04.19.12
Posted in Essays at 7:40 am by LeftBrainFemale
Or . . . Thanks Department of Homeland Security for all the fun and games!
So, my driver’s license was up for renewal - I’ve not had to worry about it in quite a few years, but did I ever learn a lesson this year!
If you’ve renewed your license online in the past and haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting your local DMV, hang on to your hat. Particularly if you’re a woman and have EVER changed your name.
So my little postcard came in the mail a couple months before my actual birthday, and aside from reading the requirements and filing it for future use, I really didn’t give it a lot of thought. Fast forward to the week of my birthday. I pulled out the card and re-read the requirements.
- Government Issued Birth Certificate - check!
- Social Security Card - check!
- Marriage Certificate - check!
- Proof of Residency - two types - check!
Okay, got my documents together, made an online appointment for Friday at a DMV about 40 minutes from my home as it was the earliest appointment I could get (b-day was on Sunday) and I was ready to go. Or so I thought.
Friday afternoon arrived, as did I, at my local DMV - I got there about 1/2 hour before my appointment. Had to wait in line for 10 minutes before I got the reception desk to notify them of my appointment. Receptionist asks for my documentation. First doc, birth certificate. Uh-oh. This is a Certification of Birth, but it’s not a certified copy. You must go to the Health Department to get a Certified Copy. Okay, fine. C-Ya.
About 10 miles round trip and 30 minutes later, certified copy in hand, I get back to the DMV, and again wait in line. 15 minutes later, I arrive at reception desk to be told that their computers have been down off and on all afternoon, so they’re not taking any new arrivals - so she made an appointment for me for Monday (thankfully at a location a little closer to home).
Monday morning arrives, and my biggest concern was the eye exam, LOL. Passed the eye exam with no trouble, handed over my documents. Whoa, hold on there - your Social Security Card doesn’t match your Driver’s license. No, I patiently explain, it doesn’t. You see, 20 years ago when I got married, I went into SSA, and they allowed me to drop my first name as I didn’t use it, so I became Kay (Maiden Name) (Married Name). When I got to the DMV, though, to renew my license after the marriage, they said I couldn’t drop my first name so they used the Initial of the first name along with my Middle/Maiden/Married names.
Examiner looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. I’m sorry, but I can’t issue you a license if your DL and SS names don’t match. You’ll have to go to the Social Security Office to get them to correct that so that you can get your license. And meantime, since your license is now expired, we’ll clip a corner off of it and staple it to a 60 day extension (8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper - yeah that fits in my wallet real nice).
So, still with all my documentation in hand, I make my way 25 miles across to the neighboring town to the SSA office. Wait in line, again, but fortunately only takes about 15 minutes. Get to the window where I explain to a very likely looking young man what the problem is. He takes a quick look at my documents and says - oh, we can’t use a driver’s license that has been clipped, and you don’t have enough other documentation (keep in mind, I have in front of them my certified birth cert, marriage license, along with two utility bills, and another ID with my picture, name, and birthdate). Young man assured me that I must have either
A) Insurance card with my name and birthdate on it (yeah, ‘cuz that’s so common these days due to the “identity theft” you’re trying to prevent)
or
B) Proof of identity in the form of a letter from my DOCTOR showing my birthdate, when I had an appointment with him in the last two years, and what my DIAGNOSIS was. (Excuse me, I said - and you need a diagnosis for what reason? Sorry, but that really chaps my libertarian butt.)
I headed home that afternoon, almost in tears - frustrated beyond belief at the ridiculous request. How in the heck is a doctor supposed to prove your identity, I mean, that’s really putting them in a position to ask them to provide that information upon request by the SSA! But, I was so ready to have this done so that I could get back to the business of living my life, that I drove another 35 miles across the county to my doctor’s office. I tried to call them on the way for a heads up, but the phone kept going to their answering service, even though they were open.
