From the Vault

This post originally appeared on Mystery Mommy, November 9, 2009.

This was a comment in reply to Josh, but it got a bit lengthy.

Actually, Josh, what I want is everyone to have access to health care. Everyone. All over the world. With no barriers caused by financial issues.

What I want is Universal Health Care.

I don't care if it's government provided, though that's the easiest way to get there.

I want what Sweden has. I want what Japan has. I want what, yes, France has.

I want a country where no one has to choose between necessary health care and their next meal.

And I have to tell you, Josh, that coverage of abortion, and pelvic exams (not covered under the new law) and birth control is necessary health care to 51% of Americans. Especially when prostate exams are covered.

Not to mention that EVERY OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED NATION has government sponsored health care, and that, therefore, their businesses are at a financial advantage over ours since they don't have to pay outrageous sums to cover their employees.

Now, you may say, "Yeah, but look at their taxes!" and then I say: add up every penny you pay for things that their taxes cover and please realize that you are paying MORE than they are. As a nation, we are all paying more than any other industrialized nation for coverage with fewer people covered, shorter life spans, and poorer health outcomes.

Paying more for less? That's the American Way!


I do really wish we'd gotten single payer. [sigh]

DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL HAS BEEN REPEALED!!!

This is the best news I've heard in a long time..

Firsts

I've done this most years on my other blog: the first sentence of the first post of every month for the previous year.

January: That's My Boy!
I'm so proud! Still am.

February: Weeping.
Abortion should be legal. The blogger who wrote the post I wept over took the post down.

March: Beautiful post on the meaning of Marshall's Remarks.
Read it. Link broken, alas, and I am unable to find the post on Feministing's new site.

April: I live the Amendments, Part III.
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. I love reading the Constitution.

May: Blogging Against Disablism Day was May 1st.
Go read the many myriad wonderful posts that were written about and against Disablism. It's my favorite annual blog carnival

June: Ambivalence.
1 : simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings...toward an object, person, or action. I wish I remembered WHAT this post was about.

July: Work. Vacation. Work.
I've been offline more than on the last couple of weeks. Hmmm...sounds familiar.

August: Wardrobe.
One side-effect of being a canvasser is you get t-shirts. Less than two months later, I gave my Obama t-shirt away to my cousin, who lives in Paris, for her birthday.

http://doorbellqueen.blogspot.com/2010/09/from-inbox.html: From the Inbox.
A Worst Case Scenario: It Could Happen Here. Treating some outpatient procedures differently because of politics? It could happen.

October: Do you remember?
Which was the first presidential election you voted in and who you voted for? Yup.


November: Was gonna post yesterday for NaBloPoMo...
but something came up. Boy, that was a whole lot of no fun at all.

December: In Memoriam.
Christine Lavin singing "The Dakota". In honour of the anniversary of John Lennon's death.

My vote for most misleading headline ever

A Shot in the Dark: Researchers Advise Flu Vaccine for Unborn Babies


Actually, researchers suggest flu shots for pregnant MOTHERS. Because, not only do the shots protect the mother, but they also continue to protect the NEWBORN for up to 6 months.

Seriously. The way the headline, and the article itself, is written, you'd think that the researchers were advocating injecting flu vaccine through the uterine wall to the fetus.

I'm all for keeping newborns healthy, let's just remember that the best way to do that is to FIRST keep the mother healthy. Not the "unborn baby". The mother.

Wow, I was really angry

Make that, Wow.I am still REALLY angry

EVENT REMINDER!!

INVITE DETAILS
"Cherish Choice - A Woman's Constitutional Right Under Attack in Virginia"
-
What you need to know that's happening, and an opportunity for action to defend a woman's right of choice. So please join us for champagne, hors d'oeuvres, a concert violinist, and an informal conversation on a most distressing issue -- Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's current attacks on a women's basic reproductive rights here in Virginia -- and how we can fight back.
-
John and Holly Flannery will host and introduce: NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Executive Director Tarina Keene, so Tarina can update us on the status of Choice in the commonwealth, what's at stake in the upcoming General Assembly session and 2011 election, and what you can do to make a difference.
-
DATE AND TIME: Saturday, December 11, 4pm-6pm
PLACE: The home of John and Holly Flannery
Ithaca Manor, 38469 Triticum Lane, Lovettsville, VA 20180
SUGGESTED DONATION: $50 to support NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia

It's a shandah for the goyim

Really, Israeli rabbis? Really?

Three dozen top Israeli rabbis threw their support Tuesday behind a religious ruling barring Jews from selling or renting homes to non-Jews - an indication of growing radicalism within the rabbinical community at a time of mounting friction between Israeli Arabs and Jews.

I am ashamed.

In memoriam

Christine Lavin singing "The Dakota".

Veteran's Day

Thinking of those who have served and sacrificed. I hope that everyone who is currently serving comes home safe.

Just because it amuses me

This has nothing to do with politics or canvassing or Loudoun, I just like it.

It's as good an explanation as any

Roy Zimmerman may be onto what happened Tuesday:



He's got a way of being right about a lot of things. A lot.

George Takai Takei, I think I love you

via Kathy A.

NOT SAFE FOR WORK.

This message, for that Arkansas School Board member who has since resigned, is a thing of beauty. I love listening to George Takai Takei say my favorite insult.



Yes, yes indeed. That former school board member certainly was a useless tool of the patriarchy. George used the perfect word.

Was gonna post yesterday for NaBloPoMo

but something came up. Home now and doing well. Thanking everybody for their kind words and loving thoughts. Thanking also the great EMTs and the staff at Loudoun Hospital for taking such wonderful care of me.

<Gasp!> Rational Debate Erupts in the Loudoun Blogosphere!

John Stevens and my own Stevens (Miller, that is) have an interesting set of posts up. Read John's first at Our Loudoun Schools, and then read Stevens's response at Without Supervision.

Logic! Reason! SCIENCE! Well, maybe not science.

I am excited to see something that is rarely seen in the Loudoun blogosphere, a calm rational substantive debate based on thoughtful interpretations of the facts.

One reason I don't have advertising on my blog

Is that it seems nigh impossible to control which ads run. Daily Kos, for example, has ads for Frank Wolf running at the top and bottom of their pages. Various body positive blogs I read have trouble with diet ads running. Infertility blog readers get upset when the blogs they read have advertising for baby stuff.

And the specialty advertisers like Advertise Liberally won't touch a site like mine that has relatively low traffic (relative to Pandagon, for example).

