Like most everyone else here on Daily Kos, it was a relief when I joined. I wasn't alone any more! In my case, it was at the heart of the Katrina cataclysm—September 1, 2005. I'm grateful DK's been here all these years - more on that below the fold. As a small measure of thanks, I'm contributing this diary for the ongoing subscription drive.
The last few weeks, I've not spent much time here. I've gone along with Hobbs, who's been touring to play Christmas music. Only got done day before yesterday. I want to share something magical that happened that night. This is Ashley, who's got a horrible incurable respiratory affliction that qualified her for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
I took the picture at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, legendary historical home of the Grand Ole Opry, also referred to as the Mother Church of country music. It was sold out on Wednesday night for the homecoming final night of the tour. And Make-A-Wish brought 20 or so kids for a special afternoon show, complete with a visit from Santa. And a few of the kids got on the stage. It was deeply moving.
Three, including this girl, were introduced to the stage during the public concert. The song (same band, from last year, so-so quality shot from the audience):
I think there wasn't a dry eye in the house, including the band. She danced like there was no tomorrow, inspired by some fire that touched and illuminated everyone who was fortunate enough to witness it. The audience loved her, and she responded in kind. The take home message: No matter what may be coming tomorrow, if you have the chance to dance today, give it all you've got!
It inspired me such that there really wasn't anything else I could talk about in this diary, the purpose of which is to encourage the Daily Kos subscription drive. I've been at the receiving end of gifts here. I received a gift subscription awhile back. I appreciate being able to skip the ads. And I'm really looking forward to being able to upload pictures here, too, when that new feature for subscribers comes in.
Even before that, I was lucky enough to get picked for a "scholarship" to attend Yearly Kos (precursor to Netroots Nation) in 2007. It made a big difference in my life.
Back in the 1990s, I'd been involved in a grassroots organizing effort to fight off a massive new pit mine in our local area. In a decidedly non-trivial effort, we won. (At least for a generation or so, until it comes back around again.) So when Richard Pombo, a trusted lieutenant of Tom Delay, moved to make a massive public lands giveaway, it caught my attention and I took up the cause here on Daily Kos. The 1872 Mining Act is already a giveaway, but he found some ways to weaken it even more. A massive nationwide groundswell turned that around.
And I joined the effort to replace him in the House. That, too, succeeded—against big odds. Many others joined in, including kid oakland. When he launched the Yearly Kos scholarship program (since taken up institutionally by DFA who really ought to give him more credit) he offered me a spot. Like I said, it changed things.
My circumstances are different now, and I can afford to give some back. When I heard, earlier this year, that lifetime subscriptions were going to get phased out, I helped Hobbs pick a couple of users to make anonymous gifts to. (Whoops! Not quite so anonymous any more ...) I want to do one of my own now.
Since I've been so busy offline, I've not been paying attention to this drive. It's not too late, of course, since we have till the end of the year. So, I'm using this diary to figure out someone to give my own donation to. (And to encourage anyone else who's not tuned in yet to do the same.)
I got a tip that Yasuragi's diary this morning about the subscription drive has good basic information, so I'm gonna lift some of the template from there. Yasuragi credits jayden for this (I'm sure it needs updating, which I'll be glad to do as updated information comes in).