Arriving at the doctor’s office, I asked if they could provide me with what was requested by the SSA, and they told me they could not. SSA did say that the Office Manager could sign for the doctor, but my doctor’s office was not willing to do that; the doctor was out. On the one hand, I was upset and annoyed, but truly, I do not believe that this should be their problem.
Next stop, dentist office. Seriously. As a relatively healthy woman who hates to go to the doctor - they were my only other choice. So I get a paper from them, with no real hope that it will be accepted, but I’ve got it in my hot little hands. Except, you know, I decide that just maybe I need to take my butt over to a different SS office rather than dealing with the imbeciles at the former one. I head across the county to another office, hold onto my file, and only give the documents that they ask for. Whaddya know - they didn’t even blink - never asked for my “doctor’s slip”, accepted my clipped DL, and fixed my name on my social security card as requested! One more stop at the DL office, and I’m done! Woohoo!
Now, what is really funny about this entire post is that it took me a year and a half and a passport later to finish it. I actually started writing it as I was going through the aggravation, and then got busy with life so I never completed it. Just found it in my drafts, so thought I’d take a few minutes and finish it up. A year later, I have family living in Grand Cayman and needed a passport to go for a visit - thankfully, due to the fun and games with SSA and the DL office, it was a pretty painless procedure. Ironically, while I was in the midst of gathering articles to get my DL renewed, I was asked repeatedly in person and by those that I talked with on the phone if I had a passport ‘cuz that would make it so easy, LOL. It’s just a vicious circle. You’ve got to speak to someone with half a brain that they can understand that getting a passport is not easier if you are an adult without a valid DL and SS card - and as far as I had known for the past 20+ years, mine were valid until Homeland Security made their changes . . . nothing like harassing clearly native born citizens of the USA!
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09.15.10
Posted in Essays at 6:18 am by LeftBrainFemale
In state after state, the Tea Party candidates have rocked the establishment, and I for one give ‘em a big Yeehaw!
So many highly placed Republicans have come out against many of the TP candidates crying that “they can’t win in the general election” and endorsing career politicians - in other words, business as usual.
I disagree with all the contentions that TP candidates can’t win - the establishment GOP, which includes some that we have respected over the years, can’t seem to divest themselves of the notion that their way is the only way. Therein lies their problem. The TP movement IS going to take back the republican party - in most cases, it appears, without their help or permission. But we will drag them, kicking and screaming, into November. And if they refuse to help elect our candidates, we’ll know for sure which side they were on from the get-go. But at this point, I think they’d better put up - or shut up.
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07.25.10
Posted in Essays at 7:26 pm by LeftBrainFemale
I have a confession to make - my name is Kay, and I’m a thrift-store junkie.
My obsession with thrift shopping began about 16 years ago, when as a young married, expecting our first child, I knew that we had to cut some expenses if I were going to be able to be at home with my kiddos as I wanted to be. I’d been shopping upscale consignment stores in my area for years - most of my working maternity wardrobe came from consignment.
Two years later, when we decided that it was time for me to be home with our toddler and new infant, thrift stores became the rule rather than the exception - and I’ve never looked back.
In fact, in the early years, I was quite good at picking up quality items of all sorts at thrift stores, and turning those items into a nice little profit on eBay. As time went on, and more people discovered the untapped treasures in thrifting, along with discovering eBay, my thrifting became more personal in nature - the bulk of our clothing and accessories has come through shopping at thrift stores. Far from feeling deprived, I get quite a thrill when I find designer treasures for pennies on the dollar, and my family is able to dress far better than our income would allow were we mall shoppers.
So it is very interesting to me to note that over the past several months I’ve seen quite a trend. As a work-at-home mom, my schedule permits me to hit thrift stores during the work week - and during normal working hours. Many times over the last few years when I’d find myself shopping in the thrifts, I might be the only shopper in the store - and rarely would I see more than five or six other shoppers.
