Aww, Stephanie, that's awesome!

I am perfectly okay with myself and others having a nuanced view of America. Best country? Eh, maybe. Mine? Yes.

That said, I am ouchy today because I ran in the "firecracker 5k" last night. Ow. But new personal record, 38:10!

The height of my patriotism extended to being a marshal at the neighborhood parade. I ended up working so much that I did not have a chance to walk with the group I levered into line up yesterday.

I did, however, create a hat that was Ascot inspired.

Side view

Front view

I'm a float!

It was hot, hot, hot but a lot of fun. I love how homey and Go Team Capitol Hill it is.

We even had a group of Greyhounds parade.

The final group was a fan favorite...Princesses! Loads of neighborhood toddlers in sparkly dresses.

They FAR outshone the Miss USA contingent.

I should say that I'm not in the 'these colors don't run' school of patriotism.

I'm a fan of considered appreciation and rational criticism. Paraphrasing Jackson Browne says it for me.

I am a patriot and I love my country. I love my country...it's all I know. But what I see with my eyes, is not what I feel in my heart, and I cannot turn my back this time.

I'm proud to be smonster's friend.

DAWWWWWW OMG THE FEELS. Love you, hon. You and Tom are so fabulous and make my life so much better in so many ways.

And I know what you mean. I vacillate between "AMERICA! FUCK YOU" and "AMERICA! FUCK YOU this is my goddamn country too and I'm not going to let a bunch of xenophobic mouth breathers define what it means to be American."

I have nothing planned for today. I have a lot of cleaning and stuff I need to do, but I want to just fuck off and go see Magic Mike or something. We'll see. I might have an OKC date tonight. I slept for thirteen hours and I feel kind of stoned, so I guess I needed it. Still bummed about missing that party, sounds like it was lots of fun. Dancing on tables and the whole thing.

Please forgive the serial memememe.

Yesterday, the cat care kerfuffle that I thought was resolved blew up again when my friend came home and told me...in not so many words...that I am a bad friend because I did not somehow divine that she was in 'crisis and crying out for help.' Those last words are hers.

Now, I have no criticism for how anyone spends their money unless they are hurting someone else. BUT, I think I can be forgiven for not realizing that making travel plans to go to a VERY first world country to study a...and this is coming from ME, a pretty out-there thinker...course on how to use colors and tuning forks in Chinese Astrology...constitutes an excuse to be rude the someone who cares about you.

I'm shaking my head in mild disgust, at the same time I'm worried that this is all part of an age-related issue. She is 70, and very active...a total health nut...but her agitation seems to be getting worse and worse.

I hope this isn't actually a precursor to some terrible trend.

I'm proud to be smonster's friend.

Hey, me too!

bonny, love the hat!!

Wait, this is the friend who expects you to take care of her cat for over two weeks with no notice? Oh, dear. Again, I can be a last-minute thoughtless favor-asker (amyth, still feel bad about that stuff), but that is just... ridiculous. Is she, by chance, a recovering people-pleaser who's swung completely the other way?

I am proud to be the friend of many a Bitch.

I am doing dishes for ten minutes at a time, while listening to Girl on Guy. I think I'm going to try and make productivity FUN today. WHEE.

Is she, by chance, a recovering people-pleaser who's swung completely the other way?

Got it in one!!!

Her pendulum has swung all the way over to "I'm taking care of myself and everyone else can just suck it."

All I ask is common courtesy and, frankly, would never in a million years _expect_ anyone to do ANYthing for me out of friendship. I'm infinitely grateful when they do, but I don't consider being a friend an excuse for not considering someone's feelings.

Sigh.

I just can't take the argument 'I had a hard time 30 years ago, so I can be rude to you now' as a viable excuse.

I'm in Arizona. I have a disability. Independence Day for me is either ironic or a Springsteen song. America is like my family--there's both pride and shame. But there are ideals that come from that experiment that I do believe in, even though the way we live up to them is imperfect.

Independence Day for me is either ironic or a Springsteen song.

This is perfect erika.