Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

How can republicans represent us when they don’t trust women?

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Ron DeSantis, the grand wizard, oops, governor of FL

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

In my day, never was longer.

If you are in line to indict donald trump, stay in line.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Spilling the end game before they can coat it in frankl luntz-approved dogwhistles.

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

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Holidays When We Were Little

cope – Christmas Long Ago

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This morning we have a set of great Christmas pics from cope!  (Thought I had better belatedly clarify since apparently “cope” doesn’t necessarily jump out as a nym!)

My stepdad took lots and lots of pictures when we were growing up.  He only took slides, though, so after a single viewing, they pretty much disappeared into a closet.  Over the past couple of years, I took it upon myself to scan all his slides and turn them into digital slideshows complete with opening and closing credits and accompanying songs of the period.  Some of the slides were, after more than fifty years, in sad shape and my scanning and editing software could only do so much but there you go.

cope - Christmas Long Ago 5
Northbook, Illinois

This is my cohort, my brothers and sisters in arms. I am the oldest. As I keep blathering about, my wife and I are moving back to Colorado after thirty three years in Florida.  The five of us will all be living within fifteen minutes of each other. That small rocking chair is already packed up, ready to go.

cope – Christmas Long AgoPost + Comments (56)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/31

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? New Year’s Eve. ?

It’s pretty clear that we were all adorable!

?  Thanks to all who sent in their when we were little pics!  ?

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Karen H

“I mostly lurk here, but it’s been so much fun seeing the photos in this series
that I decided to come out of my shell.”

San Antonio, TX

“In 1949, I was 4 and a budding fashion plate in overalls and a plaid shirt.
Evidently my presents were a dollhouse and a record player.
The cat was named Joe.”

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Marvel and her Sisters
Christmas Day in San Diego, CA
1954


Marvel (left), sister Charleen (center), twin (Marsha) right.

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Commenter Sis and her sister in 1964.

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“I’m on the right, and my sister is the baby on the left.
My sister was so wowed by the 2022 calendar that she’s going to check out Balloon Juice and start commenting.”

(Welcome to Balloon Juice, baby sister!  ~WaterGirl)

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frosty and his twin brother!

“This is from my second Christmas.
I think that’s me on the right and my twin brother on the left.
Although it’s hard to tell from this angle.
Note the fence.
Also note we didn’t have any dogs or cats, so draw your own conclusion.”

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Gravie

The entire family often gathered at my grandparents’ glorious old Victorian for Christmas.
PJs and suits were both acceptable.
I am the kid in the front row with the wildly patterned pajamas.

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AliceBlue and her brother, Christmas 1954

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Bonus picture of unfree and siblings just arrived!

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/31 2

“This is from December 1953, my brothers and I, arranged by age.  I’m the eldest and the only girl.  To me the noteworthy thing about this picture (besides my middle brother’s mohawk) is my youngest brother’s toy.  Yes, those are empty thread spools on a shoestring.  He actually remembers making those for himself, and he did grow up to be a computer engineer.”

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On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/31Post + Comments (17)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/28

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There was an editing mishap in the 12/27 post and I think I lost 3 people’s photos, but I don’t know which 3 people!

If you are not Karen H, Marvel or Sis, and you have not seen your holiday photos published yet, please speak up in the comments or send me an email message.

This first set of photos today (3 photos) is from SteverinoCT, and the second set is from Evap.

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/28
December 25, 1960

Grandmother and her mother. House tree-stand made by my late grandfather. Santas made by uncle and Mom.

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/28Post + Comments (11)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/27

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?Keep sending your pics!  We’ll run them from now until New Year’s Eve. ?

Who knew all the BJ peeps were so adorable when we were kids?

? All holidays matter. ?

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Rich2506: “Me, Cindi and Dave”

Cindi reading to Dave and me!
Winchester, MA.
Dec 24, 1965

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wmd

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/27
“Here’s one of me in front of the Christmas tree holding my cat Mittens.
She doesn’t look too pleased. Guessing about 1970.”

