...and my husband and I are selling our house and buying a bigger one. My sister is also getting married on Friday, and I've been taking my T&I classes in school. Hence no LJ entries for awhile.

But I can tell you what--breathing through one's mouth--ESPECIALLY when sleeping--really, REALLY sucks!

Title: Revolution Without a Name, Chapter 23/40

Author: fashionHiccup Truly

Rating: Mostly R, but to NC-17 for strong language and occasional sexual situations (this chap's got one of those NC-17 moments)

Feedback: This is a WIP that has had little beta and is still in first-draft mode, so I much appreciate and welcome all comments and suggestions/recommendations for improvement. Please reply below if you would like to provide constructive crit.

Disclaimer: *Definitely and completely* alternative universe/alternate reality (AU/AR) non-con fiction. All actual people referenced in this fic are used in a completely fictional way. I have made rash assumptions about all of these peoples’ characters without knowing a shred of what they are like in real life. I mean no disrespect or debasement of these people whatsoever.

Well, except maybe the Bush Cabal. :-p

Warnings: Non-con, some violence, sex, and *totally* fictitious scenario about the U.S. elections. I am not involved in politics whatsoever, so make no claims to any knowledge of the “fraud plot” in this completely invented, fictional story.

Thanks in advance, as always, for reading. :-)

(P.S. If you would like to read and watch video clips of my truly exhilirating experience at the huge-ass Washington, D.C. peace rally, click here.)

( Chapter 23 - Every One of Us )

Archive of Contents

Hello all,

For your viewing pleasure is the full set of video clips from our disposable video camera--sound quality isn't so great, but the visual pictures hopefully give an idea of what it was like to be a tiny part of something so big. :)

http://www.jkenoyer.com/dcrally/videos/videos.htm

So much has been written about the rallies in DC, LA, NYC, London, and other parts of the U.S. and the world, so I won't belabor you with my own experiences. OK, that's a cheap excuse for getting out of writing my experiences--partly because I just can't find the right words to explain the energy and beauty of so many ordinary people from such diverse backgrounds and circumstances and regions coming together to cry out in a loud voice, ENOUGH! The experience was awe-inspiring and spiritual, and I hope that the videos above will portray some semblance of the experience better than my mere words can.

More than (reportedly) 600,000 of us went head-to-head with some anti-Bush protestors at one point--all 20 of them, or so it seemed. When we passed their small cotillion of Bush loyals, one of whom was carrying a monstrous banner that proclaimed TRUST JESUS, our group with fists in the air started chanting: "Who would Jesus bomb?! Who would Jesus bomb?! Who would Jesus bomb?!" That was one segment of the march I'd wished I'd captured on video, but unluckily didn't.

( Rant on right-wingers, if you're interested )

Filled with ennui, I watched the news this morning as more bodies were pulled from the wreckage of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; this grim news was interspersed with cuts of the solemn 9/11 anniversary memorials at the Pentagon, Twin Towers site, and Shanksville, Penn. area where all four of the 9/11 hijackers' planes hit. All of this before a laughable attempt by the Pentagon, no less (our tax dollars at work!) to host a fun-filled Fascist Fake Freedomfest parade complete with country star Clint Black, all in the name of celebrating our "freedom". (Pre-registration required for admittance, of course.)

( I don't know whether to feel numb, cry, or pound my fists with rage. )

Okay, venting over. *pants* *gasps* *pours self another cup of coffee*

If you give half a shit about the downward-spiral direction into which our country's conscience--hell, our country itself--is funnelling, then just be in Washington on the 24th. Make your voice be heard. Be a true American and demand that the crooks and liars give us our country back.

Mostly out of laziness/business/back pain/all of the above, I've been posting so many linkies to stories without giving much opinion to them, aside from the resulting discussions with/comments from both the right and left. Realizing that's a cop-out in the end, I've got to chip in my $0.02. Hell, everyone else has been doing so.

