I've just come back from a great meetup in San Diego -- TC's very own Ambrosius came into town for family stuff, and so busy-bee organizer OrangeClouds115 spirited him (and us!) away for an evening of lovely gossip and Bush-bashing.
oculus, asimbagirl, San Diego Dem, Ambrosius, (another lady and I've forgotten her dKos name! ACK!), and your humble diarist met up at Terra for dinner. I told OC to ignore what was ordered at the other side of the table and had one of the best steaks I've ever eaten. Big words from a Wisconsin Girl!
virgomusic and her fiance joined us later at the aptly-named Extraordinary Desserts. This is a tiny storefront that just does desserts, coffee, and tea. I'm sure OrangeClouds will describe the reaction Ambrosius and I had when we finally 'rounded the corner and saw the dessert case in comments -- "shock and awe" would aptly describe it, but she tells it better. White chocolate caramel macadamia nut cheesecake, a sinful fruit cobbler, a chocolate cake of death, and chocolate mousse eventually made it to the table and consumed with gusto and happy groans.
Afterwards a smaller group camped out at kriser's place with single malt scotch, gin (of course!), and beer, and good conversation.
It was a lovely night. A big shout-out to OrangeClouds for arranging it! And to everyone who was able to come; I enjoyed meeting all of you tremendously.
A comment I overheard last night, and the theme of tonight's diary (and I'm paraphrasing, but this was the gist of it):
One thing I really like about Daily Kos -- no matter where I travel, I know that I have a friend in every town
Blogs are communities, and Daily Kos is ours -- our "home away from home", with the family we choose and friends to whom we can bitch about the wingnut boss or idiot neocon policy. We alert the group to items of interest, organize action, teach, inform.
As with all groups distinct personalities emerge. Creating a community through the impersonal medium of the internet can be trying at times; we have people filling traditional familial roles, we have familiar dysfunctions, we fight, we make up, we celebrate common achievements. And as with any family cliques form, cliques break up, flamewars erupt and die down again. And we get on with the goal of good government.
We're ultimately part of the same family, no matter our disagreements on single issues or the methods by which we achieve common goals. We forget that sometimes. Personal overcomes political, and we start working against each other, rather than fighting the Repugs and their insane policies.
...and it's a long way to 2008. It's time to focus.
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I like the idea of meet ups as a start. This was my third (OrangeClouds being the first, on Christmas Day 2006; the second clammyc's recent Los Angeles trip). I've been fortunate in meeting with a lot of people whose work I admire, and who I can now call friend. I expect my own activism will become greater as a result, and this is all to the good.
Bringing online relationships into the meat world should be the next logical step for us -- using the blog as a springboard for organizing and action.
So for tonight, tell us about meet ups you've had (or barring that, would like to have) -- Yearly Kos included! Is there anyone you'd like to have a beer with? Who's on your fantasy dKos panel and what's the subject? This and the usual silliness to commence in the comments, below.
Tonight it's all about the community. As always, in Top Comments.
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From the topcomments at gmail dot com inbox:
madgranny sends the following:
I suggest this comment for the stunning article Hiroprotag links to in Eric Massa's Billions wasted, lost in Iraq
From emeraldmaiden:
From my WAYWO diary, monkeybiz shares some great news!.
From teacherken
From my diary NCLB as an example of fundamentalism, this comment, "As usual TK, I saw your name and" from Jjc2006
From blueyedace2 (I think)
I'd like to recommend this one from Dump Terry McAuliffe
I still think Dean would've beat Dumbya.
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And my own finds:
Leslie H on helping mothers to find their voice
Lynwaz has all you ever need to know about Nader.
In what may be the shortest diary to ever hit the rec list]:
I has this [brief editor's note
rb608 on a seemingly fearful approach to presenting facts
DallasDoc chimes into nyceve's latest diary on Health Credit Cards: it's a marketing ploy
Orwell1984 brings us this report from the front lines of Alt-Ed in skralyx' Teachers sounding the alarm: Will anyone listen?
mr. panicbean makes a funny
Gooserock has this interesting insight into the rise of fundamentalism
Blackstar has a disquieting warning on the importance of emergency preparedness. Good comments and tips in the conversation that follows and throughout the diary.
