You know what to do, pixies.
Canadian pixies, please bear with the U.S. pixies this week. We can't think about anything else.
Someone will be by with your daily dose of cute, fuzzy baby animals.
I'm trying my best to be extra gentle with myself and everyone I meet this week. We're all stressed out.
Anything besides the election in whining news? Do tell.
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My poor daughter was freaked out last night because she keeps looking at 538 dot com...
Beloved is going to the doctor today. Sore throat.
As if the Canadians are thinking about anything else this week! The father of our current PM (who was also PM for basically the entire 1970s, plus a bit before and after) once described our relationship with the US as that of a mouse sharing a bed with an elephant: while the elephant may not always notice that the mouse is there, "No matter how friendly or even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt."
Hugs for everyone as we get through the final slog. I decided to distract myself last night from the news by listening to the entire Hamilton soundtrack, and then my brain was so hyped up (both from nerves and from soundtrack) that I didn't fall asleep until 4am.
Kathy - tell your daughter to look at the NYT/Upshot site for more sanguine predictions. Or if she wants to be really giddy, the Princeton Election Consortium, whose track record is equal to, if not better than, 538.
Combo W/AW - my younger son, who's 13, is now taller than me. Older son, 15, is not far behind.
Hugs for all US pixies this week!! QWP, the Sr. PM had a way with words, yes?
Gary, my sons were both taller than me by the time they were 10, but I'm part hobbit. They are both 6ft+ now, but at 10/11, nothing made them happier than looking down on me. ;)
W: Mr. E is feeling the effects of bad shrimp. (I really, really, really hope it's that rather than a stomach bug). The groaning is starting to wear on my nerves. It is quite loud. And, as is true anytime he gets sick, he is pretty sure it is terminal.
W: I dislike cleaning the house. A lot.
Daughter and I talk about politics, but I've never steered her to any particular websites. Good idea, Gary. NYT has been lifting my spirits on the forecast front -- it worked great prior to the great unveiling of the oops, no scandal here after all event. Now, it's still more uplifting than many prognosticators.
In case you don't know, the NYTimes is offering free, unlimited access today through Wednesday. http://www.nytimes.com/
And yes -- here I am, encouraging more exposure to news, while desperately trying to escape the news at the same time. (But if you must view, view a responsible news outlet.)
I got pressured into posting a cute baby elephant, not that long after I posted cute sleeping baby donkeys. Because babies are cute! And -- fireplace it. You try to do cute babies to avoid the nasty, and all of a sudden you're trying to make everybody happy. Well, not all of a sudden; I thought the babies would speak to love and peace.
Bucking up. I'm going back to all cat programming on the book of visages.
Things are grim around the workplace since much of our work would be restricted if we return to the older technology favored by one candidate.
Any pixies in SoCal? I'm there next week and would love to meet up.
My 14 yo is over six feet now. He towers over us all.
Someone I know was asked something illegal by her workplace but feels she can't report it because her gender/sexual orientation make her a likely target of retaliation. These are not protected since her employer is a religious based institution. I am horrified on so many levels. Another activist couple I know is being targeted in their neighborhood due to their activism according to the police. The police recommend security cameras.
I want freedom for all.
Sorry to hear about the bad shrimp, esperanza. And I totally agree on the housecleaning matter. I should have done some of that today, but alas, I did not.
kathy, ignore the elephant people. The donkeys are adorable. FWIW, I find elephants, even baby ones, to be very sad. They are quickly becoming endangered, so that's part of it, but mostly they've always struck me as tragic. They are so large and therefore should be powerful, but they are very vulnerable. All those damn circuses I was dragged to as a kid have haunted me - those poor beasts looked so tired and miserable. End of elephant rant...
Barnum and Baily Circus retired all its elephants! But yes, the poor things are vulnerable. Anyway, teh deed is done already....
Miranda, that's horrible for your friends! I hope things change re: bad employment practices of some religious-based institutions -- it makes no sense to me to support discriminatory business practices. xoxo
((((Miranda)))) I'm sorry about your friends.
Oh, Miranda, that is bad. I'm sorry for what your friends are going through, and I'm sorry that work is grim.
QWP, how is your foot?
W: Mr. E still feels terrible. How long do bad shrimp take to work through one's system, anyway?
AW: Everyone else feels fine, so continuing to cross fingers that it really was the shrimp.
Oh, Miranda, that is just awful all around.