The absolute ugliness of the far-right has been rearing its head and showing the rest of the country, and quite possibly the world, how mean-spirited, violent, vile, arrogant, sanctimonious, and (worst of all perhaps) deluded it has become. Qualities, I might add, that the current Commander-in-Chief espouses himself in his team of bandits and criminals in Washington.

And that goes for both the Republicans who parrot him as well as the DLC Democrats (a.k.a. Republican Lite) who put their tails between their legs--and who've given free pass after free pass to this cancer in our government--the most corrupt administration I've ever lived through or even read about (née Nixon and LBJ). You supposed members of the so-called "opposition" party in Washington, I affix equal or perhaps more blame on you; because we in the anonymous masses relied on you powerful few in Washington the most to stick up for our values, and you have let us down (again and again).

So when an unknown mother of four, one of whom was tragically killed along with 1,800+ others in Iraq, sets up camp outside the President's overused vacation home simply to demand answers about the Downing Street Minutes, the rationale for the war in Iraq, and the so-called "noble cause" her son as well as many others died for...you on the Right put your smear machine into overdrive, ignoring (as always) the message behind what you feel are the "leftist" motives, ignoring the incompetence of this administration, ignoring as always, the truth. The pure truth, which always transcends right and left but somehow gets lost among the constant bickering and whitewashing.

And you in the so-called "Democratic" elite, who tell us in the masses to shut up, go home, stop protesting because it "risks harm to the troops" and "emboldens the enemy". Well, with all due respect, supposed allies, fuck you and your complacency. We in the progressive/anti-war community are doing all we can to protect our troops and resist the enemy--by telling our armed forces the truth of why they're fighting, killing and dying; of why they're sacrificing their souls and bodies for a lie; of why this administration needs to be held to task and at the bar of justice as criminals for the worldwide havoc they have wreaked.

So suffice it to say that Cindy Sheehan has more guts in her soul's left pinky finger than you pundits, talk-show hosts, armchair politicians, Beltway brats, and even I have in our souls entire. She's the mother of an equally brave soldier; is it any surprise to learn where that bravery came from?

My husband and I are still awake at 3 this a.m. after having met this vision in blue, and even getting yours truly's picture with him! Egads, wonder how that is going to turn out? Might be one of those typical the-male-peacock-is-much-prettier-than-the-female-peacock moments. :-p Oh well, it was exciting nonetheless to meet the man behind Frodo Baggins. Both Jon and I thought he was a nice guy--had no inflated "celebrity" ego, treated his fans kindly, and was very intelligent to boot. A bonus was that Elijah got two of his costars, Billy Boyd and Dom Monaghan, on speakerphone to chat with him (and surreptitiously, us in the audience). Being that it was Billy Boyd's birthday, everyone in the audience sang "Happy Birthday" to him over Elijah's cellular speakerphone.

We also saw previews of a parody called Dork of the Rings, a satire of LoTR that actually looks pretty funny. We heard a lecture from the guy who wrote The Last Unicorn re: who's the real hero of LoTR (my verdict: it was a team effort all the way, baby!) and also browsed the myriads of non-LoTR-related geek material (Buffy, Xena, Star Trek, and lol, South Park of all things!)

The ELF experience was so great that I couldn't sleep. :-p Young Blue Eyes even inspired me to work on a new chapter for RWaN - the things that go on in one's head following an ELF conference.

Nicest of all - yes, even cooler than meeting Elijah! OK, well just as cool! ;) - was getting to meet and know some of my fellow domlijah LJers in person. kitcat72, it was great meeting you and hope we can chat more soon. lisabellex and elfellon111, I am so glad you made it across the pond to visit J. and me, and see Lijah and the ELF Conference here in FL. Hope we all see each other again in person, and even sooner on the LJ. Keep writing your good works (and I will honestly try to post more often myself)! :)

Jim Wallis, my new hero, has something to say to faux-Christian Pat Robertson re: his irresponsible and hateful call to assassinate Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela. (Way to incite more anti-American hatred around the globe, asshole!) His latest Sojourners article is a well-needed slap in the ass to tools like Robertson and the phony "religion" that feeds them.