GIFTED LIFETIME SUBSCRIPTIONS
2thanks ▪ 3goldens ▪ a gilas girl ▪ aaraujo ▪ Abe Frohman ▪ Abra Crabcakeya ▪ Actbriniel ▪ Agathena ▪ Ahiannie ▪ Aji ▪ Alexandra Lynch ▪ Alfonso Nevarez ▪ allergywoman ▪ Amor Y Risa ▪ angelajean ▪ anotherdemocrat ▪ Anton Bursch ▪ AoT ▪ arizonablue ▪ Armando ▪ asterkitty ▪ Auntie Neo Kwan ▪ Avenging Angel ▪
beach babe in fl ▪ begone ▪ BentLiberal ▪ betson08 ▪ bevomav ▪ Bionic ▪ blue aadvark ▪ blue jersey mom ▪ bkamr ▪ blueoregon ▪ boatsie ▪ Bob Johnson ▪ Bob Love ▪ Bob Sloan ▪ BOHICA ▪ boran2 ▪ Brit ▪ Brooke in Seattle ▪ Brubs ▪ BruinKid ▪ buddabelly ▪ bumblebums ▪ Burned ▪
cacamp ▪ CalNM ▪ CanyonWren ▪ carolanne ▪ Carolita ▪ catilinus ▪ CayceP ▪ cfk ▪ Chacounne ▪ Charles CurtisStanley ▪ Charlotte Lucas▪ chaunceydevega ▪ ChemBob ▪ chicago minx ▪ Christian Dem in NC ▪ CityLightsLover ▪ CodeTalker ▪ Colorado is the Shiznit ▪ commonmass ▪ cosmic debris ▪ Crashing Vor ▪ CuriousBoston ▪
D Wreck ▪ dakinishir ▪ DaNang65 ▪ Davidsfr ▪ Dave in Northridge ▪ DavidW ▪ DawnN ▪ dclawyer06 ▪ DSC on the Plateau ▪ Debbie in ME ▪ Debby ▪ Debs2 ▪ Deep Harm ▪ Democrats Ramshield ▪ denig ▪ desertguy ▪ Digby ▪ Diogenes2008 ▪ dirkster42 ▪ dopper0189 ▪ Dreaming of Better Days ▪ Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN ▪ DrLori ▪ DruidQueen ▪ DSC on the Plateau
earicicle ▪ Ebby ▪ Eddie C ▪ Ed in Montana ▪ edrie ▪ edwardssl ▪ eej ▪ Eileen B ▪ Ellid ▪ Ellinorianne ▪ emeraldmaiden ▪ ericlewis0 ▪ edwardss1 ▪ escapee ▪ exlrrp
farmerchuck ▪ FarWestGirl ▪ ferment ▪ figbash ▪ FindingMyVoice ▪ FishOutofWater ▪ flumptytail ▪ FogCityJohn ▪ Frederick Clarkson ▪ FrugalGranny ▪
Gary Norton ▪ gchaucer2 ▪ Geenius at Wrok ▪ GenXangster ▪ ginmar ▪ gizmo59 ▪ glendaw271 ▪ glorificus ▪ Gooserock ▪ Got a Grip ▪ GreyHawk ▪ grog ▪ Groucho Marxist ▪ GrumpyOldGeek ▪ gulfgal98 ▪
Haole in Hawaii ▪ HCKAD ▪ high uintas ▪ holerock ▪ homogenius ▪ Hoosier Deb ▪ Horace Boothroyd III ▪ horsefeathers ▪ HoundDog ▪ icebergslim ▪ ilyana ▪ inclusiveheart ▪ indiemcemopants ▪
JaxDem ▪ jayden ▪ JekyllnHyde ▪ jennifer poole ▪ JesseCW ▪ jessical ▪ jimstaro ▪ jlms qkw ▪ JML9999 ▪ Joes Steven ▪ JoanMar ▪ Joieau ▪ jwinIL14 ▪
KAMuston ▪ Karl Rover ▪ kayakbiker ▪ kefauver ▪ Keith930 ▪ KelleyRN2 ▪ KenBee ▪ KibbutzAmiad ▪ Kid Oakland ▪ Killer of Sacred Cows ▪ kimoconnor ▪ kirbybruno ▪ Kitty ▪ kjoftherock ▪ klompendanser ▪ Knucklehead ▪ kovie ▪ KVoimakas ▪ kyril ▪ labwitchy ▪
Lady Libertine ▪ ladypockt ▪ Ladywithafan ▪ LaEscapee ▪ Lamont Cranston ▪ Laughing Planet ▪ Leftcandid ▪ Lefty Coaster ▪ Leftynyc ▪ Lensy ▪ Liberal Granny ▪ Lightbulb ▪ Limelite ▪ llbear ▪ loggersbrat ▪ Lorinda Pike ▪ Louisiana 1976 ▪ luckylizard ▪
M E C ▪ MA Liberal ▪ maggiejean ▪ Magnifico ▪ mahakali overdrive ▪ mallyroyal ▪ mapamp ▪ marigold ▪ Mark Fiore ▪ matching mole ▪ Matt Z ▪ maybeeso in michigan ▪ mayrose ▪ mjbleo ▪ mcmom ▪ mdmslle ▪ Melissa J ▪ Merry Light ▪ michelewln ▪ MinistryOfTruth ▪ Miss Blue ▪ Missys Brother ▪ MKSinSA ▪ Mnemosyme ▪ mommyof3 ▪ Moody Loner ▪ Mortifyd ▪ Mother Mags ▪ mrsgoo ▪ ms badger ▪ MsGrin ▪ MsSpentyouth ▪ Muskegon Critic
Nanette K ▪ navajo ▪ Nchristine ▪ Neon Vincent ▪ noddy ▪ nonnie9999 ▪ NonnyO ▪ Noor B ▪ NormAl1792 ▪ notdarkyet ▪ noweasels ▪ Nova Land ▪ Nulwee ▪ nyceve ▪
observerinvancouver ▪ occams hatchet ▪ Ojibwa ▪ Otteray Scribe ▪ One Pissed Off Liberal ▪ Ozark Homesteader ▪
