Groggy, but back home again. The moving process is a long one. I stay in a high rise in Hartford, which means that after I finally pack everything, (and yes, I bring a lot) I have to make at least 20 trips up and down via the elevator and then to my car, which happened to be rather far out in the parking lot. Then a two hour drive home. Then, unloading the car and putting everything away. The whole thing took me most of the day. I finally finished around 5 p.m.
And since I’ve been staying up later due to the play, my sleeping hours are slightly off.
I went through most of the day with only one contact from Don via a quick text that let me know he was okay and safe. Cell service was almost non-existent; I imagine 500,000 extra citizens tweeting, using their phones to take pictures, and IGing made the coverage pretty spotty.
Finally about 4:30, I got a call. Don was back at the bus waiting to leave at 6. His knees were really feeling it! He said it was the most astounding day. He had never seen that many people – so many people that, at times, he simply couldn’t move. A sea of pink hats, of marchers as far as the eye could see. Truly powerful. He had great conversations with lots of people, figured out how to get around on the Metro, and marched and marched and marched some more.
I’m so proud of him. He’s very tired today, of course, and I will be sure to ask more questions of him, but he didn’t get home until after midnight, and he had to drive through heavy fog. I happened to be awake when he got home, so I ran downstairs to greet him.
While he was gone, I was on Twitter reading about the crowds marching all over the world, including Antarctica(!) Unbelievable and so inspiring! Everywhere. 500,000 in Washington, DC, 250,000 in Chicago, over 200,000 in NYC, and 750,000 in Los Angeles. Small towns, state capitols, north, south, east, west, in the heartland, down south – everywhere. Paris, London, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, South America, Canada, Mexico, all over Europe. EVERYWHERE. (Oops! I’m using ALL CAPS like that man’s tweets!) Let me try that again: Everywhere.
Free Speech, as granted by the Constitution. A peaceful protest, and the largest in the history of the United States.
Hartford was gearing up for its protest as I was packing up the car. The Capitol is just across the street from the apartment building. People were streaming into Hartford from all over. 10,000 of them. Side note: I got to meet the Governor of CT, Dannel Malloy, on Opening Night. I’m a big admirer, so shaking his hand was an honor. He marched on Saturday.
Today, we are attending a local meeting where we’re going to hear from a woman who ran for Congress (and lost) in November. She is a powerful presence and I look forward to learning from her.
Forgot to add: On my way home, I stopped at a rest stop. I was wearing my Nasty Women Vote T-shirt in honor of the day. As I left the bathroom and walked back to my car, a woman shouted out, “Hey Lady! I love your shirt!” As I said on Facebook: We’re everywhere.
But back to being home. It’s lovely. Hartford was lovely as well, but there’s no place like home. I’m back at my desk in the studio/office. I’m looking out at the mountains in the distance. Don’s downstairs. I had a great conversation with my always fascinating and feisty Little Z last night.
All is well.
Happy Sunday.
I am so glad you are both home, safe and sound. Yesterday was a day that made my heart swell with pride. So many people fighting for simple causes that we should not need to fight for. I couldn’t stop crying, reading the thoughts and listening to the speeches. Just seeing the multitude of people that cared was overwhelming. So many signs held by the young and old. One of my favourite signs was from a woman, in her 80’s, that read ‘I can’t believe I am still protesting this’. All walks of life, together at the same place, caring for the same simple things. It made me believe again that we truly are not alone.
Thank you Claudia, and Don, for all you do. You fight for what is right, for what should be a given right. You are both heroes in my book.
What a day! I am still pouring over videos and photos and talking to Don about the whole thing. Thank you so much for your kind words, Debbie.
Thankful you are both home, safe and sound. A great start for the stage production and inspiring community involvement with the March. During our workshop yesterday, we often stopped to check out Social Media to see how the day was progressing. So peaceful and so inspiring with the crowds of woman, men, children, all ages, all races, all beliefs, together to protest. Our community was mighty and despite the heavy fog (with advisories asking people to not travel), the numbers were impressive and strong. I’m having fun flipping through pictures finding the best signs and marveling at the creativity!