I suppose, knowing where our economy seems to be headed, and considering the unemployment rate, then, it should come as no surprise that peaceful shopping during the weekdays is coming to an end. I’ve noticed over the last several months that each time I find myself in a thrift store, no matter where, no matter when (and it is usually during a week day) that the stores are becoming quite crowded. My daughters (now 13 and 15) experienced it with me for the first time last week as it had been quite a while since they’d been “thrifting” with mom. They were stunned, along with me, to see lines 10 people deep at the cash register of one of our favorite thrifts - and it wasn’t due to any special event; it just truly appears that more people are finding their way to the thrifts. What can I say - on this one, we were ahead of the curve - we were thrifting when thrifting wasn’t cool!
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05.25.10
Posted in Essays at 9:51 am by LeftBrainFemale
Disgust has kept me from writing - although, in actuality, it should prompt me to be more prolific; It’s just that everything I see and hear pertaining to our country and it’s foundations being rocked is so disheartening that it becomes hard to put my frustration into words.
That doesn’t mean I’m not sharing my feelings, though! My facebook friends and family are getting an earful almost daily! It’s much more cathartic than playing stupid games - can I challenge anyone reading this to do the same? At this point, I simply warn anyone who makes a friend request of me that FB has become my political forum, so if they don’t lean conservative, I hope they’ve got a thick enough skin to take it! And, of course, anyone who wants to de-friend me is more than welcome to do so - but I will not apologize for anything I post.
I honestly think that one of the best things we can do is to not shy away from letting our feelings be known. Wear those patriotic tees - you’ll be surprised how much response you get - in my area of the country it is overwhelmingly positive. Try to gently educate everyone you meet - comments just as simple as this one (to a cashier offering a credit card): “no, we got off that roller coaster ride and don’t want to ever go there again” could just take root and inspire someone to re-evaluate the way they’re currently living their lives. Only takes a second. And if you like anything posted here, please feel free to use it yourself - most of my quotes were either borrowed from or inspired by others - so they’re free for the taking!
So, without further adeiu, I’m going to share a few of the *best* of my facebook posts from the last few months!
December 31, 2009:
January 19, 2010:
http://www.helium.com/items/1715254-analysis-of-the-2009-tea-party-protests
March 18, 2010:
My comment: “If you don’t tie our hands, we will keep stealing” . . . ’nuff said
www.realclearpolitics.com
Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) said, “if you don’t tie our hands, we will keep stealing.”
March 21, 2010: My comment: This is not the first time our country has been on the precipice of government subsidized healthcare!
March 22, 2010:
My comment: Worst. President. Ever.
March 24, 2010:
My commment: I believe, beyond any doubt, that those who do not know their history and learn from it, are doomed to repeat it with disasterous effect.
March 29, 2010:
www.freedomslighthouse.com
April 6, 2010:
My comment: Friends and Family - if you can watch this, please do! Bill Whittle is one of my favorite writers, and he has a few good words to which we should all take note . . .
www.pjtv.com
Bill Whittle wants you. Get involved. Get your friends involved. Help silence the siren song of the state to reclaim our country and the blessings of Liberty. We’ll see you at a Tax Day Tea Party. Watch, …
April 13, 2010:
My comment: To my progressive friends and family who think that Tea Parties are filled with racist vitriol, (I love ya, but you know who you are) if you have any regard for me, do me a favor and check out the link below. It lays out perfectly what I’ve experienced, and debunks so much that you’re hearing on ABCCBSNBCCNNMSNBC et al.
www.lookingattheleft.com
After a massive kickoff rally in Searchlight, Nevada, the Tea Party Express III is winding its way across America. They are received by large rallies of Tea Party patriots in city after city along the way. …
April 18, 2010:
My comment: I so love this! (edit to say this post was a follow up to a post on a site called “crashtheteaparty” that advocated pretending to be tea partiers and carrying offensive signs)
www.wcvarones.com
At the Midway PO, surrounded by signs saying, “Plant” and “Not a Tea Partier.”Try again next time, Obamabot!The man was identified by Tea Partiers who recognized him as lawyer Justin Lewis from a firm called Gordon & Rees.
