Powder to the people, folked up and hallmarked

Powder to the people, folked up and hallmarked
Dear Rachel,
I joined the military in 1966, with ’Nam going on. Well, we had dried eggs in the field and other things I can’t remember. With egg prices going up, maybe dried eggs are now the way to go, if cheaper. Hell, we didn’t care what was in them, we just gobbled them down. Have you had dried eggs? Let us know.
– MSgt Egg Head 
Dear Sergeant Yolk,
I’m curious about those things you can’t remember. Can you not remember because of the intense trauma of spending a chunk of your youth in a war zone? Or because the food was even more unmemorable than powdered eggs? Anyway. You know what the main ingredient of dried eggs is? EGGS. I don’t see those being a viable alternative anytime soon, the way things are going.
– Cluck cluck, Rachel 
 
Dear Rachel,
Considering national events of the last few days, I feel hopeless and helpless. And then I remember ol’ Woodie Guthrie and his “This Machine Kills Fascists” guitar. I have a six string in the shed that might need a little TLC, but I’m wondering if there’s been any updates in 80 years that I need to know before I start strumming for freedom. 
– Woody Redux
Dear Guthrie 2: Electric Boogaloo,
Although technically Arlo was the sequel, you can carry on in the fine tradition. Absolutely. But here’s the thing: I think that simply creating art of any kind is an act of resistance. Because only YOU can make what you make. It’s YOU, and no one can take that away from you. So, strum your six-string. Or throw a pot (with either meaning of “throw”). Or crochet with your dog’s fur. Just. Keep. Creating.
– For folk’s sake, Rachel
 
Dear Rachel,
I went to a grownup birthday party last week. The Princess of the Hour explicitly asked for no gifts but said cards are welcome. I’m guessing this was an emphatic way to deter people from ignoring her no-gift rule. But it also felt strange for someone to ask explicitly for a card. It made it feel obligatory to me. Is this etiquette I’m unaware of? 
– Carded at the Door
Dear Card-Carrying Friend,
If I’ve learned one thing by living my life among the people, it’s that you cannot trust people to follow simple directions. She’s absolutely and entirely giving her friends a path of least resistance to avoid getting crap she doesn’t want. Your only reasonable counter-action is to give her something she MUST want. Might I recommend a carton of eggs. Fresh, not powdered.
– Helpful by the dozen, Rachel

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