A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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Good morning Kogs and Kossacks in Dailykosland!
Let's start the working week with a Moral Monday.
How do you pamper yourself—on a budget?
This is a stressful time of year. Shivering in the cold, slogging through the snow, juggling overlapping job deadlines, facing up to personal and professional financial pressures, all the while dragging a ton of emotional baggage that intensifies in the month of February.
Sometimes I get lost in fantasies of how I would luxuriate if I were free to go anywhere and do anything.
I hate to fly, but if money were no object, I would right now be on my way to a warm island somewhere with nothing to do all day but nap while listening to the sound of ocean waves in the background.
I'm not a girly girl, but if money were no object, I'd be on my way to a spa vacation with nothing to do all day but facials, mani/pedis, and aromatherapy massages.
And while I am not a fan of winter sports (sorry, Fella!), if money were no object I'd be on my way to a mountain lodge with nothing to do all day but sit by a roaring fireplace, enjoying hot cider and hot cocoa, reading good books, solving crossword puzzles, and looking out the window at the falling snow and the happy skiers and snowboarders.
After I snap myself back out of those fantasies, I get to the real task of how to pamper myself on a budget.
My heating bill is enormous this winter because as soon as I get home I turn the heat way up.
Then I make myself a hot beverage: tea, cider, bouillon. (Can't do cocoa in the evening because of the caffeine, plus I don't want to drink the calories.) I turn on the heat in my room so it will be toasty when bedtime comes, and I get into one of my brushed cotton sleep shirts. I put on my shearling slippers and sit next to my space heater.
When I have time, I make chicken and dumplings from scratch (OK, I use Bisquick for the dumplings).
If there is no time to cook my own soup I just take commercial/canned soup and add my own extras to it: extra black beans or bits roast chicken or green veggies left over from a previous meal.
Sometimes just plain old tomato soup or butternut squash soup is enough all by itself, with a little half and half or evaporated milk for added creamy goodness.
I pull out the nice dishes and take a little extra effort to make my food look attractive. Spiced beets add color and flavor. An array of beautiful colors on the plate makes it seem I am having an elegant restaurant meal.
As for aromatherapy, right now I am all out of my favorite essential oils, but I do have a few gently scented candles. Since I don't have a fireplace in my tiny city apartment, watching a candle flame is the next best meditation.
Spa music is an acquired taste. Certain kinds of spa music really allow me to feel as though I have transported myself away on a spiritual retreat. This guy with the singing bowls almost puts me into a hypnotic healing state.
When I'm not in the mood for the abstract kind of spa/retreat music, I can still take myself away to a front row seat in the nightclub of my imagination. There's nothing like live music of course, but a little piano, a little saxophone, a little bass, a little hi-hat, my favorite songwriters, my favorite vocalists... it's like treating myself to a night out while staying home and warm.
Sometimes I just sit in silence in my mom's big comfy red chair and quiet my mind. My xmas lights are still up (so sue me--some years i leave them up until Ash Wednesday) and I sit and watch the lights blink on and off. On and off. There are three strings of lights and the blinking is randomly staggered among them.
Then when it's bedtime, I fall asleep under an old down comforter with an extra blanket (or two) on top. Have I mentioned that the indulgence and pampering is all about being WARM?
Do you have small and yet still special ways to pamper yourself that are cheap or free? Ways to evoke the feeling of a luxury hotel, a mountain retreat or a spa vacation without leaving the comforts of home? How would you pamper yourself if money were no object?
How do you pamper yourself on a budget?
start up soundtrack
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 Sara R ♥ for Koscadia
Koscadia, at it again.
We had a lovely meal together yesterday. The mood was a bit somber as we thought of our absent [Koscadia] friend, Cedwyn. The news of Cedwyn's death did not come until afterwards.
