#Microblog Mondays 97: Independence
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Today is Independence Day in the US. Election years push the whole concept of government and political issues and red, white and blue to the foreground, so this Independence Day feels a little less popsicle-y and more a reminder of all the work ahead.
I know it feels overwhelming. I know things feel broken. I know it sounds really loud right now.
But to quote Hamilton, “Winning was easy, young man. Governing’s harder.” And sure, Washington says that in retrospect; the after always feels easier than the moments ahead of you. Governing is hard work. We can do it, of course, we’ve been doing it for 241 years since the Declaration of Independence. But, damn, it is hard.
What are you doing to mark the day if you live in (or are from) the US?
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| 1. | No Baby Ruth | 9. | Jess | 17. | articulation |
| 2. | Persnickety | 10. | Isabelle | 18. | Cookie Crumbs Inc. |
| 3. | Mali (A Separate Life) | 11. | Just Heather | 19. | Uma S |
| 4. | Mali (No Kidding in NZ) | 12. | Daryl | 20. | Lori@ Laughing IS Conceivable |
| 5. | Loribeth (The Road Less Travelled) | 13. | Stephanie (Travelcraft Journal) | 21. | the OCD infertile |
| 6. | Traci York, Writer | 14. | Virgí nia | 22. | Empty Arms, Broken Heart |
| 7. | Lori Lavender Luz | 15. | Middle Girl | ||
| 8. | Mom Pharm D | 16. | Cristy |
20 comments
No celebration for me here in Spain. Other years we’ve done BBQs and the like, but with it falling on a Monday not much is done. What I really miss are the fireworks. I love fireworks.
Things also feel quite tumultuous here in Spain, politically speaking at least. A week ago we have 2nd elections after no party managed to form a government here after the intial elections in December. The results were much of the same and the uncertainty hangs heavy, more so, of course, with the Brexit vote and general instability/uncertainty. Anyway, what I find interesting, particularly in contrast to what you mention, is that here people always seems to say, when politics are “iffy,” that Spain is still learning, still figuring democracy out, as it’s only been 40 years or so. I suppose that’s true, but they also should and can benefit from seeing how democracy works in other countries. Or does all governing experience need to be first-hand?
I did nothing! In all of the other stuff happening, it slipped my mind. I did celebrate democracy this weekend though- it was a federal election and I voted.
Our election was interesting. A lot of seats are still too close to call (paper ballots counted by hand) and will have to be recounted in any case. The current government (one term so far) is still insisting they can remain, but the fact there has been such a change in a single term is a shock. The smaller parties gained (including the racist ones), the mainstream parties are shocked. It’s all a mess. But it is a mess where every vote matters.
Hope you all have a great day!
It was also a long weekend here in Canada, albeit our national holiday (Canada Day) was on Friday. My mother is American, though, and I spent many July 4ths during my childhood (including Bicentennial) at my grandmother’s in Minnesota. 🙂 We didn’t do/aren’t doing anything particularly special to mark either occasion, but we saw a great fireworks display from the balcony of our new condo a couple of nights before Canada Day (oddly), which felt festive. Next year will be Canada’s 150th birthday (I remember the Centennial very well — I was 6)… and your post reminded me it will be 9 years until 250 for the U.S. Damn, I’m getting old…!
“Winning was easy, young man. Governing’s harder.” — I teach this in my US History courses. So true. Sometimes I wonder how long this experiment in self-government will last. Seems especially challenged at in these times.
No real plans here – hubby had to work yesterday, which breaks up the weekend sufficiently that we’re content hanging out at home. We do plan to watch Pop Goes the Fourth tonight, like we do every year we happen to be home.
http://bostonpopsjuly4th.org/
Furious cleaning while the family is away.
Our little town has an annual parade downtown and a lawn party afterward with music, bounce houses, etc. This will be our 5th year going–we’ve been doing it since my oldest was 1.5.
Our neighbors do a full on fireworks display, which is lovely since we just have to walk across the street. They go all out, and neighbors all over our street come to see it. Bryce is making chili on the firepit in a tripod-cauldron kind of thing, and we are just relaxing today. I agree, it does seem like the governing part is harder, and there are some ways that we’ve made huge progress but so many other ways that government doesn’t truly seem to serve the people in the best way possible. I don’t know what’s better, though… So I’ll eat my popsicle and watch my fireworks! 🙂
We didn’t do a thing out of the ordinary here in Finland. I did dress my kids in red and blue shorts yesterday, thinking I’d take a picture of it to post, but they got dirty and changed clothes before I could manage. LOL
I want to miss the fireworks, but they scare the crud out of my these days.
I thought about it, briefly, mostly when other people’s Facebook posts reminded me what day it is, but we didn’t do anything here in Wales. I think I’m still reeling (along with everyone else) after the results of the recent vote here. Governing is hard, indeed.
Definitely hard. I’ve been a little pessimistic lately.
Yes to governing being hard. Both in governments big and small.
Lots of swimming this weekend. Celebrated a friend becoming a citizen (dual citizenship with Canada) too.
Nursing an on again / off again achy tooth, de-weeding part of a yard, shaving part of a dog, brushing one of two cats, and fashioning a card for a cousin with a birthday in about a week. In other words, a typical weekend day.
Coffee with a friend who was in town for a wedding, then barbecue with the neighbors. It was fun. I would have loved to venture downtown for fireworks, but the kids needed to go to bed, and it’s rainy, anyway.
I have spent the entire weekend working. As in if I wasn’t sleeping I was working due to some bizarre change of software with bad timing. At least I work from home. That’s the good thing. We didn’t have any plans because we usually spend holidays with my BFF and her family and she wasn’t supposed to have her kids, as it turned out she did and we got a last minute invite but see above re: work. So, I’ve been working with one very scared dog and one very indignant dog on my feet. I miss the celebration, and the bbq aspects, but I’m not a fan of fireworks at all. And with all the work my brain hurts too much to think deeply about government right now, sorry because that’s something I tend to be rather passionate about and right now it’s more like “fire, pretty”
I have known the US to be a very resilient nation. I’m sure you’ll get the governing bit right 🙂 Hope y’all had a wonderful 4th of July !
Happy Independence Day !
I was sick with an awful head cold most of the weekend but luckily felt well enough that I could at least go out and see a few fireworks late last night. Although it sucked being sick it actually was nice that I got to spend most of the long weekend at home with my husband 🙂 It all worked out the way it was meant to I guess.
Somehow I think all of this election insanity made the 4th a little more special this year. We went to a big celebration in downtown Raleigh (I love me some fireworks) and there was a feeling of camaraderie. Many people in NC don’t share our political views, but this was a day everybody could come together to celebrate our Country and have some fun. I also got to bond with some fellow New Yorkers. A lot of us were wearing NY Giants garb. It may have been for many, as it was for me, the only thing they had that had some blue & red on it, but it was nice anyway.