( Read his article here. )

I go on vacation starting tomorrow! Whoo-hoo! :)

The gall of the Bush Administration never ceases to amaze me.

Call it grandstanding, call it chutzpah, even call it the quiet, almost-obsessive desperation of a mother who can't let go of the memory of her dead son--call it anything you would like. One fact remains, though: in her smallest fingernail, Cindy Sheehan has worlds more courage in the face of adversity than the entire Bush Cabinet and its minions have in their entire bodies or vapid, depraved useless shells of souls.

In case you haven't heard about Ms. Sheehan's courageous quest for the truth from our chickenhawk of a president, you can read more about her here. The AfterDowningStree.org people have helped put together a site for her called MeetWithCindy.org - the link is NOT broken; the site is just prone to maxing out its visit limit, and it's a busy site.

You can also learn more about how to help Cindy and the people who are supporting her at the KOS - she and her colleagues need water, sunscreen, food, etc. Several groups like Code Pink and United for Peace and Justice are currently rallying to her aid as well.

Closing thought: isn't it just typical that this corrupt administration lets a CIA leaker like Karl Rove off scott-free, yet menaces and threatens to arrest a discontented, nonviolent fallen soldier's mom who simply wants answers about their illegal war? Arrgggh.

Here's a link to a petition that Cindy is going to bring with her to Crawford:

http://elandslide.org/elandslide/petition.cfm?campaign=iraq1

Please sign it so Cindy can deliver your signature to George Bush on Saturday. It only has a little more than 25,000 sigs when I last visited, which is pathetic--she needs 100,000s of thousands more to add to this petition.

( More information from a GSFP e-mail from Cindy Sheehan )

Just read Rev. Jim Wallis's op-ed piece in the New York Times and think that what he says re: the Dems' shortcomings in getting out their message to everyday Americans is right on the money.

I've seen Mr. Wallis speak in person; and I can tell you certifiably that, if anyone can help repair the crevasse-like divide in our country--and our failed foreign and domestic policies that do damage to many and benefit few--then Jim Wallis is that person and we need more people like him to lead. If he suddenly decides in '07 that he's going to run for President on an Independent (or otherwise) ticket; I'd campaign for him.

You can read his editorial in full here...

( ...or you can read a short excerpt here. )

What else can I say??

So I just found out from my doctor and X-ray results that I have degenerative disk disease in my L4 and L5 (lumbar/spine region, I think) and have to see a neurologist next. Oh boy, the fun I have to look forward to! Not!!

My doc is trying to push for surgery (I swear, she must get a kickback); but I'd like to exhaust all options (PT, meds, exercise, etc.) before resorting to Going Under the Knife. All I can say is: I'd better get my back into do-able shape before the 9/24 rally, damn it!!! My husband can push me in a wheelchair if he has to!! LOL!!

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile; my back has been utterly KILLING me for the past week and a half, and sitting at a computer is utter painfulness.

But anyway, enough of my kvetching and kvelling; there are more important matters than one person's sciatica at stake. Excellent blog from Shakespeare's Sister, the master of Big Brass Alliance:

http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2005/07/rove-and-roberts-two-peas-in-same.html

It might not seem on its face like Karl Rove and SCOTUS nominee John Roberts have much in common, but there’s one very important attribute they both share—they’re both political hacks. They’ve served their GOP master in different ways, but in the end, neither of them is any more than a political operative who fulfills a certain ideological role within the party. I could tell you all about Roberts’ history with the Republicans, but what difference do specifics make? He’s been a judge for two years, and the rest of his career has been spent in the pockets of GOP power players. This is, in the end, just more of the same from Bush & Co.

And could we really have expected any different? Of course not.