This is a long thread, but worth the read: from possum's Words have Suitcases, starting with possum's comment here and the following, regarding the war between the sexes. (h/t to Cronesense who also recommended this diary!)
ilona speaks up in righteousbabe's triumphant return to the rec list, about her experiences with the handicapped
DallasDoc again, this time on shifting the blame.
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And your Top Comments by mojo, brought to you by first-time mojo compiler cskendrick! Show him some love in the comments!
With Jars:
1 - The next question that needs research . . .…..nyceve…..152
2 - shit…..righteousbabe…..147
3 - :)…..kestrel9000…..145
4 - I am just flat disgusted by it all…..testvet6778…..111
5 - Tip Jar - February 18…..Jerome a Paris…..110
6 - maybe I am off base here…..clammyc…..98
7 - I can see where she's coming from…..georgia10…..89
8 - here i am!…..buhdydharma…..81
9 - And…..AnonymousArmy…..80
10 - NYCeve, I read the story in the Times, and I…..blue jersey mom…..65
11 - Tip Jar...…..ptmflbcs…..57
12 - Tip Jar…..Big Tent Democrat…..55
13 - Burrrrr…..Blue South…..54
14 - already diaried. please delete n/t…..Dion…..53
15 - And Clark's testimony:…..Compound F…..53
16 - Tips…..Thomas Kalinowski…..51
17 - Rudy "The Vulture" Guiliani n/t…..daulton…..50
18 - This Diary Violates DKos Primary Norms…..DHinMI…..49
19 - He doesn't get off the hook.…..Compound F…..47
20 - No, she should be clear on why she misled…..skywriter…..45
21 - Tips?…..TomP…..45
22 - blue jersey mom, There is nothing wrong with…..rontripp…..44
23 - Tips?…..skralyx…..40
24 - If I Knew Then...…..AaronBa…..40
25 - Tonight's Resource…..pastordan…..38
26 - Wow...did you get lost on the way to FreeR?…..Diaries…..37
27 - Just when you think you've heard it all…..murphy…..37
28 - Tips…..proudprogressiveCA…..36
29 - Concession…..bink…..35
30 - Daily Kos is not doing the work of the right wing…..calipygian…..35
Without:
1 - I can see where she's coming from…..georgia10…..89
2 - And…..AnonymousArmy…..80
3 - NYCeve, I read the story in the Times, and I…..blue jersey mom…..65
4 - already diaried. please delete n/t…..Dion…..53
5 - And Clark's testimony:…..Compound F…..53
6 - This Diary Violates DKos Primary Norms…..DHinMI…..49
7 - He doesn't get off the hook.…..Compound F…..47
8 - No, she should be clear on why she misled…..skywriter…..45
9 - blue jersey mom, There is nothing wrong with…..rontripp…..44
10 - If I Knew Then...…..AaronBa…..40
11 - Just when you think you've heard it all…..murphy…..37
12 - Concession…..bink…..35
13 - Thanks for this…..ohcanada…..35
14 - Daily Kos is not doing the work of the right wing…..calipygian…..35
15 - What a fitting name…..Grannus…..34
16 - And monkey's are flying out of my butt.…..bonddad…..34
17 - Damn...…..sheddhead…..34
18 - Here's the link to Democracy Now's Story on this…..uniongal…..32
19 - Our current....…..Eric Massa…..32
20 - room for one more?…..PhillyGal…..31
21 - Barbara Lee knew, why not Hillary?…..7November…..30
22 - Prayers for my brother-in-law, please…..mrhelper…..30
23 - I wrote this after I read the WAPO story…..testvet6778…..29
24 - "she stated in her floor speech...…..Canadian Reader…..29
25 - She threw down the gauntlet to the netroots…..Dump Terry McAuliffe…..29
26 - Good catch!…..matt n nyc…..28
27 - Why did Clinton vote for the war?…..Dallasdoc…..28
28 - bjm, this is such an important point. . .…..nyceve…..28
29 - co-founder of the DLC, former board member…..vome minnesota…..28
30 - re…..cookiesandmilk…..27
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If you'd like to submit comments for inclusion in the diary, drop us a line with the link to topcomments at gmail dot com. Remember to include you Daily Kos UID so we can credit you for the find!