Other blogs I know sell their own advertising space, but that seems like a lot of overhead.

So, instead, I'm donating space to restaurants that are supportive of Democracy in general and who support causes I believe in. All the logos I have up are of businesses I support with my purchasing dollars. I am receiving absolutely no compensation for having their logos on my site.

Joe's Pizza and Joe's Cafe; American Flatbread; and Jimmy's Old Town Tavern. They are restaurants worth eating at owned by civic-minded and warm-hearted people. Go eat at their restaurants, and tell them I sent you.

Musical Interlude

We are a gentle angry people, and we are singing for our lives...



I grew up in a family that went marching, marching, marching. And Holly Near is a singer and songwriter whose music was part and parcel of that.

WHAT THE HELL?

[Sounds of me banging my head on the keyboard]. THIS IS WHY WE'RE HAVING AN ENTHUSIASM GAP! Dammit! Equality is in the National fucking Platform for crying out loud.

I hear Danny Glover shouting in my head.

This Space Intentionally Left Blank

BitchPhD is going dark. I am so sad about this. That blog has been enormously influential to me. Not least because the lead writer taught me how to get my bras properly fitted. I hate it when blogs I love go dark. I hate it worse when they take down the site entirely. I really hope that doesn't happen with Bitch PhD.

I'll miss you and your co-bloggers, Dr. Bitch. Please come back.

LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE!!

Go on out and get registered, people!!

For the sake of argument...

Let's take the other side seriously for a moment and assume, strictly for the sake of this discussion, that an embryo is a person from the moment of conception, and that it has the same rights as every other person has. You know that I think that's crap, but let's pretend it's not for now, okay?

An innocent person has a right to live, so an embryo has a right to live. (Hard to imagine an embryo as anything other than innocent, eh?) Killing an innocent person is wrong and we should prevent that. If we don't act to save that innocent embryo against its murder by abortion, we're as guilty of killing it as the person who performs the abortion is, and as guilty as the woman who has it performed on her is. Our only moral option is to prevent abortion, even if that means making it a crime to have or give one.

Seems pretty clear that, if we don't act to stop it, we are committing a moral wrong, because we are choosing to let an innocent person die. That's why we have to empower our police to arrest abortionists and their patients, our courts to prosecute them, and our prisons to lock them up. Heck, Virginia has the death penalty and prisons are expensive. Abortionists and their patients are not innocent. Execute them. If we don't, we're as bad as they are.

Some people point out that, if we use the power of government to control a pregnant woman's behavior, we're taking away her liberty. That's true, but we're talking life and death here! Any constitutional scholar will tell you that life interests outrank liberty interests under the constitution. So, government forcing choices on pregnant women is constitutionally okay, if that's what it takes to save an innocent person's life.

Right.

When was the last time you gave blood? Something like a quarter of a million people died in Haiti this year after a major earthquake struck their homes. Many died for lack of blood. Every single person who could have given a pint of blood, but didn't, might have saved an innocent life. But didn't. Why is that okay, but standing by and letting a woman make her own choice isn't? Because it should be your choice as to whether or not you give blood? How is it not, then, a woman's choice as to whether or not she gives birth? Because her choice kills and your choice doesn't? Sorry. You give blood, or someone dies. She gives birth, or someone dies. What gives anyone the right to compel a person to give birth, if no one has the right to compel a person to give blood? (By the way, giving blood is far less likely to kill you than giving birth.)

If an embryo is an innocent person, and it's morally wrong to allow others to kill an innocent person, and therefore we are morally obliged to compel a pregnant woman to give birth, are we not morally obliged to compel an able person to give blood?

Are we not obliged to compel every potential donor with a kidney to be tested for type and kept on file so their kidney can save an innocent life when that donor dies?

Heck, if you have two good kidneys, why should you be allowed to keep them both? Some people don't have one. Government simply must take one of yours or else some innocent person dies.

If you believe an embryo is a person and that government must force a pregnant woman to give that person birth, then roll up your sleeve. And keep next week open, too, because you're going to be due in surgery. Someone out there needs one of your kidneys, and by God, the government's gonna give it to him.

Nothing else would be moral.

Pop and Politics

Can you guess WHY this video makes me think of politics?




Okay, okay, okay. I've been reliably informed that, no, NO ONE would guess why this video makes me think of politics. The answer is, one of the band members looks like he could be the brother of The World's Best Campaign Manager, Bar None.

Do you remember?

Which was the first presidential election you voted in and who you voted for?

Which was the first presidential election you were aware of and who the candidates were?

The first presidential election I voted in was 1988: Bush v. Dukakis. I voted for Dukakis.

The first presidential election I was aware of was Carter v. Reagan (and Anderson). We held debates in my elementary school, and I spoke in favor of Anderson.

Which reminds me of this song:

Check out my Letter to the Editor in InsideNOVA!

It's on Cuccinelli's opinion regarding abortion clinics.

Hey! Remember that "optional" CBPO?

Who wants to bet it stays optional?

Seems to me that pretty soon that law will be mandatory throughout VA. As a state, we don't have a whole lot of extra funds to pay out in fines to the EPA.

Meanwhile, one of the big items causing pollution in the Bay is fertilizer and farm run-off. Well, how about using some of that stuff to generate electricity instead?

I just saw that Loudoun gets a mention on the last page of the WaPo article.

I love The Daily Show

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Postcards From the Pledge
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Yowza!

Stevens has a blog!

Read about his thoughts on Boehner's visit to Loudoun!

EXCLUSIVE!!! Interview with Jeff Barnett: Pro-choice Edition

Jeff, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for my blog. So let's start with the big one: where do you stand on Choice?



Thank you, Liz, for the invitation. The question you ask is a very important one to me, and it's something I've felt strongly about for much of my life. In a modern democracy - one that prides itself on being a free society - few things could be more important than a woman's right to control her own body. The decision to have a child should be made by a woman in consultation with her family, her doctor, and her god. The government has no place in that conversation.

What did you think of Cuccinelli's opinion on abortion providers in Virginia?




I disagree strongly with Mr. Cuccinelli's opinion. Singling out abortion providers for significantly stricter oversight is not so much an attempt to protect our health as an attempt to discriminate against certain outpatient centers and shut down clinics that perform abortions. I will discourage the Attorney General's office from using the people's tax dollars to crusade against constitutionally permissible and medically accepted treatment.

Would you be in favor of repealing the Stupak amendment [no insurance plan that uses Federal funds can cover abortion]?