There will no doubt be plenty of debate across the blogosphere over the next few days about whether Rove or Rogers should command our collective attention, but it’s not really an either-or proposition. Whether it’s the Downing Street Memos revealing that the administration was fixing facts and intelligence around the policy, or senior administration officials using their media operatives to discredit a critic (and compromising national security in the process), or an announcement of a GOP hack SCOTUS nominee politically timed to distract from an official investigation of the administration’s misdeeds, it’s all part of the same ugly picture. Our country’s leadership is corrupt. They place ideology before truth, before international law, before national security, before justice. It’s just more of the same.

The GOP with Bush at the helm is interested in one thing and one thing only: holding onto power. And the best way they’ve found to maintain their chokehold on the entirety of our government is to stack every position, stuff every crevice of it, with political hacks. The best thing we can do is keep our eyes on bringing them down—instead of taking the bait to bicker about their decision to do something that should, at this point, be entirely expected.

It’s just more of the same.

And guess what? Behind Roberts, there are 10 more waiting just like him, or worse. More and more and more of the same—until we stop them in their tracks.

~Shakespeare's Sister

Okay, .

I realize this might be old news; but in recovery from my back injury, I've had limited access to the Internets to post my, umm, speechless reaction to this utter travesty on behalf of Faux and Frauds:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200507070005

Excuse me again, but .

Rest in peace, London bombing victims--your tragedy is an advantage to no one, and your friends and families and all of Britain are in our hearts.

There's been a lot of flurry on the Internets re: Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement; and believe me, I'm just as depressed as anyone out there now.

But we can't keep our eyes off the ball. Straight story: the Bush Administration has committed crimes, and we must hold them accountable, no matter how long it takes. We must keep doing what we can to expose the truth.

You can be sure Representative John Conyers and his team of competent leaders are doing just that.

Gee, guess the Bush Sympathizers can't call "forgery" on the Downing Street Minutes anymore...

Prime Minister Tony Blair Confirms Authenticity of Downing Street Memo

( Article text here, if you prefer )

...and outlines specific plans as to what we should do to clean up the mess in Iraq.

He spoke on the floor today in advance of Bush's much-hyped damage-control speech tonight at Ft. Bragg. Raw Story has a rush transcript of his Senate speech here.

He also guested as a NYT op/ed writer--more here.

He also cited the DSM on the floor of the Senate today, which C-SPAN 2 was able to cover.

( Click here for the NYT article's excerpts. )

Hello all,

After two (long, busy) months of RL, I've finally gotten my ass in gear and completed a feeble, somewhat lame-ass attempt at a 21st chapter of "Revolution Without a Name":

You can read Chapter 21 here.

Sadly (or maybe that's "happily" depending on your level of tolerance for my fanfic...lol), I've become too consumed with the real world of peaceful protest against the Bush Administration and less consumed with my fictional portrayal of this corrupt regime vis-a-vis my fantasy interpretations of Domlijah. The more worked up and obsessed I become about the genuine, albeit more gradual and less theatrical, crumbling of my own country's soul and how I can take part in trying to salvage it, the paler and more bland my aspirations for writing this catharsis of a fanfic become.

But I feel I have to at least TRY to finish the damn thing, somehow, no matter how slowly.

Archives here--if you missed the first 20 chapters.

Yesterday, I joined with 2,000 other Tampa Bay-area protestors in speaking out against County Commissioner Ronda Storms' bullshit ruling that prohibits any Gay Pride events from taking place in Tampa or any other town in Hillsborough County. I am seething to the point of carpet-chewing insane that something like this could be happening in this day and age, in this country. How can an official elected to protect the rights and needs of her county's citizens want to so vilely and hatefully repress their rights?

( Sal, this one's for you. )

Want to sign a petition to get Karl "The Turd Blossom" Rove canned? Whether or not it actually works, the wishful thinking of signing a petition will be a motivation-booster:

http://www.petitiononline.com/fireturd/petition.html

Too tired from rallying (pix later--it was a BEAUTIFUL showing of more than 30 of us in the pouring freakin' rain! Awesome!!)--so I will post the blog notice from our BBA mentor, Shakespeare's Sister:

( Read Turd Blossom Saga Here )