Esperanza: my foot is a bit better today. I discovered that my old pair of b1rk3nst0cks support my foot in just the right places, and so I was able to walk around the house much better immediately. (Which is funny to me, because I stopped wearing them a decade ago, when I wore them all over Paris and ended up throwing out my hip because I needed something with better ankle and arch support. But I've kept them, because they're nice and they were expensive!) I'm resting a lot, but I managed to putter around a little bit without too many ill effects.
I hope that Mr. E gets better quickly! G00gle tells me that it can last a few days, and so it still might not be an actual stomach bug. (But...I guess we'll be able to tell, if someone else gets sick? Crossing all appendages that it's bad shrimp, and it passes quickly.)
For what it's worth, my beloved went to the doctor this morning, and learned he has a man cold. So then he went to work. So -- hoping things become clarified, for whomever needs clarification, and that everybody starts feeling better!
Liz posted (in visage-land) an early voting line AT my childhood public library! I mean -- that is wonderful! I used to get books from the junior high and young adult sections when I was not supposed to be there yet, and lots of them, because reading was so glorious.
Thanks, QWP. I had not yet consulted Dr. Google.
Also, glad the B sandals are helping. They are all my mom wore for about 18 months while rehabbing plantar fascitis (good grief, I have no idea how to spell that, and spell check thinks I'm talking about fascists. Ahem. Not now, spellcheck).
Distraction recommendation: over the next day, I'm watching the final season of Parks & Rec. It takes place in 2017, and everything is awesome, and a HRC-type runs everything. This is an even better escapism plan than my P1int3rest-all-the-time plan.
Polls open here in 1/2 hour. Daughter and husband up early to go on over!
Happy election day, US Pixies (and may the day have happy results)!
I think this is the first time dad and daughter voted together! When the kids were kids, they used to go with me to vote, most times, because I wanted it to become a habit. And it is! Daughter used links provided by future-DIL to research and make her choices on ballot measures last night.
The funniest thing has happened -- in response to posting a gerbillion cute animals on that other place, friends have started making requests! Keeps me out of trouble. ;)
Tonight is pizza night, since I will no doubt be glued to the news by the time anybody else is home, and this way everyone can graze.
Glad the B sandals are helping with your foot, QWP! There is a joke in our denomination that a pair of B are given to each new minister at ordination. ;) I'm still waiting - lol! Our meetings in the fall and winter are a sea of Bs with socks.
Thinking of all you voting pixies today!
W: Mr E is still sick. He seems marginally better: some sleep, not as frequent runs to the potty, slightly more energy.
AW: The rest of us are still fine.
W: Cleaning house again/still.
Just learned something interesting re: voting. This is not my county, but the county of the Big City next door. One can vote at any polling place in the county on election day (just as is true in early voting). It seems to me that this is a good way out of voter intimidation at certain precincts, not enough polling places in minority neighborhoods, etc. You can look online to see the length of the line at any polling station in the county. Who knew, Texas being progressive?
Miracles can happen, Esperanza! Hope there are more miracles to make voting easier, in the future. (Very easy for me and mine; not so much in a lot of other places.)
Hope Mr. E is feeling better! That sounds pretty ick.
The polls don't even close here for 5 more hours... As a precautionary measure, I've laid in mint chocolate mini alfajores, featuring a middle layer of dulce de leche, all coated in dark choc. Plus, a seeded extra sour baguette, and brie. And the pizzas, which I plan to jazz up with extra cheese. And salad fixings -- can't go all crazy!
Bad news from the elementary school, in their election, Donald "Trunk" won. Per Mini's report.
Huh. Seems to me that Mini's class is a little young to know the issues, not to mention listen to that person. Huh.
I've been delinquent in the cute animal dept.
baby rhino racing a lamb! [skip the commercial] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx0uAhwPFHE
red panda live! from SF Zoo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/all-red-pandas-all-day-long_us_5821ee1ce4b0e80b02ccc764
baby ostriches! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADhkJpEN4Qo
emergency kittens [don't die laughing]: https://twitter.com/EmrgencyKittens/status/795653358723985409
xoxo
Yeah, she had no idea what she was voting for. I am surprised she didn't vote for the girl. She has been disgusted recently that (a) no girl firefighters visited her school with the fire truck; and (b) no girls play professional football.
When I was in 5th grade, I won the essay contest and was awarded a Jr. Firefighter certificate! Of course, that was in the '60's, and nobody believed a woman could be a firefighter then. Or an astronaut, lawyer, doctor, minister. Or -- much of anything besides a teacher or nurse.
When I started law school in 1979, my school was celebrating because for the first time, 1/3 of the class was women. I had never yet met a woman lawyer at that point.
Hmmph. Tonight might change things.
The first part of the election results on the tv had me stressed out, so I started cleaning things. My stove top is now shiny and I feel better thanks to some clarifying info from people who are much smarter than I.