The health care reform legislation was a monumental achievement, and we drew support from a wide variety of legislators to get it done. I won't do anything to jeopardize our commitment to providing medical care to millions of previously uninsured Americans.

If I have the chance to repeal the anti-choice provisions of the health care reform without damaging the law's broader goals, I will seize the opportunity. Realistically, however, I don't know how likely that is to happen right away. We got the much-needed votes to pass health care reform legislation from a lot of people who oppose choice, and we got them because the President gave his word that certain things would happen. The President isn't a man who takes his promises lightly, and I'm not a man who asks him to break them. Making sure these health care plans cover abortion is important. This is a battle that we're going to win, but not within the next few months.

The Stupak Amendment makes it all the more important, then, that we make sure that the other means of securing the procedure are available and fully funded. There are many private channels that we must reinforce in order to make sure that this procedure isn't only available to the wealthy. In the absence of public funding, we have an obligation as leaders to make sure women are aware of the full range of contraceptive, preventive, and emergency options available to them.

Do you agree that medically required abortions (ones where the fetus is already deceased, for example) should not be treated differently from other medical procedures and shouldn't require special insurance?


Yes, I agree. I understand why the issue of choice is, in many circumstances, contentious. People of good conscience can have powerful differences on these fundamental issues. But the idea that health insurance would not cover treatment that is medically necessary to save a woman's life is unacceptable.

Do you think that oral contraceptives should be available without a prescription?



Yes, I do: you shouldn't need a doctor's permission to take control of your own body. Nevertheless, I think that opponents of this practice have some important concerns that we should address as we move towards making a range of contraceptives more readily available. Oral contraceptives, like many drugs, affect the way the body works in significant ways, and they aren't without side effects, however rare. Furthermore, reliance on birth control that isn't being properly used can lead to some pretty significant consequences. For those two reasons, it's helpful to have guidance when beginning a significant new medical regimen of any kind, birth control or otherwise.

The way to fight the side effects of oral contraceptives and to make sure they aren't misused isn't with prohibition and restriction: it's with information and education. I believe that oral contraceptives should be available without a prescription, but I also think that it's important that, when possible, we continue to consult our doctors before making significant medical decisions.

Do you think that pharmacists should be required to provide legally prescribed medication to their customers and patients?



Yes. Freedom of choice and freedom over your body don't mean much if you can't access the medication you need.



Thank you again, Jeff, for taking the time to answer my questions.

Back to School Nights!

The weather outside is delightful. Sunsets, balmy breezes, that slight rustle from leaves preparing to change. And that happy refrain, "Hi! I'm Liz Miller! My friend Jeff Barnett is running for Congress!"

"He's Feisty!"

Stevens was on the WMAL talk radio show, the Grandy Group, today. His segment starts at 1:14 and ends at 1:25 (with a comment from a caller). My favorite part may be the caller's comment!

Here's WMAL's write up on his segment.

The Grandy Group is generally a right-leaning show, but I think that Stevens and the hosts got along pretty well.

From the Inbox

A Worst Case Scenario: It Could Happen Here

Dear Liz,

Using lawn care standards to limit access to reproductive health care? They’ve done it before.

In recent years, anti-choice lawmakers in states such as South Carolina have used strategic laws to attack abortion providers and restrict women’s abortion access. These laws include everything from mandates that facilities have hallways wide enough for two gurneys to pass side-by-side (something not required of similar outpatient doctor’s offices) to regulations on the type of grass that can be out front of a clinic!

Now Virginia is poised to follow.

We can’t let the Cuccinelli-McDonnell anti-choice team close down abortion providers in our state. Call on the governor to oppose this move.

Last week, we told you that Virginia Attorney General Cuccinelli declared that the state’s Board of Health has the authority to impose strict and medically unnecessary regulations on abortion providers that could potentially force the majority of our state’s providers to close their doors.

Rather than standing up for women’s health, Governor McDonnell supports Cuccinelli’s position.

We must keep the pressure on the governor. So far, nearly 700 of you asked Governor McDonnell not to allow the Board of Health to issue the same kind of restrictions on abortion providers that the legislature has refused to approve for the past eight years.

Help us reach our goal of 1,000 emails by Friday. If you haven’t yet contacted the governor, please email him today to make your voice heard. If you have, forward this message to your friends and family.

A recent article in The Virginian-Pilot reported that the kinds of anti-choice restrictions on abortion providers called for by Cuccinelli are similar to the laws in states such as South Carolina.

After failing to pass these types of attacks on abortion providers through the General Assembly in the past, the McDonnell-Cuccinelli team is sidestepping the legislature and is pushing this anti-choice and anti-woman agenda through the state Board of Health.

The consequences could be serious. After the measure took place in South Carolina, several providers were forced to close their doors. In Virginia, 17 of our 21 providers could be forced to close, leaving women without access to reproductive care.

We need to keep the pressure up and let the governor and attorney general know that Virginians won’t stand for their use of the Board of Health to play politics with women’s rights and health.

For choice,

Tarina Keene
Executive Director

I've sent a letter asking Governor McDonnell not to put barriers in the way of women seeking needed healthcare that he would not put in the way of anyone seeking a colonoscopy.

Cesarean rates rising

I have, myself, had a c-section. Knowing what I know now, I'd have held off getting pitocin...oh well.

In any case, read the article on it from AP.

The Washington Post has another article on the rates, which does a lovely bit of putting the blame on moms. Let me tell you, one reason I didn't push (ha!) for vaginal childbirth is because my employer automatically gives 8 weeks off if you get a c-section, and only 6 weeks if you have vaginal.

Doctors tend to prefer c-sections because they get reimbursed at higher rates.

So let's all accept that there is more going on with this than "convenience" and "scheduling".

Tarina Keene on Rachel Maddow

The Executive Director for NARAL Prochoice Virginia was on the Rachel Maddow show last night to talk about Cuccinelli and his opinion that abortion providers can be regulated far more than an ordinary OB/GYN's office. Abortions are already hard to get in Virginia, especially if you live in a rural area.

I am on the NARAL Prochoice Virginia Board, and I'm proud of it, and of Tarina.

The Perils of Listening to NPR in the car

"Mommy, what do they mean by 'the N-word'?"

Oh dear.

Can't I have a cup of coffee first?

Okay.

"'The N-word' is a word that is completely not okay to say. It's so not okay, that when people talk about it, they use its initial instead of saying it. The word is " (and here I said the word) "You are not to ever use that word. It is a mean, vile word that has a lot of terrible history behind it."

"But, Mommy, what does it mean?"

