Kate McKinnon

A knockout ring from this week’s session of birdbath making. Starting at a size 7 (can go up as necessary) big and wide and glowing. The bowl is almost an inch and a half across and the colors are amazing.  (sold)

And here is one of the birdbaths. I’m still working.

if you haven’t already. Call your local field office- this might be your party headquarters, or your candidate’s local group. There are so many things you can do. Lines are going to be long. People are going to be hot, cold, sunburned, frozen, hungry, tired, they are going to need placeholders while they pee, they might need a poncho or a big T-shirt to cover up the campaign shirt they foolishly wore to the polls. They might need a folding lawnchair to sit in, or a magazine to read. Buy a few boxes of granola bars, a few used umbrellas, some cases of water, and stake out a spot at the polling place with a friend or two.

Pop up a folding table and just be a non-partisan help table, for anyone who needs it. Set a good example for the haters. Volunteer your cell phone so that people who are stuck on line can call their work or their babysitter and let them know they are running late. Bring some crayons and coloring books for the kids, maybe a game or two. If you can make a safe place in full view of the line to spread out a blanket for the kids to sit down and play with each other, that would be great.

And whatever you do, when it’s your time to vote, STAY IN LINE. If they don’t want to let you vote, don’t accept a provisional ballot without making the hugest stink possible. There are voting rights advocates at every polling place. If you are trained, or you are an attorney, the polls still need volunteers. If you have a car and can drive, there are voters who need rides to the polls. Bake cookies, bring them with you to the line.

It’s time, people. Let’s give it our all.

Above, a brooch in progress and the re-incarnation of the hollow tree I want to live in, from the great classic book My Side Of The Mountain.

I made a neat little silver branch by wrapping metal clay around a piece of 12g fine silver wire, texturing it, firing it, and then wrapping the finished branch in a vine of 14g wire, fusing it to the branch, balling the ends of the vine, hammering them flat, and drilling holes.

Above, it’s modelling Amy Johnson’s pink glass bird and below, Karen Elmquist’s pretty little owl- both beads that I adore.

I’m down with the branch- I’ve been waiting for some kind of idea like this to wear Karen’s owl. Amy’s bird has a date with the birdbath. If UPS would ever get here with my new huge dapping punches and solder things could march on.

The World Series ended anticlimactically last night- it was a shame that the rain had to stop a tight, great game, and put the last 2 1/2 innings off for two days. Ah well. Congrats to the Phillies, and may the win bring gentleness and generosity to the hearts of Pennsylvanians.
 

Here is a link to an amazing little diary on Daily Kos, about irony lapping reality. A group of history-challenged Christians staged a prayer session at a golden calf (well, actually the golden bull on Wall Street) praying for a market turnaround and more lovely lucre for the faithful. You just can’t make this stuff up.

Here is Wonkette’s take on the story: “Jesus People Pray That False Idol Will Save God’s Economy.”

I’m now counting days off in hours, just moving through time, trying to do what I’m supposed to be doing. Moving the remainder of my money, pretty much everything I own, to an account that will be used to pay the massive legal and tax bills associated with my mother’s estate, the last truly awful moment in four and a half years of some pretty serious awful. The fact that the huge bills represent the end is in its own way a beautiful thing. It doesn’t really matter anymore; I can move on to simply grieving my mother. I’ve never been much attached to money anyway, but it worries me to be this close to the edge. 

Thursday, Hallowe’en, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday… then, on Tuesday night, will Virginia go blue and will it be over? Or will we enter another nightmare phase like 2004 and 2000?

I am making things today, which is good. I’m remaking the hollow tree ring that got accidentally underfired a few weeks ago (I didn’t notice til I went to hammer up the shank, and it broke off,) finishing up the birdbath ring, working on a sample chain for the final book proposal. Moving forward. 

My lady Coopers Hawk has been in the back yard this week, celebrating the influx of birds from the North and the huge supply of doves. She now looks almost fully grown, and seems very happy on top of her utility pole.  There are new hummers at the feeder, huge ones, that look solid black. I need to get a closer look at them.