I love the way the interwebs (specifically kathy - thanks!) have this wonderful gift of cute pics of baby animals to break up the stressing. :)
There are not enough Ws to capture the whininess I feel right now listening to early results.
I. can't. even. imagine.
Waaaaaahhhh
Seriously finding it kind of hard to breathe.
--Neighbor Lady
Omg. We are ready to barf here watching the returns.
I feel really barfy. And I have to keep remembering -- our polls don't even close for 1.25 hours.
What is the matter with people???? (not counting people here of course)
--NL
What the actual fireplace?????? My earlier calm has been replaced by nausea.
Barfy here also. (I did not catch a tummy bug, just so that's clear).
Liz, thank you immensely for your hard work in Virginia.
This is the closest I've come to throwing up since I was pregnant. Actually, this is the worst panic attack I've had in years as well.
10 pm here. I'm going to try to sleep. I'm fried.
Both teens are asleep in the sofas, clutching their smartphones. I'm giving it another 30 minutes as I wait for MI results to come in.
my daughter's been in panic. this is unbelievable.
Fell asleep, hoping things would come out ok.
They did not.
Now what?
I am actually in tears.
How can this be happening?
--NL
Lots of love today. We have to somehow get out of bed and be loving - even to people that don't seem to know much about love and who are filled with hate.
Y'all. Damn. Time to get to work, time to go high, time to stand with those who are vulnerable, and that group just got a lot bigger.
Trying not to give into fear.
Love to you all.
Surrounding you all in love today. I'm speechless. And sad.
Oh wow, Pixies. I wish I could give each of you a hug in person. These Canadian pixies are standing with you all.
(Preschool drop off really was something this morning. We were all blurry eyed, having slept little, and just in shock. Now, we have to figure out what we can actually do from here, to help.)
I heart Canadians.
I heart Canadians, too.
Just beside myself with grief today.
Am really struggling today. Been sobbing on and off.
I hate the electoral college.
I hate that I live in a country where almost half the voting population voted for a return to the 1910s.
I hate that white women mostly voted like white men.
I hate that Trump got more black and hispanic votes than Romney did.
HATE. HATE. HATE.
Oh, Liz. I'm so sorry. Thank you for the amazing work that you do, and for the example that you set for all of us, for taking action in our own communities.
I think my daughter caught her dad's illness, and I'm having some of the sore throat / total grump action, too.
It's hard to sort, with things so fraught. Grr.
xoxo
I just cussed at my microwave, if that tells you anything.
Sending the posse to deal with esperanza's microwave!!
:)
Love to you all. Thankful for this space.
NL
Oh, sign me up for the micro-posse!
I'd pass some comfort food, but all we have handy is a little leftover pizza. Somebody else is gonna have to invent food for tonight.
Potato/sausage/egg breakfast tacos here. Help yourself.
The microwave, which is built-in in new house, beeps when it is finished. Fine. What is annoying is that it beeps once a minute thereafter, if you do not immediately remove the food or push cancel. I hate it. Telling the microwave to STFU is not particularly effective, in case you are in need of that information.
And the posse has WAY more important things to handle than my microwave.
Some of my thoughts today include fireplacing clue-by- fours that may not, you know, strictly be legal. Good day to stay home.
Still. So. Angry.
I've been rage crying.
My son called to console me last night, particularly about a ballot measure I really cared about (which lost) -- and he wanted to talk for a long time. It was very sweet. His fiancee is also devastated by the election outcome.
I work for that jerk in two months. I have to represent his policy. I can't even think about that without deep despondency setting in.
What is with the large number of folks who just didn't turn up to vote? How could anybody have failed to get the message that this election was incredibly important?
Anonymouse -- I'm so sorry. On the up side, he doesn't seem like someone who pays much attention to details, so I expect that in many instances, agencies will just keep doin' their job like usual. (But who knows?)
I'm so sorry, Anonymouse.
Kathy: I know that it isn't the only issue for the low turnout, but the gutting of voter rights seems to be part of it, right?
QWP -- You want to get me started? OK! Yes, I fear that the concerted efforts to make it harder to vote; to remove people from voting rolls; the long lines, restricted early voting options, lack of a vote-by-mail option many places; the threats to intimidate voters at the polls -- I think all of those could well have contributed to a lower voter turnout.
I think the decades-long smear campaign against HRC led people to mistrust her; even to think she was just as bad. And the FBI's "oh, more emails" stunt just 11 days before the election made her polls plummet, even though they ultimately issued a "nevermind, nothing there" after millions had already voted.
