Ol is 11; humor break

Friends, I would be lying if I said I’m up tonight. I’m not. I’m tired AF. That said, as moms will, I do believe I ensured Ol had a marvelous birthday today (thank you Tom’s parents for coming over midday to celebrate with us; thank you friends and family for your many calls and FaceTimes), and that is most important. He’s 11, he feels love and feted, and he’s healthy. Winning. Plus Star Wars, in terms of both cake and the release of The Rise of Skywalker.

A few quick comedic shares (as always, things in blue are links: click on them for fun n joy)":

Did these Alabamans find a leprechaun? People, the sketch artist’s sketch. And the guy who says “See a leprechaun, say yay!” Also, the crackhead theory.

Tina is a queen!

legit

“Snow” angels.

Stay strong, friends!

Covid-19, schools' out, Pi Day, Ol's birthday

Good gracious, y’all! 2020 has been a hell of a dumpster fire-gully washer so far.

Discover & share this Fire GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

Discover & share this Fire GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

Discover & share this Dumpster GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

You get my drift?! I mean, the orange stain has been impeached, more than 7,800 Americans have been killed or injured by a gun, Devin Nunes continues to file baseless lawsuits ad nauseam, and the world is being besieged by the coronavirus. The entire country of Italy, where my sister and her family live, is shut down, school systems and companies around the globe have closed for varying amounts of time (my boys’ school will reopen 4/13 at the earliest, and Tom is home for at least two weeks), but our ridiculous excuse for a leader continues to lie and endanger America’s public health.

South Korea has drive-through testing that accommodates 200,000 people a day, Turkey has hundreds of thousands more tests than we do, and folks landing in Haiti are tested immediately upon disembarking the plane. Meanwhile, Americans are left wondering what tests are and where and how do you get them if you’re not a Congressional Republican or Mar-a-Lago barnacle.

At least we’re having an early spring thanks to right-wingers around the world refusing to deal with climate change. Gadzooks! We are all housebound, there is no Kleenex to be found in stores* (seriously, I tried two different stores this afternoon as Oliver is sick and used 4 boxes of tissues before 4p today and struck out completely), and even the kids wonder if distance learning will work, but boy howdy, I wore shorts and worked in the yard for 5 hours today, so there’s that. #winning

Discover & share this Bam Yes GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

*In perhaps an odd sign of end times, there are also no turnips to be found. Two stores, no turnips. I mean, I love turnips, but I didn’t realize I had so much company. Is this shortage because St. Patty’s Day is Tuesday?

But life goes on, and so do we. Ol has a shitty virus but he is a darling lamb and will be ok (hopefully by the time he turns 11 on Tuesday), Jack is using this break as a grand opportunity to get new lawn care clients and earn money, and we are living as if it’s all a mighty vacation. Ice cream at 2p? Sure. A movie every night? You bet. A pie for Pi Day? Duh.

apple pi

In the grand scheme of things, we remain infinitely fortunate. If you feel that way too, consider donating to or volunteering with local food banks (I’ve just given to DC’s Capital Area Food Bank and registered to join the Special Response Task Force of my county bank, Manna Food Center), to public school lunch programs as many kids rely heavily on the meals they eat at school, and to your own micro communities. My neighborhood listserv abounds with offers to help older or disabled neighbors by grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions, walking dogs, tending yards, and so forth.

And don’t forget to laugh. This video is hilarious.

The last men standing

I woke up this morning drenched in sweat and with a headache and heartburn. Was it some sort of advance knowledge of the announcement that came shortly after?

I am crushed that Elizabeth Warren has dropped out, but I am so proud of and thankful for and inspired by her, and I know she will make this country better for years to come. As have all the Dems who’ve suspended their presidential campaigns, Elizabeth did so with grace and class. That an incredibly exciting, diverse Democratic field has been thinned to two elderly white men is, however, utterly disheartening in so many ways.

Do you know how many countries have had female presidents? So many that to take this screenshot for you, I had to minimize my font/page size to 50% of standard.

See how long it took you to scroll through that? Women are NOT 50% of standard.

But we, Americans, have one primary job to do, and that is to literally save this country by beating the orange stain in November. As important is taking the Senate. Both Martha McSally and Susan Collins seem to be well within shot of losing, and I can think of little I’d enjoy seeing more than both being replaced. Well, I would enjoy seeing trump and mitch and lindsey replaced that much, but honestly, all 5 are terrifically horrible, so, let’s divide and conquer.

Back to Elizabeth. This evening, she had a conference call with volunteers. So many of us dialed in that we crashed the platform. I was lucky to get in and am glad for everyone that the call will be recorded and shared. Elizabeth was as warm and supportive as she was during the campaign- strong, unafraid, humble, and wonderful. Be disappointed, but don’t be blinded by it, she said. There is much work to be done.

If you didn’t see clips of her talking with press after formally suspending her campaign, I urge you to watch. If you can’t watch the whole thing, please tune in at 1:30 and at 5:15 (-6:15).

And here are some related articles and a video that I found valuable and thought-provoking and affirming.

What Elizabeth Warren’s Loss Says About Us

America Punished Elizabeth Warren for Her Competence

How Elizabeth Warren Hides Messages in Her Speeches

EW Dropped Out. Hard to Stay Hopeful About November

I’ll be supporting Biden now because I think he is much better positioned to beat trump, and I believe he will listen to and surround himself with the sorts of people that Warren would have (though perhaps less progressive). Fact of the matter is that NOTHING good will happen without ousting trump, and so that is and must remain our absolute priority. #VoteBlueNoMatterWho. I think Biden will choose a strong woman as his running mate, and despite my disappointment over again not being able to add the US flag to the list above, I can get with an interregnum of peace and calm and decency and progress. If Bernie is the nominee, I’ll vote for him, but it will be with almost no enthusiasm.

Let’s do this, y’all. Fire up, get active, build democracy activism into your daily schedules, donate to close and down-ballot races when you can, stay informed, and speak up. On dark days, tired ones, those in which the future seems bleak, read these words of Elizabeth’s, take care of yourself, and then get busy.

“So if you leave with only one thing, it must be this:
choose to fight only righteous fights, because then when things get tough – and they will – you will know that there is only option ahead of you: nevertheless, you must persist.”
-Elizabeth Warren