April 26, 2010:
My comment: Yanno, everybody is complaining about Obama, but we really need to cut him some slack - I mean, the guy is using all this stimulous money to build bridges - that we can live under!
April 27, 2010:
My comment: Okay, I knew the GM Commercials about paying back their loans 5 years earlier than expected were probably bogus . . .
www.redstate.com
If you own a GM vehicle and they have your email address, you’ve gotten a nice email in the past few days that they paid back their bailout loan from the
April 28, 2010:
My comment: Whaddya think would happen if you were to enter Mexico or Canada illegally? With no identification? Both Mexico and Canada regularly deport illegals. And frankly, when was the last time you were stopped for speeding and NOT asked to produce identification? Inquiring minds want to know . . .
May 6, 2010:
My comment: Four boxes protect our liberty: soap, ballot, jury and ammo. Use in that order!
May 13, 2010:
My comment: Re-Elect NOBODY!
May 19, 2010:
My comment: Love it when an articulate man speaks truth . . . Go Alabama go!
www.youtube.com
Dale Peterson, Alabama Agriculture Commission, ICAUCUS endorsed candidate fighting the fight to save our country. Some people recognize the enemies from within & without. We need fighters today, people that are not afraid to stand & tell the Government NO!!! …
May 25, 2010:
My comment: Can we just impeach Obama, Biden, and the entire givernment cabinet?
http://www.breitbart.tv/joe-biden-brussels-has-legitimate-claim-to-capital-of-the-free-world-title/
So there you have it - a half-year’s worth of disgust over our GIVErnment - talk amongst yourselves, LOL!
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01.13.10
Posted in Essays at 8:47 am by LeftBrainFemale
It was, in reality, her predecessors and most of the politicos currently practicing politics who went rogue - and who continue to do so!
Looking at the various definitions of the word rogue, it just fits too many of their ilk - and resembles Sarah but little:
1 : vagrant, tramp
2 : a dishonest or worthless person : scoundrel
3 : a mischievous person : scamp
4 : a horse inclined to shirk or misbehave
5 : an individual exhibiting a chance and usually inferior biological variation
As you can probably guess, I just finished Sarah Palin’s book, “Going Rogue - An American Life”.
In all honesty, I admired Sarah even before she hit the National political scene - I’d read about her work in Alaska long before John McCain chose her as his running mate. I didn’t really expect reading her book would change my opinion of her, but in fact, it caused me to have even more respect for her and what she has accomplished in Alaska, and more angry and disgusted with the treatment she received at the hands of the media and the so-called “handlers” of the presidential campaign.
It was actually those handlers who tagged her with the moniker of “going rogue” when she candidly answered a reporter’s question without first clearing it with senior staffers in the campaign.
Sarah was able to walk a very fine line in writing about her experiences - she tries very hard to put a positive spin on the motives of even the most corrupt of those she has dealt with in her public and private life. I enjoyed very much reading about her upbringing and what lead her to enter public service. It’s never easy to buck the system and the “old boy network”, but Sarah’s integrity wouldn’t allow her to accept the corrupt business as usual.
After being tapped as the VP running mate by the McCain campaign, it was disappointing to Sarah to find that she was now subject to constraints that she had shaken off as Governor of Alaska. She had developed a good rapport with several media outlets and knew some of her local reporters very well - but the GOP handlers would not allow her to even speak with them. And they wonder why the press doesn’t trust them, and their reports are so biased? How do you think those folks felt when, having been accustomed to free access to her, suddenly were shut out - and did not hear from her?
