Let fury have the hour, anger can be power

You start wearing the blue and brown

You're working for the clampdown

So you got someone to boss around

It makes you feel big now

~~ “Clampdown” by The Clash

It’s been a weekend of extremes, as we watched what seems an obviously unconstitutional executive order issued by the Resident followed by spontaneous protests across the country.

Wow, that’s two weekends in a row! That’s gotta be a record, right? Well, I guess there IS something at which you excel!

The protests continue into this evening and I feel heartened by this response. The Yam seems to think that everyone loves him and loves what he is doing. I am pleased that so many of us are ready and willing to disabuse him of that notion.

I’m sure the Flamin’ Cheeto is absolutely fuming about the protests right now, especially because there is a significant one outside the White House. Hey, yobbo, look out the window! Surprise!

Now, I have no idea if this Twitter account is too legit to quit, but they have mentioned a couple of things that made it look like they really do have some inside info and are hearing things at their job. I cannot account for the veracity of this, so keep that in mind. However, after what we’ve seen this week, would you doubt it?

If this is true, I say…

BRING IT, MOTHERFUCKERS.

Here’s the deal. These are Americans exercising their constitutional rights to assemble peaceably. I read of no incidents or arrests at the Women’s March last weekend and only one incident this weekend when police had to use pepper spray on a handful of protesters. (I have no further knowledge of that incident so I cannot comment on whether or not it was justified.)

If you really want to see the shit hit the fan, mobilize the National Guard against Americans who are assembling peaceably. Have them bludgeon people, pepper spray them, hit them with water cannons. Please proceed, Governor.

Then you’ll see the true demonstration of power. That power lies not in your efforts to suppress the people of the United States. It lies not in your strong-arm tactics against all those who oppose you. It lies not in your pathetic attempts to be worshiped and adored by everyone, or your clumsy and obvious lies about the size of your crowds or your supposed standing ovations or your vote count or your non-existent mandate. Or the size of your hands, for that matter.

The true power lies in US, the people of the United States. Those of us whose families have been here for decades, if not centuries, and those who have just arrived on our shores, and everyone in between. WE THE PEOPLE will show you who holds the real power in this country.

Count on it.

(Aside: Please note that Mick Jones is wearing brothel creepers in this video!)

An Exercise in Futility

Now renegades are the people with their own philosophies

They change the course of history

Everyday people like you and me

We're the renegades we're the people

~~ “Renegades of Funk” by Rage Against The Machine

Tonight we went downtown to the county Democratic HQ for a meeting with the state Dem chair, John Zody.

The invitation said that it was designed to be a session in which to exchange ideas about how to proceed. I expected maybe a couple of dozen people and a chance to sit around and discuss ideas and strategies about how to strengthen the party and elect more Democrats locally, statewide, and nationally.

Instead, it was a packed house in the small DNC HQ building, bad enough that Ken and I had to ask people to not block the walkway to the door (we were standing against the wall) and try to get people to move through and find a place towards the back or wherever. I didn’t care, just don’t block the only point of egress, says Fire Marshall Beth!

Ostensibly, such a big turnout is not a bad thing. I was happy to see how many people cared enough to come out on a slightly snowy January evening. Unfortunately, it devolved into an airing of the grievances.

There was the young guy next to me who was pissed off that our Senator Joe Donnelly voted against the bill that would allow drugs from Canada to be sold here. I said it’s because we have the FDA and stringent regulations for a reason. (Did you hear about the miracle Hep C drug that is now causing liver damage? Yeah. That kind of thing.) There was the young woman who claimed that “young people” did all the work in the county in this last election. I think there were plenty of white-hairs in the audience who would dispute that claim.

There were a couple of people who said that everyone perceives us as “elitists” and that we have to be better about getting our message out there. Like we haven’t tried to do that! When right-wingers are getting all their news from ClusterFox, they are going to believe that we are “elitists.” We have to counter that with clear messaging. We do not have that yet.

There were Sanders supporters who were still pissed off about how they were treated. There were people who said that we need to forget social media and focus on meeting people face-to-face. There were people (like me—yes, I actually spoke up, and I don’t do that often in large gatherings!) who felt that social media is crucial, especially with what we are seeing with the gag rules and the “alt” government agency Twitter feeds that have cropped up in the past day. (Actually, I feel that we need both. It’s not an either/or proposition.) It got so bad that Ken finally said, “It is this kind of divisiveness that is hurting us.”

I realize that the majority of people were there because they are longtime Democrats and want to work to elect Democrats up and down the line. However, this was not a productive meeting. It reminded me of a lot of our lab meetings, where there was little focus and no one reining people in. It used to drive me NUTS when people would just be allowed to ramble and bitch about every damn thing that was bugging them. There is a time for such discussion, and that time is with your friends, or one-on-one with your supervisor. When you get a meeting together, the focus needs to be on identifying the problem(s) and coming up with ideas for the solution(s). To quote Sean Spicer, “PERIOD!”

