Tuesday: A day to: stay calmer and support Ukraine.
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group gives Kossacks a safe place to check in, a daily diary where we
can let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, earthquakes, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It also allows us to find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, earthquakes etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
IAN is a great group to join, and a good place to learn to write diaries. Drop one of us a Kosmail and ask to be added to the Itzl Alert Network anytime! We all share the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone who reads IAN to write diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news!
We do have a diary schedule. But, when you are ready to write that diary, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMOM a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FloridaSNMOM is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
Monday: Youffraita
Tuesday: ejoanna
Wednesday: Pam from Calif
Thursday: art ah zen
Friday: FloridaSNMOM
Saturday: FloridaSNDad
Sunday: loggersbrat
I don’t have anything profound to say about the war of atrocities that the Russian President is raining down on the nation of Ukraine. It is heartbreaking.
Of course I am a news junkie and for the last 2 weeks have watched hours of reporting on the war, with growing horror and dismay.
Trying to cut back a bit on the TV cable news watching. Do something constructive. The ej family has donated a larger-than-our-average sum to 2 very trusted international relief agencies, for Ukrainian relief. One of these is an organization I have been devoted to for years. (“First in, Last out.”) That would be UMCOR. The other is World Central Kitchen, the magnificent organization run by one of the true saints, Chef José Andrés.
Allow me to share a brief blurb from his WCK.org website:
Chef José Andrés, born and trained in Spain, moved to the US at age 21. He soon settled in Washington, DC, and began volunteering at DC Central Kitchen, where he started to think big about philanthropy. Over the course of his career as a chef and restaurateur, he saw the role of cooks – and the power of food – to change the world. This path inspired José to found World Central Kitchen in 2010 after a devastating earthquake in Haiti, with the support of his wife Patricia, as well as his business partner Rob Wilder and his wife Robin. Since then, he’s pursued a mission to fulfill the words of John Steinbeck: “Wherever there’s a fight so that hungry people may eat … we’ll be there.”
Mr. ej and I stretched our budget for this larger donation—and feel no hesitation. Later, I hope we have other opportunities to so donate.
Freaking out about this world crisis is not going to help. But I have the sudden onset of some fears I thought well-buried: for example, the fear of nuclear war, first foisted upon my generation as children. (Even as a child I knew that damn elementary school desk wasn’t going to save me—or anyone.)
How can this nightmare be happening?
So, a deep breath and then it hit me. Something. . . something. . . something. . .
Ukrainian cats! I see families fleeing for their lives, often with scared pets. More heartbreak!
We (all) who love our pets know that the “just pets” argument is B-S. Our furries have to come to safety with us. Have to.
So I guess I’m rounding up my IAN friends and visitors to, PLEASE!!, share some coping techniques with good, ol’ ej. ‘Cause I want us all to be in this struggle to help Ukraine—and ALL democracies—as long as it takes.
And for the little pets, too.