Halloween 2025: Lobsters roam the neighborhood

A big lobster walked down our street last night. He/She/It accompanied kids dressed as characters from kiddie shows I don't watch because no more kiddies. But they're in my neighborhood, swarms of families doing what we did with our kids, getting them into costume, grab a bag, panhandle for candy. Chris dressed as Smart Cookie and my son Kevin was Spiderman. They staffed a table by the sidewalk, prepared for the kids. Other neighbor did the same thing. The young marrieds across the street broadcast seasonal tunes. Decades ago, Chris stayed at home as candy-giver and I marched the kids around the neighborhood. One night it was just my daughter and her pal. Indian Summer day gives way to blustery afternoon and sundown rain. The snow came when we finished the first block. Snow crusted their outfits but they ignored my pleas to head home. Halloween! Candy by the bagful once a year. Lights and costumes, family together. My Mom used to dress us up, hand us each a pillowcase, and send us on our way. Kids stream from every house on the street, a mass of post-war boomer babies move as one, parents hold their own bash, peer out the window just to check. No concern about razor blades in candy bars. We brought home apples, oranges, Milky Ways popcorn balls, nickels. Candy canes. The usual Tootsie Rolls. The stars were out here last night; a gentle breeze blew. A lobster strolled by.

How does the fog come in on the day after Christmas?

The fog comes/on little cat feet

Thought of this Carl Sandburg poem as I sat watching the ocean as fog crept in. Cats weren't on my mind as much as the view from Tom Renick Park in Ormond-by-the-Sea. My visiting daughter stood beside me. Waves rolled through the fog and crunked on the shore. The surf wasn't bad. Rollers breaking outside but you could ride them out of the fog like a vampire surfer. Three young surfers appeared suddenly, boards under arms, walking north on the beach. No wetsuits. Gotta admire those guys. Two days ago there was sun and a bit of wind and all the surfers wore wetsuits. Must be the wind. The fog today traveled on a light north breeze. We were shielded by the adjacent condo high-rise. Still, tiny mist dabs fell on my exposed legs and dotted my windbreaker. I kept expecting a cat to appear but the only sound was traffic along A1A and kids on winter break cavorting in the playground. No way to hear little cat's feet. I imagined it just the same.

The day after St. Patrick's Day 2022

I don't have a hangover, that's the main thing. Many prior St. Patrick's Day holidays involved drinking and then hangovers. Some stray guilt feelings. Calling in sick to work.

But not this time. I attended a family-style party last night. Wife stayed home with a sick daughter. We recited Irish poems. Remembered trips to Ireland -- friendly people but kissing the Blarney Stone is a rather disgusting ritual. Devoured Irish Stew and a delicious Guinness chocolate cake built to look like a pint on an Irish pub bar. I drank one Irish Ale made in Kansas City. Stayed away from the Writers' Tears Irish whiskey as I have enough of my own. We sang along to "Zombie" by the Cranberries and remembered Dolores O'Riordan who died too young.

Calm as these things go. Someone asked if they celebrated St. Patrick's Day in Ireland. Apparently, it's a religious holiday there. They ratchet up the festivities for American tourists. The Irish seem bemused by American spectacle. I've never been to Ireland so haven't had the chance to embarrass myself in person. But apparently the American idea of drinking green beer and singing fake Irish songs is not appreciated. U.S. tourist money is. 

I've blogged before about my mixed views on the holiday. Read those here and here and here. My grandfather from Roscommon Martin Hett (no, not O'Hett or McHett) never returned to the old sod. As a teen, I was pontificating about the legendary cruelty of the Brits to the Irish and my grandfather interrupted. "The English treated me better that the Irish ever did." That shocked me due to the fact that I was 16 and knew everything there was to know about the world. Grandpa went on to explain that his evil stepmother kicked him out of the house at 12. He made his way to England and worked in the coalfields until he saved enough money to sail to the U.S. at a 15-year-old. He worked hard in America and ended up in Denver where my mother was born and later, me. He liked being an American more than he liked being Irish. 