"It's a mean word for people with brown skin. Don't ever say it. Not in anger, not in conversation, never. Even if you hear other people using it, you don't use it. And IF you hear other people using it, you tell them to stop, or you tell a grown-up so that they can tell them to stop."


As an aside, I want to let you know that the NPR piece we were listening to at the time was excellent. I hope you'll listen to it. (I came in after the Dr. Laura clip)

Just Read It

Reproductive Justice is for Everyone, Even People You Don't Like.

Denial of reproductive rights to people with disabilities is ableism. Denial of our needs in the reproductive justice discussion is also ableism. Telling us we don’t belong at the table is ableism. We deserve reproductive justice too, and we have needs that are not being addressed by the current reproductive rights movement.

If Equal Rights doesn't apply to everybody, you soon find it doesn't apply to anybody. Reproductive justice doesn't just apply to the right NOT to have children. It applies to the right TO have them if you want them. That is a right that is all too frequently denied people. No-one should be forced to have a baby...and no-one should be forced to not have one.

It's a small county

For the folks who are agin anyone building a mosque on "hallowed ground"

Via my friend, Peter Rothberg, Instructive photos of places the same distance from the World Trade Center as the “Ground Zero Mosque.”

And a song.

I just LOVE the Daily Show.

But I do wish they would stop using the word, "retarded". Seriously.

ht DaveRunner

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Deductible Me
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Loudoun County's CSB Seeks Board Members

From my inbox:

The Loudoun County Community Services Board (CSB) is seeking applicants to serve as representatives from the Dulles, Potomac, Sterling and Sugarland Run Districts.

The Loudoun County CSB is appointed by and accountable to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to set policy for, and to administer the provision of, community-based services for people experiencing mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders. That responsibility includes oversight of the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services.

CSB members are drawn from the greater Loudoun community, and may represent a variety of backgrounds and interests, personal, professional or civic, that may give them insight into the issues that concern the CSB. The CSB is particularly interested in seeking members who have experience in the area of children's services and communications, and who have multi-lingual skills. Each new appointee would be eligible to serve up to three, three-year terms.

By law, one third of the members of a Community Services Board must be self-identified as active consumers of a mental health, substance abuse, or developmental service (though not necessarily one provided directly by the CSB) or be the family member of someone actively receiving a service. No member of a CSB may be anyone who is employed by a CSB or by any agency that receives funding from a CSB.

CSB members are responsible for attending monthly CSB meetings, and each CSB member is expected to serve on one or more committees and to attend the meetings monthly of the groups on which they serve.

The Community Services Board will interview prospective members and will recommend qualified applicants to the Board of Supervisors for terms beginning January 1, 2011. The Board of Supervisors will make the final determination of who is appointed.

Interested applicants should visit the Community Services Board page of the county website at www.loudoun.gov/csb and click on the link under “Members” for an application and a summary of CSB roles and responsibilities.

The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, August 20, 2010.

I sit on the Board of the CSB, and have found it to be an interesting, challenging, fulfilling experience.

Crossposted at Loudoun Progress

Farmers Market Round Up

It was a fun time, but short. The Ashburn Farmers market is open from 8 to noon Saturdays. Produce, eggs, meat, DELICIOUS cupcakes (also available at a kiosk in Dulles Town Center), beautiful breads and pies.

I saw a woman who was toting a Chico bag, and complimented her on it.

Had several great conversations - with vendors, with shoppers, and with Catherine.

There wasn't much of a crowd there, so from a leafleting POV, Leesburg's market is a better bet, but the people were great.

On my way to hand out lit with Catherine Barnett

At the Ashburn Farmers Market!! It's on the corner of Farmwell and Ashburn Village, behind the Fuddrucker's.

Come by and say hi!

Today, I'm just happy. Very happy.

Yesterday, Judge Walker Vaughn overturned Prop 8 in California. Yesterday, my Twitter feed exploded with joy, laughter, and relief.

Today, I'm sending out love to all my gay and lesbian friends and family members, and hope - such a big hope - that this verdict will be upheld by the 9th circuit and by the Supremes. And thus overturn my own state's Jim Crow amendment.

I can't wait to live in a country where any two consenting adults can marry each other.

PROP 8 RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!!

WOOT!

Analysis at Prop 8 Trial Tracker

72 doors and the Skechers were not up to it. (one from the vault)

They're cute as all get out, but they're not ready for prime time campaigning. Three blisters. Not Cool, Skechers. Not cool. I finished the doors, but my feet were Officially Pissed Off. And my hourly door rate went into the cellar. 24 doors/hour? What am I? An amateur?

I've got my trusty Liz Claiborne sandals on today (can't find a link). I think I've got 80+ doors to do this evening.


Originally posted August 4, 2009 on my other blog.

Wardrobe

One side-effect of being a canvasser is you get t-shirts. Lots and lots of t-shirts.

I've got t-shirts from my husband's two campaigns (I like this one better than the one in my banner)


I've got a Poisson one, a Herring one, an Obama (no Warner or Feder, but I have their buttons). Let's see, I've got an LCDC one, and an FCDC one. Political t-shirts? I've got 'em. I've got buttons too. I chose to stick with buttons for Barnett, 'cause I'm not a big fan of wearing orange.


I wore three different political t-shirts the weekend I spent with my sister. None of them for candidates that people in Vermont could have voted for. No, I lie. I wore my Obama tee up there. Got a few compliments.

I've also got t-shirts for donating blood, for walking in the Relay for Life, for working at Murder Ink, for graduating from GMU, and for sending my son to the kindergarten he went to.

But my favorite t-shirt is this plain red one with the silky neck band.

Walking through Wegmans

One of the things I love about Loudoun County is that you can't go shopping at Wegmans without seeing at least one person you know.

This last time, it was two members of teh Spouse's campaign for delegate, who now work for Jeff Barnett; and a recently retired member of the CSB.

Everytime we go, we see colleagues and neighbors and folks we know from our son's school or daycare. Most of the people we see, we'd know even if we weren't quite so involved in community affairs, but it's one of those things that makes me feel that this is a community worth being involved in.

Because you just can't go to Wegmans without seeing people you know.

The article's out!

I'm happy so many local bloggers got interviewed for it! And doubly happy that I found a new blog through it: Life in Loudoun County. The more voices blogging about local issues, the better, in my opinion.

