9 Comments

I get the America feeling whenever I have to go to the VA hospital with my husband for any reason whatsoever, but let me tell you, it's not warm and fuzzy -- it's full of rage, not to put too fine a point on it.

But, re: the America feeling you're describing: a few weeks ago, the remains of a Korean War veteran who has been MIA for 75 years were returned to his family a few miles down the road, and when the car that was carrying those came down the interstate, veterans from all around, every VFW and American Legion in a 50-miles radius, came and stood on the overpasses that the car was going to drive under, to raise the flag and salute as he passed. When I heard about this (from my dad, himself a veteran), I absolutely lost it -- I sobbed my brains out. The image of it -- to say nothing of the gesture itself -- was so moving to me. I'm still not over it. So my America feeling is increasingly fraught and not uncomplicated, but it definitely still exists.

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Oh my gosh, picturing that gave me chills. Thank you for the reminder that the America feeling IS NOT 100% smiley and sparkly. One of my most poignant and sickening America feelings is when I watch a press conference after a school shooting, or when I walk my kids to their classrooms on the first day and wonder if they’ll die this school year.

(Btw, I am very happy we are pals despite our diametrically opposed views on Halloween 😉)

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I loved that episode from Sharon McMahon too!

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Sharon for president 🤐

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I know! 🥰

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Nuts about elote is soooo good. Omg the matching dresses!!! I gotta pitch this to my girls. Is that link the best resource you’ve found? It’s a little femme for my style but I’ll do anything to make this happen.

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Oh you gotta go to Boden, pal. Their family matching category is a GOLDMINE: https://go.shopmy.us/p-8296193

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I, too, dislike Halloween strongly and my husband loves it. For his sake, and the children’s, I have undertaken a few Halloween crafts this year: clay ghost tea light thingys, a cheesecloth ghost my SIL wanted us all to make, and I will be attempting large, papier mache pumpkins. If it’s going to be Halloween, we’re doing it Harry Potter style.

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Thank you for the kind shoutout! Now about that America feeling - yes! It's hard to describe but I know precisely what you're talking about. I feel it in random places like a car show, or a baseball game, or in general at any event where they stop everything to play the national anthem. Being a part of a crowd of a bazillion people, everyone stopped with their hands on their hearts. It puts a lump in my throat. We really can be all in this together, you know?

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