Enjoy the meeting today and then I hope you and Don can put your feet up for a bit and revel in your hard work. This is true democracy to not just be upset by an event but to actually stand up and share your voice. Bravo!!
X Chy
Very inspiring! Peaceful, non-violent, and the largest protest ever in this country. And our fellow humans all over the world were also protesting!
Two posts on the March in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada:
http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/hundreds-expected-at-edmonton-sister-march-in-wake-of-trump-inauguration
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/women-march-edmonton-1.3946859
So proud!
Thank you, Chy! And thank you, Canada!
I know both of you are glad to be home. I was so inspired yesterday by the march in DC and across the world. I saw a few of my blog friends marched and some of my FB friends marched in Atlanta. Today I had to get off FB because of the ugly negative things. I’ll stay with Instagram more which is where photos of my Grands are showing up anyway!
Today I’ll try to rest and think about things. It’s been a roller coaster of a weekend. Maybe go bury my head in a book! Hugs for you and Don!
I have winnowed my FB feed down so that I very rarely see the ugly and negative. I do, but not all that much. Life’s too short to ‘friend’ someone who thinks that way about our basic rights.
whew, packing up, leaving, arriving, unpacking surely is a process you have down pat. Looking forward to reading more of Don’s impressions (will he guest write a post??). Hope the day is relaxing for you both to recharge, and for Don to rest his knees!
I don’t know if he will or not. Too tired to talk about it today, but I’ll run it by him. Thanks, Wendy!
Yes, a guest post from Don would be great! I am so sorry that we did not go to a local march. Not fans of crowds, but it was so momentous, so inspirational, that we will always regret not going. We both watched news coverage much of the day and into the night, which we do not do on weekends. We both felt that this was an event that was historical. Very proud of the magnitude and peaceful nature of these rallies/marches/events. I hope we can all find a way to carry our power forward in constructive ways.
I completely understand. I wish I could have been there, as well. But I felt I had to be there for Opening Night. That Don got to go makes it better, because I know he was representing us. Yes, we need to move forward and work for change!
It was a day full of inspiration from every corner of our earth. Meanwhile, his press sec was screaming that it was the most attended and viewed inauguration in the history…. PERIOD!! I guess that was the most important thing going on in our world….. still lying to convince and confuse the masses. Did you see the piece at the end of SNL last night “To Sir with Love”?
Glad you are home and Don is too. I have not heard of any violence anywhere yesterday in the marches. They did their best to convince people that there would be violence and beyond, to try and keep people home, but besides the ugliness of comments on social sites, it was a beautifully peaceful day. I’m so proud to say that along with my daughter, all of my nieces and nephews were also marching ~ from DC to Madison to Minneapolis and San Francisco. It is the beginning.
Meanwhile, Kellyanne Conway is saying Sean Spicer’s lies yesterday were “alternative facts” – George Orwell is shouting from the grave, “See! I told you it would happen!” Doublespeak.
I spent a good portion of yesterday following the marches in Washington D.C., and across the nation and the world via The Guardian, Twitter, and where ever else…I do not do Facebook. I watched with pride…it did my heart good. I was especially proud of my son in London and his wife….they were at a march in front of the US Embassy. At the same time…it is hard to believe that we still have to do this. That it was peaceful, should come as no surprise.
Enjoy your day of rest…you both earned it! (I’ve got a Packer game to root for!) ;)
My niece was there too.
Oh….fantastic! ;)
I’m proud of your son and his wife, too! Good for them!
I’m absolutely sure my brother-in-law is going to be watching that game. Huge Packer fan!
What a wonderful day for Don (and opening night for you!)! How I wish I could have been there. The Cleveland turnout was a bit over 15,000, which really is wonderful for this little city.
