Is it too early to think about Birthday Cards?

[TayTay]

Wasn't it right around this time last year that we first came up with the idea of sending round birthday cards for people to sign to be delivered in Dec to Sen. Kerry for his birthday on Dec. 11th.

Should we do this again? I loved this idea, btw. It was, ahm, a wonderful and wonderfully received thing.

Thoughts?

[Island Blue]

1. I think it was a little later in the summer,

but there's no reason not to start earlier this year. That would prevent any last minute concerns that the cards wouldn't make it to everyone in time. Maybe we could have a design contest or something (although Babylonsister's cards were fantastic!) However we do it I think it's never too early to start planning - time flys by so quickly it will be December before you know it!

[karynnj]

2. I agree and I think it's likely that we have more people now.

It was fun, but nerve racking to wait for it. The worst that could happen is we will have them ready early.

[babylonsister]

3. I'm available, and can customize them more now.

I recently discovered I can use ANY .jpg image on a card. I pulled some pix off of google images recently; it worked like a charm. If someone wants to design a card/cards, I'd be happy to try to duplicate.

[TayTay]

6. You did such a great job last year

that I am reluctant to tell you or even suggest what to put on the cards. (Ahm, I tend to want to leave good artists alone. They are, ahm, better at what they do that I am.)

A lot has happened since last year. A lot. Alito, Iraq, the environment, finding 'my bloggers' :loveya: , etc. There is a lot to work with.

Do you think we might need 3 cards this year? A lot of people signed last year, but a lot didn't. That was sort of why I was thinking of starting to move the cards around in mid-August, a whole month before we did it last year.

What do you think?

[babylonsister]

7. I can make as many cards as necessary, Tay Tay.

I just need some ideas, or poems, or JK quotes! Something to get me started; I'll dig up images that I think might be appropriate, and run it by everyone.

[zann725]

11. Something including a J.K. '08 run reference?

Or a 'to the "REAL Commander-in-Chief/or 'real Boss'....
Or something about "You've still got our vote. Run with it!"

Or...(so many possibilities)...

But it's always good to start soon.

[Blaukraut]

4. Now is good

This gives us plenty of time to get lots of kerrycrats to sign them :-)

[wisteria]

5. Sounds like a good timje to start to me! n/t

[ProSense]

8. It's a good time

to at least start talking about it. I'm not missing out this year!

[babylonsister]

9. Ramblings . Any

favorites of your own you could recommend?
Also, does anyone know if JK has ever expressed who his favorite poet or author is? That would be a good place to work from, too.

Dwight D. Eisenhower: Integrity Quote
No man can always be right. So the struggle is to do one's best, to keep the brain and conscience clear, never be swayed by unworthy motives or inconsequential reasons, but to strive to unearth the basic factors involved, then do one's duty.

“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office."


Winston Churchill: Integrity Quote
Never give in! Never give in! Never, never, never, never - in nothing great or small, large or petty. Never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.


Cecil Beaton quote
“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.”


Yousuf Karsh quotes
“I have found that great people do have in common an immense belief in themselves and in their mission. They also have great determination as well as an ability to work hard. At the crucial moment of decision, they draw on their accumulated wisdom. Above all, they have integrity.”

“The end is never as satisfying as the journey. To have achieved everything but to have done so without integrity and excitement is to have achieved nothing.”

JK quote:
"When your horse is headed down toward the waterfalls or your horse is drowning, it's a good time to change horses in midstream. May I also suggest we need a taller horse? You can get through deeper waters that way."

"We're coming, you’re going, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out."

“The hope is there. The sun is rising. Our best days are yet to come.”

“That is what Americans do. We face a challenge -- no matter how great -- because we know that on the other side there is always hope.”

“Our purpose now is to reclaim democracy itself. We are here to affirm that when Americans stand up and speak their minds and say America can do better, that is not a challenge to patriotism; it is the heart and soul of patriotism.”

“You may not understand completely in what ways, but it is true when I say to you that you have taught me and you've tested me and you've lifted me up, and you made me stronger”

[babylonsister]

10. Ramblings, Part Deux:

An Old Irish Blessing
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

Wishing you always...
Walls for the wind,
A roof for the rain
And tea beside the fire.
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire

May the sun shine, all day long,
everything go right, and nothing wrong.
May those you love bring love back to you,
and may all the wishes you wish come true!

May God grant you many years to live,
For sure he must be knowing.
The earth has angels all too few.
And heaven is overflowing.
(A tad sappy?!)

May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.

May you have warm words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night,
and the road downhill all the way to your door.

May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now,
And bless you evermore.

ucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play-
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song-
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long!

When the first light of sun-
Bless you.
When the long day is done-
Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears-
Bless you.
Through each day of your years-
Bless you.

May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.
May the sunshine brighten your heart
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love.

As you slide down the banisters of life
may the splinters never point the wrong way.

