We the People, still have power. #VOTE

There's a reason I'm so outspoken about politics and bringing awareness to what's happening in America and around the world. I worked for the government. I was a federal employee at the Internal Revenue Service for twenty years. It's the main reason I'm so vocal about politics today.

Generations of families have lifelong careers in government. My grandmother spent thirty years working at the IRS before me. I started working there in 2002, just four months after the September 11 attacks. I was nineteen years old, straight out of high school, a hopeful millennial. 

During my career, I worked in several different departments, went from a clerk to a tax examiner, and made lifelong friends. I also experienced the not-so-great side of our government. I saw firsthand what budget cuts, pay and hiring freezes, shutdowns, and $0 paychecks did to our agency. I saw the impact on my co-workers, whose bills didn't stop just because two sides of the political spectrum couldn't agree on a budget. I saw the impact on American taxpayers, months of backlogged work, tax returns waiting to be processed. The bureaucracy and tax laws that made every day life harder for people.

In 2022, I decided to leave the IRS. The pandemic had given me a new perspective on work-life balance, (an office relocation and the revocation of remote work, may have expedited my decision.) I was forty years old. I had spent my youth working for the government. It was time to move on. 

The DOGE cuts came soon after I left, and the federal workforce faced devastating cuts. Thousands of federal employees lost their jobs, their careers. Decades of knowledge and expertise discarded for a political agenda under the guise of "economic savings."

The oath I took to support and defend the Constitution didn't end when I left federal service. I saw how government policies negatively affected my life, my family, my friends, and the American people. I want better for all of us. We deserve better. 

It's time to remember that it's WE THE PEOPLE who elect the politicians in charge of our towns, cities, states, and federal government. It is We the People who fund the United States government through the taxes we pay from our hard-earned paychecks. For too long, we've looked the other way and allowed corruption, greed, cruelty, and divisiveness to run rampant inside our government. The house is burning from the inside. It's time for change.

I don't know when we became complacent, when we bought into the lies: "Politics are boring." "Politics don't affect me." "Why should I vote?" "Nothing changes." I was guilty of saying those same things when I was younger. I thought it didn't matter. Working for the U.S. government through several administrations opened my eyes. It does matter, a great deal. Our collective voice matters. 

We may not see change overnight, but if we start taking an active part in our democracy today, we can absolutely change the trajectory of this country and the world for the better. Utilize your First Amendment rights.

First Amendment

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

We have the power to change things. We have the power to save the American dream. Speak up and use your voice! Vote in every election! Stay informed about current laws and policies and how they can affect you, your family or your community. Support politicians who don't take corporate bribes. Support independent, unbiased journalism. Stop treating politics like a sport. It's not ride or die for one party or one person. It's ride or die for the nation as a whole.

I want an America that represents freedom and democracy for ALL, not one based on income bracket, political party, color, creed, or orientation.

I want an America that is beautifully diverse. An America that is a safe haven for immigrants and refugees. A country that respects and celebrates all cultures.

I want an America where healthcare is a basic human right, where a trip to the hospital won't bankrupt you.

I want an America that invests in its citizens well-being and education.

I want an America that cares about how employers treat their workers.

I want an America where people can afford to own a home and earn enough to provide for their families, where small businesses can flourish.

I want an America that builds and strengthens alliances worldwide and recognizes the value of our allies and trade. A country that strives for peace, not endless wars.

I want an America governed by WE THE PEOPLE, not one ruled by corporations, shareholders, or corrupt politicians. They say greed is the worst sin of all. Looking at the state our world is in right now, it's not hard to see why.

We the People need to start voting for leaders who believe in and protect the Constitution. Leaders who respect the framework the Founding Fathers put in place and uphold the rule of law. Leaders who lead with empathy and compassion, conduct themselves with integrity, and genuinely want to serve the people who elected them. Not people who serve only their own egos and greed, who revel in cruelty and destruction.

They may try to divide us, but We the People still have power. It's time to use that power and make our voices heard. Let's make the 250th anniversary of the United States of America one for the history books by preserving democracy.

Vote, vote, vote!

Make your voice heard.

• Register to vote: 
https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-rules/

• Check your states voter registration deadline: 
https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/

• Consider taking part in No Kings Day:

https://www.nokings.org/

#spreadjoy728

In memory of Christiana Joy

July 28 was my cousin's birthday. Her middle name was Joy. She passed away from cancer in 2017 at 33 years old. It's been almost 10 years without my best friend. In honor of her, if you can, please spread some joy in this world on July 28th. Whether it's a smile, kind words, a helping hand or a hug. We all could use more joy in our lives ♡ #spreadjoy728 #fuckcancer

Her nickname was Christalena, like the MxPx song. 

#NOMOREWAR ☮️

NO MORE WAR ☮️

created in picsart app 

Welcome to America...

I haven't utilized this blog in a long time. As I've gotten older and the world has changed, I want to share less and less about my life with strangers. I deactivated most of my social media last year.  

This blog originally began as a place to record the story of our long-distance relationship during the early internet years (2003), how we navigated the immigration system before and after getting married in 2009. With the help of our immigration lawyer, we were able to bring F.B. to the United States from the Philippines as a permanent resident in 2011.

And then we became complacent. Life trucked along. There wasn't any rush to change his immigration status. Life in the United States felt monotonous, predictable, safe. Until it wasn't anymore...

