Thank you all for your wonderful support! Taking December off here in Smartyland — was so inspired by this someecard:
Heh. Have a party-filled holiday season, y’all, and see you in the new year!!! In the meanwhile, if you wanna check out what I’m doing elsewhere around the interwebs, feel free to visit my website. Mwa mwa mwa!
Unbeknownst to us, US Senators of the progressive persuasion were at a breaking point. And here I thought that was just me. Snap! Um, anyway, turns out they — or rather Harry Reid, the dude in charge — surprised everyone this week when he went ahead and changed a major procedural rule that’s affected all our lives (indirectly, but still). Doing so is called the Nuclear Option because it’s kinda a big deal. Or because everything in Congress has to sound REALLY DRAMATIC.
Basically: no longer can the Republican minority obstruct what should be a simple majority Demo win (51-49), with all their blabbering. Or threats to blabber. Yes, for years now (oddly about the same amount of time Obama has been president — sooo weiiird) the conservative side o’ the 100 member Senate has used The Filibuster (running out the clock by talking, or warning they might) to block all kinds of legislation, ‘cuz the thing about filibusters is that they required — until yesterday — a 60 member majority to break ’em and get back to the vote at hand. Those 9 extra Senators were often hard to come by.
Mostly the Republicans are like “how dare you?” and the Dems are like “eh, you woulda done it too.” Congress is really the same as the sandbox at daycare. “You stole my toy and broke it! I WANTED TO BREAK IT FIRST.”
Talking about hatin’ on the Republicans, the Cheney clan is back in the news, putting the quotes around “family values.” Liz Cheney, daughter of one, Dick, is running for a senate seat in Wyoming (a state she’s not, how-you-say, entirely from — so there’s that) and apparently calculated that to win she has to disavow her gay sister, Mary.
If it was some sort of agreed-upon thing between the two sisters in private, fine. Still spineless and feeding the Tea Party’s bigotry beast. But at least a heartless political move they made together. Instead, Mary was blindsided and took to social media this week to air her and her wife’s grievances. Keeping it classy, Cheneys.
Also this week: a full-on walkout at the international climate talks in Poland.
Plus, an insane mansplainer inside the walls of Variety bestowed some career advice on Sarah Silverman (that, as one critic put it, makes it seem he’s “almost angry that she hasn’t prioritized fame and fortune over exploring and perfecting her own comedic voice.” She’s just so pretty, is the thing. It’s just such a shame).
And finally, Vulture gave us the 100 Pop Culture Things that Make You Millennial! Ok, it isn’t actually from this week, but I mean, nostalgia’s nostalgia. It doesn’t age, people. By definition.
That’s right: happy Turkey Day and Hanukkah, my dears!
Oh! Also… if you wanna see some Samara stuffs elsewhere on the web, here’s an article I wrote about Impostor Syndrome, and a music video in which I may or may not be the drummer. K, thanks.
This article from an Australian magazine called Junkee (pop culture writing that’s smart and fun and has a conscience!) pretty much wins the internet this week:
Read it here and be SURE to check the comments section.
Yup. I capitulate. 
Though if you’re hankering for a tiiiiny list this lovely Friday:
1. Check how millennial you are.
2. See what the robot version of you would post as a status.
3. See if you recognize anyone in this band.
4. See if you’re left- or right-brained. Or, like me… “equally” brained? Click below.
Have a fantastic weekend, all. Thank you for reading 🙂
The Smarty at the Party 