I didn’t think anything could be worse than Trump’s speech at the CIA. Then I watched Spicer’s press conference. He looked unhinged. These are dangerous times. And it really is surreal. I feel like I’m watching an Twilight Zone episode.
Good for Cleveland!
He did look unhinged. And he was yelling. You do not tell the press what they should and shouldn’t cover. You don’t lie when you are the President’s Press Secretary, especially when we can and have watched video and read the facts and figures that tell us something very different. It’s Orwellian.
I read all your blog posts, I’m your fan.
Thank you so much Edis! I’m so glad you like the blog!
My niece marched in London, and a good friend, vacationing in Mexico, joined a march in Isla Mujeres (the island of women in English. )
Yay for your niece and for your friend. Marches were taking place all over the world!
Welcome home. Thanks to Don for participating in the momentous day. My second cousin marched in Boston where I had marched in protest of the Vietnam Nam war. Wonderful that you met one of your former students and congrats on the production. It was wonderful.
Thank you, Karen. Don is at a meeting as we speak, even though he’s exhausted. I opted out at the last minute because I’m really fried! xo
I think when I was growing up, I might have been influenced by my parents who thought demonstrations/protests in the 60s were sometimes just a lot of “rabble rousers” (in a negative sense). Gosh, sounds like I’m blaming; I’m not. Having lived through WWII, they were gratefully patriotic and maybe didn’t like the questioning of authority or anything they thought was going up against their cherished country; I really have no idea; they were good people. The best citizens. Maybe, for them, back then, dissent was looked on as disloyal. So, somehow, I’ve always looked at protesting as, I dunno, sort of…uncomfortable for me. I’m not big on crowds, for one thing. And I’m embarrassed to say any of this, because look who came before me, to make their voices heard, as in a right to VOTE for heaven’s sake.
But I felt so proud yesterday, to see hundreds of thousands of people, standing up for what they believe in, all over the world. Loud and strong voices, exercising their freedom of speech, to say ‘we do not accept this kind of leadership (aka NO leadership)’; exercising the right to assemble peaceably and to not be shut up, shut down, locked away. The power of people, all kinds of people; people just like me. Wow. I was beyond inspired. Hopeful!
I didn’t do my part yesterday; I instead was helping (a little) my husband secure our property (between storms) for possible flooding here in Southern California today. (Lots of rain.) But I could have made the effort to travel into the City, to brave the traffic and crowds, join in and add myself to the numbers in Los Angeles despite my myriad of health issues; I could have tried to work it out. Next time, because there will be a next time…this tidal wave is just beginning…I’m going to try harder. Thank you to Don and everyone, who marched for what is right! And for propelling more of us to action. This is no time to sit on the sidelines anymore.
Hope you have a restful, quieter day today, Claudia!
Peaceful, non-violent dissent is a hallmark of our great democracy and a guaranteed right. I’m sure my parents felt somewhat the same way, but then again, they had been part of a war that was looked on as a good war – which really is an oxymoron, but I understand why those words were used. It was considered a noble calling and it was in response to a scourge not unlike what we’re starting to see today.
Good for you for thinking about it, Vicki. I didn’t march, either, because of work commitments. I felt I should honor them, but I wish I could have marched with my husband.
Hugs and pride too. My brother in law and his daughter (from Canada) walked in Seattle.
Joy
Bravo to them, Joy!
Dear Claudia
Without any specific additional comments about recent events I just want to say one thing. When I reread ” I Too ” by Langston Hughes I saw your nephew’s sweet face sitting at the table. To paraphrase the poem, people will see how beautiful he is. Know how precious he is even to strangers.
Best wishes from Best Bun.
I will read it Best Bun. And thank you for that.
my thanks to you and Don. I am not able to do a protest for a couple of reasons, but my heart is with everyone who marches. Loved the signs I have seen and the feeling behind them. Go Girls! Bought nasty women t shirts form my daughters in law and daughter, me too.
Yay! Nasty Women unite!
There is a zen proverb, “After the ecstasy, the laundry,” that came to mind today, as I watched Kellyanne Conway say that she didn’t understand the march, and felt that everyone who marched should instead send a note to the…him.. (nope, can’t say it even now), asking for dialogue.
So, elated and sore (the ecstasy) I sent out an email to mobilize sisters to write notes (the laundry) and wrote my own note, explaining my feelings as best I could about the whole range of issues that trouble me about this administration. OK, it was a very long note. But I am taking her at her word, and I hope she gets 500,000 notes, since 500,00 (plus) pairs of shoes wasn’t a strong enough message.
There are no words for any of this….the CIA visit, the Spicer performance of embodied petulance, or the tour of the Sunday morning talk shows. But, as my psychiatrist husband reminds me, he is motivated by shame, and this one will cut and rankle. He knows, and we know that he knows, and he knows that we know that he knows. And that is enough for today.
Nothing takes the shine off Saturday.
I applaud your effort to write a note, Leslie.
Your husband is wise and it’s good to hear his point of view. Shame. He does know. And he knows we know. And he can’t stand having so low an approval rating, knowing that Hillary won the popular vote and that he was helped by voter suppression, gerrymandering, Putin and the Russians, and Comey. It’s tainted, his ‘victory.’ Thanks so much.
Claudia, I first want to say that I am glad that you are both got home safely. I would love to hear Don’s thoughts and experiences from yesterday.
I too was in DC for the March. It was truly one of the most remarkable days I have ever experienced and I’m still trying to put into words how I was impacted. Everywhere I looked, people were kind, helpful and sharing with each other, even after hours standing in the damp chill that is so often the weather of DC in January.
I live in Maryland, 35 miles from DC so my trip was rather short compared to most. I was up at 4 AM after only having an hour sleep due to excitement, fear of oversleeping and listening for my college age son to arrive home. I met up with my group of seven at 5 AM and we were in the District by 6:30. At that early hour, it was relatively quiet with no real sense of what the day would bring.
I met people from all over the country. As the day was dawning, in the shadow of the Capitol, we met Steve from Cincinnati and his adult daughter Abby who lives in Colorado. Steve told me that when he heard about the March, he called Abby and asked her if she would like to go if he could get her there. He then used his frequent flier on Frontier Air to get her a ticket and he drove from Ohio to meet her there. A father’s love was the first thing I saw at the Woman’s March.
In the line at Starbucks, I met two women from Seattle who normally get their coffee at the original Starbucks location. I got separated from my group in the crowd, so I ended up with a group of women who had driven in from Iowa. They were joined by Pauline, who had recently moved from Iowa to Western Maryland, and her male friend who lived in Virginia. I spent several hours with them and we had a blast. Sweet young Lea, from SC who helped my friend Lee with her wheelchair.
In the bathroom line at the National Gallery of Art, I struck up a conversation with Kate and woman who’s name has slipped my poor tired mind. They had flown in from LA. As we talked, I shared with them that my oldest son had worked as a community field organizer this last campaign, for the Maryland Democratic Party and that his ambition is to become a politician. They told me that they would donate to his campaign when he does run! They requested my info and want to stay in touch. That same son is heading out the door to go to a kickoff this afternoon for a mayoral candidate. This will be the third campaign he has worked on at 22 years of age.
I do know this, our hope is in the young people. I see that in the young women and girls that I met and saw yesterday. I see it in my oldest son and his work in Politics. I see it in my other son and his friends at the state university in the very red state of Tennessee who want to change the dynamics of the political system of that state. I see it in this little girl that spoke at the March. She gives me hope.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/01/21/watch-6-year-old-sophie-cruz-capture-hearts-massive-womens-march/96889558/
So Friday I mourned, Saturday I marched, today I rest and Monday I call more Senators!