I have to say, it has really caused me to think that perhaps there is a reason why our media is so biased. Could it be that for years, they have felt shut out by the conservatives to the point that it seemed that we were hiding something? And if we have nothing to hide, then let’s let the sun shine in! We’ve created a monster media - a group of reporters and journalists who not only do not trust us, but who feel that they have to spin everything to fit what they believe about us. Folks like Andrew Breitbart and PJTV are doing their best to lead the charge, but you know, if some of the *politicians* would stop campaigning and do what Sarah did - damn the torpedos, do what’s right for your constituents, talk to the media, open the windows, we might just get somewhere. Yes, there might be some negative spin from your press at first - they might not trust you, they might think you’re setting ‘em up - but if you’re walking the walk - not just talking the talk, you might really begin to develop a modicum of trust. We could even end up with a press that is friendly to conservatives! Certainly not all, but even a few more than we have now would be a start!
I’ll just wind this up by saying that if you don’t know much about Sarah, you really owe it to yourself to read her book!
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11.30.09
Posted in Essays at 10:39 am by LeftBrainFemale
If you haven’t heard of Lloyd Marcus, you just haven’t been to the right tea party, LOL (tongue firmly in cheek here).
Lloyd is a very talented writer/speaker/songster and he posted on his site last week a post that goes hand in hand with one I wrote a couple weeks ago. His topic? Obamazilla. Trust me, it’s worth a read! Go. Here. Now.
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11.24.09
Posted in Essays at 10:23 am by LeftBrainFemale
Well, never say something is set in stone, LOL!
Our friend, Glenn Beck, announced a new rally for August 28, 2010, and that effectively killed the M.O.M. for America Rally date of August 14, 2010. It wasn’t the first time I’ve hitched my wagon to a falling star, LOL, and it probably won’t be the last. The folks at M.O.M. for America are quickly trying to revamp to have a jamboree and meet and greet for the same weekend, and I wish them well, and hope to meet some of the moms that I’ve gotten to know virtually. For me, the focus has changed to be that of education as Glenn has called for, and to that end, I’ve joined the I Love the USA group. Our mission is to share information on our founding documents and history, to educate ourselves that we might know how to go about salvaging this great country!
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10.29.09
Posted in Essays at 10:38 am by LeftBrainFemale
On Monday, I wrote of our need to stick together as we all work toward a common goal:
Simply joining several groups is not really helping any one cause. It’s really just preaching to the choir. If you have that much free time, choose a group that appeals to you, and stick to ‘em like glue! Do everything you can to help them to reach their goals. Don’t waste time trying to denigrate the work being done by others - because when you do, you’re part of the problem - and NONE of us will be successful!
This week, for those who are interested, I’m divulging my *personal* preference. As a concerned-for-my-family-and-my-children’s-future mom, I have joined several different networks. Up to the last month, however, I have not been particularly active in any of these networks.
What changed that was the group M.O.M. for America. M.O.M. sprung out of the As a Mom group of Glen Beck fame, and I was part of that group for a short time as well - but it grew so quickly that it appeared to me to be spiraling out of control. It’s still a great group for networking with other moms, but frankly, I wanted to do more! I wanted to ally myself with a group of women that I felt at home with, and that were really more interested in working toward a common goal - i.e. the Millions of Moms M.O.M. for America Rally. If you are a like minded mom, or husband of one, I highly recommend this organization. We’re truly grassroots, but with a great organizational leadership in place. Our rally date of August 14, 2010 is now set in stone, but we’re still small enough that we’re still in the planning stages. We can use good help in a number of areas, so sign on and join the official group and your state group!
Now, aside from my chosen group, a few suggestions for anyone who is ready to be in activist mode - no matter which network you’re affiliated with. There are many things that come up, some of which sound very plausible, some not so much. If you get word that someone in authority said something outrageous, double and triple check your sources before you share it! Remember that you represent something much bigger than yourself. If you don’t want your organization to be marginalized by the alphabet soup of network news programs, you MUST not subscribe to any information that is circumspect at best. Don’t give them any reason to prove that you’re just another network of right wing nut jobs!
On our group right now, we’re getting ready to share in reading the Healthcare Bill. We’re also protesting and writing our letters to editors of our local newspapers on healthcare.
There is much more going on, but I’ve gotta get busy reading!
