As this is my first Christmas as a Kossack and the first Christmas for Top Comments, I thought I would tell you about a Christmas gift-giving tradition we have had in our family and how I relates to how I go about being a comment miner
Muchos Paquetes means 'many little packages' and my husband (born and raised in Argentina) brought this tradition into our lives over forty years ago. He explained that when he was growing up he received one big present and muchos paquetes. As our early years were very frugal due to young married life with children, this seemed like a very practical way to go about gift giving with our children. It was never very hard to figure out the one big present, the challenge was in being clever with the muchos paquetes. They couldn't be just any inexpensive thing, but rather had to be relevant to the recipient interests or at the very least highly amusing as they grew older.
Comment mining is much the same. I go searching through the big presents - diaries - to find the mucho paquetes - comments - to bring back here. Much like shopping, my mood and the availing diaries play a great part in my selections. I have no clever tricks, I just read diaries and wander up and down the threads reading comment after comment.
Sometimes excellent comments don't get chosen for a number of reasons. Number one reason is because I might not have ever seen them! So many comments, so little time. (This is also why we encourage you to send in or bring to this diary comments you find.) Other times I have to leave one behind because it doesn't stand alone in such a manner to make sense without reading the diary. I am always sorry to leave those types of comments behind as they are, at times, very well written. But without reading the diary they just don't make enough sense.
The length of the comment never sways my choice. Long, short, in between, if it makes a good or clarifying point I wrap it up to give to you.
Snark is wonderful when clever and like rich spices, needs a careful hand. I love it when I see those elements come together. I especially love it when a whole group builds on a theme sparking each other's creativity with language. Those threads are like garland around a tree, gaily draping from one branch to another.
Rants, too, can be deft microcosms of mood and place. Cathartic in mode, they can render a sharp edge to an event or opinion. Sometimes it is easier to focus those cathartic feelings in a comment rather than to sustain them for an entire diary. The rants are important for mental health as all those feelings evoked have to go somewhere. These selections are highly subjective, but when I find a good one that resonates with me, I become an impulse buyer.
Compassion speaks to me and I like to bring the thoughtful and caring words of many kossacks into the room. Emotional support and virtual hand holding go on at all times of the years here at Dkos. Questions get answered, advice given, hugs shared, minds opened, backs patted, accomplishments celebrated, births rejoiced, deaths lamented, all that and more while we explore and debate the issues confronting this country. I always like to have a helping of those kind of comments as they show the better parts of our human nature. I often am pleased that there are so many of these types of comments to chose from on any given day.
Political action comments with good suggestions and links are golden for the energy they can bring to an issue. I quickly toss those into my shopping basket.
So lets see what I found for you to unwrap this day. The quantity may have been light, but I can assure you, the quality today was very rewarding!
I did bring you one more present to unwrap and have fun with here tonight. My Tip Jar comment will have a link I hope you will all try out and bring the results back to share. I made my own list and we can compare the results.
Diary: My Christmas Wish for You: May Your Dog Talk
By: Melody Townsel
emmasnacker with a picture and a sweet story of her dog, Grace.
cskendrick on the ways the K clan celebrates and his clever Christmasaurus Tree.
Lahdee's birds had their own PARTAY.
TXsharon on the lengths she went to to keep the 'magic' alive for her little ones.
bastrop tells more on creating magic for a little one.
Diary: Bush sends Christmas Greetings to Troops by Phone
By: Dood Abides
Avenging Angel lives up to handle with this comment.
paradox has no qualms about sharing thoughts in this rant
Snarcalita certainly snarks in this comment.
Patriot4Peace - need any help?
Diary: To All Those Who Have Felt Loss This Season
By: PatsBard
Nightprowlkitty gives much comfort with this comment.
edrie's touching remarks.
kck's heartbreak years ago left her heart open for three little girls.
whitewidow brings a beautiful Native American Prayer of finding balance.
Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse speaks of the 'alternate universe' of grief.
Diary: The huge lie that is the "short term surge"
By: clammyc
Dont Just Stand There on finding someone to blame and Bush's smug ego.
CanYouBeAngryAndStillDream's brevity sums up Bushco.
khyber900 has some excellent suggestions for incoming Dems.
wyvern on the latest egregious wingnut/neocon talking point.
Front Page: Open Thread
JohnB47 gets his 'thank you' notes done quickly.
