Walked in with our insurance card (which is in my name) and handed it over. "Is this your mom?" asked the woman at the desk (this makes us laugh, because he is prematurely gray at age 26!). "No - it's my wife." "Oh ok! Great." And that was that - he had access to care that might have cost us hundreds or thousands otherwise. Just dropped the magical w-word!

A couple months before we got married, we had to go fill out an "affidavit of domestic partnership" just to get him into the gym on campus. Our insurance agent wouldn't cover his belongings, because the house is in my name and we weren't married. I had to sign a form every quarter so that he could use the university pharmacy.

We got married in Massachusetts because he didn't want to get married somewhere that wouldn't allow EVERYONE to get married. There is a lot of anger and divisiveness and heartbreak on this board -- but I wanted to put this out there on behalf of myself and other straight allies who may not GET IT on the deepest most personal level, but still think that marriage equality is the most important civil rights issue of our time. There are many of us who have your backs and want to help fight with you for the rights and protections we take for granted every day. We'll march with you or be a shoulder to cry on or just read your frustration on a message board. But we are here.

I spent yesterday in 12B. For those familiar with Columbus, this is east of High Street, south of campus. For those not familiar with Columbus, this is one of the areas that makes the evening news for all the wrong reasons – drug deals, auto theft. Recently there was a mid-day shooting. The income level is low. Many of the houses look like they could blow over in the next stiff wind.

I want to tell you about the young man with the red pick-up truck. He came and voted mid-morning, so I was surprised to see him pull up again later in the day. He hopped out of the truck and I gave him a questioning look – until two other people tumbled out behind him. He saw us and shouted "I rounded up friends!" with a huge grin on his face. He ushered them to the door of the polling place, told them he'd be back, and told us "I am sure I can find a few more!"

I want to tell you about the woman with the blue bandanna on her head, who came to vote with a friend early in the morning. Because she didn't have a valid photo ID, she was told that she'd have to go home and get a utility bill with her current address. She had to go to work but promised us she'd be back. Sure enough, late in the afternoon she returned with a bank statement. Again, she was turned away, this time because the bank statement was undated and thus perhaps not "current." Again she went home, returning a third time with an electrical bill. Finally, after three trips to her polling place, she was able to cast her ballot.

I want to tell you about the father of the beautiful four-year-old who stopped at our table on the way in. He said he'd thought about getting a babysitter, but he wanted his daughter there to see her daddy vote for the first time, for the first African-American President of the United States.

I’m not sure why I felt such a strong need to write this. I guess I wanted to immortalize these people. To give them the credit they deserve for today's celebration. They are a snapshot – one precinct, one ward, one city. Three voters in a swing state that swung. First time voters who may never have voted again, if...

But "if" didn't happen.

They are why we won.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY

In honor of the New Yorker cover (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/29/n... ) let's play a fill-in-the-blanks game!


I can see a road from my house, so I am qualified to head up the Department of Transportation!

Your turn.

I WANT TO BE PROUD OF MY COUNTRY AGAIN!

I want to wake up on November 5 and feel like a new era is beginning - a time of healing, a time of regaining our standing in the global community, a time of holding our heads up when we say we're Americans. I want to look forward to policies that benefit the most those who have the least. I want to leave behind the politics of greed, cronyism, stubbornness and ignorance. I want leadership more interested in REAL health care reform than in lining their own pockets. I want to feel like my president is smarter than me! I want to start out my career in science in a country that values knowledge. I want to prove that honor trumps racism. I want to hear the words "the president signed a bill into law" and not feel a sense of foreboding. I want to hope that - if my brand-new husband and I have kids - that we can leave them a better country (and world) than the one we came into.

This is a must-win, guys. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but... just had to get that off my chest.

WASHINGTON, DC (SallyMander Press) -- In a joint press conference, Box of Rocks, Bucket of Nails, Dirt, Bag of Hammers, Fencepost, Doornail, and Tree Stump have released the following statement: "We have come together after many years of being the ending clauses of 'dumber than' cliches. We've always been able to laugh it off, maintain our self confidence, and realize that most humans just don't know what it takes to be an inanimate object these days. However, after several weeks of comparisons to Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, we just had to say something. Please, for the love of all that is sessile, we ask you to cease and desist. This has been very upsetting for us. We can't guarantee the safety of the public if Bag of Hammers keeps hearing these comparisons."

