A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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Were you given a nickname as a kid? Did you love it or hate it?
How did you earn it, and how long did it follow you around?
Does anyone else in your life still call you by it?
I hereby do solemnly swear that if you reveal an embarrassing nickname I will never tease you about it in the future.
My given name doesn't easily lend itself to nicknames, so I didn't have to deal with endless abbreviations or diminutives while growing up. For a brief while I was called
Sputnik as a result of taking my first steps the day the world's first satellite was launched. But my second nickname that lasted a great deal longer was given by my older brother Richard, who'd been called a Dick for years (or, arguably even worse, Dickie-bird) and knew the consequences of nicknames.
I was a Twiggy-thin 13 year old, having just shot up to 5'8" without gaining any weight or undergoing the slightest adolescent "development." Junior high school boys had taken to calling me Pirate's Dream (sunken chest) or Carpenter's Dream (flat as a board).
Richard, who was eight years older, had gone through a similar growth spurt, suddenly shooting up to 6'4" one summer with the consequence of passing out a few times while his blood figured out how to make the climb to his suddenly distant brain before hypoxia took him out. When I confided my embarrassing new nicknames to him while we played ping pong in the apartment building's Rec room, he said I wasn't skinny, I was slinky. From then on he called me Slink, well after I outgrew my toothpick legs and string bean arms.
There are so many things you miss about a sibling once they've walked on, and one of the things I miss most about Richard is picking up the phone and hearing his cheerful, "Hey, Slink! What's up!"
BTW: Since I currently don't have a nickname I checked the Nickname Generator and was given the nickname of.....SPANKY.
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Friday, March 21st
Dallas Kossacks Inaugural Meet-up
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Cafe Brazil
2071 N. Central Expressway • Richardson
ORGANIZER: Send AndyT a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. AndyT
2. Lava20
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Dallas Area Kossacks Meet Up Tomorrow Night!
Saturday, March 22nd
Motor City Kossacks Welcome Dave in Northridge to Town
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: the Golden Fleece
525 Monroe (Greektown) • Downtown Detroit
ORGANIZER: Send peregrine kate a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. peregrine kate
2. Dave in Northridge
3. provokingmeaning
4. ICanDoThis
5. Mr. ICanDoThis
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Maybees:
ChemBob
Amber6541
Amber6541's sister
DoReMI
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Latest diary: We Have Our Venue: Motor City Kossacks, Sat 3/22, 6PM, Golden Fleece (Greektown, Detroit)
Monday, March 24th
NYC Kossacks Welcome Chaucounne!
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Donburiya
137 East 47th Street (Lex-3rd) • NYC
ORGANIZER: Send sidnora a kosmail to RSVP
RSVPs:
1. sidnora
2. Chaucounne
3. thankgodforairamerica
4.
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Maybees:
Avilyn
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Latest diary: NEW EVENT: NYC Meetup 3/24– Dinner with Chacounne!
Saturday, March 29th
Houston Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Fadi's Mediterranean Grill
4738 Beechnut Street • Houston
ORGANIZER: Send Chrislove a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Chrislove
2. htowngenie
3. Libby Shaw
4. MarciaJ720
5. Bree Davis
6. krwheaton
7. Mary (Honorary Kossack)
8. Alan (Honorary Kossack) |
Maybees:
Mr. Libby Shaw
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Latest diary: Houston Area Kossacks: Meet-Up Scheduled for Saturday, March 29 (plus a note on future meet-ups)
Saturday, April 5th
Baja Arizona Kossacks 4th Annual Picnic
TIME: 4:00 PM
LOCATION: Home of Mr. & Mrs. sneakers563
Address by Kosmail to RSVPers • Tucson
ORGANIZER: Send Azazello a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Azazello
2. sneakers563
3. rasbobbo
4. DaNang65
5. ItsaMathJoke
6. Itzadryheat
7. pwoodford
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Maybees:
cosmic debris
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Latest diary: Baja Arizona Kossacks Open Thread
Saturday, April 5th
Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon - 3:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant
1201 First Avenue South • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send EagleOfFreedom a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. EagleOfFreedom
2. Reetz
3. John Crapper
4. John Crapper's S.O.
5. WisePiper
6. bleeding blue
7. mlharges
8.
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Maybees:
Ojibwa
otto
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Latest diary: Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks April Meeting
Saturday, May 3rd
DKos Asheville Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: The Bywater
796 Riverside Dr. • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Joieau
4. Gordon20024
5. SteelerGrrl
6. SteelerGuy
7. GulfGal 98
8. Otteray Scribe
9. flwrightman
10. people power granny
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Maybees:
Audri
Mr Audri
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Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Tuesday, May 13th
SFKossacks Roll Out the Red Carpet for LeftOfYou & Expat Okie
TIME: 11:00 AM, Early lunch!
LOCATION: Yank Sing
Rincon Center, 101 Spear St. • San Francisco
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. navajo
2. LeftOfYou
3. Expat Okie
4. side pocket
5. Justice Putnam
6. dharmasyd
7. Lorikeet
8. jpmassar
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Maybees:
annieli
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navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.