Fred in Vermont brings news and analysis regarding the other side of the globe.
OneCrankyDom brings some party favors and tats.
Superpole has a genuine WTF moment.
DrBathroom..... just because.
Front Page: Midday Open Thread
By: MissLaura
upperleftedge on Hurricanes and Hippies.
R2 is a little confused by Faux news.
pontificator serves up the real reason 43 won't consult to 41 via Faux news.
Lemonsquare reports from NOLA.
A couple of submissions from BeninSC who is also providing Top Mojo tonight for you viewing pleasure. Thank you Ben!
Comment 1
Comment 2
From nonnie's current diary on the rec list
Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments and C&J comments:
1 Dear PatsBard........ --- Cronesense - 75
2 When losing a loved one ... --- Nightprowlkitty - 59
3 peace --- whitewidow - 57
4 Merry Christmas from Baghdad --- alhoo - 47
5 But had Vietnam --- tiggers thotful spot - 47
6 Your beautiful story made me cry. --- TXsharon - 45
7 Thanks .. --- zeke7237 - 45
8 Santa'snot just for humans..... --- PatsBard - 44
9 My little toady --- joejoejoe - 44
10 Yesterday was the third anniversary --- paddykraska - 43
11 Merry Christmas Everyone --- Debbie in ME - 42
12 Would that be this press conference...? --- Dood Abides - 42
13 My oldest brother and sister died on Sept 19th --- PatsBard - 41
14 . --- bumblebums - 39
15 this one helps me sometimes --- whitewidow - 39
16 Tax the rich --- Jon Stafford - 39
17 Good morning Andy --- Eddie C - 38
18 at a 9 trillion dollar deficit what else did any --- testvet6778 - 37
19 Thanks patsbard. My family had a rough year. --- semiot - 37
20 PB, I don't know the circumstances of your loss --- St Louis Woman - 37
21 A little joke --- Sprinkles - 37
22 My Christmas wish is now to see --- Crashing Vor - 36
23 Dies Natalis Solis Invicti --- teeb - 36
24 let's call it what it is "escalation" 1968 --- testvet6778 - 36
25 And to you, PatsBard --- bumblebums - 35
26 Super poem, Cronesense! --- BeninSC - 34
27 My loss took place several years ago --- SisTwo - 34
28 Peace and love to you, PatsBard! --- BeninSC - 33
29 . --- melvin - 33
30 Merry Christmas morning Melody. --- emmasnacker - 32
Top Mojo - everything included:
1 Happy holidays to you all, wherever and... --- Melody Townsel - 166
2 and on an unrelated note...... --- clammyc - 133
3 Merry Christmas everybody! Bring them home now! --- Dood Abides - 128
4 Just a small diary today to share a few thoughts --- PatsBard - 116
5 Tips for the younguns? --- One Pissed Off Liberal - 92
6 Ike's diary was the only one on it that I saw. --- GreyHawk - 80
7 Dear PatsBard........ --- Cronesense - 75
8 May he rest in peace. He was an innovator --- glazeone - 64
9 When losing a loved one ... --- Nightprowlkitty - 59
10 peace --- whitewidow - 57
11 Tip jar --- AAbshier - 57
12 And one more thing . . . --- nyceve - 51
13 Merry Christmas from Baghdad --- alhoo - 47
14 But had Vietnam --- tiggers thotful spot - 47
15 Tip Jar --- BeninSC - 46
16 Thanks .. --- zeke7237 - 45
17 Your beautiful story made me cry. --- TXsharon - 45
18 My little toady --- joejoejoe - 44
19 Santa'snot just for humans..... --- PatsBard - 44
20 Who would plan a war over the season of peace? --- kidneystones - 43
21 Yesterday was the third anniversary --- paddykraska - 43
22 Would that be this press conference...? --- Dood Abides - 42
23 Merry Christmas Everyone --- Debbie in ME - 42
24 My oldest brother and sister died on Sept 19th --- PatsBard - 41
25 Tax the rich --- Jon Stafford - 39
26 . --- bumblebums - 39
27 this one helps me sometimes --- whitewidow - 39
28 Tips? Drinks? Errors? --- blksista - 38
29 Good morning Andy --- Eddie C - 38
30 at a 9 trillion dollar deficit what else did any --- testvet6778 - 37