For those who would like to link through to the sites mentioned in the article:

Too Conservative
Loudoun Progress
Equality Loudoun
In Through the Out Door
Leesburg Tomorrow
Suburban Fizz
Hooda Thunk
Nova Town Hall
Living in Loco
The Casey Group
and Life in Loudoun County

Interviews, Interviews

I've been interviewed twice recently for two different things. One is a book about campaigning, the other is an article about blogging.

I'm not gonna lie to you, Marge*, I love talking about the stuff I love to do.

I love campaigning. I love blogging. I love blogging about campaigning. I would love to campaign about blogging, if that were even possible.

I hope that you, too, are getting to talk about the things you love to do.

*h/t Wil Wheaton
C/P LoudounProgress.

In honor of the fact that NOM keeps getting out-numbered by pro-equality folks on their tour

Back from a week in NYC

Where I only looked at the NYT for the crossword puzzle and was otherwise out of touch with news and information. I checked Twitter a couple of times, but mostly spent time with family and friends.

And spent a day at Sesame Place.

Did I miss anything?

While we're on the subject

What Vanessa said.

What Liss Said

Are you listening Dem legislators?

I may not be writing much, but other people are

Read what Dave H. has to say. It's enlightening.

Work. Vacation. Work

I've been offline more than on the last couple of weeks. New posts coming soon!

Congratulations to the Forbes 100 Best Blogs for Women!

Many of my favorites (links from here and from www.mysterymommy.blogspot.com) made it onto the list. YAY!!!

I'm disappointed that they left out Shakespeare's Sister, Hoyden About Town, and Shapely Prose, and some others but think it's a pretty good list!

NLS has a must-read post up (edited for proper link)

I mean it. Read it.

Roy Zimmerman talks (and sings) about Loving v. Virginia and Prop 8

More on Language

There's a terrific post up on Feministe about how to center people with disabilities.

Over at FWD/Forward, Anna recently linked this article on the media’s problem with coming up for terms to discuss disability. This problem is not limited to the media; a lot of people struggle with disability terminology. People want to use the right word, but they’re not really sure what the right word is, and sometimes some very intriguing circumlocutions and euphemisms are employed in the service of trying to be respectful.

I thought I’d write a very brief primer on some disability terminology in US English, to familiarise nondisabled readers with the language that has arisen as disability rights activists fight for the right to self identify, to resist ableist language, and to confront problematic framings of disability embedded in the way we talk about disability. The disability rights movement is much older than many people realise and from the start, people were tackling, confronting, and challenging language. Respectful language is already here; it’s been developed, refined, and used by people with disabilities for decades, it’s just disseminating to the general population very slowly.

It’s important to remember here that self-identification trumps all—if you are talking to or about a particular person, please ask how that person identifies or would like to be referred to.

Read the whole thing.

Beautiful

Go look at what Dave and Vita made!

Two of my favorite things in one place

Ms. Magazine and Shakespeare's Sister.

Interview with Stevens up on The Leader

(via The Blue Ridge Leader)

Dear School Board (edited for a clarification)

So you say you want to keep high school enrollments under 2000.

Board member J. Warren Geurin (Sterling) said the School Board believes high schools operate best with a maximum of 1,800 students. Schools with more than 2,000 students are not desired for educational reasons, he said.

I hate to bring this up again, but have you never heard of
Stuyvesant High School? Enrollment: 3300. How's about Bronx High School of Science? Enrollment: 2800. Brooklyn Tech? Enrollment: over 4900.

These are schools parents glory to have their children go to.

Stuyvesant:

According to a September 2002 high school ranking by Worth magazine, 3.67% of Stuyvesant students went on to attend Harvard, Princeton, and Yale Universities, ranking it as the 9th top public high school in the United States and 120th among all schools, public or private. In December 2007, The Wall Street Journal studied the freshman classes at eight selective colleges (Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Williams College, Pomona College, Swarthmore College, U. Chicago, and Johns Hopkins), and reported that Stuyvesant sent 67, or 9.9% of its 674 seniors, to them...
...Stuyvesant has contributed to the education of several Nobel laureates, winners of the Fields Medal and the Wolf Prize, and a host of other accomplished alumni. In recent years, it has had the second highest number of National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists, behind Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, in Alexandria, Virginia...
...Stuyvesant, along with other similar schools, has regularly been excluded from Newsweek's annual list of the Top 100 Public High Schools. The May 8th, 2008 issue states the reason as being, "because so many of their students score well above average on the SAT and ACT." US News & World Report, however, included Stuyvesant on its list of "Best High Schools" published in December 2009, ranking 31st.

{Note: Wikipedia doesn't have the current college acceptance rate overall for graduates, but in my year (1987), only two of the 791 graduates did NOT go straight on to college. Of the surviving members of my class, to my knowledge only one has not graduated from a university at this date.}

Bronx HS of Science:

Bronx Science has developed a worldwide reputation as one of the best high schools in the United States, public or private, ranking fourth in U.S. News and World Report's 2008 list of America's "Gold-Medal" high schools. It attracts an intellectually gifted blend of culturally, ethnically,[7][8] and economically diverse students from New York City.
Every year almost all Bronx Science graduates go on to four-year colleges; many attend Ivy League and other prestigious schools. Bronx Science has counted 132 finalists in the Intel (formerly Westinghouse) Science Talent Search, the largest number of any high school. Seven graduates have won Nobel Prizes — more than any other secondary education institution in the world — and six have won Pulitzer Prizes.

Brooklyn Tech:

Brooklyn Tech is a founding member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology. Brooklyn Tech is noted for its famous alumni (including two Nobel Laureates), its academics, and the large number of graduates attending prestigious universities. Routinely, more than 98% of its graduates are accepted to four-year colleges with the 2007 graduating class being offered more than $1,250,000 in scholarships and grants. It appears as #63 in the 2009 ranking of the annual U.S. News & World Report "Best High Schools" list.

I'm not saying that large schools always work, or that they are appropriate in every situation, but large schools can be educationally rigorous and can, in fact, beat the pants off Loudoun County's schools academically.

So, my dear School Board, you're going to have to come up with something other than "educational reasons" for why you won't even study the FEASIBILITY of expanding the size of the existing schools. Because I just gave you a total of over ten thousand reasons why that won't fly.

All my best wishes,

Liz Miller
The Doorbell Queen

The NARAL Prochoice VA CPC Road Tour

The NARAL Prochoice VA CPC Road Tour is headed to Purcellville tomorrow- not too late to attend! It's at 5:30 at the Loudoun Valley Community Center, 320 W. School Street, Purcellville, VA 20132

Constantly Surprised...