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10.26.09
Posted in Essays at 2:17 pm by LeftBrainFemale
I’ve been debating with myself for weeks now - after months and months of frustrations, I just couldn’t seem to get to the point that I felt ready to commit to writing again. But with the way things are going, I think if ever there was a time when *I* need an outlet, this would be it!
I’ve left this blog up for several years now, and personally a few things have changed. I no longer homeschool my daughters - but I’m still certainly an advocate of homeschooling. Homeschooling gave me the time to work with my daughters and give them the firm foundation of character that has always been more important to me than a straight A report card. For those who are interested, yes, they adapted very well going into 7th & 8th grades, now in 8th & 9th, and while I frequently miss having them at home, and often spend as much time each week teaching as I did when we homeschooled, for us, this was the right decision.
Another change is that I am no longer a part of The Liberty Papers. I really enjoyed being a part of a group blog back when that was first formed, but after the original founder, Eric, had to leave, it seemed their focus shifted - and the entire tenor of the blog changed. Despite checking back periodically over the last 3 years, it seems that they have relegated themselves strictly to a big “L” libertarian viewpoint, and many hot topics that we would once have jumped all over were left unremarked upon and relegated to being completely ignored.
And now to get to the point of this post - and why I feel so compelled to help this blog rise from the ashes . . .
This country is at an absolute crossroads. Never in my life, nor indeed in the life of my parents or grandparents, have we ever been in such a precarious situation with regard to our Life, Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness.
This morning, while helping my high schooler study her history, I found this quote in her McDougal Littell World History book - in the Chapter on “Classical Greece” under the heading “Tyrants Seize Power”.
“Unlike today, tyrants generally were not considered harsh and cruel. Rather, they were looked upon as leaders who would work for the interests of the ordinary people. Once in power, for example, tyrants often set up building programs to provide jobs and housing for their supporters.”
How’s that for rewriting history? And at the same time, who can not see that by that very explanation, the abomination in the white house is a tyrant!
To slightly paraphrase Shakespeare, “Friends, and countrymen, lend me your ears!” At this point, there are so many different groups that are assembling to work toward defending our nation and our constitution (which is, arguably at this point almost unrecognizable) that I feel a few words need to be spoken to ALL.
It is important for us all to remember, that whether we are part of Freedom Works, Resist Net, The 912 Project, M.O.M. for America, As A Mom, Team Sarah, Smart Girl Politics, etc. that we are all, in the big picture, working toward the same goal. If you have the time to keep up with them, by all means, join one or more active groups, but few of us really have that kind of time.
Simply joining several groups is not really helping any one cause. It’s really just preaching to the choir. If you have that much free time, choose a group that appeals to you, and stick to ‘em like glue! Do everything you can to help them to reach their goals. Don’t waste time trying to denigrate the work being done by others - because when you do, you’re part of the problem - and NONE of us will be successful!
It is absolutely imperative that we all support each other - not try to tear each other down. If one group chooses to march on Washington a particular month and another does not - that’s okay! Our country is filled with MILLIONS of people. If you’re a conservative Christian reading this, you need to realize that there are some atheists and agnostics out there who are just as dismayed as you are by what is being done by the current administration. Recognize that you need to reach out to some who may not share all your values and beliefs. If you can remember to let your light shine without trying to convert every soul you meet, you might find yourself more successful at rallying support.
If you’re a little more left of center and reading this, recognize that if you’re opposed to the socialization of this country, of necessity you may find yourself surrounded by some fairly staunch conservatives. You might just have to swallow some of those retorts that spring to your lips if you happen to be atheist or agnostic! If you want to work for the greater good, then really strive to NOT take offense.
If you’re a member of any group, and you can’t figure out what to do, or how you can be of help, look to your leadership. Pass out fliers or pamphlets whenever you’re in town. Wear your tea party shirts. Contact your radio stations. Speak up when the opportunity arises - but do it in a respectful manner. Write or call your congressmen and women.