What, exactly, is an Irish-American? There is no easy explanation. We come in all shapes and sizes and all political persuasions including Trumpian which is disgusting -- recall how many wackos with Irish surnames served Herr Trump -- Flynn, Bannon, McCarthy, etc. Most of us mark St. Patrick's Day in some fashion. Corned beef and cabbage is a family favorite not always enjoyed by everyone in the family. My mother didn't like it probably because she ate a lot of it growing up. When she had food, which wasn't always the case during the Great Depression. One Christmas, she woke up to an orange in her stocking. That was the only present. I'm not sure if this is true because the Irish embellish almost everything.

I like to think that my proclivity for storytelling was passed on to me by my Irish ancestors. None of my immediate family are writers. Readers, yes. Writers, no. No aunts and uncles or cousins are writers. I am probably the only English major they know. We are known for our cutting humor, which seems to be an Irish trait. And my siblings and I all look Irish and our DNA attests to it. My red hair and freckles earned me lots of ridicule and a few fights. "Red on the head/like the dick on my dog." That's one taunt I remember. Red, Freckle Face, Rusty. They're all good. Shows some creativity. I don't think I sustained any permanent damage growing up white and freckled in America. 

As we read poetry at last night's party, I noticed it was rather light-hearted. I wanted to read something by Eavaan Boland ("The Lost Land") or Yeats ("The Second Coming") but never got the chance. Good Irish writing seems to balance the horrible and the humorous. Roddy Doyle is a great example. So is Flann O'Brien, whose satiric novel "The Poor Mouth" is one of my favorites. Flannery O'Connor too, who combined Irish-American wit with Southern Gothic grotesque to create her unique style.

Go read an Irish writer today. You will probably be glad you did, although it's hard to say.  

Juneteenth on a summer Saturday in the park

At the Juneteenth celebration in Cheyenne: Wyoming Democratic Party Reps (left to right) Lee Filer, Mary Throne and Jim Byrd. Photo from the Laramie County Democrats' Facebook page.

Wyoming is one of 42 U.S. states and the District of Columbia that have recognized Juneteenth as either a state holiday or special day of observance. In Wyoming, it's a special day of observance with nobody getting the day off. It's traditionally celebrated on the Saturday before the official date, which this year was yesterday, the ides of June.

Cheyenne has observed Juneteenth in Martin Luther King, Jr., Park for the past ten years. Situated on the stage is a monumental bust of MLK by Cheyenne artist Guadalupe "Lupe" Barajas. I dropped by to hang out with my wife Chris, who has been head of the celebration's planning committee for ten years. She just stepped down, as a decade is the most that anyone should be in charge of an event. 

I dined on a catfish, spicy baked beans, cole slaw and apple cobbler made by the good people at Beautiful Zion Church. I visited with my Democratic colleagues, including Wyoming Rep. Jim Byrd, Rep. Mary Throne, Rep. Lee Filer, Laramie County Democratic Party Chair Vince Rousseau, my retired WAC co-worker, Marirose Morris and her husband Bob, the Rev. Rodney McDowell, Deacon James Robinson, Dr. Jason Bloomberg and his wife Phyllis, and a whole bunch of others. It's a congenial gathering, punctuated by tunes by DJ Troy Burrell, a group of young rappers, folklorico group Flores De Colores and a martial arts demo by Jerry Davis and his crew.

What's not to like about a sunny June day outside in the land of high altitude, brisk winds and cold temps? In late afternoon, a roiling bank of dark clouds and a severe thunderstorm warning led to some worry, but the storm passed by and the day wrapped up without any mishaps. 

As a freckle-faced Irish-American, I may have a hard time making a claim to an African-American holiday. Am I not content with getting fluthered on St. Patrick's Day? That's not the point, is it? Juneteenth is as much a community happening as Fourth of July, Cheyenne Day, Veterans Day, New Year's Eve, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. In Wyoming, this latter holiday is known as MLK/Wyoming Equality Day. Many of us get the day off, although the conservative legislature insists on being in session.

Juneteenth is in my community and celebrates members of our community.

Happy Juneteenth!

If you want to read about the holiday's history, go here. 

Wyoming Equality holds a Halloween bash Oct. 27 at Suite 1901 in Cheyenne

You heard it here first (or maybe second or third):

Wyoming Equality is sponsoring a Halloween bash on Saturday, Oct. 27, in the Casablanca Room at Suite 1901 in Cheyenne. Suite 1901 is under new management.