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beth (of BJ Calendar fame)

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Cute kids of Christmas past!
beth is on the right

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Elma, Carol, and Betty

 

Kenosha, circa ?
(Maybe we can guess from the tinsel?  ~WG)

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Elma


“Got a doll and stiches for Christmas.”

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Santa and Stacy

“I’m a lurker but faithful longtime reader.
I just like this picture so much, especially the woman with the cigarette.
This was about 1983.”

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On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/27Post + Comments (13)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/24

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This post is in: 

?Keep sending your pics!  We’ll run them from now until New Year’s Eve. ?

Who knew all the BJ peeps were so adorable when we were kids?

? All holidays matter. ?

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John Smallberries: “that’s me at 9 months old,
plus the old man  and my mom.”
Christmas 1957.

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/24

“That copy of The Night Before Christmas lasted and was read on Christmas Eve for at least another 30 years before it fell apart.  But my mom still has the remains stashed somewhere.”

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Cathie from Canada

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“So it may be a little odd to see two sweet little twin girls with toy cars,
but that was our best Christmas gift that year!”

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JanieM

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“That’s me on the left, in the Davy Crockett suit I wanted so desperately for Christmas in 1955.
I’m sure my mother got it for me
while hoping it would be just an anomaly on my path to true femininity.
Um…no.”

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Elma, Carol, and Betty

Kenosha, circa ?
(Maybe we can guess from the tinsel?  ~WG)

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Elma


“Got a doll and stiches for Christmas.”

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Santa and Stacy

“I’m a lurker but faithful longtime reader.
I just like this picture so much, especially the woman with the cigarette.
This was about 1983.”

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On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/24Post + Comments (17)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/23

by | 27 Comments

This post is in: 

?Send in your holiday pics, everybody!   We’ll run them from now until New Year’s Eve. ?

Who knew all the BJ peeps were so adorable when we were kids?

? All holidays matter. ?

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delk at 5 years old!
Is that a Roy Rodgers outfit?

I remember that game!

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TaMara and her cousin

Christmas Pics From When <i>We</i> Were the Littles
TaMara says they are still as close today as they were then.

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HeleninEire with Santa at 5 years old

It’s such a small world.
Who knew that Helen’s mom would have known debbie’s mom my mom well enough…
…to ask her to cut Helen’s bangs? ~WG

“All the kids in 1969 when I  was 7. I’m on the left.
And that’s my mother’s ass in the background. ?.”

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A tree from Omnes
“This is what my family’s tree looks like every year.”


A tree with lots of presents!
I wonder which one is for me? ~WG

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Since the title is Holidays When We Were Little…
I think this adorable photo of Betty Cracker’s Pete fits perfectly.
Don’t you?

circa 2021

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This is from The Fat Kate Middleton


“This is currently on display at Iowa State University.
The little girls are me and my sisters, Mary and Peg.”

Just lovely!  What medium is that?  ~WG

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On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/23Post + Comments (27)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/22

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This post is in: 

?Send in your holiday pics, everybody!   We’ll run them from now until New Year’s Eve. ?

Who knew all the BJ peeps were so adorable when we were kids?

? All holidays matter. ?

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Grumpy Old Railroader

So cute! I will let him share another name in the comments, if desired.

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opiejeanie’s Grandma Mabel on the left and her sister Maude, and scary Santa

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Probably taken about 1916-1917. Maude was the oldest surviving child of 8 and 14 years older, Grandma was youngest for 2 years until her awful sister Pearl was born (I have stories!).

opiejeanie’s Uncle Walter

Christmas 1917, in Grandpa’s studio in Downers Grove, Illinois.

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matching jammies!

miki circa 1959 huntsville alabama

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karen marie

The scrawny tree is from the first Christmas in my Myrtle Street, Boston apartment

circa 1982

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This is a Christmas photo of debbie with two of her three brothers and Santa.
“My mother cut my bangs. Sadly.”


This would be sometime around 1960.

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On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/22Post + Comments (61)