“Reclaiming my time” is a phrase used by U.S. representatives to reclaim the floor from another member who is speaking during a meeting. And now it’s a meme that has spread to T-shirts and songs. Yes, there are songs.
If you need catching up, last week Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) asked Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin why she didn’t receive a response to a letter she sent him regarding President Trump’s connections to Russian banks. Mnuchin showered her with compliments in an attempt to delay answering the question. But Waters wanted to cut straight to the answer, and she kept repeating the phrase “reclaiming my time” to get the House Financial Services Committee meeting back on track.
People across the internet related to Waters’ low bar for people who waste time and make poorly concealed excuses. And so a new meme was born.
Scaramucci: So fucking stoked about my new job at wh—
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) July 31, 2017
Karma: RECLAIMING MY TIME.
┏┓
— Mx. Amadi Lovelace Has Left This Place (@amaditalks) July 30, 2017
┃┃╱╲ in this
┃╱╱╲╲ house
╱╱╭╮╲╲ I
▔▏┗┛▕▔ am
╱▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╲
reclaiming my time
╱╱┏┳┓╭╮┏┳┓ ╲╲
▔▏┗┻┛┃┃┗┻┛▕▔
Now in the words of Maxine Waters, I’m reclaiming my time and going to bed.
— Tangela Ekhoff (@tangelaekhoff) July 28, 2017
The phrase, unsurprisingly, turned into another feminist political slogan. It’s the new, unapologetic “Nevertheless, she persisted.” Waters’ comment also makes a great anthem. Over the weekend, at least two musicians created “reclaiming my time” songs. One is a beautiful gospel song by Mykal Kilgore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqCZzs7UXIo
The other a pool party-worthy pop mix by Adam Joseph.
And both of them are super catchy. “Reclaiming my time” fits with the ridiculous, news-filled summer of the year 2017—no matter which version you choose.
Waters responded to Kilgore’s video on Twitter and said that he was “headed for the Grammys.”
Wow! Headed for the Grammys. Praises and thanks! – Rep. Maxine Waters
— Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) August 1, 2017
I❤️Auntie Maxine! 🙌🏿🏃🏿💨 RT @MaxineWaters: @mykalkilgore @YouTube Wow! Headed for the Grammys. Praises and thanks! – Rep. Maxine Waters
— 🍯 🎤 (@mykalkilgore) August 1, 2017
We’re guessing these songs won’t be the last Maxine Waters tributes of the year.
