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If you'd like to join a group, click on a point and a box will pop up showing contact links.
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What Would Seymour Glass Do?
Pulled you in with that funky acronym, didn't I??
All the world's a pastiche anyway
Some of us have spirit guides that help us navigate the chaotic rhythms of daily life in our no-longer-so civilized world. Some of us meditate and seek that guidance from within. Others may follow a faith tradition that helps them do this. Then there are the
bricoleurs and dilettantes among us who beg, borrow and steal our way across the domains of pop culture and the world of ideas in order to cobble together the tools that helps us get through to the end of the day. I'm one of the latter. If you've got a fortune cookie or a refrigerator magnet, I'll be there, ready to squeeze out all the meaning they have to offer. And then some. Plus, I'm shameless in the extent to which I will slap things together -- I've never met a pastiche I didn't like. I figure I'll take a dose of wisdom wherever I can find it. Beggars can't be choosers after all, right??
One enduring source of wisdom for me comes from a fictional character, J.D. Salinger's Seymour Glass. I think of him as my survivor muse. Now, nearly all of us have read Salinger, as teenagers, given the place of his novel
The Catcher in the Ryein the public school curriculum. But the
Glass family may be unfamiliar to you. Unlike Salinger (according to
John Updike, at least) I don't love ALL of the Glass Family, just Seymour, Boo Boo, Waker and Zooey. The root of this love stems from two stories:
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and
Seymour--An Introduction, with the first one drawing an endearing portrait of a guy not meant for this world and the best form of communication among siblings ever devised. I have to confess that I didn't love Seymour at first, his brother Zooey earned my earliest and most intuitive affection, as the author probably intended. It wasn't until this story and the direct quotes from Seymour exposing the beautiful contradictions of life that I developed the habit of seeing the world through Seymour's eyes. Who can resist a character who says things like this:
“If or when I do start going to an analyst, I hope to God he has the foresight to let a dermatologist sit in on the consultation. A hand specialist. I have scars on my hands from touching certain people... Certain heads, certain colours and textures of human hair leave permanent marks on me. Other things, too. Charlotte once ran away from me, outside the studio, and I grabbed her dress to stop her, to keep her near me. A yellow cotton dress I loved because it was too long for her. I still have a lemon-yellow mark on the palm of my right hand. Oh God, if I'm anything by a clincal name, I'm a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”
― J.D. Salinger, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters & Seymour: An Introduction
or who understands emotions this way:
“She worries over the way her love for me comes and goes, appears and disappears. She doubts its reality simply because it isn't as steadily pleasurable as a kitten. God knows it is sad. The human voice conspires to desecrate everything on earth.”
― J.D. Salinger, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters & Seymour: An Introduction
or offers this wisdom, which has become a basic operating principle for me:
"But guilt is guilt. It doesn't go away. It can't be nullified. It can't even be fully understood, I'm certain - it's roots run too deep into private and long-standing karma. About the only thing that saves my neck when I get to feeling this way is that guilt is an imperfect form of knowledge. Just because it isn't perfect doesn't mean that it can't be used. The hard thing to do is to put it to practical use, before it gets around to paralyzing you.”
― J.D. Salinger, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters & Seymour: An Introduction
Thus was a muse for survival discovered. While the
WW__D? question is usually formatted with the
Do at the end, I think for me and Seymour it would be phrased instead,
What Would Seymour Glass Say? given that it is Seymour's words rather than his actions that draw me in.
I stumbled onto the diary's theme question as I was pondering topics for today. I was exploring the "Sunday-before-Thanksgiving-variation-on-the-gratitude-theme" when the image of Seymour Glass and his version of the Gettysburg Address popped into my head. (Seymour criticized Lincoln's speech when he pointed out that the only truly genuine statement after such carnage would have been to walk on stage, shake your head in disbelief and your fist in outrage at the waste and then walk off the stage). It made me wonder at the hullabaloo we engage in every year to have a particular day to "give Thanks". What does it say about our culture that we have to set aside a day and remind ourselves, collectively, to express gratitude? What, indeed, would Seymour Glass say (or do)?
You might find it odd that I choose as my survivor muse a character who commits suicide at the age of 31. Part of that beautiful contradiction stuff I mentioned above. But strangely enough, it works, for me at least--the girl with her own suicide thing. That's how muses work, though, isn't it?
Mysteriously?
Or maybe it's just a 20th Century thing, you know, the time when we still had irony and it meant something?
Do you have a pop culture muse?
Latest Updates on Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
Southwest Ohio Kossacks are organizing now. Please kosmail akadjian to receive an invite to join the group. There's lots to do in Ohio and we need YOU to reach our political goals. Also, please direct any commenters or diarists you encounter from Cincinnati or Dayton at Daily Kos to join this group. Thanks!
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
Where the Kogs Are: Index/Directory of the 130+ Localized Daily Kos Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
by Thinking Fella ♥ for Four Corners Kossacks
On Saturday, November 8th, 2014, the Four Corners Kossacks met to have a beverage or two, lament our electoral losses, cheer our wins, get updates on races still ongoing, listen to past local election history, learn more about each other, and plot our future strategies.
