My sister was the big Mr Rogers fan, not me. I really only liked the speedy delivery dude and the makebelieve parts. Mr R. himself kinda wigged me, though I did like some of the songs.

On the other hand, as an adut, I have really had an appreciation for Fred Rogers, the guy. The guy beyond the whole shoe-removal thing.

I don't really know if he was a progressive, per se, but he was certainly an advocate for children, for diversity, for respect and non violence. Some quotes to back me up here:

He understood that the airwaves belong to the people:

"We have to remember to whom the airwaves belong, and we must
put as much emphasis on the nurturing of the human personality
as we can"

Fred on non violence and children:

"Of course, I get angry. Of course, I get sad. I have a full range of emotions. I also have a whole smorgasbord of ways of dealing with my feelings. That is what we should give children. Give them ... ways to express their rage without hurting themselves or somebody else. That's what the world needs."

Fred on diversity of appearance:

"You know, you don't have to look like everybody else to be acceptable and to feel acceptable."

Fred on taking responsibility in your community and the world:

"We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes."

Thanks Fred. I hope I can learn a little something from you, after all, about loving myself, being kind to others, and taking responsibility. You were much cooler than I thought. I bet you believed in Heaven, too, so I hope it's really nice there.

--------------------------------------------------
On a completely different topic, I want to support MADRE. They send medicine (like life saving cancer drugs) and milk to children in Iraq. Maybe we should do a fundraiser?

Sheesh. In my gd spare time.

I CAN'T????


Where do you fall on the liberal - conservative political spectrum? (United States)
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Sorry I have been such a bad blogger. Life is kicking my ass again.

Hey, if you live in SC, make sure you know the:

Plan for the day the war starts

The clocktower has some space for kids, but then it will get pretty crowded I suppose. I am trying to make sure whatever happens, we have plans for safer space in the events for families.

I guess you're never really safe in this world.

At least as long as Shrub is in it.

Pics from this weekend...

We didn' take any ourselves (sorry) but here are some good pics from Saturday (6,000 people! GO SC!!!!)

from the courthouse...

from the march...





from the rally...

one of my favorite signs...





Lots more pictures at:

Vanderwoude

Accounts, sound, and more at:

Santa Cruz Indymedia



Sunday was a great day

(more later here's a pic)

I'd like to write all about the wonderful weekend and about Rose;s resistantear infection and my evil work and other things but I just found out what is wrong with me!

I have Depleted Mom's Syndrome

I think I'll tell my Boss.

THE APOLOGY

From the heart of the United States, we extend a profound apology to
the rest of the world for the serious failure of our political system.

While not receiving a majority of the popular vote and selected by the
Supreme Court rather than elected, we nevertheless have ended up with a
sociopath as President surrounded by religious fanatics who actively seek
war and others who seek to destroy our democracy and impose authoritarian
values.

This group is taking the world down the path to an Armageddon that they
believe is the necessary and appropriate end to the world as we know it.

They hate life, believe themselves to be flawed by sin, and long for a
divine intervention that will make them rulers of an Earth transformed by
the absence of earthiness.

They care nothing for the environment because there won't be an environment
when they are done.

They do not care about international law and a preemptive U.S. strike as
precedent because there will be no such law under the elevated
"Christian" rule.

They do not worry that an invasion of Iraq may cause outrage in the Muslim
world and spread the conflict because such an expansion is part of the
necessary script.

They do not worry about later retaliation by those angered at an invasion of
Iraq because all such lesser beings will be under their unbreakable
domination after the final battle.

They do not worry about how to govern a post-war Iraq because they will be
ruling the entire world and everyone will appear before them on bended knee.

They do not worry about Iraq or the U.S. initiating the use of nuclear
weapons or other weapons of mass destruction because
use of such weapons is part of the Armageddon script.

They only thing they worry about is getting the war started before some
force can prevent their usurpation of everyone's future.

At home, civil liberties are quickly being erased in favor of absolute
government to prevent democratic discussion of and opposition to the coming
holocaust and to practice for their coming domination of the world.

We lack an appropriate political mechanism for removing these dangerous
people from power. We do not have the opportunity to vote no
confidence, as the Australian Senate did.

The once proud Democratic Party is coopted and corrupted by corporate
contributions and eager to beat the drums of war in hopes of being popular.

The once independent media is now a corporate conglomerate that closes
more doors to truth than it opens.

Our people are fed lies big and small and lack access to the information
they need to understand what is happening in our country.

Flush with the wealth exploited from the planet they seek to kill, our
government and corporations bribe, buy, or otherwise coerce smaller and
more fragile governments into ignorantly supporting the coming destruction.

All we can do is appeal to those outside our country to save the world
from our government.

Even though we will not hear about it from our media, march
in your streets.

Even though we will not hear about it from our media,
expose the lies being told by our government and others.

Even though we will not hear about it in our media, talk about
Armageddon so people will know where the madness is leading.

Urge your government to vote no on any U.N. resolution furthering the
Armageddon agenda.

We will continue to reach out to our fellow citizens within the limitations
imposed on our society and do our part to bring sanity back to the human
family and protect all life. Our apology is an expression of our love
for and unity with that family and the living Earth.

-- Anonymous
***IF YOU DECIDE TO SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH OTHERS,
PLEASE SELECT AND COPY
TO NEW EMAIL RATHER THAN FORWARDING.***

Wish us luck

Open house today. Last night and this morning were insane.... I had tons and tons to do to get ready (even an eerily empty clean house can get very messy very fast, and there is always more "improving" to do) and Rose decided to vomit all evening. Lovely. Really derailed my plans, but of course I focused on her, poor baby. I think it was from coughing so much, though the second time seemed to be toothpaste related. Too much information, sorry.

So then I was unnecessarily grumpy at my honey, and after all, the house looked pretty darned good when I left, now we just need a rich dome and woods loving person to come see it today.

Goddess willing.

Pictures from last week's Peace Friday:

(note how "Bless the Children" can turn into "Less the Children" if we don't "STOP BUSH")

This or That Tuesday: While You Were Sleeping

1. Morning or night person? Morning

2. Heavy or light sleeper? Heavy

3. Remember your dreams or not? Sometimes. Depends on how much sleep I get, whether I remember to write things down if I wake in the night, etc.

4. Do you need a lot of sleep, or just a little? Lots and lots, but I never get it

5. Do you need something like a nightlight or TV to sleep, or do you prefer complete darkness? Nightlight. If I am alone, sometimes I leave the light on (I am still afraid of the dustbunnies under our bed)

6. Flannel sheets or some other kind? Usually flannel, whatever is clean.

7. One pillow, or more? One or two, can't have more, DH needs many and Rose needs one, no more room! Though when pregnant, I did have to have my snoogle.

8. Bedroom door opened or closed at night? Closed, sadly, DH is quite allergic to the cat at night.

9. Wrap yourself into blankets like a cocoon, or just cover yourself with them? Cover, or even throw off at random intervals, unless I am sick or really cold, then cocoon if possible around DH and bedhog baby.

10. Alarm clock: wake to music or buzzer? Since my daughter was born, I have very, very rarely needed an alarm clock other than her, but on the rare occasions that I do, its got to be a frequent, loud buzzer.