Kate's Friday Family Blogging

As promised, I begin it. It was something that Richard said recently that firmed up my idea that it was okay to be even more personal about blogging than I already am/was. I didn't need much urging really. It's how I live. In the early '80s I sent a letter to Ronnie Raygun, expressing my opposition to his policy on nuclear disarmament. You remember, some of you? It was called "Building Down". Rather like "trickle down economics", but faster and deadlier. In my letter to Ronnie I said I thought a photo campaign with the USSR was the key to helping all of us see that we were not simply dots on a demographers map. That "mutally-assured destruction" was simply insanity by any other name. And that his notion of "winnable" nuclear war was absurd on its face. Along with my letter I sent a family photo, proposing that American families send family photos to families in the USSR. I got back a form letter along with Ronnie's latest speech on his nuclear arms policies. I was underwhelmed.

The thought of making global interactions personal has never really left me. Of course, we in the US are "privileged" to see so-called "personal" photos of the US president with his family. And those of us with two brain cells to rub together understand that we are getting pure PR agency pap and nothing more.

So, I thought to myself, I said, "Self... we really need to get personal." (using my best Arlo voice). So I'm going to commit to posting photos of my family... my raison d'etre ... my reason for existing.

I broke a long period of political "resistance" in the last year. I still think the "system" is worth less than warm spit, and needs to be completely overhauled. But I'm going to be gone in twenty years and my children are most likely still going to be here on the Happy Planet. I want you to SEE who I'm fighting for. I'm fighting for the future of Boo and Jay.

These photos were taken at Boo's wedding four years ago in October 2000. Boo is now 27. Jay, her brother, is 32. That would be me in the purple dress, purple being the Boo's favorite color.


I do plan on making this a regular feature. I think that it is not only important that we "read" each other. I think it's important that we put a face with an impression. Not long ago I got e-mail from an ASZ reader who told me that he/she had dreamed about me. I thought this not only miraculous but fantastic. After all, I'm just a disembodied collection of text characters here really... nobody who doesn't know me, can really know me. But, one of my constant goals is to be known. I try never to hide. Friday Family blogging is my effort in that direction.

Bonus: (ding, ding, ding) RossK linked me to an amazing letter from the mother of a September 11th victim... I told him I would use it... I shoulda done better... but read it anyway... it hurt my heart. My children are of the same age as her daughter. It makes me want to call the father and mother lions out to protect their children. Where are you? Roar. Here: 9/11 Mom at Truthout.org.