...by the otherwise seemingly intelligent, rational, sensible people who think that Fox News is a news channel.

And also constantly surprised that if I change the channel in the break-room to CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, Headline News, or ANY OTHER CHANNEL AT ALL, that within 20 minutes, the TV will be back on Fox.

Let me say first, that the primary reason I hate Fox actually applies to many other news commentary shows. I hate listening to people shouting at and over each other.

Listen to other people once in a while. You might learn something. You might hear something which makes YOUR argument stronger. If your argument can't hold up to the clear light of someone else picking it apart, then it's not a defensible position, is it?

(This is one reason I often read the transcripts of shows instead of watching them in real time.)

Another reason I don't like Fox can be summed up in two words: Glenn Beck.

I don't understand how someone who daily advocates for armed uprisings has a TV and a radio show.

Can you explain that to me?

And the third reason I don't like Fox News? Is their happy little habit of putting a (D) after the name of any Republican elected who has been caught in a scandal. Along with the many other little "mistakes" they make in editing video.

I accept bias in reporting, I really do. But don't lie to make your point. Don't edit in video from an entirely different event to make a rally look well attended. Don't misrepresent what party a person is from.

And stop yelling*. Seriously.



*I don't watch shows on other channels where the main form of communication is shouting, either. Chris Matthews, I'm talking about you.

Ambivalence

1 : simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings...toward an object, person, or action

Also, reasonable people can disagree on complex decisions where there are both benefits and drawbacks no matter which option you choose.

New Vote Vets Ad

As seen at Blue Virginia

From my Inbox

CONGRATULATIONS to Loudoun County's Staff for these great awards!

The Loudoun County Website, www.loudoun.gov, has again been named one of the top county government websites in the nation by the National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO). The county’s Public Information Office also received two NACIO awards for writing and an award for the county’s employee newsletter in the annual awards competition.

Loudoun was one of just two county governments in its population category (less than 500,000) to be recognized by NACIO for its website. Jointly managed by the county’s Public Information Office and Department of Information Technology, the website provides information about county government issues, services, and meetings. It features webcasts of Board of Supervisors meetings as well as e-Services that allow residents to conduct business with the county online.

This is the eighth time NACIO has recognized Loudoun’s website as one of the best county government websites in the nation.

The Public Information Office received two awards for writing – an Excellence award for a press release announcing that, as a cost saving measure, the 2009 Annual Report would only be available online; and a Meritorious award for a press release announcing a series of public meetings to help residents with the transition to digital television.

Loudoun’s employee newsletter, The LENS, received an Excellence award in the “employee newsletter” category. The newsletter spotlights county programs and services, with a focus on the employees who work together to provide these services. The employee newsletter has been published on a quarterly basis since 1991. Later this year, it will transition to an e-newsletter format.

Recently, a representative of the Thomas Balch Library requested back issues of The LENS, dating back to its inception. The collection of Loudoun County employee newsletters, spanning nearly 20 years, will be available to library patrons as a resource for local history and genealogy.

Canvass stats - walking for Jeff Barnett edition

36 doors in about an hour and a half. I am out.of.shape.Pooped. Forgot my water bottle, my ponytail holder, my terrific canvassing bag, and my clipboard. What am I? An amateur? I'll do better next time.

Information on the RPA and the RPA Screening Area (from my post at Loudoun Progress)

It's clear from last night's Monday's Public Hearing on the RPA, and from the mail traffic I've been getting, that there's been a lack of clarity on the RPA and especially on the RPA Screening Area.

FACT: If you are in the RPA Screening Area and the PROJECT (deck, swingset, patio, vegetable garden) you want to complete is LESS THAN 2500 square feet in area, then you are cool.
You don't have to ask permission beyond what the county (or your HOA) already requires or do water testing or anything.

FACT: This means that the only folks who have to worry about whether they are in the RPA Screening Area, are landowners with Huge Tracts of Land that are looking to subdivide or build homes or large shopping areas. In which case, the $3400 fee for doing the testing is a small percentage of the price and is a cost of doing business.

QUESTION: So, who has a vested interest in sending out panicky emails to homeowners in Broadlands, Brambleton, Sterling, and other well-built-out areas of the county where the average size of a project is 240 square feet? Couldn't be builders and realtors? Could it?

FACT: The bulk of Eugene Delgaudio's campaign money comes from realtors and builders

FACT: Donny Ferguson, who wrote that Western Traditions blog post, is a former Eugene Delgaudio aide.


Here is a picture of a map overlaid with the RPA:



And here is a picture of the same map overlaid with the RPA Screening Area:



How do you find out if you are either area?

1. GO HERE: http://gisinter1.loudoun.gov/weblogis/agree.htm.


2. Click on Yes, and then click on the tab marked "Search".


3. Enter your address (it works best if you enter as little as possible - house number and first part of your street name).


4. Click Submit. Then click Map It on the linked list the site gives you.


5. Now click on the Map Layers tab in the new window.


6. Click on the drop-down box under "Layer Groups" and select "Environmental".


7. Now select the select "Draft RPA Screening Tool" and scroll down to click apply. If there is no beige on your site, you're not in that area.


8. Now, unselect that option and select "Draft Chesapeake Bay Area" and scroll down to click "apply" to see if you are in the RPA.
   If your site doesn't have any green in it? You're good.

If there is any brown on your site and you are doing a project that disturbs less than 2500 sq ft, this document says that you are okay.

If you are within the green area, then you'll need permission to do your project.

As seen everywhere, but most recently at Broadsheet

The ground-breaking commercial that aired on the BBC

Announcement

As seen at Blue Virginia

As an FYI to all, the 10th District Democratic Committee is filling a vacancy to the State Central Committee due to Eileen Manning's resignation and move to Florida.
Those that might be interested in serving on the Committee should seek an appointment. I believe the Committee will be seeking female applicants from Fairfax to maintain gender and geographic balance.

If anyone is interested, email some members of the 10th to seek a nomination. Committee members are listed here:

http://10thcdvadems.org/page7/...

From my Inbox

Announcements from American Flatbread:

ANNOUNCEMENTS
May 20th

Live Music Thursdays

Bike to Work May 21st - Walk, or Bike to Ashburn location and receive a free 9" dancing heart flatbread by mentioning special offer.