#amovementnotamoment
Thank you for this. We saw the same thing when we marched in NYC the Sunday after the election. So many young people, it was amazing. It will be the millennials who reshape the agenda, who march for change and make the changes. Thank God for them!
Welcome back!
I’m sure Don is beat. The March was amazing. Unbelievable. Late last night the metro was still packed with people waiting to leave. Don was smart to beat the rush.
What were people thinking voting for that idiot and his ego? He’s delusional.
I hope you get some rest after your move yesterday. Enjoy your time with your husband in
your lovely home.
Peace,
Monica
He is. He just ran to the store to get a few things and was having trouble remembering the list. He just needs to rest.
I have no idea why people voted for him, but as PT Barnum said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” That they fell for and believed anything this carnival barker said is stunning.
Claudia,
Yesterday’s marches helped me find hope following Trump’s election. My daughter lives in CapeTown, South Africa and told me about the march held there. She has just had a baby so couldn’t march but was inspired but the peaceful crowds supporting us.
My granddaughter marched with her mother in DC. She is only in 6th grade so has a few years before she can vote. This march will inspire her future understanding and awareness of the political process.
So to Don, and all our friends who marched, thank you.
Mary Andrews
Me too. Both Don and I agreed that we feel hopeful. There will be a change. When it will happen, I don’t know. But the tide of those who oppose him is growing. And growing.
Bless your daughter and your granddaughter and her mother. Good for them! Thank you, Mary.
Glad to hear that you both had a good day each in your different ways!
Thank you, Amy! We’re tired today so we’re taking a bit of time to recover, and then onward and upward!
I’m glad the play had a successful start and you are now back at your sweet cottage. I marched in Atlanta yesterday and it was so inspiring. The projection was for 15,000 participants…..We had 60,000+. The day started with heavy drenching rain which didn’t deter us at all. Rep. John Lewis was the featured speaker and marched in the lead group. Atlanta was so prominent in the Civil Rights Movement and home to Martin Luther King, Jr. The march appropriately started at The Center for Civil and Human Rights and ended at the Georgia Sate Capital. All the marchers from all the cities, including Don, certainly sent a message yesterday. I’m feeling proud.
Good for you, Kaye. I have a theater friend who also marched in Atlanta! And there was John Lewis, marching as he has marched all his life! Thanks for speaking out!
Question when did lies become “falsehoods” and a when did more lies become ” alternative facts”? Sounds like something a 10 year old would say to get out of something so he was not punished! I went on ETSY to order my ” don’t blame me I voted Nasty pin”. I will proudly wear.
Good question! It’s ridiculous. I keep going back to The Emperor’s New Clothes. Those of us who are brave enough to say he has no clothes on are on to that word manipulation. It doesn’t work.
Oh, have to get that pin, Mary. Do you have a link for it?
Etsy…MaskedBanditButtons that is the name of the shop.
Thank you, Mary!
I marched yesterday in Austin. My plans changed at the last moment because a spot opened up in my daughter’s group, so I marched with her, two granddaughters, my SIL (NOT IN MY LOCKER ROOM, his sign read, referencing the supposed “locker room talk”), and some of my daughter’s friends and their mothers. Because I had again fallen twice last week, my cane came with me, and I noticed so many people behind me discretely reaching for my elbows whenever footing was uneven. Austin was supposed to have about 35,000, but organizers are estimating between 75,000-100,000 at last count. Our feet shuffled, but our spirits soared! We were all so happy to find that we weren’t alone after all. I’m so glad I didn’t miss it. I thought I was surprisingly peppy today, but then I noticed that I still am wearing my pj bottoms with my shoes and jacket! But . . . the “10 Steps for 100 Days” has been sent out by the national organization to keep the momentum going, and I’m printing up my postcards with my march photo on the front, to be sent out to my senators tomorrow morning. I think I’ll add one to be sent to our president, too, after reading about Conways’ statement. For those of you unable to march, you can still participate in the initiative. Just go to the Women’s March website to find it.