[beachmom]

12. I'm in for the cards! Also thought this thread deserved a kick again. n/t

[babylonsister]

13. I'm going out of town tomorrow but can make cards next week

if you can all decide on a theme and/or a good quote or two. Otherwise, I'll figure one out and run it by you for approval.

[TayTay]

16. I believe I wold like 3 cards this year, if I may request it.

One for the East Coast, one for the Middle states and one for the West Coast. That way we can all write little sentences in them that express something of how we feel. (Would that be okay?) Also, I adored the theme you used last year. (And, Senator Kerry loved it. As we reported at the time, those cards and the care that went into making them, getting them signed and keeping the postmarks made a big, big impression on him.)

I utterly trust you babylonsister to do these. My own quote to include would be something along the lines of thanking the good Senator for keeping up the fight and then wishing him a very happy birthday from some real supporters. The more room for the personal comments, the better.

This is only my thoughts, and I know they can be improved on. Oh, and by the way, Boston is lovely in both October and December, just so you know. The tunnels will be fixed by then, there will be Senators in town and, it would be oh so nice to meet people. And as soon as I get any details at all on any gatherings in Boston near Christmas, I shall forward them to this group. (Just in case anyone gets to urge to travel right before Christmas, LOL!)

[babylonsister]

20. I'll be working on these tomorrow, but would welcome any

ideas for pics, quotes, ideas, etc.

[TayTay]

21. Let's review what went on in the last year

Alito filibuster attempt. (Thank you Senator for that one.)

Iraq War speech in April. (OMG)

Withdrawal amendment on the Senate floor.

Weddings for staffers, PanMass Challenge, going to Iowa, seeing Lance Armstrong, etc.

[babylonsister]

22. Senator Kerry is a prince among men. He fights for all of us

constantly despite what the naysayers will say. His intelligence and compassion know no bounds.
But hey, I don't want to embarrass the guy! :evilgrin:

[TayTay]

23. Hmmm, a Democratic Prince

I like that. And he also has the lovely and talented Teresa to talk to. (I love her.)

Hmmm, lots to think about here in terms of images.

[emulatorloo]

14. I like it -- count me in

EOM/Kicking

[politicasista]

15. I like the idea

Can I still be counted in?

[StoryTeller]

17. Count me in, too!

I was just checking in with DU this evening, after being gone for ever so long, and I'm glad I did. PLEASE let me be part of the birthday cards this year! I am the most humble, lowly, invisible lurker that ever invisibly lurked, but I would LOVE to sign a card for JK.

[TayTay]

18. Delighted to welcome you back to this group

I do hope that it was a good an exciting series of events that have kept you away from DU. (Or, like the rest of us who take sabbaticals, it just might have been real life demands and job requirements and other things that eat our time that kept you away. LOL!)

Delighted to have you back here. Your name goes to the top of the list. I am hoping that babylonsister will graciously consent to making 3 cards, that way our good friends in the Mid-est can have their own card and space in it to compose a personal sentence or two. (If I recall correctly, those personal messages were, ahm, personally read and appreciated. Deeply.)

Welcome back. Don't be a stranger!

:patriot:

[StoryTeller]

19. Thanks, TayTay!

I was kept away by nothing too exciting--book deadlines, writing conferences, homeschooling, and some other stuff. DU is like chocolate for me...it's terribly addictive, and so sometimes I just can't have even a bite or the next thing I know, it's 1:00 a.m. and I've spent 4 hours gobbling it all up! :)

Plus, with this forum, I hardly ever have anything to add because there's not much relating to JK here in Nebraska. But I love reading everyone else's news. I'm thrilled to hear about the cards.

I started a new blog in connection with my website, though. I'm proud of it because I got it set up and going all by myself. It's not politically oriented, because it's there to go along with my books, which as of yet don't have much political content in them. But I am looking for people to contribute to the blog, in 4 areas relating to my writing, and I would love to have some progressive voices in the mix. Right now, the other contributors are all more conservative than me. If anyone is interested, the link is here.

[babylonsister]

24. Is this okay? Should I 'go' funny? I thought simple might work:

And BTW, is Dec. 11th Senator Kerry's actual birthday, and how old will he be?

[TayTay]

25. I like that one. It's simple and to the point.

I think it's a great pic that says it all.

His B-Day is 12/11/43, btw.

I think it works well. Nice job.

[babylonsister]

26. Any objection to changing the fronts of the cards, or do you want

them all the same? Also, I'll need 3 addresses to send them on their way.

Inside text:

Thank you for all you do
in defense of us all. Your
efforts are noticed and
appreciated!
From all your fans-
John Kerry Group,
Democratic Underground-
we salute you!

Happy Birthday!

(Nice font, colors, the works, of course.)

[ProSense]

28. Should it be

From all your fans

or

From your supporters

?



Very cool!

[babylonsister]

30. Well, I'm a HUGE fan, but will defer to whatever you all think.

;-)

[ProSense]

32. That and

uh, well, agree! Just offering it up for comment! :)

[TayTay]

29. I really like this.

It is a good message and will leave plenty of room for people to write a sentence or so to add a personal greeting. (These were very, very well received last time. I think the personal messages are important and I regret not encouraging them on both cards last time. I was wrong on that, dead wrong.)