New every week introducing different flavors of Lisa Atkins "Kind Kupcakes" - Peanut Butter Bliss while they last
Look for our 3 year celebration details coming soon.
MENU SPECIALS

Basil Pesto and Artichoke Flatbread

Organic basil pesto, all natural mozzarella, oven roasted red peppers, and fresh artichoke hearts
Wine pairing - Man Vintners "Chenin Blanc"

Buffalo Chicken Flatbread
Fields of Athenry's free range chicken tossed in house made buffalo sauce with organic celery, blue cheese, and all natural mozzarella
Beer pairing - Starr Hill "Jomo Larger

Laurie Edeline's Apple Pie
Local Moorenko's Ice Cream, Strawberry Cheesecake, Cinnamon, Mango MEGAJOLT is back.

Matt Turk from New York will be playing Saturday night May 29th with his band. More Details to follow.

HOURS

Mon - Thur 4:30-9:00pm
Fri 4:30-9:00pm
Sat 12:00-9:00pm
Sun 12:00-9:00pm


Ph: (703) 723-7003

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

She was seven years old

Or what Delia said.

People/Corporations who don't get my money anymore (edited for accuracy)

• Roman Polanski (fugitive from justice - alleged child rapist)


• Woody Allen (sexual relationship with a young woman to whom he stood in the place of a father his son's sister)
  )


• Orson Scott Card (donates to anti-LGBT causes - SOB, I love his books)


• Nestle (even after over 30 years of protest and boycotts - still promoting formula over breast-feeding in developing nations which contributes to poverty, malnutrition, and child mortality)

Good job Terry!

Terry McAuliffe is bringing affordable electric cars to the States.

Did you know I've got four parents?

Mom and David came in to town last weekend, Dad and Roz are coming this weekend.

Dad and Roz are on strict medical diets, so I won't be taking them to Jimmy's or Joe's, but I will bring them to Hama Sushi and possibly Jackson's (or Sweetwater) or maybe American Flatbread.

Do you have any suggestions of places you like to take your out-of-town relatives?





As always, these links are here because I love these restaurants. I'm not being compensated for putting these links on my page. I hope you support these wonderful local businesses.

It's raining, it's pouring

Phone bank instead of canvass. Alas.

HE'S disappointed?

He must be joking.

Dusting off the walking shoes!

I'll be canvassing near work tomorrow (Wednesday) evening for Jeff Barnett! I'm doing a quick couple of hours between getting off of work and picking up my son.

What are you doing this week to help get Jeff elected?

Crossposted at Loudoun Progress

NEW BLOG!!!

Go see Loudoun Progress!

Talking Local Business

My mom and step-dad were in town over Mother's Day weekend, and we took them around to several local restaurants, all of which got big thumbs-up from my sophisticated New Yawkah parental units (who, btw, treated. THANKS MOM AND DAVID!)

• Jimmy's Old Town Tavern: My mom had the rib-eye, my step-dad had the ribs. They both loved the food and the atmosphere. And Jimmy was an amazingly gracious host.
• Jackson's: They both had the grilled chicken and beet salad, which were pronounced excellent. They were impressed by the freshness and variety of ingredients in the salad, and also by the deliciousness of the french fries that came with my son's macaroni-and-cheese-with-ham.
• Hama Sushi: They had the spicy calamari salad, the avocado salad, and a variety of sushi, and were blown away by how good everything was.

On past trips, I've brought them to American Flatbread and my step-dad still raves over the pizza he ate there.

So, to sum up: Reston and points west can satisfy the palates of New York City sophisticates. Eat locally! Support our terrific restaurant resources!

You may notice that there are some advertisement-looking pictures in my side bar. These are NOT paid advertisements. I am supporting local businesses I frequent by donating space on my blog to promote them. I am not getting any in-kind consideration from these folks, nor do I expect any.

Volunteer for Jeff Barnett this Saturday!

I've got out-of-town visitors coming in this weekend, but I thought you might like to know about opportunities to help get Jeff elected!

Volunteer on Saturday!

Dear Liz

The weather is going to be great this Saturday. Sunny and 80 degrees. What better way to spend the day than volunteering for the Jeff Barnett for Congress campaign!
Our campaign is going to be all over the District this weekend, and we want you out there with us. Check out these two great events, and sign up to help out!

Volunteer at McLean Day!

On Saturday, May 15th, we will be attending McLean Day in McLean, VA. The event is at Lewinsville Park from 11:00AM-5:00PM. Our campaign has a booth, and we need your help staffing it throughout the day, passing out literature, working our "balloon assembly line, and more! If you are available to help out, please click here to fill out the McLean Day volunteer form.

Volunteer at the Warrenton Spring Festival!
Also on Saturday, May 15th, the Fauquier County Democratic Committee will be hosting a booth at the annual Warrenton Spring Festival. The festival takes place on Main Street in Warrenton, and goes all day, from 9:00AM-4:00PM. If you are in or around Fauquier County on Saturday and want to help out, email Lenore Plissner at lhplis@earthlink.net.


I hope that you will be able to join us at one of these events. If you have any questions, you can email me at cm@jeffbarnettforcongress.com.

-Marc

My mom is an inspiration

My Mom is an Inspiration from Center for Reproductive Rights on Vimeo.

ht Feministe where a transcript is also available.

My parents, and especially my mom, talked to me about feminism, reproductive rights, and where to go to get more information from when I was a pre-teen.

I'm going to make sure my son knows this stuff too. I've given him the copy of "How Babies Are Made" that I had when I was a kid. And I'm going to get him "Where Did I Come From?"

We've already talked about a lot of what those books contain, but it's always a good idea to have sensible, fun, factual books on hand!

One thing I've also talked to him about is that, like the truth about The Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus, not every kid is in the know. If other kids ask, tell them to ask their parents - because their parents will want to be the ones to have that conversation. Goodness knows, I don't want to be the one whose kid spilled the beans. On the other hand, I want my kid to have the facts. When it comes to the truth about procreation, ignorance is not bliss.

We have a majority, we need to act to keep it

In the last two years, while Congress has gotten an enormous amount done, they have not addressed:

• Immigration reform
• DADT and DOMA
• The racial disparities inherent in our nation's drug laws.

On the other hand, in the health care bill they:

• Attacked reproductive freedom
• Did NOT give us single payer
• Gave away huge concessions to the Republicans who ended up not voting for the bill

So, what we've ended up with is:

• Pissed-off women
• A disappointed LGBT community
• A disappointed hispanic/latin@ community
• A disappointed and disproportionately disenfranchised black community.

Which could lead to:

• Poor turn-out of democrats to the polls.
• Because we're NOT fired up.
• We're NOT ready to go.