Costume prizes for "Best Super Hero," Best Horror or (Whorer)" and "Best Original," will be handed out.

Cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members

FMI: http://www.facebook.com/events/286956541419329/?notif_t=plan_user_invited

Wyoming's only largest Juneteenth celebration set for June 16 in Cheyenne

This comes from Nancy Sindelar's excellent e-newsletter. BTW, the Chris you see named at the bottom of your screen is my lovely wife, YMCA membership coordinator and fellow NAACP member.  You can catch her talking about Juneteenth on Channel 5 tomorrow morning, some time between 6-7 a.m. Here's the news:

Saturday, June 16th, Cheyenne:  Juneteenth Cultural Park Festival.  Celebrate the day the Blacks in Texas finally found out they were no longer slaves, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.  Food and merchandise vendors, rap groups, demonstrations and non-profits.  11 AM, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Ames Ave at Martin Luther King Ct.  Info:  Chris, 634-9622 ext13.  Free.  

Celtic harp, with narration, enlivens St. Patrick's Day

I'm not going to be in town, but maybe you will be and are looking for something a little less green-beer-oriented on St. Patrick's Day:

"The Story of St. Patrick: Celtic harp with narration and friendly conversation" by Michael Riversong at the Paramount Cafe, 1607 Capitol Ave. Cheyenne, on Saturday, March 17, 5:30-8 p.m. This is an informal family friendly performance by Michael Riversong. Children are especially welcomed. FMI: Michael Riversong, Biblical Bards, http://home.earthlink.net/~mriversong 

Fourth of July made for brats and beers and blogging progressively

Happy Fourth of July to everyone, especially the progressive bloggers you see linked in the right sidebar. Fighting the good fight against the rising tide of ignorance. We may see some guest bloggers today at hummingbirdminds. Stay tuned...

UPDATE: Prog-bloggers at July Fourth party intensively engaged in bocce tournament. They will be here to guest-blog another day.

Dear Pops: Happy Father's Day from Netroots Nation

Thomas Reed Shay (a.k.a. Big Tom)

Alone on Father's Day. That occurred to me as I awoke this morning. I'm in Minneapolis, Chris is in Cheyenne, Kevin is in Tucson and Annie in Denver. By the end of the day, Chris and I will be together on Father's Day, which is important to both of us. Our kiddos have their own lives, as they should.

My father, Thomas Reed Shay, passed away eight years ago. Wonder what he would have made of the Netroots Nation conference? He turned my age of 60 in 1983, when we were knee-deep in the Reagan era. He was happy with the Reagan era and I was not. He was a moderate conservative, one of those people in the South who first went from Democratic to Republican for Nixon in 1968 and again in 1972. The beginnings of the vaunted Republican Southern Strategy, which culminated in two terms of Ronald Reagan chipping away at federal government programs and protections. And now look what we have.

My father would have found some common ground among the working people at Netroots Nation. He would have objected to some of the tough talk against Republicans. Not sure if he would have much in common with Tea Party Republicans such as Michelle Bachmann, a guest speaker at The Right Online conference held across the street from Netroots Nation. T.R. Shay was a William F. Buckley fan and watched him regularly. Free enterprise, hard work, small government. He believed in all of those principles. So do I.

He was the first in his family to go to college and he did it on the G.I. Bill after four years (two in Europe) as Government Issue (G.I.). He bought his first house with no down payment courtesy of the U.S. Government. He worked on government contracts for Martin-Marietta (now Lockheed-Martin) building ICBM missile silos across the West. Later, he worked on the space program with G.E. and NASA. Government programs.

He was a Florida state government employee (now an endangered species, thanks to wacky Republicans) and later had his own accounting business. He was the first one of us to own a personal computer -- the Apple IIe. We considered it a strange and wondrous thing. He seemed at home with it. He built his own crystal radio sets as a boy in the 1930s and, in the 1950s, built his own hi-fi. Not surprising that he was a radio operator with the U.S. Army Signal Corps in World War II.