L-R: Thinking Fella, Matt S., (McLachlan campaign manager) red moon dog, nzanne, Gary Norton, Wally White, (termed-out former La Plata County Commissioner & long-time Dailykos lurker) and Jeff H.
Please visit Thinking Fella's diary for more photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Four Corners Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Thinking Fella.
by John Crapper ♥ for Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks
Four days after the mid-term elections Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks had lunch with Representative Joe Fitzgibbon, WA 34th, Chair of the Environment Committee and serving on the Finance, Transportation and Local Government Committees.
Special thanks goes to bleeding blue for making this all possible!
Invited attendees: Marcee Stone-Vegich - Chair of the 34th LD & Ted Barker Vice Chair, Robin Everett - Washington State's Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Coordinator and Mary Manous with Weldon DeBusk both on the development team creating the Cascadia Climate Action Calendar which compiles monthly the events and actions of all major environmental groups in the Puget Sound Area.
My take-away as leader of Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks from this meeting. Political reality can't be changed. We must deal with it as best we can. We must also support those fighting for climate sanity as best we can. But when it comes to climate change we cannot afford to wait on politics to be "right" to get something done. We can't afford to just chip away at the edges. We need to pursue the most effective path possible to make climate sanity a reality. Under current circumstances politics may not be that path in the next two years in Washington State.
Instead it will be the Climate Action Hub. And in my neck of the woods it will be promoting the Cascadia Climate Calendar and urging people to get involved.
Please visit
John Crapper's diary for more photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join
Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to
John Crapper.
by cooper888 ♥ for Sacramento Kossacks
We heard from navajo and Meteor Blades about the initiative by Daily Kos to have active Kossack groups in each of the state capitals. DK is looking for engaged Kossack's ready to roll up their sleeves and participate in many different types of activism/advocacy. For example, delivering petitions to the state capitol, participating in various protests, marches, rally's at the capitol, etc. As Meteor Blades pointed out this won't happen over night and is a long term strategy but I think if we all take the lead in our respective states we can make this dream happen sooner than DK leadership expects.
L-R: Front row: Sychotic1, tgypsy, tb92, trevizolga, Mrs. side pocket. Second row: Arundsdel (sp?), Laurel in CA, Kestrel, Meteor Blades. Third row: Kestrel's two friends, smileycreek, paradise50, Dave. Back row: Clif, Mr. Arundsdel, Neil, cooper888, side pocket, Left foot forward, got mooned & Nate
Please visit cooper888's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Sacramento Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to cooper888.
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!
Monday, November 24th
Kansas Kossacks Meet-up Focused on State Issues, What's Next?
Potluck dinner
This meeting will be focused on ISSUES. The meeting will not be focused around campaigning, candidates, etc. (as we are in a non-profit religious meeting hall) but is really focused around the Sedgewick County Community. We'll talk specifically about Social Justice and Minority Outreach and how we get more people to participate in the process.
TIME: 5:30 PM
LOCATION: College Hill United Methodist Church
2930 E 1st St • Wichita
ORGANIZER: Send tmservo433 a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. tmservo433
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Connect! Unite! Act! Meeting in Wichita, KS November 24
Tuesday, December 2nd
Maryland Kos Post-election Meet-up
TIME: 6:30 PM
LOCATION: Sabatino's
901 Fawn Street • Baltimore
ORGANIZER: Send Navy Vet Terp a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Navy Vet Terp
2. vschultzvidal
3. mimi
4. rb608
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Maryland Kos Meetup - Baltimore Subgroup
Saturday, December 6th
Four Corner Kossacks Ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
This train is extra special. Not only are the cars over 100 years old, the coal-fired steam locomotive pulling us up the mountain was built in the early 1920's. We'll be riding in the "Cinco Animas" car (built in 1883), which, as would be expected for Kossacks--is a Presidential Class car. See diary for many more details.
TIME: 9:15 AM
LOCATION: Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
479 Main Ave • Durango
ORGANIZER: Send Thinking Fella a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Thinking Fella
2. HeroMachine
3. LucyTooners
4. Mr. LucyTooners
5. unfangus
6. Mrs. unfangus
7. Darcy
8. Kim
9. Nan
10. Allison M.
11. Tom M.
12. Boiseblue
13. Mrs. Boiseblue
14. ⇐Cinco Animas car filled
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Maybees:
Gary Norton
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Latest diary: EPIC Four Corners Kossacks Meet-up: Gonna Ride the D&SNGR Presidential Car to 9000' Elevation!
Saturday, December 6th
Colorado COmmunity Meet-up with Caffeinating Liberally
TIME: 9:00 AM
LOCATION: Common Grounds
44th & Vallejo • Denver
ORGANIZER: Send Leftcandid a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Leftcandid
2.
3.
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Maybees:
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Wednesday, December 10th
Colorado COmmunity Meet-up with Drinking Liberally
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Three Dogs Tavern
32nd & Julian • Denver
ORGANIZER: Send Leftcandid a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Leftcandid
2.