So many people commented on the kindness and compassion of all the marchers and it sounds like you were surrounded by such people. I love hearing that, Linda. I will go to the website today. Thank you!
Drove an hour and half to March in Sacramento with women, men, young and old. We were every race and religion. We were all peaceful and kind to one another. It is possible. America is GREAT, love is better than hate.
So many very clever signs. Twits shouldn’t Tweet. Was one of my favorites.
Twits shouldn’t Tweet! Perfect. Thanks for marching, Janet!
The March was awesome! There can be no other word for it. I followed it all day long on MSNBC & Twitter. And had no clue that there were going to be other countries involved as well. Apparently every continent was represented. Including Antarctica. FREAKING ANTARCTICA – can you believe that? How awful does someone have to be to raise the ire of the women of Antarctica? Congrats, kudos & props galore to Don for going. That was an awesome effort on his part too – no kidding. Every guy who went should be made a Honorary Girl!
Did you see the little old lady who was in a hospice on the day the March was first announced? She prayed that she would live long enough to participate. I completely lost it then. Her name is Mary & she looked terrific too – her grandson was pushing her wheelchair & wearing a pink tee. Take that, Humpty! Mary has more character – and love – in one of her EYELASHES than you do in your whole, orange, blubbergut body! There – now I feel better. LOL.
Favorite sign?
Twinkle twinkle little czar.
Putin put you where you are!
Have a great week. Peace. #Resist
I didn’t see that lady. Bless her heart and everyone who helped her take part. I also saw a woman in a wheelchair who had been interned in a camp during WWII – very, very powerful image.
Love, love that sign!!!
The sign I saw at the the DC March said tinkle, tinkle with yellow raindrops. I almost snorted my coffee!
I had to work yesterday but my husband went to the march in our town of Frederick, Maryland in my place. He said it was positively electric! My son and daughter-in-law took their 2 1/2 year old twins to the march in Harrisburg, PA. I have so loved seeing all the pictures! Even the tiny island of Ocracoke, North Carolina, where my husband and I like to vacation, had about 100 people marching! Let’s us not forget, this is just the beginning.
I didn’t know about the island of Ocracoke! Bravo to them and to your husband and son and daughter-in-law!
These comments are raising my spirits.
Claudia, please thank Don for me, and your lovely sister.
I have a disabled loved one in my immediate family, so that is a very personal and scary issue for me.
I don’t know a lot about psychiatry, but it seems to me that someone with narcissism will not be able to see his own faults, much less admit to faults. Time will tell.
Apparently, he violated the Constitution as soon as he was sworn in. Maybe something will come of that. One can only hope.
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-constitution-first-day-office-55d1f0668c27#.y72ppfem1
I think you’re right. His narcissism, coupled with the heart of a bully, will keep him from ever admitting he is wrong.
PS – hope EVERYONE who participated in the March – regardless of location – will write up their experiences with as much detail as they can recall. You all have a story to tell – you were THERE! One of my best friends is a historian & he told me that current & future historians will be wanting to hear from all you eyewitness participants. Get your stories down while everything is still fresh in your minds. Your accounts of January 21, 2017 could be invaluable.
I’m working on persuading Don to write a guest post, Janet.
My girl was one of the 750,00 in LA. She was at the inauguration of Obama 8 years ago and now this yesterday. She’ll never forget either.
I bet she won’t. Bravo to her for marching and speaking out, Suzan!
My 18 year old granddaughter went on her first march on Saturday in London, England. She said it was such an amazing experience. I think it has given her hope that there are so many good people who think as she does and that ‘ordinary’ extraordinary people can make a difference.
Bravo to your granddaughter, Valerie!
Our daughter was there too along with some of her friends and some of our other friends as well. We, however, were at a long ago scheduled choir workshop working on Mozart’s Requiem for an April concert, but we were there in spirit.
Good for your daughter, Judy! And I absolutely know you were there in spirit!