Evidently, I am not yet at my happy place. Am closer to the place of needing to accept this happened, and gird up for continuing to move the arc of justice in the correct direction.
I'll join the micro-posse, esperanza.
((((Anonymouse)))
I had to check out last night from media coverage. I couldn't turn on the news - just couldn't. So I binge-watched The Cr@wn until bedtime. It was pretty good, but mostly it was good distraction.
I'm still so angry and sad for all of my US friends, and really, for our world. This sh*t is seriously frightening.
I finally slept last night, which was a good thing. And the sun is out here today, which is also a good thing.
But, wow. It's still rough. Beyond being worried for my friends/family/people I don't know who are now more vulnerable than they were before, I'm afraid that the most far reaching and un-doable problems are going to be with the environment and the Court.
I was listening to NPR a bit earlier, and they're trying to make coherent policy predictions from his incoherency. I guess they have to have something to talk about, but it feels like they don't get what happened or who he is.
I'm rambling. It feels like someone died.
esperanza-- yes. exactly. I am in mourning.
--NL
Yep. Mourning. And it is OK to take time for that.
But I've been thinking a lot today about breaking it down. One problem at a time. Together. The moral arc of the universe bends slowly, but toward justice. We just need to bend the arc in those little ways we can.
One day at a time -- and it's OK if some days are not good days. Because we have other stuff going on, and everybody needs to keep their own oxygen mask handy.
Wishing the notorious RBG a long and healthy life! And hoping that her personal integrity helps hold things steady -- along with the integrity and opinions of other justices, and the traditions of the Court itself. I don't know what the future holds, court-wise, but there is no reason to believe it will turn overnight into the judicial equivalent of a reality show.
There are a lot of things people are worried about, and with good reason. So, find your tribe[s]. Be sure you are getting good news, not the scare of the hour. Spend time and money, if you can, on the folks doing good.
My animal of the week is the meerkat, because meerkats stand together to protect the tribe
Yes, RBG, take your vitamins! And I'm hopeful that the very slim majority in the Senate might include one or two reasonable Rs, though they seem to be an endangered species themselves.
W: Sweet has to get glasses. Slightly nearsighted. Very astigmatism-ed. (Thanks, genetics).
AW: She is so excited.
W: Mini is beside herself with jealousy.
AW: This eye doctor rocked! I learned all kinds of things about astigmatism, especially in children, that I didn't know (I am the proud owner of two astigmatism-ed eyes myself).
AW: I also am proud of myself for witholding consent for that damn puff of air test and the dialating thing. Sweet needed for this to be a pleasant experience, and neither of those things is pleasant.
W: Under very strict instructions from the doctor that she has to wear the glasses. Because of the astigmatism, her brain needs to be retrained on how to make sense of what she is seeing. This will take a while, and there will not be a "wow! Trees have leaves! moment when she puts them on for the first time.
AW: She's young and her brain should retrain fairly quickly.
I didn't get glasses (or have my eyes checked) until I was in college. And -- it was WOW! Love my glasses, and my daughter has ever since she got them as a kid. Go, Sweet!
Oh, kids in glasses are so cute, and I'm glad that Sweet is so excited about them! Glasses now are so much cuter than when I got my first pair (in grade 4). I understand the astigmatism/brain retraining thing: new glasses made me a bit seasick when I first got them (and when I got my most recent prescription, which was the first change in a decade -- the transition at age 35 was far tougher than the grade 4 one).
Yes, I've had the wavy vision at first and the feeling like my eye is being pulled out of my head. She said all of that was to be expected. Not such great news for an already clumsy kid, but we'll try to be careful. Doctor said that if we waited till she was post-puberty, then likely her brain would never be able to retrain completely and she would never have clear vision. (This was the end of the strong "you must make her wear them" spiel).
Glasses will come in 7-10 business days (already we're at the "oh, we have to order these lenses" point!), and I'll post a picture on the book of visages then. She is super adorable in them. Pink. I empowered her to pick them out and did not argue. She humored me by trying on some others, but her mind was already made up.
Yay, pink! Glasses are much lighter and more sturdy than in the beginning for me, and (this need hardly be mentioned) MUCH cuter!
(My kids look at photos from my graduations, wedding, mom with toddler and newborn -- and they're like, "your glasses were the size of aircraft carriers, what were you thinking?")
My junior cat is particularly attentive -- by which I mean, tres annoying. Think she is picking up on the atmospheric levels of stress.
Oh man, do I ever not miss that first pair of glasses with solid glass, uncompressed lenses. They weighed a million pounds on my tiny face. Compressed, plastic lenses are a miracle.
