Politics

More Boston HA-bah (you know, the place where the colonists dumped all that tea in 1773)

~ MaryG ~ 12 Comments
The Valiant
Boston skyline with Leader Bank Pavilion (aka Harborlights) on the far left
And…darkness

Completed in 2003, the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge (on the right side of photo) was named to honor the late Lenny Zakim’s civil rights and race relations work in Boston.
Back in the dock at Rowe’s Wharf, the huge flag seemed symbolic. It was the final night of the epic 2024 Democratic National Convention. Kamala Harris was accepting our party’s nomination later that night.

“And, so, on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks. On behalf of my mother, and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey. On behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with — people who work hard, chase their dreams and look out for one another. On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America.”

~Vice President Kamala D. Harris, Democratic National Convention, August 22, 2024

About last night

~ MaryG ~ 13 Comments
Full text of Kamala Harris speech

Last night I was on a boat, in my pearls & chucks, with a bunch of people who didn’t seem to care that history was about to be made. We saw some lovely views of Boston.

Thank goodness I made it home in time to see her speech live.

I truly felt like I was experiencing history in the making. I mean, come ON. She was phenomenal. Many tears were shed.

How could any American not choose Kamala Harris to lead the United States forward over the alternative—whose name does not even deserve to be in the same sentence as hers.

I am beyond excited that my granddaughter will be arriving into this new world, filled with hope and possibility.

Here I am earlier in the day yesterday with people who do care, very much, about what happened last night. We were thrilled to have a special guest with us. Funny, she didn’t seem nervous at all about the huge speech she was about to give.

“And to be clear, my entire career, I’ve only had one client: the people.” ~Kamala D. Harris, Democratic National Convention, 2024

The DNC

~ MaryG ~ 23 Comments

The Democratic National Convention is SO good. Oh my god…what a difference from the RNC.

From Republican Stephanie Grisham, to the roll call, to the Obamas (especially Michelle), it was all so inspiring last night.

This introduction of Doug Emhoff by his son Cole was a highlight for me:

www.instagram.com/reel/C-6tT42AAOk/

76 more days!

Writing postcards to help get out the vote in Ohio with others on Zoom yesterday

Thankful Thursday

~ MaryG ~ 7 Comments

I’ve never done a “Thankful Thursday” post before, but here goes.

I’m thankful for a solid house that does not leak. With hurricane season upon us, I’m reminded of past interior flooding — both in the home I grew up in and in the first house we bought after our daughter was born (a 150+ year old antique with a leaky fieldstone basement). I know there are worse things than standing ankle-knee deep in dirty brown water in your own basement, but I’m very thankful I haven’t had to do that in the past twenty years.

It is my understanding that Hurricane Ernesto has knocked out power for half of Puerto Rico (which still has not fully recovered from the devastating Hurricane Maria in 2017) and is gaining strength as it heads towards Bermuda. And hurricane season has only just begun…

Beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico in August 2016, the year before Category Five Hurricane Maria

Freedom

~ MaryG ~ 16 Comments

What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world?

OK, one reason I like my blog is that I feel free to say what I want, including about politics.

In the old days (before Trump), I thought Facebook and other emerging social media was fun. Find old friends and classmates, reminisce, post pics, share news, chat about nonsense, etc.

Then everything went to hell and I had real and permanent falling outs (fallings out?) with the Trumpers in my sphere, as did millions of others.

I’m still on Facebook, but I try not to post too many political things, with abortion access being an exception. (I will not shut my trap about that one until it’s no longer an issue or I’m dead.)

People who read and comment on my blog (and vice versa) are 99% online friends only. I will likely never meet them in real life. But there’s a freedom in that. They’re choosing to read my thoughts, and I theirs.

With 89 days left until we (hopefully) send Donald Trump packin’ for good, my Facebook and Instagram friends (all people I know or have known in real life) have my blog to thank for my relative level of self-control.

So, I can say this on my blog: I am loving the energy right now. From Kamala entering a packed and cheering rally to Beyoncé’s “Freedom” to the Tim Walz dad jokes. It’s soooo good. This is the kind of optimistic, joyful, caring country I want my granddaughter (coming soon) to grow up in.

Big Dad Energy on Threads

Walz!

~ MaryG ~ 5 Comments

I can’t help but join in the excitement on WordPress about the outcome of the Veepstakes.

High school teacher, football coach and gay-straight alliance advisor, 24-year member of the National Guard…I mean, c’mon, GREAT choice Kamala.

And he’ll cuddle a pig, happily.

Tim Walz with a piglet
My husband with a pig at my daughter’s “barn babies” birthday party. He really wanted to bring it home.

30 things is a big ask

~ MaryG ~ 12 Comments

List 30 things that make you happy.

Today I am grateful for:

A comfortable bed

A good night’s sleep

Hot coffee in the morning

The well-being of my daughter and son

Morning silence (husband at the gym)

Music (singing with friends later today)

Safety (physical)

Security (financial)

Leftovers (Mexican)

The seemingly downward trend of the racist/nationalist/hateful Trump movement in the United States

Recent visits with friends who are happy and planning fun things

The Paris Olympics

My new kitchen window

My husband’s health

My health

Vaccines

Air conditioning

TV

Internet

Books

Raindrops on roses

Whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles

Warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

Cream-colored ponies

Crisp apple strudel

Door bells and sleigh bells

Schnitzel with noodles

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings

Veepstakes

~ MaryG ~ 6 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What are you curious about?
View all responses

Along with about a billion other people, I am very curious who Kamala Harris will pick as her vice presidential running mate. I’m confident that whoever she chooses will be embraced by her growing legions of supporters.

I had been thinking she was going to choose Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania or Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, but now I don’t know.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been killing it on the news shows. He’s approximately the same age as weird JD Vance and is also a military veteran with young children.

Also, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota is really growing on me. He’s another elder GenXer (born in 1964), so I’m predisposed to like him. He gives midwestern high school principal vibes and I think he’d help her out with middle-of-the-road types.

We shall see…

And just for fun while we wait, watch this awesome clip from VEEP.

Tony Hale and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in VEEP 😂

Related post:

Walz!

Ex-Catholic

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?
View all responses

I left the Catholic Church. I stopped going to Mass the Sunday after my confirmation, which was the deal I made with my parents.

I’m proud to say I never subjected my children to any Catholic guilt trips or other Catholic bullshit.

Sorry not sorry if this offends anyone, but that church has SO much to answer for. And I’m not talking about the Crusades here. I’m talking about modern times.

Catholic Church Insidiously Control’s Women’s Freedom

Sprawling documentation of child abuse in the Catholic Church

Image from Pexels

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