It is not just our party that is facing an existential crisis. It is our COUNTRY, and our values as Americans and as human beings. The Yam is that crisis. I don’t want to hear whining about how your candidate didn’t get a fair shake. I don’t want to hear you bitch about how your Senator didn’t vote exactly the way you wanted him or her to vote. Grow the fuck up. No candidate is perfect and there will always be situations and votes on which we disagree. I have sent letters to both Democratic and Republican legislators about such things. You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes, you get what you need. And YES, sometimes you have to compromise!

It is time to put all these petty grievances aside and realize that we have a major threat to our country, our people, and to the world, and that threat is the current president. Get on board, dammit, or you are going to drown with the rest of the planet. No one is talking about blind allegiance to anyone or even to any party but for fuck’s sake, look at what is going on and realize that we need to unify behind the party that isn’t going to fuck over as many people as possible! Oh, you’re a Democratic Socialist? Well, fucking YAY FOR YOU. How is that working for you as we try to stop the Yam from doing damage to everyone who isn’t a white dude—and to the entire planet, for that matter? If he’s president for eight years, you probably won’t have to worry about your feelings, because you’ll be gasping for air on a dying planet.

Jesus.

We left a half an hour early.

As frustrating as this was, I can say that it left both me and Ken thinking about how we can get more involved. If nothing else, I’d love the opportunity to tell people to just stop all the nonsense and FOCUS.

Yes, there is a reason I wasn’t always popular in our lab meetings!

More Like Badasslands

I am a human being capable of doing terrible things

You people are mistaken if you think that I’m awake

And celebrating anything that I’ve become

~~ “Run” by AWOLNATION

We are four days into the Yamocracy and the level of bullshit is already becoming untenable.

We went from the Resident’s little temper tantrum about how the media is so unfair to him and misrepresented the size of his, you know...CROWD, at the inauguration, to the new press secretary standing in front of the press and all the universe flat-out LYING about said crowd, to the soulless, unrepentant Kellyanne saying that Spicer’s LIES were merely “alternative facts.”

If all that weren’t bad enough (and I’m not even mentioning the executive orders we’ve seen so far), the Yam also imposed radio silence on, of all agencies, the National Park Service. Why? Because of his ongoing tantrum about their photo showing the size of Obama’s inauguration crowd in comparison to the size of the Yam’s (not even close). I’m sure the vast crowds in DC and all around the world for the Women’s March, which also dwarfed the inauguration crowd, did nothing to alleviate his fit of pique.

Someone at one Twitter account, that of Badlands National Park, was having none of it and tweeted out several facts about climate change, something they have done often.

What happened? Those tweets (seen above) were removed from the Twitter account.

You know something the Yam really does not seem capable of comprehending? Stuff on the Internet doesn’t just magically go away if you delete it. These things get screen captured and are widely available to share far and wide. (He also doesn’t seem to understand that videotape exists. We all saw you mock a disabled reporter, Yam. WE SAW YOU.)

Thank you, Badlands, for this small act of subversion. (We are proud, long-time supporters of the National Parks Conservation Association.) Small acts can add up to big results, and these things that might seem simple can cumulatively have a large impact. This is the kind of thing that we all need to be doing. We cannot sit idly by as we watch our precious planet be pussy-grabbed by the orange oaf.

Speak out. Stand up. Do not let yourself be silenced!

To Sir, With Love

Those schoolgirl days

Of telling tales, and biting nails, are gone

But in my mind,

I know they will still live on and on

But how do you thank someone

Who has taken you from crayons to perfume?

It isn't easy, but I'll try

If you wanted the sky,

I would write across the sky in letters,

That would soar a thousand feet high:

"To Sir, With Love"

Those awkward years

Have hurried by. Why did they fly away?

Why is it, Sir,

Children grow up to be people one day?

What takes the place of climbing trees,

And dirty knees in the world outside?

What is there for you I can buy?

If you wanted the world,

I'd surround it with walls. I'd scrawl

In letters ten feet tall:

"To Sir, With Love"

The time has come

For closing books; and long last looks must end

And as I leave,

I know that I am leaving my best friend

A friend who taught me right from wrong,

And weak from strong -- that's a lot to learn

What -- what can I give you in return?

If you wanted the moon,

I would try to make a start... But I

Would rather you let me give my heart

To Sir, With Love

Still kickin’

Everybody smash up your seats and rock to this

Brand new beat

This here music mash up the nation

This here music cause a sensation

Tell your ma, tell your pa, everything’s gonna be alright

Can’t you feel it? Don’t ignore it

Gonna be alright

~~ “Revolution Rock” by The Clash

Well, howdy, strangers!