Pakalolo ▪ parryander ▪ Patric Juillet ▪ peagreen ▪ people power granny ▪ peraspera ▪ peregrine kate ▪ pico ▪ pittie70 ▪ poligirl ▪ priceman ▪ progdog ▪ Proud Mom and Grandma ▪ psfinla ▪ psychodrew ▪ quarkstomper ▪
racheltracks ▪ Radical def ▪ radical simplicity ▪ raina ▪ ramara ▪ Ray Radlein ▪ rebel ga ▪ remembrance ▪ Regina in a Sears Kit House ▪ renzo capetti ▪ revsue ▪ rexymeteorite ▪ Rich in PA ▪ Richard Cranium ▪ Rick B ▪ RLMiller ▪ roseeriter ▪ rserven ▪ rsmpdx ▪ rubyr ▪ ruleoflaw
Safina ▪ Sandy On Signal ▪ Sara R ▪ ScottyUrb ▪ scribe ▪ sdf ▪ Seneca Doane ▪ SensibleShoes ▪ shesaid ▪ Siri ▪ SisTwo ▪ slinkerwink ▪ slksfca ▪ snoopydawg ▪ Something the Dog Said ▪ soonergrunt ▪ Spirit of Life ▪ sricki ▪ srkp23 ▪ state of confusion ▪ Statusquomustgo ▪ StateofEuphoria ▪ Steven D ▪ Susan G in MN ▪ swampyankee ▪ SwedishJewfish ▪ Syoho
teacherken ▪ teej ▪ TexH ▪ TexMex ▪ TheFatLadySings ▪ theRoaringGirl ▪ the mom in the middle ▪ The Troubadour ▪ timewarp ▪ TomorrowsProgressives ▪ Tonyahky ▪ Tool ▪ Translator ▪ triciawyse ▪ triv33 ▪ twigg ▪ TX Scotia ▪
ulookarmless ▪ UnaSpenser ▪ Unitary Moonbat ▪ unspeakable ▪ ursoklevar ▪ vcmvo2 ▪ VeloVixen ▪ Vetwife ▪ victoria2dc ▪ voracious ▪
watercarrier4diogenes ▪ water willow ▪ wayoutinthestix ▪ weatherdude ▪ webranding ▪ welso ▪ whatGodmade ▪ wide eyed lib ▪ winglion ▪ Winter Rabbit ▪ woodtick ▪ Wu Ming
yella dawg ▪ Youffraita ▪ zaka1 ▪ ZenTrainer ▪ Zoskie ▪ Zwoof
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I'll work on updating these lists for whoever comes later in posting a diary this subscription blogathon. Meanwhile, do what you can. If you can't afford a full subscription (via jayden via Yasuragi):
You can also donate smaller amounts through the Small Donor Drive thoughtfully made possible by Nurse Kelley, Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN, and Onomastic. The donations collected through this drive will be pooled to randomly purchase lifetime subscriptions for those on the list. So far at least 15 Kossacks have been gifted with a lifetime subscription through the 'Small Donor Drive.' You can make a donation by going to paypal.com and selecting the 'send money' option on the left. Type in KelleyRN2@gmail.com as the destination. You will receive an e-mail notification that your donation was completed. When the lifetime subscription drive ends an anonymous donor has offered to pony up the remaining amount necessary to purchase one last subscription.
Meanwhile, thanks for all donations already made. And for the ones, like mine, from people who don't get around to Christmas gifts till the last minute. Consider this: A Daily Kos subscription is not only a gift for the recipient, but donors are eligible for e-books, too. And that upcoming picture upload feature too—looking forward to that!! And it supports the site and good projects Markos wants to do. Which helps the whole community. So it's good all the way round.
Funny thing, sometimes you do something for someone else, and you get more than you'd ever realize for yourself. Ashley's glorious moment of grace in the spotlight was certainly that kind of thing. In a different way, so is donating to the Daily Kos subscription drive.
Thank you for your consideration.
12:58 PM PT: OK, so I went through the Wish List and updated it. And looking at the names there, my gift subscription's going to exlrrp - one of the few that I know on that list (from years of participation in claude's Saturday Home Repair gathering.)