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Have you had to Face up to any Quirky Fears or Hard Truths Recently?
Make sure you try the crazy-lady appetizers...
In the mental cocktail parties that I sometimes host, the introductions go like this:
Hi, there happy and normal guest, I'm so happy you could come. Would you like a drink? One of these brilliant sage and polenta squares?...By the way, I don't believe you've met my demons. This is Health Insurance, Internal Revenue Service, and my own particular devil, the DMV. I can't seem to go anywhere without them, so I've just embraced them into my daily life. Don't be disturbed. If you run into any of these bureaucratic-looking creatures floating about, just introduce yourself; they are all part of my inner demon crew--Oh, excuse me, it looks like Cell Phone Warranty is about to come to blows with Data Plan Update, and after they both promised to be on their best behavior!! I'd better run and straighten that out. But, do make yourself at home, you know where everything is, I trust? The bathroom is right down that hall, to the left...
Yes, it's true. I am haunted by bureaucratic nightmares, sometimes to the point of paralysis. In the past it has kept me from some of the most basic of daily activities in contemporary life: making healthcare appointments, renewing my passport, applying for jobs, using an electronic device, or updating financial investments. For years, however, my own personal devil has been the Department of Motor Vehicles and any activity associated with this hellish agency. I am somewhat comforted in knowing that I am not alone in this particular fear (scroll down to #10 in the last link), but that hasn't helped to reduce it's looming presence in my personal gallery of anxieties.
this was agg last month
Something about all this changed last month, however. After much contemplation and decisional hemming and hawing (some of which you were all kind enough to
bear with me), I bought a car. And I bought it from an individual, which meant,
(egad!) I had to title, register, inspect, insure, pay taxes on, register with my local jurisdiction, and acquire a parking pass for said vehicle all on my lonesome. (Obligatory aside: Some people might call this
burying the lede. Those people are annoying, but are not necessarily wrong). But wait!...here's the thing, do you know what happened???
I.
did.
it.
All. of it. Every. single. annoying. requirement. All. by. myself. With. no. hand. holding. While. meeting. every. deadline.
And my head did not explode!
---Let us all take a moment of silence to honor the demise of the demon---
giving the devil it's due
---Now let us take two moments of revelry, to dance the happy dance---
doin' the demon demise dutty wine
To those in my immediate circle, especially those who recall the days when I simply walked away from a vehicle and left it sitting in the middle of the street because I could no longer cope with all the pressures that owning a car were heaping upon my head, this is a startling and incomprehensible development. They have been repeatedly asking:
hey, agg have x'd, y'd, z'd your car yet? And looking at me askance when I answer
Yes, sweetie, I have. I did it last week/month/yesterday, but thank you for asking. They've known me a long time, you see, and a couple of them have even seen me through some pretty intense crises with the bold and brutish D-M-V Monster. So, both their skepticism and their concern is well-meant. I can't begrudge them that. But I can feel just a tad bit self-satisfied when I note the skeptical uptilt of the arching brows. And I can share it here with you, because it's a small, normal thing that was once an unconquerable demon.
An unarticulated resolution
And now, let us recap. For those of you who might have missed it, here's the current score:
The Devil in the DMV: 0
agg: 1
So that's one down, 564,332 other bureaucratic nightmares to face. Onward now to tax season, I go, nearly armed with confidence and personal demon-busting superpowers! Maybe my mental cocktail parties will be slightly more fun from now on? At least they will have one fewer demon hovering around the edges, which leaves more room for friendlier and more interesting guests. And if any of you have hints for slaying tax season, data plan or fear of Kaiser Permanente demons, please share in the comments. These psychic shindigs of mine can become quite overwhelming, but I'm starting the New Year off on the right foot at least.
All Hail the Conquering Hostess! It's not much to most of you, but it's a major advance for me. And a Happy, Belated 2015 to all CUAlers, I've not been around much, I've been busy stamping out mental monsters!
Have you Engaged in any Mental or Emotional Triumphs of Late?
Latest Updates on Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
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THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
by Sara R ♥ for Koscadia
The Koscadians welcomed Ojibwa and navajo to Portlandia. Ojibwa blessed some quilts for the Community Quilt Project and a delicious pot luck was enjoyed. All edifying for the holidays.
