Hello, Sunday.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Loving D.C., and every year when I come visit my girls, I sort of don’t want to leave.  This year though, I got a little bit more out of the trip. I’ll explain.

After work the other day, Peaches, Eggplant and I took the opportunity to go on a monument  walk. The sky was perfectly blue, the air just cool enough and the monuments were just begging to be explored. It’d be a while for all of us since we’d been back, and as we walked through the memorials to Lincoln, Jefferson, MLK and all the great men and women that forged the nation we have today, we realized that the words inscribed in stone took on new meaning in today’s climate.  We reflected on where we’d been as a nation, how hard it was to get here, and all the trials and tribulations that we’ve endured since those famous words were inscribed in 1776.  It gave us hope, something that many of those around me have been lacking in the past week, that maybe it’s going to be alright, but not without some optimism, and some hard work by every single person under the stars and stripes.

And in the last bit of serious, I leave you with this, written on the walls of the FDR monument:

In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice, the path of faith, the path of hope and the path of love towards our fellow man.

Anyway, how are you this week? Who’s ready for a short one next?  EFF YEAH, I AM.  Here’s a few tidbits to entertain us all until then.  They are mostly silly and sparse, because that’s where my mind was this week.

The UK is doing the best job with Christmas commercials. Bears and Boss Ladies.  Keep ’em coming because ’tis the season!

Does anyone understand the mannequin challenge?   It’s sort of weird, but it’s less weird when Sesame Street joins the fun.

THE BEAUTY AND THE  BEAST TRAILER!!!!  

A message for all of us to hear, from the cast of Hamilton.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Lettuce and I think it should be Dr. Chris, Pet Vet.

Let’s not repeat history, k?

Good job, Mattel, on finally starting to make Barbie real.

What does your desk say about you? I’m a personaliser to the nth degree!

And finally, as you ready for Thanksgiving…Party guests overstaying their welcome? These are some subtle ways to get them it’s time to scram.

That’s all I’ve got. Have a great week!

Written before breakfast, after a great night’s sleep.

Photo courtesy of Biscuit.

Hello, Sunday.

This has been a horrible week. Our country is a mess and it’s playing out for all of us, and for the world, to see (as if 2016 hasn’t given everyone enough cringeworthy material). We are divided, with a gap so wide that it’s hard to imagine that we’ll ever truly be one again. This election, both the duration and the result, brought out so much vitriol and hate: hate for our government, for the candidates that we chose; hate for our countrymen, and our differences; hate for even our friends and family and loved ones.  I’m guilty of it myself and it’s taken all the gumption in me to try and see the light at the end of the tunnel, praying and hoping with all my heart that it’s actually there.

No one person can heal the divide. It will take all of us, each individual, because though we all live in the same country, we also all live in communities. The whole is nothing but the sum of its parts, and if we can each pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and help our neighbors do the same, it’s the only way that we’re going to get through this as a United States.  

I tried my darndest to stay off the net, so I have only this to offer; one of my favorites from some of my favorites, and I hope that it resets your mindsets as it has mine.  It starts with one, and it starts with love.

Hello, Sunday.

I’m sorry that it’s still a little all about baseball.  When I tell you that Chicago has been consumed  by America’s favorite pastime this week it’s not an exaggeration, and for most of the city, little work has been done, all outside reality has been ignored. We are a city of champions, and we’re riding that high until, I suspect, opening day comes around.

If you watched the news, I was part of the sea of blue that swept the city on Friday for the victory parade. I didn’t make it all the way down to the rally, but my colleagues and I vacated the office to cheer on the team that seemed to unite the city in a way that no other cause has in the almost ten years I’ve been here.  It’s made baseball fans of the most unlikely, myself included. 

There have been a lot of articles out there highlighting the historic win, covering it from all angles, and like, the Olympics, bringing out the feel good make you cry stories that come out of a 108 year drought, such as octogenarians traveling to gravesite to listen to the game with their late parents (or this one, about Grandpa Rossy).  It really has been a special time to be a Chicagoan!

We almost forgot the election is next week.  Don’t forget to vote!!!

So, what did I read this week?  Here’s a bit:

Elementary school accurately predicts presidential winner since 1968.  Their method seems to be pretty foolproof (and let’s hope that streak continues).

Related:  Whatever your political views, it’s easy to forget how historic this election really is.  Votes FOR a woman!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale. It’s a thing. A delicious thing. Here’s how that happens. (Also if you are in Colorado, head to the New Belgium Brewery. Good times!)

Cuteness. Dog freaks out when guy dresses as his favorite toy for Halloween.

Ouch….woman badly burned after farting during surgery. Is this a foreseeable injury?? Yikes.

Do you believe in ghosts? I do!  Here’s why.

Do you have an android? Did you know it could do magic? YES, IT WORKS. I’M A WITCH!

Related, a little:  Donald Trump’s Horcruxes…well done, Potterheads.

Soulmates are not just for romance. The unlikeliest besties.

And finally, tears of Joy.  Elderly Cubs fans react to the win.

That’s all I’ve got. Have a great week!