Watch! He’s talking about Barack’s paid 30 minutes tonight, and I really like what he’s trying say to people who are having problems in their heart with racism. It comes in at about the 3 and a half minute mark. He’s a bit ham-handed, because he’s Chris Matthews, but it was a true reaction, moments after he saw the piece, and I appreciate his sincerity.

Here is a bit of transcript of what Chris said.

…People that are examining their conscience on racism should ask themselves, what do they want black people to DO? You want them to grow up well, raise their kids well, pay attention to their kids, accept their responsibility as a parent, you want them to do everything right. This family (the Obamas) has done everything you have asked them to do. What more do you want before you are gonna vote for a black guy? What more do you WANT?

This guy’s done everything. He’s worked his butt off, he’s been a good father, a good citizen, he’s paid attention to his country, he’s devoted his life to his own community back in the South side of Chicago, he’s taught people how to be, how to behave, he’s done everything right. Give the guy a break and at least THINK about voting for him.

I mean everybody has to make up their own minds about a lot of issues in this campaign, but if anybody votes against him because of his behavior, or his family life, they’re not being fair here. I think he exemplifies this country, and not just in his community, but for all of us.

Chris is doing his damnedest to bring in the white guy vote for Barack, and I am both surprised and gratified. He clearly means well and I… hardly know what to say.

Ah, tonight. One great thing about tonight is that today will be over.

Not that today hasn’t been beautiful, because it has. It’s a clear, soft, mellow day, everyone has their doors and windows open. It’s an easy day outside, I can hear birds chirping everywhere, hear the faint murmur of the U of A campus a few blocks away. The occasional siren, butterflies, bees. People talking as they walk down 6th Street, faint laughs from the cafe on the corner. 

But today is also full of the stress of the moment, if you know what I mean, and when it’s over that’s just one less to deal with. I’m looking forward to watching Barack tonight- he’s bought a half hour of airtime on all of the network stations, 8 pm Eastern. So I’ll watch him, and I’m sure that will feel good. And then, Game 5 of the World Series resumes, in the bottom of the 6th, Phillies up, game tied 2-2. 

Here is a nice little video clip, just a minute sixteen to brighten your day. Did you share your toys in kindergarten? You might be a socialist. Or a communist. Maybe both!

It’s still only the eight o’clock hour, and there is already so much going on. If I can make it through this week intact and functioning I’ll be well pleased. Not since I was a child have I felt time move so slowly, and felt more powerless to affect the unfolding of events. It’s a good lesson, really, everything that is happening to me and around me right now is very powerful. We are living in interesting times, my friends, also, you betcha. Yup.

My favorite sound bite from all week was Monday, when the McCain campaign said, in response to Sarah Palin’s odd claim that the $150,000 in clothes weren’t even hers,

“Those were not the remarks we sent to her plane this morning.”

That line will stay with me, for sure. Sarah Palin is officially Off Message.

The wings move, of course, everything moves.

It sure looked cold in Philly last night when they called the ball game in the middle of the 6th. It had been raining for hours, and it was 39 degrees. Players were sliding in the mud, the pitchers couldn’t keep their hands warm. 

The weather didn’t get a lot better overnight, but still, 9,000 people turned out in Chester, PA, to hear what Barack had to say.

“A little bit of rain never hurt anybody,” Obama said, surveying the soaking, umbrella-covered crowd at Widener University, occasionally rubbing his hands together for warmth and squinting through the raindrops.

The Obama campaign considered moving its event inside, but couldn’t find an appropriate venue, an aide said. An estimated 9,000 people turned out.

So when I think of the faces of hate, I remember that they are a small minority now, and that may be why they are so afraid. Maybe they think that they will be treated as they have treated others.

Photos from this great Daily Kos rally diary by user Hope Reborn.

In a related note, the McCain campaign cancelled their rally due to inclement weather.