Yay Sweet - her new glasses sound perfect!
Yes, I think everyone is in shock and mourning, and as is always the case - there are many ways to mourn. Do what you need to do pixies, be good to yourselves.
I nominate the prez-elect for the exploding diaper award, for whining that "it's not fair" when people protest his election.
I got my first pair of glasses when I was nine. Astigmatic out the wazoo and a lazy eye to boot. My first glasses had prisms in them and were heavy. The world tilted away from me.
I also had to do eye exercises.
Prisms! My cousin had those in her glasses. (I think she still might? Maybe just into early adulthood? I'm not sure, because I've noticed that she now occasionally wears contact lenses, and I know that wasn't an option for her when she was a teenager.) Did you ever have to wear an eye patch?
How are all the pixies doing today? I'm thankful to have a holiday today (even though it's a national day of mourning), because it means that Mr. Q is home and I get a break. I had an emotional meltdown on Mr. Q yesterday (admittedly, I overreacted to a small comment he made), and so am starting to practice some self care. I've realised that I was in rough shape before this past week. We're approaching the five year anniversary of my SIL's sudden passing, and the various forms of grief have compounded to the point where I'm not much use to anyone. And so, today Mr. Q is handling E alone, and I'm baking and cooking happy things, and resting as much as I can.
Take care of yourselves, dear friends, and I'm here to support all of you.
Good for you on the self-care QWP.
A friend in college had prisms in his glasses, Liz. I thought he said it was for dyslexia? Maybe it was both. Sweet's astigmatism measurements are 2.50 (?) I don't know what mine are.
I couldn't have contacts until a few years ago. Now I'm back in glasses, I like them better.
I also don't have prisms any more, because I can keep my eye from wandering except when I'm tired. No eye patch.
Hugs, QWP!
I finally fell into a crying, slobbery mess tonight.
Hugs hugs hugs, Kathy.
Hugs and more hugs to all.
Neighbor Girl was watching a recorded TV show yesterday and came across the HRC political ad with the children listening to all the hateful things the now prez-elect was saying. She burst out in tears, sobbing.
Things are still dark here. Trying to find some light, but seems generally hard to do.
Went out to dinner last night and bookstore browsing and for ice cream (not for me) with the fam and with one of each of the kid's friends. Was a nice time.
I got my hair cut yesterday. Went in and said, "I'm feeling blah, and I want a change I can feel excited about." I loved it coming out of the salon, but am not so sure now.
I am drowning in grading. Drowning.
I am so so thankful for this space and all of you.
--Neighbor Lady
Hugs, kathy a, NL, and NG. I haven't had my crying slobbery mess yet. I think I'll feel better when I have. Can NOT tear myself away from articles of varying levels of wisdom. Trying to hold on to my values.
I am also very thankful for this space and all of you.
AW: Neighbor kids and their mom came over for a playdate this morning. This was all Mini's idea. They are also church friends. I like the mom, and we share a lot of similarities. So it was good. They are not yet such good friends that I could leave the house in its usual state, so there was a flurry of minor house cleaning this morning.
Yay for friends and playdates!
W: had to go to the giant icky supermarket for some items I can't get at the small local stores. Hate that place. Too much stuff; too many people. And they have a new cashiering system, so they make you pull your the driver's license so it can be swiped, before any medicinal wine can be purchased.
medicinal wine... now there's an idea!
--NL
Just heard about hate crimes happening in our town. Superintendent sent out a message to all parents. I am in tears.
--NL
Oh no. I'm so sorry, NL, and I'm terrified with you.
((( NL ))) oxoxo
Superintendent -- so these are scare tactics at schools? Oh, NL.
I'm not there, but please know, we all stand together. If there is something we can do to help -- or if you need to talk -- we're with you. And the Posse is saddled.
xoxo
Oh, NL. I'm so sorry. We have your back, but I'm sorry we aren't closer.
Would just love a virtual group hug for all of us.
No, apparently it is not something in the schools-- but I like that he sent a letter from himself and all the principals of schools in town saying that they (and we) will not be silent in the face of this kind of hatred in our town.
So that was a good thing.
Thanks for the thoughts and hugs-- I think we just all need each others' love now.
--NL
Sending love
Liz on iPhone
NL, like how your schools roll. Kudos to them all. xoxoxo
((((NL))))
So many hugs to all of you. xoxoxo
Last night, I cut my hair some with my husband's mustache scissors. Now it is probably not too embarrassing to go to a real hair place. It definitely looks better.
WW, always teaching me something. I had no idea there were such a thing as mustache scissors. Now I do.
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