud.

It's a different kind of mud-filled season--as progressives we've been going through a rough period of political bickering. I like to think that firedoglake has held together as a community better than some other places during this time.

This might be because we are intentionally kind to each other, embrace new people, give a lot of thought to how the community can evolve, and spend a lot of time getting to know each other.

Wouldn't it be great if we could all take a vacation together? An Alaskan cruise maybe, or rent out a small island in Hawai'i for a week. Ready to go?

I thought it would be fun to share summer vacation ideas with each other, whether real plans or big dreams for the future. Where are you going, what are you planning to do to relax and renew your spirit?

Let's hear especially from new folks and people who read but don't comment much--this is your chance to jump into the lake with us!

So if you're tired of the Mud Season, join me in dreaming up some great plans. Here, let me pour you a cup of coffee or tea, have some of these homemade cookies, and pull up a chair.... 

Lovely photo from nunavut

O Holy Night

crossposted at firedoglake 24 december 2007

Wishing you all the most precious gifts, the ones no money can buy:

Joy

Community

Inner peace

Courage

Hope

A word about hope:

The word *yet*

“I can’t do that” becomes “I can’t do that…yet”

“We don’t have the answers” turns into “We don’t have the answers…yet”

Whatever your tradition, you can tap into the message of hope for the future. Believe in something better, and take the first tiny steps in that direction. Astonishing things can happen.

*******

Josh Groban singing at the tree lighting ceremony, Rockfeller Center, 4 December 2002

Firedoglake: Pull Up A Chair

crossposted 8 december 2007 at firedoglake

It's a Surprise!

Staring at the open box of 750 jigsaw pieces, each individually wrapped in a piece of toilet paper and scotch tape, I knew I'd been had---but good---by my six younger siblings.

They were hoping I would take the time to unwrap each piece, but instead I saved this creative treasure intact and it was re-gifted several times on other holidays. I like to think it's still out there somewhere, causing outrageous laughter for some hapless recipient.

Speaking of surprises, many years later when young egrDaughter was old enough to understand the idea of presents, she was all excited and helpful when taking a wrapped package over to my brother: "It's a camera! It's a surprise!"

Sometimes you even get the good stuff on video. Younger egrDaughter opened up the package with her Barbie house, containing all the little plastic stuff doomed to be broken or lost within 48 hours, and shouted "Now I know there's a Santa Claus, 'cause you said you would NEVER get this for me!"

You know, I love Dave Barry's wacky presents but he isn't the only one who can make us laugh at funny gifts or stories. I want to hear from you all about holidays past or present when you found yourself laughing aloud at something silly.

We've worked hard this week, it's time for some fun. So put the politics aside for a little while, pass the scotch tape please, and pull up a chair....

This mesmerizing photo from MarkyBon, flickr creative commons

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Firedoglake: Pull Up A Chair

crossposted at firedoglake 1 december 2007 on the new site



Ready for a vacation yet? I thought the hammock looked pretty inviting. Or as a friend says, ready to run screaming out the door?

The crazy season is upon us, the pressure to have a perfect holiday. And sometimes the suggested solutions are worse than the original problem. Now instead of buying something we have to make something [which if you've seen my arts and craft skills is SO not happening].

I typically race thru my holiday card list to hurry and get it done. Am wondering if this is quite the point. Might it be possible to send out fewer cards, and spend a moment to think about these people? Nah, back to work.

One of my friends said holiday preparation makes her so frazzled she dreams of attending someone else's celebration: "I'd like to just show up."

So I'm thinking of a little experiment this year---

Dire Straits

crossposted at firedoglake 22 september 2007



What a week! We are in dire straits indeed.

Our Congress---that we sacrificed so much for to elect in '06---speaks out boldly on habeas Iraq censuring freedom of speech. Bush says Hussein killed Mandela and Return on Success means it's the troops' own damn fault that we can't bring them home.

But it's not all storm clouds. The stupendous outpouring of support for the Jena 6, reported for FDL by Ben Chaneles, showed the nation and the world we will not suffer injustice silently. There was significant pushback against Blackwater in Iraq. Looseheadprop approves the judge who is up for Attorney General to replace the odious Gonzo.

And things are good at FDL. Look out world: Jane is BACK and taking names. Christy organized massive call-ins for habeas and for the Webb amendment. Senator Gary Hart came to listen to us about a range of concerns.

Let's celebrate having the A team here: TRex, Pach, Siun, Howie's continuing success with BlueAmerica, Phoenix Woman, Teddy, Eli, Tula's series on labor, Donita, Ian, Swopa, Thers, Peterr, and RJ Eskow to name just a few of our talented folks. Several commenters noted that Scarecrow has been absolutely on fire this week. A shoutout to the backstage folks that keep things going smoothly for us. Our community continues to learn how to treat each other with kindness as we head into battle again and again.

We are in this for the long haul---marathon not sprint. It's easy to see the obstacles and the dangers, but let's also take time to celebrate how far we've come and the amazing community we are becoming. Leave the Fired O'Glake by the door for the morning battle, for tonight we dance!

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Break Away

crossposted at firedoglake 27 october 2007



When I first thought about this video I laughed, thinking it would be a great invitation to conservatives who want to run away screaming from the administration and join us good guys.

But really this is for all of you, my dear pups, who are facing a challenge and need that extra little bit of encouragement to take the next small or big step.

Like all my late nite videos for you, it speaks to my heart as well. Here's hoping for the best for all of us who are stepping out into the unknown, whether it be political or personal, into a new space and time and way of thinking.

May all of us find the courage we need to move to the next place.

"Take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and break away." And please, take care of each other.

*******

The Beauty and Fragility of Life

It was at this very hour six years ago the terror began. The world stopped. What happened? What had we lost?

Out of that confusion and grief there has evolved an ever-growing group of patriotic Americans, roused from their sleep to take action to rebuild our nation and its place in the world.

We took stock, gradually learned not only more about what had happened that day, but about the stranglehold on our nation’s fragile democracy.

Do we act as responsible citizens in the world? Does our vote count? Do we permit torture? Do we still believe in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Geneva Conventions?

After a moment of silence to honor our collective loss six years ago, I am prepared to get to work to help the living. We’ve got a lot to do, let’s get going.

I would say that compared with six years ago, I am much more conscious of the beauty and fragility of life. Perhaps I should say, conscious once again, because as a child this awareness was with me every day.

Being at fdl has changed me in ways known and unknown. What a great gift to find all of you. All the things I’m working on continue, but in the company of this immense number of friends and colleagues. We are connected by our desire to reclaim our nation from the abyss and make the future habitable by the next generation. A toast to the fdl community.

——egregious, 11 September 2007

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