I'm looking through the >900 (!) that our photographer friend took... they are awesome! Here are a few of my favorites.

This is everyone who was at the wedding:




Married!




Wandering off into the tropical storm:

Just a quick update from Nantucket... the wedding (and past week) have been a BLAST!!! I just had to stop and look around every so often to soak it all up, because just about everyone i love in the world was in one place. And that place happened to be a tent on a little island off Massachusetts... with Tropical Storm Hanna rolling in!

Here is our uninvited guest:




We didn't want any strangers at the wedding, so we had no caterers, no wedding planner, no bartender... our completely AMAZING friends and families all pitched in in small and large ways. I feel so very thankful for all of them. We had friends rearranging and setting tables, bartending, taking photos - luckily one of our best friends is a professional photographer! We don't have those photos yet, but here are a few that my sister took. All of the food and flowers came from a farm on Nantucket, and it was all FANTASTIC!









I'm pretty sure i'm the luckiest girl in the world.

I mean, besides my fabulous birthday thread by the wonderful VenusRising - thanks to her and everyone who replied! I wish i could have responded to you all individually, but things were crazy and the internet connection was pretty lousy.

In any case, i *really* appreciated it!

I thought some of you (ahem, DarkTirade) might enjoy some pics from the week! Others (ahem, lost-in-nj) should just skip them.

Slimy salamander:


Long-tailed salamander:


Marbled salamander:


Fox snake in a tree:


Pile of baby water snakes:


Neat dragonfly/damselfly shots:

So Iza and I have cooked up this crazy idea... I'm going to be finishing grad school next winter/spring, and he'll be starting again in the fall (2009). We are thinking of taking two months or so in the summer for a belated honeymoon road trip extravaganza!!!

Iza has never been to any of the national parks out west... I've never been to the Pacific Northwest... He wants to see redwoods... where should we go???

We will be traveling in the most fabulous of all vehicles, our 1982 VW Vanagon, which by then will be running on veggie oil:





Any suggestions?

America *does* have a place for you:





http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/demco...

And it's good news!!! The doc just called and said that Simon is waking up from anesthesia. Everything went perfectly! They got the valve opened up and the pressure on his little heart was immediately dropped by half. He did great with the anesthesia and there have been no complications!

The doc is going to call me again later to update me on Simon's condition. He did say that Simon will need a re-check in 1-2 months to make sure everything is still working properly.

But right now i am just breathing a *HUGH* sigh of relief!!! I can't wait to bring him home tomorrow.

Thank you all for the hugs and thoughts and vibes!

Well, we dropped little Simon off at the hospital this afternoon... they need to do some blood work and keep him overnight before the surgery tomorrow. Then they need to keep him for observation for 24 hrs afterwards, so the soonest he can come home is Thursday afternoon.

I am sitting here feeling very blue. I know how much he hates his crate, and now he's alone and scared in a little cage. The docs have all been wonderful, and i know they'll treat him well, but still...

Anyway, we should hear early tomorrow afternoon how the procedure went. I will keep you updated. Thanks SO much for all the vibes and hugs... you all are the best.





Previous thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu...

Well, Simon had his cardiology appointment today. Turns out the (really loud) heart murmur is being caused by pulmonary stenosis, meaning (in this case) that the little flaps of his tricuspid valve didn't form right. They are all partially fused, which blocks the blood flow from his heart to his lungs.

Left untreated, it's likely to cause congestive heart failure or even a sudden heart attack.

We are already so attached to this little guy... so we decided to go ahead with the treatment, which involves the docs putting a little balloon through his jugular vein and into his heart, to basically try to blow the valve open. If it works, it will vastly reduce his symptoms, and he may have a normal lifespan. But it's risky, like any surgery, and he's just a little guy... so i'm really nervous.

Anyway, just thought i'd keep you all updated... if you have any vibes to spare, he'll be on the operating table on Wednesday morning. We should know how it went by early Weds afternoon.

Thanks, all.


Some pics of Simon:

Here is your daily dose of cuteness

His name is Simon!









And Simon with big brother Elmo

Well, we went out to southwestern Ohio today and picked up the puppy. So far so good! He and Elmo have already been wrestling, and now they're both fast asleep. He is an absolute doll... now we need help with a name! Any suggestions???

Elmo and puppy


Too many toys, which to play with???


Me and the pup


AWWWW!!!



Original thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu...