As Thanksgiving looms...ALL of my fellow DUers, whether I agree with you or not,

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21. Welcome to DU, vt_native!

Glad you're here! Glad to have this community to share! It's kept me sane since bush/cheney stole their first election together. It's an oasis in the political desert. It's where you CAN find Dems with backbone. LOTS of them. And it's where you need not feel alone! Either in your own feelings or opinions, or when you're grieving. I THINK it was Skittles who pointed out - "someone's always here."

I loved the "Eloise" books when I was little. Still do! Eloise and I were both six at the same time! Eloise was a mischievous little girl who lived in the Plaza Hotel penthouse in Manhattan with her patient, long-suffering Nanny, her dog and her turtle, and was both a self-described "city child" and a citizen of the world at the same time. We went with her to Paris in one book, for example, and to Moscow in another. Her room was a fright and she had this thing for wanting to pour water or champagne down the mail chute. Her mother was never there but was some sort of wealthy aristocrat who knew everybody. She referred to Nanny as "my mostly companion." Sometimes I feel as though, after my husband, DU is my "mostly companion"! That's a good way to think of it. DU really is always here. Somebody's gonna be reading and weighing in, and very often they weigh in on something you write. You can always expect that you'll be watching events, speeches, debates, conventions, hearings, trials, and live breaking news together with somebody here. Often there are threads about whatever it is, with some great play-by-play! I just love DU! And if you're ever in need of some big shoulders - some of the broadest and sturdiest on record are here. And they've already got your name on 'em.

(BTW - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and thoroughly engaging reading, those "Eloise" books! But beware - you just might feel compelled to grab a couple of pencils and sheets of paper and start drawing! The flamboyant Broadway actress, chanteuse, raconteur, witticist, and author Kay Thompson wrote the "Eloise" books and this ridiculously talented dude named Hilary Knight did all the illustrations. Intoxicating!!!! I used to pour over them for hours, just studying those drawings. Definitely influenced my own drawing style.)