In 2020, before the pandemic and widespread shutdowns, F.B. and I finally decided to submit his application for naturalization in the United States. In June 2021 he became a naturalized United States citizen, after taking the oath at an immigration office here in Philadelphia.

Between the pandemic and four years of an authoritarian president, things changed. I have never felt this level of fear and uncertainty as an American, as a former federal employee. Even after 9/11 people came together, we weren't this divided as a country. Now it seems like cruelty is normalized. If you have empathy or compassion for other people different from you, there's something wrong with you. When did this happen? When did we let political sides dictate our humanity? 

Now it’s 2026. We’ve been married for nearly 17 years, and F.B. has been a U.S. citizen since 2021... and I'm still scared every single day since the 2024 elections. I worry that something, somewhere, is wrong in a government database, a mistake or typo that could have ICE knocking at our door, or worrying they will conduct raids at my husbands workplace, or pull him over in a traffic stop because of his skin color or Filipino accent. We scanned his naturalization paperwork so he can carry it with him, but what guarantees they would even look at it? This administration detains first and asks questions later.

I have flashbacks of the World War II history I've read about since I was 11. Our class had to read Anne Frank's diary for a book report. As an adult I dived into countless memoirs and history books about what happened during Hitlers reign. The similarities. History always repeats itself, but I never thought the whole world would be looking in abject horror at what's happening in the United States right now. How did we get here? Where has our humanity gone as a nation? None of this normal! 

Americans are being killed in the streets by federal employees. Immigrants, families, children, people who are following the law, attending their hearings and working with immigration lawyers are being detained, torn from their homes, schools and families. Deported to countries they are not from, or held in crowded prison camps. All of this is happening without due process. People. Humans. Disappeared. 

We're only twenty-six days into 2026 and now two Americans are deceased. Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Murdered by ICE in broad daylight. They were true American patriots who stood up against injustice and for the dignity of others. They deserve justice & will never be forgotten.

We are so fortunate to have people willing to put themselves at risk to witness and document the abuses being carried out by ICE and other government agencies under this administration. The right to protest an unjust government is protected by the First Amendment of our constitution. If no one speaks up, everyone is complicit. 

Please email your Senators and Representatives, protest safely if you can, register to vote, and vote in local, state, and federal elections. If you’re outside the country, please boycott the United States. We need your help!

I don't know where we go from here. It seems like every day there's some other new atrocity. Since last year, I've been in a cocoon here at home. Terrified to go anywhere. Only leaving when necessary.

Welcome to America...

Credit: C Whisenhunt. Death of Liberty & Justice.

Edited to add: I ordered F.B. & I these discrete emergency whistle keychains on Etsy from: 3DPrintedDelight in Urbana, IL. With everything going on in the United States, you never know when you may need one. Gives me a bit of peace...

Unprecedented times...

If anyone needs to get in contact with me you can find me on Bluesky. I've deactivated Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. Stay safe friends/family. Please pray for the United States. 

We're All Mad Here...

Alice in Wonderland has always been my favorite fairy tale. ❤️ When I was a kid I was obsessed with the TV movie. 

I'd play dress up in one of my old Christmas dresses, a red & white polka dot dress, similar to the one TV Alice wore, and when my Mom was in the kitchen I'd jump off the stairs onto the sofa below, pretending I was Alice falling down the rabbit hole, my dress puffing out like a parachute. 😂 

(Photo of me in my red dress from 1988.)

I've been looking for an antique copy of Alice in Wonderland and was lucky enough to find a 1920 copy from a shop in the UK for $16! 

The dodo bird illustration was always one of my favorites. I was terrified of the Cheshire Cat as a kid, but I love him now. 

CDV: (1895-1897) Girl with her Bicycle

I apologize, this photograph has been sitting in my draft posts for about a year. It is of a teenage girl around late 1800's. I love her puffed sleeves, it gives me Anne of Green Gables vibes. (Anne so wanted a dress with puffed sleeves!)

Speaking of which, did anyone see the Netflix series Anne with an E? I'm super disappointed it was canceled in Season 3, it was such a good show with great actors! The girl who played Anne, (Amybeth Mcnulty) was the entire essence of who Anne of Green Gables was! It was a Anne for this century covering multiple issues: bullying, abuse, racism, feminism, LGBT+, etc. I'm a sucker for any historical drama and I'm really sad it was canceled. (Maybe, sign the petition fans have created to bring the show back!)

I purchased this CDV off eBay from a seller in England. There was no info on the back, but her clothing suggests late 1800's, possibly 1895-1897. Her outfit is actually made for cycling! I recently obtained a reprint of the 1897 Sears, Roebuck & Co catalog and I've scanned a few pages from that (below) showing all the bicycle equipment you could buy in 1897. 

Outfits for cycling. Gentlemen had their own outfits, with knicker shorts. The bicycle suit for ladies had a skirt that was shorter than the dresses they would wear every day.

A few of the ladies bicycles for sale in the 1897 Sears, Roebuck & Co catalog. 

The lamp on the bicycle in the photograph is a carbide lamp. You can see some similar ones for sale in the 1897 catalog, it was fueled with acetylene gas. A few models (above) in the Sears catalog were fueled by kerosene. 

RPPC: Pets in the early 1900's.

Please see my previous post Pets in the 19th Century for even more photographs!

These are both antique photo postcards (RPPC) from around the early to mid 1900's that were each purchased at separate times. Both postcards were blank on the back so I have no way of properly identifying the people in them. It's lovely to see pets were cherished members of the family even 100 years ago.