Here's one photo:
Seated L-R: Sara R, winglion & loggersbrat
Standing L-R: Angie in WA State, also mom of 5, Drewid (hiding), BOHICA, watercarrier4diogenes, Ojibwa, exlrrp, llbear, navajo, Ozawa and ozsea1
Please visit Sara R's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Koscadia by sending a Kosmail to Sara R.
by Thinking Fella ♥ for Four Corners Kossacks
There are meet-ups and then, there are EPIC meet-ups. The current designate always upstages the previous one. And that is precisely what Thinking Fella has done with this event. We were all green with envy when he announced it with just a few short weeks notice. He had a fantastic turnout anyway. Try to top this event. With 58 scenic photos of gorgeous Colorado and wonderful Kossacks, Thinking Fella showed us who's boss when it comes to meet-ups. He holds the trophy now. Who wants to take it away from him? Throw your gauntlet down at any time.
It's important to note that this terrific diary inspired 8 more people to join the Four Corners Kossacks. Again, Thinking Fella knows what he's doing. High five, buddy!
Here's one photo:
L-R: Mr. & Mrs. Unknown, Mr. & Mrs. unfangus, Lucytooners with her hands on Mr. Lucytooners shoulders, Tom Morrissey, Allison Morrissey, Thinking Fella (rear), HeroMachine (kneeling), Kim (in hat) & her partner Nan (in train), Darcy (in front of Kim) ERRN & Mr. ERRN (kneeling), and Dr. lurker & Dr. lurker (both standing)
Please visit Thinking Fella's diary for a zillion MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Four Corners Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Thinking Fella.
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast the date of your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Saturday, January 24th
LA Kossacks Monthly Meet-up
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Casey's Irish Pub
613 S Grand Ave. • Los Angeles
ORGANIZER: Send susans a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. susans
2. Shockwave
3. Otoelbc
4. Joshua Bloxom
5. Chiwere
6. jakedog42
7. 714day
8. Joe Bacon
9. Frank Vyan Walton
10. KatSkahnne
11. gmats
12. Just Saying
13. Ducktape
14. Doctor Jazz
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Maybees:
Brecht
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Latest diary: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Orange County Meetup January 24, 2015
Saturday, January 31st
Koscadia Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: TBD
[Address] • Portland
ORGANIZER: Send Sara R a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Sara R
2. winglion
3. loggers brat
4. Angie in WA State
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Maybees:
justiceputnam
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Latest diary: Koscadia 12/28 meeting recap, next one 1/31!
Saturday, January 31st
Houston Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Collina's Italian Cafe
502 West 19th Street • Houston
ORGANIZER: Send Chrislove a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Chrislove
2. nomandates
3. scott5js
4. krwheaton
5. jmbar2
6. cosette
7. Mary
8. Alan
9.
10.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Houston Area Kossacks: RSVP for our January 31 meet-up!
Saturday, February 28th
Texas All-State Meet-up with Meteor Blades, Denise Oliver-Velez and navajo
Please come for an afternoon of camaraderie and progressive strategizing with Big Orange flavor! Out-of-state attendees welcome!
Lunch and Seminar c/o Daily Kos
TIME: Noon - 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Max's Wine Dive
"Fried Chicken and Champagne... Why the Hell Not?"
207 San Jacinto Blvd • Austin, near convention center
Cocktail time First drink c/o Daily Kos
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: CRAVE
340 E. 2nd St (around the corner from seminar) • Austin
ORGANIZER: Send nomandates a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. nomandates
2. Chrislove
3. Meteor Blades
4. Denise Oliver-Velez
5. navajo
6. johnatx
7. mrs johnatx
8. Blood
9. cosette
10. anotherdemocrat - Vege*
11. bastrop
12. Warren Pease
13. Patience John
14. noteaforme
15. blue armadillo
16. RLMAC
17. TexMex
18. JC Dufresne
19. TexasLibertine
20. politik
21. Mr Pea
22. PDiddie
23. Mrs. Diddie
24. suesue
25. mr suesue
26. Sandia Blanca
27. Noisy Gong
28. Essephreak
29. laderrick - Vege
30. getlost
31. TulsaGal
32. AndyT
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Maybees:
texasmom
texasdad
BlueMississippi
MargaretPOA
BlackSheep1
scott5js
Deja (+1-2)
boadicea
blueisland
postmodernista
Texan001
Ignacio Magaloni
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* Needs vegetarian meal
Latest diary: Latest diary: Texas Kossacks statewide meet-up, with Meteor Blades, Denise Oliver Velez, and navajo
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.