"On Getting Along"
by Howard Zinn

You ask how I manage to stay involved and remain
seemingly happy and adjusted to this awful world where
the efforts of caring people pale in comparison to
those who have power?

It's easy. First, don't let "those who have power"
intimidate you. No matter how much power they have
they cannot prevent you from living your life,
speaking your mind, thinking independently, having
relationships with people as you like. (Read Emma
Goldman's autobiography LIVING MY LIFE. Harassed, even
imprisoned by authority, she insisted on living her
life, speaking out, however she felt like.

Second, find people to be with who have your values,
your commitments, but who also have a sense of humor.
That combination is a necessity!

Third (notice how precise is my advice that I can
confidently number it, the way scientists number
things), understand that the major media will not tell
you of all the acts of resistance taking place every
day in the society, the strikes, the protests, the
individual acts of courage in the face of authority.
Look around (and you will certainly find it) for the
evidence of these unreported acts. And for the little
you find, extrapolate from that and assume there must
be a thousand times as much as what you've found.

Fourth. Note that throughout history people have felt
powerless before authority, but that at certain times
these powerless people, by organizing, acting,
risking, persisting, have created enough power to
change the world around them, even if a little. That
is the history of the labor movement, of the women's
movement, of the anti-Vietnam war movement, the
disabled persons movement, the gay and lesbian
movement, the movement of black people in the South.

Fifth: Remember, that those who have power, and who
seem invulnerable are in fact quite vulnerable, that
their power depends on the obedience of others, and
when those others begin withholding that obedience,
begin defying authority, that power at the top turns
out to be very fragile. Generals become powerless when
their soldiers refuse to fight, industriaists become
powerless when their workers leave the jobs or occupy
the factories.

Sixth: When we forget the fragility of that power in
top we become astounded when it crumbles in the face
of rebellion. We have had many such surprises in our
time, both in the United States and in other
countries.

Seventh: Don't look for a moment of total triumph. See
it as an ongoing struggle, with victories and defeats,
but in the long run the consciousness of people
growing. So you need patience, persistence, and need
to understand that even when you don't "win," there is
fun and fulfillment in the fact that you have been
involved, with other good people, in something
worthwhile.

Okay, seven pieces of profound advice should be
enough.

isn't it funny how it all depends on the spin you put on things, the spin you put on yourself, am I a good mother or bad?
like when I am using the computer and they both go downstairs and I can hear them of course but not see them, and Liam asks me for a bowl of cereal and I say hang on a mimute and Nash says I'll get it and Liam says okay, and yes, some milk gets spilled but nobody hits or cries or insults, and they clean it up in their half assed way and then come back upstairs and report to me and I feel like, I COULD feel like I'm neglecting them, but really, it feels good to give them that space. you know?
they are growing up.

the A-Z quiz that's making the rounds:

A - Act your age? maybe. but I rarely act my shoe size (seven and a half)
B - Born on what day of the week? no idea - I guess I could look up what day of the week september 18 was in 1968?
C - Chore you hate? most of them. especially sweeping and dishes and cleaning up after the dog
D - Dad's name? jerry
E - Essential makeup item? lipstick or at least chapstick
F - Favorite actor? John Cusack
G - Gold or silver? silver
H - Hometown? southwest florida
I - Instruments you play? nothing well.
J - Job title? mother, writer, religious educator (sounds pretentious, doesn't it?), youth advocate.
K - Kids? Nash & Liam
L - Living arrangements? with my two youngsters
M - Mom's name? kathy
N - Number of people you've slept with? hush your mouth
O - Overnight hospital stays? three separate stays of 4-7 days each
P - Phobia? death, car crashes
Q - Quote you like? "what if they had a war and nobody came?" --- now was that john lennon or arlo guthrie who said that?
R - Religious affiliation? atheist UU
S-Siblings? one older and one younger
T - Time you wake up? whenever the kids get me up, between 6 and 8 typically
U - Unique habit? is there any such thing?
V - Vegetable you refuse to eat? brussel sprouts, I can't stand that taste.
W- Worst habit? procrasinating, forgetting to mail things and to return calls & emails
X - X-rays you've had? so many! mainly of my teeth and to check out my internal organs, and my right hand.
Y - Yummy food you make? tvp tacos
Z - Zodiac Sign? virgo

and charris suggets these as well:
back to iraq
war blogging
who dies
agonist
war blogs

last night, some of us were chatting about the US attack on Iraq, and it was asked whether UUs are inherently against the war. the UUA is, and they have a resource page up here, with some especially helpful stuff here .

I am going to concentrate on small things now. I'm not sticking my head in the sand. small things are what save us.
the tuesday this or that:
1. Cold frosty ski slopes or warm sandy beach? cold frosty days and warm sandy nights sound great
2. Chevy or Ford? thanks, I'll walk
3. Mac or PC? I wish I had a mac. I am stuck with this compaq presario because when my iMac died, best buy wouldn't replace it.
4. Dial-up or high speed internet access? dial up
5. Small *family-only* wedding or large 200+ guest wedding? I think there were 100 or so folks. it felt big to me, nice and big.
6. Would you rather be the bridesmaid or the bride? Bridesmaid
7. AC/DC or ABBA? ABBA - mama mia, here I go again, my my, how can I resist you?
8. Roses or daisies? I love roses, the really red ones especially.
9. Trashy romance novels or classic literature? Trashy mystery! and oh so literary mystery like Martha Grimes.

I was home with the flu and couldn't make it to this vigil, but the photos are beautiful.

quote of the day:
"It is the job of politicians to avert war and the task of educators to teach peace. They aren't doing their job." -Maria Montessori

12:15 AM, liam got up to go pee, and I followed him because he looked a little unsteady on the stairs. when he finished, he blinked at me and said, "mama, I am having trouble thinking!"
as I carried him back to bed I just said, yeah, baby, I know what you mean.