At our lunch, I received a special gift from ericlewis0 intended for both me and Ann, wrapped and framed by llbear. It was the original artwork for the Animal Nuz cartoon of Catwyn receiving her quilt. [Photo can be seen in Sara R's diary]
Here's one photo:
L-R: War4Sale (back of head), Sheila, slampros, watercarrier4diogenes, llbear, ozsea1, loggersbrat, quill, pdxteacher
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 John Crapper ♥ for Seattle and Puget Sound Kos
Seattle & Puget Sound Kos welcomed Joan McCarter, Meteor Blades, Monique Teal and navajo to their meet-up on January 17th. Almost 40 people attended. All had a great time mingling, listening to the DKos speakers and then finishing up with a Q&A session. Good food, great location and most of all great Kossacks.
L-R: Monique Teal, cinnamon68, N in Seattle, Joan McCarter, seabos84, Meteor Blades speaking, James Wells and John Crapper
Please visit John Crapper's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Seattle and Puget Sound Kos by sending a Kosmail to John Crapper.
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, February 14th
Motor City Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Taqueria Mi Pueblo
7278 Dix • Detroit (Corktown-ish)
ORGANIZER: Send peregrine kate a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. DoReMI
2. mideedah
3. BFSkinner
4. peregrine kate
5.
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Maybees:
ProvokingMeaning
ChemBob
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Latest diary: Michigan/Motor City Kossacks Weekly Open Thread: Meet-Up, Sat 2/14, 7:00 PM, Corktown(ish) Detroit
Saturday, February 21st
Cheers & Jeers Meet-up in Portland, Maine
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Flatbread Pizza
72 Commercial Street • Portland
ORGANIZER: Send nhox42 a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. nhox42
2. Bill in Portland Maine
3. Common Sense Mainer
4. Ed Tracey
5.
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Maybees: |
Saturday, February 28th
Four Corners Kossacks International Diplomatic Outreach Junket
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Irish Embassy Pub
900 Main Ave • Durango
ORGANIZER: Send Thinking Fella a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Thinking Fella
2. Hero Machine
3. red moon dog
4. ERRN
5. Mr. ERRN
6. Gary Norton
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Maybees:
LucyTooners
Mr. LucyTooners
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Latest diary: Four Corners Kossacks Meet-up: International Diplomatic Outreach
Saturday, February 28th
DC Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: TBD
[Address] • DC
ORGANIZER: Send NinthElegy a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. NinthElegy
2.
3.
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Maybees:
Rachel Colyer
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Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Saturday, February 28th
Texas All-State Meet-up with:
• Kath Haenschen: Legislative Preview: The Good, The Bad, And The Really Really Ugly
• Meteor Blades: The Power of Year-Round Precinct Organizing
• Denise Oliver-Velez: Motivating Young People to Vote and Run for Office
• Neeta Lind aka navajo: Maximizing the Daily Kos Forum
• Egberto Willies: How to Attract the Most Readers to Your Message
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, 78701 (near convention center and state capital building)
Cocktail time First drink c/o Daily Kos if you attended the seminar, coupons handed out at seminar.
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. Egberto Willies
6. Katherine Haenschen aka kath25
7. navajo
8. johnatx
9. mrs johnatx
10. Blood
11. cosette
12. anotherdemocrat - Vege*
13. bastrop
14. Warren Pease
15. Patience John
16. noteaforme
17. blue armadillo
18. RLMAC
19. TexMex
20. JC Dufresne
21. TexasLibertine
22. politik
23. Mr Pea
24. PDiddie
25. Mrs. Diddie
26. suesue
27. mr suesue
28. Sandia Blanca
29. Noisy Gong
30. Essephreak
31. laderrick - Vege*
32. getlost
33. TulsaGal
34. AndyT
35. Carol in San Antonio
36. blueisland
37. TX Unmuzzled
38. walkshills
39. MargaretPOA
40. rabel
41. on the cusp
42. freerad
43. freerad's guest
44. Wino
45. Mrs Wino
46. Red Tom Kidd
47. Tutone in Texas
48. Mrs Tutone in Texas
49. jfranks
50. 1toughlady
51. scott5js
52. tmc222
53. tmc222's daughter
54. Leslie L.
55. Amanda F.
56. Eddie W.
57. Carlos T.
58. Tina N.
59. Michael W.
60. Cory J.
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61. Shelly H.
62. Aaron H.
63. Kit C.
64. Ellen S.
65. James R.
66. Ray J.
67. John M.
68. Patricia N.
69. Scott H.
70. Rick H.
71. Anna N.
72. Vanysha J.
73. Jerry H.
74. Chau N.
75. Steve G.
76. Derek M.
77. Carlos Q.
78. Jim C.
79. Kehinde O.
80. Sammy J.
81. Mary W.
82. Jennifer C.
83. Barbara C.
84. Dian D.
85. Vicki T.
86. Mark C.
87. Joseph K.
88. Adrienne A.
89. John B.
90. Logan P.
91. Denny D.
92. Tracy B.
93. Kent R.
94. Andrea E.
95. Matthew B.
96. Angelika G.
97. Jim M.
98. Larry H.
99. Marv H.
100. Joe C.
101. asprivett
102. Joe D.
103. Tiffani B.
104. Stacy G.
105. Edward S.
106. Genevieve C.
107. Jesse M.
Maybees:
BlueMississippi
BlackSheep1
Deja (+1-2)
boadicea
postmodernista
Texan001
Ignacio Magaloni
neverontheright
Armando D.
Michael H.
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* Needs vegetarian meal
Latest diary: Texas Meetup on 2/28: Now with Big and Burnt Orange Flavor
Saturday, April 25th
DAILY KOS CONNECTS KANSAS CITY
Our first regional Daily Kos gathering.
Join us for a day of camaraderie and progressive strategizing with Big Orange flavor. In a day-long seminar, learn how our Connect! Unite! Act! team maximized the Daily Kos forum to effect change in Kansas state politics. We are going to duplicate that effort across the nation. Participants will focus on organizing from the ground up.
You'll also get a chance to meet the blog's founder, Markos Moulitsas and some Daily Kos writers, such as Joan McCarter, Meteor Blades, David Nir, Jen Hayden and others.
TIME: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Alamo Drafthouse
1400 Main Street • Kansas City
SCHEDULE:
8:00 AM - Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM - Presentations, panels and Q&A's begin
Noon - Lunch served
1:30 PM - More presentations, panels and Q&A's
6:00 PM - After Party
REGISTER HERE: $30 registration fee at Eventbrite
Benefactor level is also available if you plan to attend and buy a scholarship for someone, you and your attendee can have a front row seat. Angel level is also available if you can't attend but want to help someone else attend.
We have four scholarships available thanks to our Benefactors and Angels. Please kosmail navajo if you need a scholarship to attend. |
Grow our network, unite our progressive communities, help win elections!
RSVPs:
1. Markos Moulitsas
2. tmservo433
3. Meteor Blades
5. Joan McCarter
6. David Nir
7. Jen Hayden
8. Monique Teal
9. Neeta Lind aka navajo
10. Cindy Kelly from Women4KS
11. Peter Gogol
12. Jeffrey Zamrzla
13. Brian82
14. C.M.
15. Sandzen
16. kj in missouri
17.
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Maybees: |
Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, 2015
DKos Asheville's Roadtrip and Two-Day Retreat to Roanoke, Virginia
From randallt:
After seven successful and engaging meet ups, DKos Asheville's core members decided to take our next gathering on the road. The first reason was that our chef and benefactor for all our meet ups has been Gordon20024 and we wanted say thanks by traveling to be with him instead of having him drive to be with us. We asked and he was thrilled and so the idea was born. Another reason is that it offers us the opportunity to meet more Kossacks from around the region including Virginia and parts of North Carolina to the north and east of us.
Grow our network, grow our community, help win elections.
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TIME: 1:00 pm Saturday till 1:00 pm Sunday
LOCATION: Hotel Roanoke, Conference Center
110 Shenandoah Avenue • Roanoke
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. gordon20024
2. davehouck
3. randallt
4. Joieau
5. LamontCranston
6. Steerler Grrl
7. Steeler Guy
8. Otteray Scribe
9. DawnN
10. emmasnacker
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Maybees: |
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.