I love the computer screen with the message on it. I think it works well. Ahm, I guess people could add their states or locales to the greetings inside. As I recall, it was nice to know that these cards were so well traveled.

BTW, need any $$$ to cover printing, postage, etc?

[babylonsister]

31. Actually, that was my computer screen; I took a picture of it

to show you the card. I'm not 100% sold on the image(s) because there's a hint of a gray background. I may do some searhing for an image that's as appropriate w/o that gray (it's distracting to me). If I come up with something, I'll run it by you.

[TayTay]

33. Well, that's funny.

To tell you the truth, I kind of liked using the image of a computer screen somehow. I sort of encapsulated who and what 'we' are. (I hope that's not terrible to design.)

Oh dear, sorry for the misunderstanding.

[babylonsister]

34. OK, here's another attempt w/o shadows. I can try to figure out how

to grab the first one in computer if you prefer it to this?
I know, It's Only A Card!
RE: $, forget about that. I need addresses pm'ed to me.

[blm]

35. It touches this heart.

;)

[Island Blue]

36. I like this one the best.

What does it say under the heart? I can make out the words "...Patriots All" but not the first two words.

Whenever we send the cards out this year, might I suggest that we protect them by putting them in hard cardboard envelope, and then each person can send it to the next person in a manila envelope (with the card in the hard envelope inside). It will costs a few extra pennies to send, but it will be worth it to minimize the risk of damaging the cards.

[babylonsister]

37. It says

Standing Tall, Patriots All.

I'd be happy to get some hard cardboard envelopes; where might I find ones that would fit these cards, or vice versa? Can you buy them individually from an office supply place? Or do you mean the regular envelope, inside a hard-covered envelope, inside a manila one? I'm open to any and all suggestions.

I also like this one better; more understated, and no shadows.

[Island Blue]

39. That's great - I love it!

You should be able to find individual hard mailing envelopes at an office supply store. I just had to buy a few for work and I got them for .99 cents each. You've got the idear - the regular (card) envelope, inside a hard mailing envelope, inside a manila envelope. That way the cards won't get bent. Also, it will be easy for each person to clip off and include the post mark from the previous person's (manila) envelope. Hopefully all of that make sense.

[MH1]

38. Oooh, I love that...please count me in, too!

Is that "Standing Tall...Patriots All" under the hearts?

Thank you so much for doing this babylonsister, and everyone else for your participation.

Like TayTay said, this really was a big hit last year. It clearly meant a lot to him.

[Blaukraut]

40. This one's a keeper, sister

It's heartfelt, literally :-)

[ProSense]

41. That is awesome!

I like this a lot better than the rose. The text clinches it for me!

Excellent job!

[ProSense]

27. I really like that!

Very cool! Thanks for the excellent job!

[babylonsister]

42. Thanks for all of your replies. We'll go with card #2.

Pls. let me know how you want me to send them, and to who. I can send out three, or three to one.
Whatever works.
I've been trying to expedite this as I know you all want to have enough time to get your ducks in a row before the big day/weekend.
Speaking of, is there an official party planned?

[TayTay]

43. It's perfect! I love it! Thank you!

I was hoping for three cards this time. (So people have room to write a sentence or so.) I guess we would need three sign-up sheets.

West
Midwest
East

First-come, first serve. Start up the threads and sign up.

[Inuca]

44. Me too!!

Please, I want to be part of this this time around. Writing seldom, lurking often, admiring always. I went throug the thread, but I am not sure I understand exactly how this is supposed to work. I will add my name to the midwest thread in a sec, but can somebody please enlighten me? Am I just supposed to PM name & address to babylonsister or what?

[TayTay]

45. It's a sign-up sheet

The way it worked last time was that we have these threads in this forum and a person adds their name to it. The top person gets the card first, signs it, then sends it to the next name on the list. That person signs it and sends it on to the next person on the list and so forth.

I (or someone in Boston) will be the last one to get the card. I will do my utmost best to make sure that it winds up in Sen. kerry's hands. (We were rather successul at this last year, ahm, huge understated LOL! here.)

Life being what it is, it will never be that clean. Threads get too long, people forget, but reminders and threads that ask, "Where is the East Coast Card at" will appear and all will become well. It'll work.

The other thing that was a massive success last year was to just cut the little Post Office Cancellation stamp from off the envelope as it comes to you and then glueing that to a separate sheet within. This is proof positive that these cards have travelled around the country and have been treated lovingly. (More details on this if it appears fuzzy.)

It'll work. There will be bumps and such, but it'll work.

[Inuca]

46. OK, thanks

Now it makes sense. Sorry that I replied to your other message in the Midwest thread before reading this, the content of your messages was more or less the same, but I guess my mind must have de-fogged a bit in between the two readings. Thanks, Tay!