I sometimes forget that not everyone pays as much attention to things politic as we at DU do.

So I was chatting with some folks at work today and somehow bathroom experiences became the topic of conversation. One woman told a story about using a public restroom, taking care of business only to find that there was no toilet paper left in here stall. The stall next to her was occupied and she asked for some TP only to be ignored.

I replied, "She probably thought you were a republican senator," and waited for the laugh. Nothing. Blank stares all around. Finally some said, "I don't get it." I said, "You know, Larry Craig, republican senator from Idaho. Busted in the mens room." They had no idea what I was talking about. I asked them if they watched the news, read a newspaper. Not so much apparently.

I don't know, am I the weird one here for paying attention to this stuff?

No, you're not weird for paying attention to this stuff. It's people that don't that got us into this mess in the first place.

Not

government. The crooks that played their games in the capitol were always - at best - indifferent to my needs or darkly inimical to them. The less intercourse I had with them, the better.

Then I figured out that, no matter how much I disagreed with the status quo or any excursion from it, I was responsible for it and it was important that I know as much as I could and do as much as I could, no matter how small or paltry it seemed to me.

I then dug in my heels and I, and many thousands like me, began the work, kind of like ants, each doing tiny jobs that, individually, were worthless, of such infinitesimal value as to disappear into the noise.

There should be an eloquent thread on this but I would like to acknowledge all the DUers and all the tiny people everywhere for being who they are and doing all those tiny, individually valueless jobs.
Each of us had a job, or many of them, to do and each of those jobs, big or small, was and is of inestimable importance. The work just would not be complete without any one of you.

So thank you all, great and small, for your contributions to the effort. The world is turning around; we really are turning the corner and it could not have happened without each and every one of us, including and especially those who came to the battle and will not be going home.

I retired from social work in 2000 to go back to law school. Then, * assumed office in Jan. 2001. I'd actually begun to become interested when I campaigned for Al Gore in 2000, come to think of it. Then, after DimSon took office, I decided to become active, starting with a local club. I really became active post-election in Nov. 2004. I cried the day Kerry conceded. I had campaigned for him. I joined DU in Jan. 2004, several months before the election. Gradually, I have become addicted to politics (and an 'activist') (a.k.a. a DUer).

;-)

My own best friend has to be dragged kicking and screaming ..to go vote..

No matter how much I try to inform her (have to use small doses), she still will occasionally comment on things like "the gasoline shortage we are having".. I remind her that there are no gas lines..no rationing..only high prices..

It's not surprising really. Most people work long hours at jobs they loathe, and then come home to housework, homework & maybe an hour or two of mind-numbing tv until they fall asleep on the couch.