3.
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Maybees:
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Latest diary: DENVER: Caffeinating & Drinking Liberally, December Editions COming Right Up!
Saturday, December 13th
SF Kossacks Holiday Party at Daily Kos HQ
The usual Pot Luck drill
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Daily Kos HQ
Address given privately by kosmail • Berkeley
Near Ashby BART
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend
- POTLUCK SIGNUP -
HQ will be providing the main course of our buffet:
• White bean sausage cassoulet
• Marinated chicken skewers
Vegetarian options:
• Butternut squash with farro, parmesan, spinach and onion
• Ratatouille with polenta squares
Please volunteer for beverages, side dishes & desserts needed below.
Beverages:
20 bottles of wine [13 complete (navajo, smileycreek, enhydra lutris, glescagal)]
16 six-packs of beer [4 complete (paradise50, 714day)]
8 six-packs soft drinks [0 complete]
6 six-packs bottles of water [1 complete (sfbob)]
Appetizers:
8 appetizers, anything goes here. Whatcha' got? [2 complete (jforests, boatsie)]
Side Dishes:
6 green salads needed, each to feed 10 [4 complete (jforests, Lorikeet, ceebee7, remembrance)]
4 (10-12 pcs) dinner roll sets, plus butter cubes [0 complete]
Desserts:
6 hand-held desserts (dozen each) [2 complete (syd, norm)]
70 Chinet dinner plates [jakedog42 & susans]
70 dessert plates [jakedog42 & susans]
70 appetizer plates [jakedog42 & susans]
140 cocktail napkins [jakedog42 & susans]
70 dinner napkins [jakedog42 & susans]
100 plastic forks [jakedog42 & susans]
70 plastic knives [jakedog42 & susans]
100 clear plastic beverage cups [jakedog42 & susans]
RSVPs:
1. Markos
2. Will Rockafellow
3. Susan Gardner
4. Meteor Blades
5. Faith Gardner & Roxie!
6. navajo - 4 bottles red wine
7. side pocket
8. Mrs. side pocket
9. smileycreek - 1 bottle red, 1 white wine
10. paradise50 - 1 six-pack beer
11. remembrance - gobi aloo, vegetarian
12. Glen The Plumber - apparently, nothing...
13. TLO
14. jakedog42* - plates, cups, napkins & utensils
15. edrie
16. dharmasyd* - brownies
17. catilinus
18. boatsie - Cowgirl Creamery cheeses & crackers
19. liberated spaces
20. citisven
21. kimoconnor
22. susans* - plates, cups, napkins & utensils
23. maggiejean
24. 714day* - 3 six packs of beer
25. Steven Payne
26. scaboni
27. skywriter
28. jpmassar
29. jotter
30. aha aha
31. jeremybloom
32. norm* - sugar-free cake
33. Lorikeet* - vege salad
34. cooper888
35. got mooned
36. Hunter
37. elfling
38. Cassia
39. Friend of elfling
40. Friend of elfling
41. Friend of elfling
42. Friend of elfling
43. tmservo433
44. Simplify
45. jforests* - greek salad, cheese ball appetizer/crackers
46. jforests SO and baby girl
47. Brian82
48. ceebee7* - green salad
49. Elisa +Ari & Eli
50. jglass
51. jglass's wife + 2 sons (6,9)
52. Walter + toddler
53. Denise
54. Denise's teen
55. Michaela
56. enhydra lutris - 3 bottles wine
57. enhydra lutris's SO
58. Bonnie
Maybees:
Thinking Fella
LaughingPlanet
sfbob - bottled water
Mark
*address given
Sunday, December 28th
Koscadia Meet-up with navajo & Pipe Ceremony with Ojibwa to Bless Quilts
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Private home
[Kosmail Sara R for the address] • Portland
ORGANIZER: Send Sara R to attend
RSVPs:
1. navajo
2. Ojibwa
3. Sara R
4. winglion
5. Angie in WA State
6. loggersbrat
7. llbear
8. Drewid
9. also mom of 5
10. watercarrier4diogenes
11. ozsea1
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Maybees:
exlrrp
quill
pdxteacher
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Latest diary: Koscadia Meet Up 12/28 -- special guests navajo and Ojibwa
Saturday & Sunday, January 17-18, 2015
Dkos Asheville 24-hour Meet-up
This is what community is about; sharing, giving, creating together. And this is what being a progressive is about; working for social, economic, and environmental justice.
Each day we start from where we are now; and we move forward from here. -davehouck
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...we have built ourselves a network of like minded brothers and sisters who are in this fight for life. A place we can come to find inspiration, power, solace and community.
-randallt |
TIME: 1:00 pm Saturday till 1:00 pm Sunday
LOCATION: Crown Plaza Resort Asheville
One Resort Drive • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Joieau
4. Gordon20024
5. SteelerGrrl
6. SteelerGuy
7. LamontCranston
8. Otteray Scribe
9.
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Maybees:
Joy of Fishes
IamGumby
smiley7
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Latest diary: DKos Asheville: Open Thread
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.