Whew, I don’t know about you guys, but it’s been super hectic for us lately! Some fun things happened.

We had a very nice Christmas and got to spend some time with family, including Niece Jen from San Diego.

We spent New Year’s in Kansas City and had a blast! (More about that in a moment.)

We got an Amazon Dot and enjoyed it so much we decided to get an Amazon Echo. I’ve basically turned off the TV all day and just listen to music while I read or do chores. You can get Amazon Unlimited Music for $3.99 a month with the Echo and it’s a vast catalog. I’ve heard unfamiliar songs even from bands that I love dearly.

We attended South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Christmas party that he threw for supporters and had a nice time talking with Shane and Matt, and Mayor Pete chatted with everyone. He talked with us for a good 10-15 minutes and he is absolutely impressive. He recently decided to run for the Democratic National Committee chair and has gotten some very positive coverage from the national press. I don’t know if he’ll win it (he’s considered a dark horse candidate), but it’s obvious that he has a future in national politics. Personally, I’ve always said that he’s going to be President one day. I know he is a ways off from that, but get to know him, because you’ll be seeing more of him! (And learn to pronounce his name: it’s boot-a-judge.)

I met my personal reading goal for 2016 of 52 books and even passed it, with 54. My goal for 2017 is once again 52 books. Most that I read last year were quite good but I had a few stinkers in there, too. I suspect that 2017 will be similar!

Some not-so-great things happened, too.

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks with a nasty cold virus that turned into bronchitis, so that wasn’t much fun! I’m still not at 100%...maybe 85%. But I’m feeling a lot better than I did, so I’m encouraged and looking forward to getting back to fighting form.

I have spent the past few weeks watching the Yam’s shenanigans (the Yamanigans?) with a combination of anger, disgust, horror, and amusement. It is eminently obvious to me that he is not going to be able to keep a lot of the promises that he made to his deluded followers (no, Mexico is not going to reimburse us for a fucking wall, geniuses) but that he and the Republicans will do great damage going forward. They are currently in the process of dismantling the Affordable Care Act, and millions of people will lose their health care. You know, that is something that I worry about...I truly worry about everyone that will be affected, no matter who they supported or their party affiliation. It’s too bad that the Republicans don’t care about them.

As for the latest, about the Yam’s possible probable fucking obvious ties with Russia, well, I’ll just wait and see how that plays out. And I’m sure that the other allegations about compromising videos have left the Yam feeling quite...pissed off. *cough cough* I think there is probably a lot more to this story and I’ll wait to see what hard-working journalists turn up. The rumor on Twitter is that Penthouse has video. Is it true? Who knows? Many smart people are saying so! Wheeeee! Or should I say Weeeeee!?

I’ll end on a positive note. Our trip to Kansas City was a wonderful little getaway! We got to see The Rainmakers two nights in a row, on the 30th and the 31st. They were absolutely fantastic, as always, and you could tell they were all feeling it and having a blast! Both nights, a couple of cool bands opened for them: Chris Meck and the Guilty Birds and American Slim. We got to have some amazing Kansas City barbecue, once at a place called Q39 and once at Jack Stack. We spent some time with our friend Bob (the lead singer) as we helped him tear down his December art show and then went to lunch. We were invited over to his and Michele’s house on Saturday for a soup lunch and got to chat with Pat (the drummer) and his partner Whitney.

[Note: I’m sorry I didn’t get a good picture of Pat either night. It’s always hard to get a good pic of the drummer!]

It was such a great feeling to talk with people with whom we have so much in common. I got to talk books with the super cool Michele, health concerns with the equally as cool Whitney, and music with the always cool Bob and Pat. It was a total blast for me to hear about their stories of years of making and recording music. Utterly fascinating for this music fanatic! I’m often awkward in social situations, but from the beginning, I felt relaxed and welcomed by the Kansas City gang. They are definitely part of The Tribe!

Talking with them gave me hope for the coming year. None of us knows what is going to happen (although we suspect that a lot of it won’t be good), but it helped me immensely to know that there are others who share my feelings and concerns. It is important for us to work together and oppose any and every effort to weaken voting rights or people’s civil rights. Knowing that there are warriors like them out there strengthens my resolve.

Oddly, the other thing that gave me hope was the opening band for The Rainmakers, a Kansas City band called American Slim. They are incredibly young...I guess a couple of them haven’t even graduated from high school yet! But they totally rocked! They played some covers (including an excellent version of “Sympathy for the Devil”...good enough that I thanked one of the members for not fucking up my all-time favorite song!) but also some originals. They have an EP of originals out and are apparently working on an album as well as getting gigs in the KC area. Hearing these kids play and totally rock out made me think that no matter what happens, there is always music. Go ahead and try to stifle our voices but as long as there is rock and roll, you will never succeed.

As Bob wrote to me, “Keep the music on, there is more dancing ahead.”

Our Tribe

Ain't it beautiful?

So unusual

Life's a gas and it's running out

Living a cliche

Gonna seize the day

Bottle rockets and celebrate, celebrate, celebrate

~~ “Carpe Diem” by Green Day

It was a great night last night in downtown South Bend.

Our own Mayor Pete Buttigieg invited his supporters to join him for a holiday celebration at CJ’s Pub, a great local haunt and burger joint. We met Shane and Matt there and had a great time getting caught up on everything and talking about how to deal with things.

Mayor Pete gave a brief welcome to us all and said he was keeping it brief because he planned on talking to all of us who attended, and he did indeed keep his promise. He visited with everyone in the room and spent a good 10-15 minutes chatting with the four of us. (We also got to meet his partner, who is a very nice guy!)

We asked Mayor Pete about how we go forward from here, and he reiterated what he wrote in his op-ed (link above). Talk to people. Interact as a community. Grassroots politics is key and we can all participate, whether it is running for office, attending city council meetings, or working with the local Democrats to get out the vote. But his main focus is on connecting with others and taking the time to listen to them.

He is a remarkable guy and I couldn’t be prouder to have him as our Mayor. He is also very easy to talk to and is not intimidating at all. I get the impression that he really wants to hear from everyone and wants to make a difference in our community. It was a pleasure to talk to him and I look forward to seeing what happens in South Bend as we go forward. I see many good things ahead of us!

I was also very touched by something Matt told me. At some point, I guess I wrote something to him and Shane about how while we might be dismayed, disgusted, and downright despondent over this election, those of us who love each other have to stick together and support each other. I said that we are all part of Our Tribe and we will get through this by hanging tough and sticking up for each other. Matt said that that really spoke to him and he took it to heart. It did my heart good to hear that something I wrote made someone feel resolved and ready to support those who are feeling disenfranchised.

It really is all about being stronger together, isn’t it?

Why doesn’t she stay home with the kids?

Like a Chinese drama and conspiracy

It’s the death of a nuclear family staring up at you

It’s looking like another bad comedy

~~ “Nuclear Family” by Green Day

I recognize that there are generational differences but man, sometimes I just want to flip a damn table.

I won’t go into specifics because one never knows who might be reading this ([waving madly] Hi Vlad!), so I’ll just say that I heard an older woman criticizing a younger woman for going to college and heard the words, “She should just stay home with those kids.”

::sigh::

A few things here.

I applaud anyone—ANYONE—who wants to further their education. People with a college education earn more on average than those without one. Fact. So if you are raising a family, it makes perfect sense to get a college degree if at all possible. It’s not just about the monetary benefits, though. It’s also about learning for the sake of learning. Some of us still see the value in that. It’s why I am thrilled with the Rise of the MOOCs. I can take worthwhile and interesting classes online, continue to learn, and more often than not, I can do it for FREE. How super cool is that??

I know things were different “back in the good old days” *COUGH* (for whom?) but there is a new reality in the 21st century. If you are renting a two-bedroom apartment that isn’t a Roach Motel, you’re going to be paying at least $700 per month. Heck, it was 15 years ago that I was renting and my nice 2 BR in an apartment complex in a small city in northern Indiana was close to $800 per month. The price of food has gone up. The price of clothing has gone up. Utilities, gas, health insurance, you name it—it’s all gone up. This isn’t the 1950s, no one can raise a family on minimum wage, and that is a fact.

If people are working minimum wage jobs, it is a given that both parents will have to work. Maybe it’s comforting to live in your Leave It To Beaver world, but how can anyone ignore reality and not realize that it is just not the current reality and it never will be again? I suppose I know the answer to my own question. Low information voter.

Finally, there are plenty of women who find great satisfaction in working. Before anyone gets pissed at me, I’m not knocking any woman who chooses to stay home with her kids. If you are able to do that, more power to you! It is a very personal choice. But plenty of us enjoyed our work and found it stimulating and rewarding. I recall having a conversation with my ex many years ago about having children (it happened in front of others, which made it extra special) in which he said that he thought I should stay home and raise any child we might have. I was in my mid-20s at the time and was just embarking on my career in the laboratory and I was enjoying myself. I said, “What are you gonna do? Chain me in the basement?”

That attitude was bad enough coming from a guy (I think he attended one too many Promise Keepers rallies), but I find it especially bothersome coming from a woman. Again, I understand the generational differences and I get it that there is a wide gap between their reality and mine.

That doesn’t mean that I have to agree with it or that I will stop defending anyone who chooses to try to further their education. What was enough for you when you were raising a family might not be enough for a whole lot of us.