If my father were still alive, would he be a blogger? I have no doubt that he would be a confirmed user of Facebook. His handle would be Big Tom, which is what his grandkids called him -- at his insistence ("I'm too young to be a grandfather!") If he blogged, he would be somewhere in the middle, caught between moonbats such as myself and wingnuts such as Andrew Breitbart et.al. He might also find himself closer to what I do, as the center has moved to the Right at the insistence of the Right.

As you can see, I'm thinking about my father today. We didn't always agree. But he was always my father. I miss him.

Cheyenne marks the 25th anniversary of King holiday

Today we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Many speeches will be delivered, many of the man's quotes will be requoted. The holiday this year comes on the heels of the violence in Tucson. Violence, of course, is "as American as apple pie," said sixties Black Power activist H. Rap Brown. His original quote mentioned cherry pie. Apparently, that didn't seem American enough. But you get the picture. The U.S. has a history of violence that can't be denied, no matter how many whitewashed texts are written by ultra-conservative revisionists (Lynne Cheney, Glenn Beck, Texas, etc.).

But Americans haven't yet cornered the market on violence. Protesters in Tunisia were gunned down this week. Coalition soldiers continue to be blown up with IEDs planted by Afghanis angry that their relatives were blown up in a U.S. drone attack. Knifings and shootings and beatings and torture are a fact of life worldwide.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was a proponent of nonviolence. He died by the gun, but he didn't promote the gun. Just the opposite. Some black activists did take up guns, although their numbers were wildly exaggerated at the time. But not MLK.

Dr. King gave thousands of speeches that promoted peace and nonviolence. Her actively campaigned against the war against black people in the South. He also opposed the Vietnam War and the Cold War. As he said often, notably in "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community:"

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

Chaos or community? Have to wonder if those are the only choices we have. We're not exactly at the chaos point, but closing in on it. Community was much in evidence in Tucson last week, as we all came together for a brief time to honor the dead.

Author and Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley makes a great point in AP story about Dr. King. If we don't create a nation that's serious about nonviolence, Dr. King's legacy may fade away. In 50 years, all that we may be left with is a day off to go buy more trinkets at Wal-Mart.

"The holiday brought the freedom struggle into the main narrative," Brinkley said. "The day is meant to be a moment of reflection against racism, poverty and war. It's not just an African-American holiday. The idea of that day is to try to understand the experience of people who had to overcome racism but in the end are part and parcel of the American quilt."

Two years ago this week, I walked in Tucson's King march. I walked with my son Kevin from the University of Arizona campus to a city park. Nice January Arizona day. The marchers were white and black and Hispanic and Asian, a representative mix of Tucson's population. Many, such as my son, were younger than King was when he was gunned down in 1968. They are aware of his struggle but might not know the full weight of his commitment to nonviolence.

Two years later, some of these same people will march again. They also were out last week at vigils and memorials and funerals for Arizona's dead. Yesterday, hundreds of Tucsonans staged a march from McCormick Park to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords office. Today, many will be volunteering during a "Day of Service" for the King holiday.

Returning from my 2009 trip to Tucson, I watched most of Pres. Obama's inauguration from the Phoenix airport. I thought to myself: "A new America begins today." I jumped the gun a bit was a bit premature with my forecast. Change has begun, but so has a violent reaction to it. We can make progress as long as we don't succumb to fear and hate. We'd do well to keep Dr. King's words of nonviolence in our minds and in our hearts.

Today's Cheyenne march for Dr. King begins at noon at the Depot Plaza downtown. It concludes at the Capitol Building. Following the event, Love & Charity Inc. will serve chicken noodle soup at Allen Chapel, 917 W. 21st. Weather forecast: This morning's weird torrential rains have given way to sunshine. Wind still blowing, but what else is new?

Jim Hightower has a few gift suggestions

Jim Hightower offers ideas on SPECIAL GIFTS FOR IMPORTANT PEOPLE

The Christmas spirit is alive and well with my favorite liberal populist writer.

I especially like this one:

And for those teabag Republicans who got elected to Congress by demonizing Obama's universal health care plan as Big Government Socialism – how about a supersized box of political integrity? Since you oppose providing health coverage to everyone, surely you intend to include yourself by refusing to accept the socialized health care that you Congress critters get from us taxpayers. Take a dose of integrity, and you'll feel much better in the morning.

Skip the holiday stuff, buy a goat (or a cow)

Ideas from Sojourners and CRWRC about alternative gift-giving for the holidays: http://www.crwrc.org/pages/crwrc_giftcatalog.cfm?utm_source=Sojourners%2BAd&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=Sojo

The hits just keep on coming

My Feedjit feed (see sidebar) keeps logging in hits for a two-year old post based on William Faulkner's quote: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” In it, I talk about the racism I experienced in 1960s Florida and what I saw during Obama's 2008 campaign in Wyoming. Racism is alive and well, I said in the summary.

I was wondering why it was showing up with such regularity. Then I recalled Martin Scorcese's acceptance speech tonight at the Golden Globes. He wrapped it up with the Faulkner quote. Since my post has been online for so long, it's at the top of the Google hit list. Near the top, anyway.

The post is especially relevant on the eve of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day holiday.

To read the original: http://hummingbirdminds.blogspot.com/2008/03/for-faulkner-and-obama-past-isnt-past.html

Samantha Bee blows the lid off of Obama's sinister Christmas Tree Ornament Plot

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Obama's Socialist Christmas Ornament Program
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Capturing our Christmas tree in the Snowies

The ceremonial capture of the Christmas tree in Wyoming's Snowy Range. Notice ravenous wolf in foreground attempting to take a bite out of daughter. Wife threw blue disk at wolf and scared it away.

Rep. Millin and WyoDems thank veterans

Representative Lori Millin, Democrat of Cheyenne, is my rep in the Wyoming House. She issued the following statement to mark Veterans Day:

“On Veterans Day, the Wyoming Democratic Party would like to take a moment to thank the past and present service members who have selflessly devoted their lives to the service of our country.

“To Wyoming’s 58,000 veterans and the thousands of men and women currently serving in the armed forces and the Wyoming National Guard, thank you. We are extremely grateful for your dedication and the sacrifices you and your families have made.

“To all active Wyoming troops, including the 800 currently deployed men and women of the Wyoming National Guard, we hope and pray for your safe return.”

Millin's district is in the northwestern part of Cheyenne, including the Wyoming Air and Army National Guard Bases. Also my neighborhood, which butts up against the Air Guard base. The Guard is a good neighbor. Some of the people at the base are my neighbors. They also come from all over Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska. I hear them fly their choppers and C-130s overhead and I thank them for their service, especially on this Veterans Day.

You can chat with Lori on Facebook. See her web site at http://www.lorimillin.com/

And happy trails to Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, visiting the state's National Guard troops in Kuwait and Iraq.

Names of the Dead on the Day of the Dead

Pres. Obama: Happy Fourth of July -- and don't listen to the naysayers

And here are a few of the best lines:

These naysayers have short memories. They forget that we, as a people, did not get here by standing pat in a time of change. We did not get here by doing what was easy. That is not how a cluster of 13 colonies became the United States of America.

We are not a people who fear the future. We are a people who make it. And on this July 4th, we need to summon that spirit once more. We need to summon the same spirit that inhabited Independence Hall two hundred and thirty-three years ago today.

Spring break trip to DAM

I like this photo for the angles and edges and shadows -- and I'm not talking about those tiny people looking at us. The human subjects (left to right) are Chris, my wife; Annie, my daughter; and Brandon, Annie's friend. We were gathered outside the Denver Art Museum before spending the day inside. The DAM roof is under construction (note workers dangling from ropes on the slanted roof in the background). The entranceway is covered with multicolored plastic sheeting with instuctions pointing out the way to out-of-towners. On the far right side of the pic is a massive sculpture that can be dark and foreboding if you face it with foreboding on a dark winter day. It seemed slightly playful the day we were there. Also, out out of the picture on the right was a trio of stoners who were laughing hysterically. Maybe they were laughing at the sculpture, but I prefer to think they were laughing with it. Later, one detached himself from the group and wandered over to bum a cigarette. I began to deliver my standard "smoking is bad for you" routine, when the kid held up his hand and said: "I don't need no lectures, man. I just need a cigarette." I told him that Chris and I quit smoking 25 years ago when Chris was pregnant with our son. He sighed in disgust and wandered away. I'll have to remember how boring my lectures are next time I'm confronted by a big city cigarette moocher or panhandler.

"Flogging Molly" is the best