Remember, above all, that a house divided against itself cannot stand. If we sow the seeds of divisiveness among other groups that are working alongside us with a common goal, then we are no better than astroturf - because the weeds will grow up and choke out all the good grass.
A final word. As we studied her history this morning, one of my daughter’s vocabulary words was phalanx. It’s no longer much used, of course, but I want to leave you with this image in your mind. A phalanx was a fighting formation of foot soldiers who stood shoulder to shoulder, each holding a spear in one hand, and a shield in the other. Together they formed a formidable foe. Let us all stick together, and form a phalanx that we can not be torn apart.
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03.22.09
Posted in Life, Liberty, Property, Miscellany at 6:20 pm by LeftBrainFemale
All I can say is WOW! I haven’t written much lately - frankly, I’ve been too disheartened to do so. I actually thought, for about 5 minutes, that maybe our new president wouldn’t be too bad - thought perhaps I’d misjudged him and he was really just young and inexperienced. Like I said, that lasted about 5 minutes. Then he opened his mouth and spoke those fatal (to my hopes) words “I won”.
And with that utterance, all hope died, and he cemented, forever in my mind, the picture of the arrogant, immature, scheming and conniving son of a gun that we’re stuck with for the next four years.
So what can we now do? Well, when I heard about the Tea Party movement and found that there was going to be one in our area, I knew I had to go - and drag the family along with me!
It was a beautiful sunny day on the shores of Lake Eola in Orlando, and we all enjoyed it. We were running late, arrived about 20 minutes before the official start of the event, and due to the crowds, we couldn’t get within 200 yards of the amphitheater. But we could hear most of the emcee’d words by our own Bud Hedinger. Bud is a long-time Florida notable who currently hosts his own radio show in the afternoons on 540 WFLA after Rush’s show completes at 3 p.m. Bud read a list of grievances sent in by listeners, and that list was later signed by thousands of attendees.
The crowd was very polite, and composed of all ages - infants to aged. I saw a dog with a sign saying “I work for my food”, and an elderly woman with a sign on her walker. Everyone seemed friendly and happy to be a part of the assembly, and I did not note any garbage being strewn around.
Initial reports that I read or heard placed the number of attendees at around 3000, but I’ve since heard over 6000; that seems more accurate to me. The Disney Bandshell Amphitheater where the event was staged will seat 936 people - since it’s kind of a “bowl” design with a berm of high ground surrounding it, and that hillock was completely covered over with attendees, we couldn’t even see the seats when we arrived, but I’m certain they were all filled. The only way I could get any pictures of the stage were for my taller-than-I husband to hold his camera up in the air and shoot!
Toward the end of the event, we rented one of the electric gondola’s to take a little ride on Lake Eola, and it gave us a different perspective on the crowd.
One thing that rankled all day was the lack of ANY media coverage prior to the event. I shouldn’t be surprised, I know. We were competing, as far as events go, with the Winter Park Art Festival and - believe it or not - a Lemonade Stand. Now I certainly have nothing disparaging to say about either event - we have been, many times to the Winter Park Art Festival, and the young girl who’s mother died of cancer was surely running her lemonade stand for a worthy cause. But wouldn’t you think that some small mention might have been made prior to the event? What’s really disgusting to me, is that after the event, my family and I decided to have a late lunch/early dinner at a small cafe (The Metro Espresso Pizza Cafe). Due to the fact that there had been absolutely NO media coverage prior to the event, these small businesses near the event had no warning that they might get some extra business, and therefore, they were completely unprepared. We actually had a very nice dinner, and our server was very sweet and apologetic that it took so long for our orders to come up, but we assured her that we were fine and all was well. She told us that they usually have quite a bit of advance notice on events at Lake Eola, but this one - no notice whatsoever. So, note to event organizers - you can’t count on the media to advertise for you, but it would be great if you contacted local restaurants or businesses if your event time would coincide in some nice extra business for them!
At any rate, we were happy to share the day with so many like-minded people, and I highly recommend supporting these events should they be organized in your area. Enjoy a few more photos of the day below:
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