That man is Howard Dean. He was one of the keynote speakers at Netroots Nation. I do love him so and it was great watching him talk.

If you want to catch some of the events going on at Netroots Nation, uStream provides a lovely stream of various panel discussions. Check it out.

Now it’s bedtime. It’s an early start in the morning. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, will conduct a Q&A at 7:00 AM my time. That’s in the morning. Coffee will need to be made.

Does that title make sense? Well, it’s Netroots Nation in Second Life, but that’s one long title, so let me shorten it. I can shorten it even more by just using NNSL. Yes, the lazy person’s way of blogging — use acronyms of few letters.

Well, tonight is the kick off event for Netroots Nation and we’re streaming the video of Howard Dean and Wesley Clark into Second Life.  There’s a Second Life panel discussion, dancing, and movie-going.  I’m ready for it.  Here’s today’s schedule as listed at the NNSL web site:

… All times are Second Life Time, also known as Pacific Daylight Time:

1:00 PM — An SL/NN Meetup! Here’s a chance to do some comingling with the Austin crowd at Netroots Nation. Yes, Austin and Second Life will meet. Head for the Netroots Arena.

5:30-6:30 PM — Austin Keynote Address: Gov Howard Dean and (ret) Gen Wes Clark. This will stream into Netroots Arena.

6:30-7:30 PM — “What They Said” Commentary by Joan McCarter (McJoan), Jimbo Hoyer, GenJCChristian Homewood and Cliff Schecter. This is a Second Life panel held at Netroots Arena.

7:30-10:00 PM — SL Opening Party. We’ll be chatting and dancing at the same time – very easy to do in Second Life – at the Netroots Island Ballroom.

9:00-whenever – “The Corporation.” It’s a special Netroots Nation screening of “The Corporation” at the Marxist/Lennonist Party Headquarters (this will open up the SLURL for the location, which is not on Netroots Nation Island ).

It’s fun meeting new people to Second Life, plus the SL old-timers who are showing up for their first political event in SL. Why don’t you join us!

I just survived a visit from my great-niece, Catherine. A very smart nine-year old, Catherine sure knows how to enjoy herself.  We survived a torrential downpour. There is nothing like going to a movie and taking off your very wet shoes and socks, which we did. We survived any passing of wind (I tell you, fart jokes can really get a nine-year old giggling). I survived the rigors of keeping Catherine entertained and managed adequately. Though I do have to say that I’m pooped. She slept much better than I.

I also survived the trip back from Phoenix today. Talking about torrential downpours, try to imagine standing water on an incline — that’s how fast and hard the rain was coming down. So, a 75 mile an hour zone becomes 40. It does cause accidents. On one of the rainy sections, a car had flipped. The worst part of the trip was up near the rim. That’s where you could see water filling the road, even though we were going uphill. It’s amazing.

So, I survived all of that. Now I have to get ready for Netroots Nation. If you decide to join us, I’ll be the one in the corner, napping. It’s my survival technique.

Too much to do today. I have to get the movie Meet Dave out of the way and write a review, finish some signs for the Netroots Nation in Second Life convention, pick up some groceries, pick up laundry, and vacuum the layer of dog fur out of the carpet. What’s worse is that now I also have to take my dog to the vet. Yes, another foxtail in the ear. Dang dog.

I also want to pick up some dining chairs. I mean, it’s not too polite to have my great-niece Catherine show up tomorrow and she has no please to sit when we eat. I’ve been meaning to pick up some chairs, and I know which ones I want, but I just have to go get them.

Catherine is staying with me Sunday and Monday night, before I return her to Phoenix on Tuesday, where her grandpa (my brother) will enjoy her company. Catherine is heading off to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. This girl get to travel way more than me.

I do worry that she’ll hate the entire time she’s with me. I know that my niece Jamie loves hanging out with me (yes, spoiling works on nieces!), but Catherine and I haven’t had as much time together, since she lives in California.

Anyway, I had my day scheduled out, but the vet appointment has messed that up. Well, back to work. I can’t find a clone to do it all for me while I lay in bed reading, so it’s up to me.

I’d say I’m tuckered out, but I’m too excited to be tuckered out! Next week is the big Netroots Nation convention in Austin, Texas. It’s the annual gathering of political progressives.  So, am I going to Austin and that’s why I’m excited? Heck no! It’s Austin in July, why would anyone get excited? Nope, I’m staying  right here on the couch with my laptop. There is a Netroots Nation in Second Life convention also. Yep, Ms. Moran Singh is going all conventioneer style next week in Second Life.