Democrats on the Hill, if you want to keep your majority, if you want to keep your jobs, then DO THE JOB WE ELECTED YOU TO DO.

Act upon your promises. Stop pretending the republicans will work with you. They won't.

Pull up your socks. Repeal DADT. Repeal DOMA. The world won't end, and the LGBT community will come out to vote.

Show intestinal fortitude. Allow anyone who lives in the United States for five years without incident to apply for citizenship - even if they weren't here legally to begin with. You will be rewarded with votes.

Bring fairness to our justice system. Equalize the drug laws. Re-enfranchise people who've served their sentences. Because, hello? VOTES.

And you'd better start thinking about this: reproductive freedom's not just about abortion, it's about the right to not be shackled during birth, the right to decide NOT to go on bedrest, the right to choose NOT to have a c-section, the right to choose. While pro-choice women won't be voting for the republicans any time soon, the Stupak amendment has made us not just disappointed but ANGRY. Why would a pro-choice woman vote for a dem? Because the republicans are worse? That's not a good enough reason anymore.

Democrats on the Hill - give us a reason to vote for you. Do your jobs. And crow about it.

Happy and Sad

Happy! Marty Martinez won in Leesburg. All the incumbents were reelected. Congratulations, Marty! I had a great time at the Brandon Park polling place!

Sad. Cesar Del Aguila didn't win in Herndon. I am very disappointed about that, but it looks like some good people won and that there is no longer a majority of teabaggers on that council.

Sad that turnout was low everywhere. Sad that Middleburg had 2 candidates on the ballot for 4 seats (two people got substantial write-in support) and an uncontested mayoral race. Sad that the mayoral race in Purcellville was uncontested (though there were 201 write-in votes and 155 undervotes - which could be write-ins without the "write-in" checkbox checked.)

Democracy takes work. It takes candidates contesting every seat. It takes a free press and it takes shoe leather. And it especially takes voters going out to the polls.

In Leesburg, 13% of voters turned out. A bit over 3,000 people decided how a town with over 24,000 registered voters will be run.

I just can't understand people not voting. I don't get it. The right to vote is something that women were chaining themselves to fences and starving themselves to death in prisons for less than 100 years ago. And people just throw it away. Just let others decide for them.

It makes me furious.

VOTE TODAY!!!!

Virginia town elections are TODAY! TUESDAY! MAY 4! Go vote!

Leesburg: Marty Martinez.
Herndon: Cesar Del Aguila.

I'll be working the Brandon Park polls at Loudoun County HS from 4 PM till closing. See you there!

Blogging Against Disablism Day was May 1st.

Go read the many myriad wonderful posts that were written about and against Disablism.

I was going to write about Oklahoma, but Cecily did it for me

Go read her post.

Now go read Mary Alice Carr's post on why allowing doctors to lie to their patients is bad law generally.

I summed up what Oklahoma's saying in a Tweet:

Shorter Oklahoma: If knowledge == less likely to abort then knowledge = good. If knowledge == more likely to abort then knowledge = bad.

Knowledge is power.

Women can be trusted to make the right choices for themselves.

"They raped her as she lay dying"

Read it.

Good news for Jeff Barnett!

The LCRC leadership seems to have gone heavily for the pro-developer and pro-religious-conservative factions rather than the moderate factions.

I hope that, along with Wolf's most recent record of voting against our area's interests, the now very visibly non-moderate LCRC will demonstrate why Jeff Barnett is such a good choice for our county.

Nevermind

On the same day that I put a link to a particular blog in my blogroll, the moderators of that blog, instead of just deleting a nasty comment aimed at them, escalated the fight in comments. Mean, disrespectful comments by commentors are facts of blog life. Moderators have the power to delete those comments. Not doing so is a choice. Retaliating by using personal, not publicly available, information is also a choice.

They are not choices I agree with. My blogroll has one less blog on it today.

Joe.My.God on The Man in the Orange Hat

Seems ED is getting attention everywhere. Not my doing this time!

Edited to add: The comments on both sites linked to above are pretty hateful, and most speculate about ED's sexuality, which is disrespectful and beside the point. I don't recommend reading them.

A Change to the Blogroll

Nevermind

Dispatches from a busy weekend

Saturday:

• I helped move the LCDC into new offices! Look for us now in the old Leesburg Today building on the corner of S. King and E. Market! It's an accessible space, with an elevator and a by-god accessible bathroom. I don't know when the Grand Opening will be, but the executive meeting a week from today will be held there (I am the only member of the Loudoun or VA CSBs on LCDC's Exec. committee).

Sunday:

• Had a lovely b'fast at Joe's Cafe on West Church. They serve terrific (and plentiful!) food at reasonable prices. Open for b'fast and lunch 7 days. Go give them a look-see. This is not a paid endorsement, I am simply a very happy customer.


• Went to the Earth Day celebration at Clyde's Willowcreek Farm. Saw Erica Garman, Tammi Marcoulier, Oya Simpson, and many, many other friends. It was a fabulous festival and I already can't wait for next year!


• Finally, went to a fund-raiser for Marty Martinez in Leesburg. Lots of excitement! And had fun playing with one of the world's sweetest two-year-olds. Turns out, I've got the same phone as her papa. Our son had fun playing with the other kids who were there.

In between and after, our family had a blast together. We admired our garden. Our son kicked our butts at Uno. We read books, told jokes, paid bills, and just enjoyed spending time as a family both at home and at events.

Adjectives

Do you have a race?
A gender?
A sexual orientation?
A gender identity?
An abled status?
A religion?

When you watch people of your gender play sports in a professional league, is the league's name preceded by an adjective specifying the gender playing that sport?

When you read a story describing someone of your race, does the writer mention hair color first or skin color?

In this country, the generic person is a white man who is straight, identifies as male, and has no disabilities.

This generic person represents fewer than 22% of people in the US. But it is he who is considered typical for medical purposes. He who is considered typical for advertising purposes, he who is considered typical for manufacturing purposes, he who is considered typical for writers of all stripes (including me).

So, an exercise for the reader (h/t my Small Group Communications Professor): Describe yourself using 20 sentences beginning with the words, "I am".

I'll start.

I am a woman
I am white
I am Jewish
I am straight
I am happy identifying as a woman
I am not currently disabled
I am a mother
I am a wife
I am a daughter
I am a sister
I am a (recent) college graduate
I am a reader
I am a blogger
I am a knitter
I am a Democrat
I am a member of several boards
I am a grand-daughter
I am a cousin
I am a niece
I am a friend

Your turn!