This advice struck a deep chord with me. The night before, I had the pleasure of meeting Anna and Chris (two bloggers from Annatopia and some of the original founders of BlogPAC) and we drank some beers and talked about the state of the world. And there is not much better a feeling than talking about stuff that matters while ingesting something that makes you feel like it will all be alright eventually.

Our conversation moved to a place that I think lots of hyper-informed internets lurkers will appreciate. Anna and Chris had been talking about a new word, a word used to describe someone who doesn't particularly wish to fight for specific changes with his or her online conversations--someone who just wants to point out how stupid the world can be, make copious amounts of fun of it and have some people hear what he or she has to say. That person would be a "snarktivist," combining the blogger word for sarcasm "snark" with "activist." I chimed in that we bloggers are all kind of would-be Daily Show writers--coping with the world by making fun of it constantly. Uncovering little bits of truth and cracking a joke. In many ways, we bloggers are here so that no matter where YOU are, you never feel alone. Hell, you could become one of us right now. We don't like the craptacular calculus by which the media sets its story priorities and the political blogosphere is one big network of other people who don't believe the bullshit finding each other. It is a beautiful thing.

But of course, Ivins' advice does not only apply to bloggers. In fact, bloggers were not her audience when she made the remarks. She is talking about becoming active in politics. No need to be so high strung. Chill out. Take a breather. Get a little perspective--and then crack a real side splitter. Drink a beer. Hug a conservative. Know your values. Frame the debate.

Make fun of the governor. Make fun of the spin.

Make fun of yourself and don't take yourself so seriously that you erupt in anger when confronted with an undecided voter before the biggest election in 40 years who says they lean Bush because he seems more "real." Take a chill pill and have that proverbial "beer" with them for John Kerry next time--because we all know they wouldn't want to have it with John.

I agree with Molly Ivins on this point. There is such a great multitude of information to absorb--and indeed so much scrapping for Democrats to do--that it will be impossible to move forward without allowing ourselves a little room to gain some perspective and laugh our heads off at the clowns running the government. "How about those clowns in Congress? What a bunch of clowns."

Truthfully, from what I saw this weekend, the Democratic activists understand this. After yet another apology out of the mouth of a Democrat who said nothing wrong but yet still had Washington Democrats unwilling to defend him--after one more of those, I am not so sure our political leaders understand it.

But they will eventually and it ain't gonna keep me from working.

Corked Bats, recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in Blogging.

Come and Take It, for Texans ready to fight the right.