What’s even more fun, and what’s leading to some of the tuckered out feeling, is that I’m one of the organizers for the Second Life event. Yep, I’m in charge of the Social Events. Yeah, me, Miss Unsocial.

Everyone’s been incredibly involved creating this event. We’ll be streaming video from Austin, plus putting on our own panels. We’ve worked hard on creating buildings, ballrooms, orientation areas, exhibition booths, and all kinds of things. The learning opportunities keep coming my way.

Here’s a view of the ballroom at Netroots Nation Island (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Yearly%20Kos%20Convention%204/156/59/24/):

Ballroom at Netroots Nation Island

Here’s the orientation area. Any newbies can find themselves right at home. They can even pick up some freebies, including avatars and outfits.

Netroots Nation Island orientation area

For more information about Netroots Nation in Second Life (or NNinSL for short), check out the web site and blog. It’s free. Anyone who cares about politics, community organizing, health care, economics, and anything else to do with how our country is run, should join us.

So, what does a fashionable person wear to Netroots Nation in Second Life? What a silly question!

Moran in her NNinSL t-shirt

Everyone can use a little Fred and Ginger once in a while.

I’m home from the 4th of July parade. Yes, I did walk in the parade — I carried the DFA Obama for Change banner — and I have to say that I’m now quite the pooped parade walker. My feet are killing me. I’ve got them on ice, and I think a nap is definitely in my future.

As for the parade, it was it’s usual fun madness. The Republicans booed us, but in a nice way, with smiles exchanged by all. Others whooped and hollered when they saw our Obama shirts and the banner.

The parade goers do have it hard in election years, as the parade extends even longer due to all the candidate entries. We had several near us. There was Howard Shanker, running for AZ CD-1, Mary Kim Titla came up to Flagstaff to make an appearance, and Ann Kirkpatrick had a “float” in the parade, but I didn’t see if she was actually there.  There were plenty of folks running in the local races too. Tom Chabin and Chris Deschene were there, both running for the Legislative District 2 race. I think Mark Haughwout was there too but I didn’t meet him. I did talk to one of my favorite candidates. Kara Kelty is running for Corporation Commission. She used to be on the City Council and I’ve always liked her. She’d faced a campaign against someone challenging her nominating petitions. She won that battle.

Now, I do know that the Republican side of things was also represented in the parades, but the parade organizers somehow decided that the Republican groups and the Democratic groups should have some good distance from each other. Good decision!

Well, that nap waits for me, and then I want to finish some things up for the Netroots Nation in Second Life convention that begins in less than two weeks. I’ll be writing more about that later.

Oh! I almost forgot! Happy Independence Day!

I just got back from the DFA meeting. Okay, I didn’t just get back — I had to feed the animals and myself before opening up the laptop. Anyway, the meeting was a good one. We’re planning for our march in the 4th of July parade and the t-shirts for the paraded were handed out. A lovely purple with the words “Obama for Change” on them. As for marching, I need to ice my feet just to prepare for it, much less after the parade when they’ll really be hurting..

Another fun thing about tonight’s meeting was the chance to meet and hear Howard Shanker speak. Running for Congressional District 1here in Arizona, he was impressive.

There’s another local candidate, Ann Kirkpatrick, that I like. I’ve known Ann for years so I am leaning towards her for the primary, but I also want a good, progressive candidate. Who would be more progressive? I think Ann would be good, but Howard may be better.  Of course, one reason I like her is that I am playing identity politics with Ann. No, I don’t want to vote for her because she’s a woman, but because she is a born-and-bred Arizona gal. :There aren’t many of us at our age. Still, maybe I should be worried.  Ann had gorgeous, long, curly hair and she’s turned her hair style into Republican Barbie. Maybe that’s a bad sign.

Before Hair:

After Hair (Republican Barbie style):

If hair is a symbol of one’s politics, maybe Ann isn’t as progressive as I want her to be. Hmmm…you think I should go to one of her upcoming events and ask her about how she feels her politics align to her hair style? And if I do, do you think they’ll throw me out right then and there or wait politely until no one is looking?

I was complaining about the heat last night. Ah, but blessed relief is here. It just now started raining. The temperature has dropped 20 degrees. I’m a happy, happy, happy gal!

Avedon posted this at Atrios and I thought it too funny not to share. Joe Cocker spoke, or sang, his own language: