One thing that's been helping is selectively listening to NPR and reading NY Times, they both have some hopeful, lighter topic pieces this week, including YOUR opinion piece last night about the North Carolina PURPLE hope
I’m spending lots of time with Jed, Leo, Abby, Josh, Toby, Sam, C.J., Donna & Margaret - before & after the election. Also Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet. Lisa is pretty sure she could castrate a reindeer or musk ox at this point. Could come in handy.
Me too! for some reason, I never watched it 25 years ago. I think perhaps I was too exhausted raising two kids and I probably didnt have (or know how to use ) a VCR. But I started watching it this fall, and now I am on episode 1 of Season 7. My constant comment to friends is that in 25 years, not much has changed. I love the characters so much and will miss them when I am done.
Reading smart words by smart and kind people like yourself is my refuge. But my continued motto through this cancer of a president is that action will absorb anxiety. I cannot change the election. I cannot change anyone's mind now or in general, but I can take action and for me that means small baby steps. Yesterday, there were many lovely tributes to veterans. While these tributes are of course, lvely and important, I want people to educate themselves on how marginalized many veterans are after active duty. They lack quality, timely medical care and affordable housing. It is a real shame. I am not of a military family. But the lip service our government and sometimes society in general gives our military is just that -- words. "Thank you for your service." Yesterday, I encouraged friends instead to take the small step of donating to a food panty or other organization that contributes to helping those who need it the most. It doesn't have to be any big donation. Just enough to cover a meal or two. Action Absorbs Anxiety.
I have soooooo many thoughts and questions. And not just about the election, although that is uppermost in my mind, especially as a father of a transgender child.
But what you said about bailing on Twitter as a rejection of Musk gave me pause... I am a yuuuge, life-long fan and advocate for the space industry, and am of an age that I remember clearly the pride and esprit de corps generated in the US during the space race of the 60s. That it was fueled by the Cold War and fear of Commie domination made it no less awe-inspiring.
We are in another Golden Age for the industry, but with a radical, private-industry-driven bent. Musk's SpaceX is leading the charge, accomplishing technological feats unimaginable only 10 years ago. They are driving down cost-to-orbit by orders of magnitude, facilitating access to space to a much broader soectrum of businesses.
So, how does one separate the work from the man? I choose to believe that SpaceX has succeeded largely due to the acumen and drive of their President, Gwynne Shotwell, who is widely acknowledged as a pre-eminent industry professional and voice of reason in Musk's ear.
I feel much like the driver of a Tesla I saw the ither day with a bumper sticker, "Hate the man, not the machine." I may need to slap one of those on my camera tripod when I go to the Starship launch in Texas next Monday.
Ted Lasso spoiler ahead! Stop if you haven't watched this magnificent series!
x
x
x
x
And I can't play this too much, because I want it to stay special, but from the final episode of Ted Lasso, it's better to have fought and lost, than never to have fought at all.
Sam Ryder, "Fought & Lost" - I thought Freddie Mercury had been brought back to life, and then it turned out, Brian May is featured on the song!
There were so many things I hated about the first Trump presidency but one of the big blessing of his loss to Biden was that everyday didn’t begin with some god-awful thing he had said or done the day before! I was so exhausted of him! Since the election, I’ve taken an extended leave from network news of any sort, and stuck to my trusty website news orgs where I can pick and choose what I want to learn more about (I highly recommend CNN’s Good Stuff delivered to your inbox every Saturday). I’m frightened for the next four years and for my friends that aren’t always the square pegs in the square holes for whatever reason (and sometimes that’s me). I long for the years of quiet servitude that was yesterday’s political world (though I may have been to young to fully grasp the reality), just as I yearn for the days of the world in which I grew up. Say your prayers, seek your area of refuge, and hold on tight. There are many who have your vision of the world and who will make it through to the other side.❤️
🙏🙏🙏for you and your family. I still have not yet watched any news program. Last Wednesday I didn't turn on the TV or radio. The next day I watched White Christmas lol! NPR, 1440, NYT (yay!), Carolina Forward, Dan Rather's Steady email and Hometown Holler have been my go-to places. Thankful for this safe place!
When feeling out of control of our lives we often try to control what we can, even if that is dysfunctional. This can lead to angry explosions at each other, sticking a nipple on a vodka bottle, or other self harming, destructive behaviors. So? Instead, control what you can by unplugging from social media, not watching crime & violence on TV for a while, gather together with your allies & support systems.
The goal is always to gather more allies.
Get outside into nature. Get involved with activities that STILL speak to your values like animal welfare, veterans’ care, a soup kitchen, SOME action you can take to continue to advance your compassion, advocacy. Seek comfort to regain your equilibrium and to fight the exhaustion that allows authoritarianism to succeed. Sleep, or at least rest- breathe deeply, relax the muscles, allow the nervous system to down regulate. Emotional hijacks from the vast UNCERTAINTY drain us, weaken us, lead to catastrophic thinking and collapse. We must be on our A game to survive hurricanes, earthquakes, cultural upheaval. For now? Cry, shake your fist at the sky, howl at the moon. Talk to allies about your fears, but also your hopes. Stay focused in the present, this moment, the only one that is real. Try to rest, recover. Muster your forces. Anything can happen.
Working to figure out how the skills I’ve accumulated, the passions I have, and the purpose in my life I need to have to wake up each day can be best woven together to confront the challenges we will encounter in the years ahead. Only be being involved can I soothe my disheartened soul. And sending all good thoughts your way., my friend.
So, first and foremost, prayers still going up for y’all. Next, the election … let’s skip right over that and talk about my place of refuge, which used to be the beach. These days, it’s in my recliner, earbuds on and playing on my iPad, which will soon cost $1,000 if tariffs go into effect. Finally, back to the prayers - if I can do anything to help, please just let me know. Love to y’all, Warren Spahn
I have taken bits here and there of other comments here - getting outside, taking action to do my part and take care of my community, keeping the news at an arm’s length. I have also really settled into the rhythm of whatever sports is on TV at night. I’m a Denver Nuggets fan, and I’ve watched almost every minute of their games since the election. Even whatever random college basketball game is on, I’ll watch.
I go to the river - along the Carolina Thread Trail. Once there on the riverbank, i feel a peace and the presence of those friends and loved ones who are no longer with us. I always come away feeling better and a bit exhilarated.
Hi, Tommy. Thanks so much for the reminder that there are places of refuge in what feels like a very scary time. I'm a big fan of musician Carrie Newcomer. She released a song in 2016 called "Sanctuary". I hadn't listened to it for a long time and your post reminded me to play it today. "This one knocked me to the ground, this one dropped me to my knees. I should have seen it coming, but it surprised me...." and then later, "in a state of true believers on streets called "us" and "them"; it's gonna take some time before the world feels safe again.". It's also beautiful and hopeful and encourages me to look to those I love for support and gentleness while I move through grief and fear and anger. If you haven't heard it, give it a listen.
Hi Tommy, watching from Europe... Many people here are not only troubled by recent events in the US, but also by the way it has become increasingly and hysterically divided over recent decades. It's like watching your big brother, who you love and to whom you're so grateful, starting to lose his mind.
Taking time in nature is a great way to restore calm, and to put the folly and vanity of human behaviour into perspective.
And enjoy great anti-authoritarian writers.
Neruda wrote, "You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot stop spring from coming"
Orwell: "I think that by retaining one's childhood love of such things as trees, fishes, butterflies... one makes a peaceful and decent future a little more probable... spring is here... and they can't stop you enjoying it... The atom bombs are piling up in the factories, the police are prowling through the cities, the lies are streaming from the loudspeakers, but the earth is still going round the sun, and neither the dictators nor the bureaucrats, deeply as they disapprove of the process, are able to prevent it"
Lovely piece, Tommy. Thank you.
One thing that's been helping is selectively listening to NPR and reading NY Times, they both have some hopeful, lighter topic pieces this week, including YOUR opinion piece last night about the North Carolina PURPLE hope
I’m spending lots of time with Jed, Leo, Abby, Josh, Toby, Sam, C.J., Donna & Margaret - before & after the election. Also Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet. Lisa is pretty sure she could castrate a reindeer or musk ox at this point. Could come in handy.
💔
Me too! for some reason, I never watched it 25 years ago. I think perhaps I was too exhausted raising two kids and I probably didnt have (or know how to use ) a VCR. But I started watching it this fall, and now I am on episode 1 of Season 7. My constant comment to friends is that in 25 years, not much has changed. I love the characters so much and will miss them when I am done.
Reading smart words by smart and kind people like yourself is my refuge. But my continued motto through this cancer of a president is that action will absorb anxiety. I cannot change the election. I cannot change anyone's mind now or in general, but I can take action and for me that means small baby steps. Yesterday, there were many lovely tributes to veterans. While these tributes are of course, lvely and important, I want people to educate themselves on how marginalized many veterans are after active duty. They lack quality, timely medical care and affordable housing. It is a real shame. I am not of a military family. But the lip service our government and sometimes society in general gives our military is just that -- words. "Thank you for your service." Yesterday, I encouraged friends instead to take the small step of donating to a food panty or other organization that contributes to helping those who need it the most. It doesn't have to be any big donation. Just enough to cover a meal or two. Action Absorbs Anxiety.
I have soooooo many thoughts and questions. And not just about the election, although that is uppermost in my mind, especially as a father of a transgender child.
But what you said about bailing on Twitter as a rejection of Musk gave me pause... I am a yuuuge, life-long fan and advocate for the space industry, and am of an age that I remember clearly the pride and esprit de corps generated in the US during the space race of the 60s. That it was fueled by the Cold War and fear of Commie domination made it no less awe-inspiring.
We are in another Golden Age for the industry, but with a radical, private-industry-driven bent. Musk's SpaceX is leading the charge, accomplishing technological feats unimaginable only 10 years ago. They are driving down cost-to-orbit by orders of magnitude, facilitating access to space to a much broader soectrum of businesses.
So, how does one separate the work from the man? I choose to believe that SpaceX has succeeded largely due to the acumen and drive of their President, Gwynne Shotwell, who is widely acknowledged as a pre-eminent industry professional and voice of reason in Musk's ear.
I feel much like the driver of a Tesla I saw the ither day with a bumper sticker, "Hate the man, not the machine." I may need to slap one of those on my camera tripod when I go to the Starship launch in Texas next Monday.
Ad astra!
I always end up at Reddit's /awww channel. It loads even if you don't have a profile.
https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/
Ted Lasso spoiler ahead! Stop if you haven't watched this magnificent series!
x
x
x
x
And I can't play this too much, because I want it to stay special, but from the final episode of Ted Lasso, it's better to have fought and lost, than never to have fought at all.
Sam Ryder, "Fought & Lost" - I thought Freddie Mercury had been brought back to life, and then it turned out, Brian May is featured on the song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtQBKRgmyVc
There were so many things I hated about the first Trump presidency but one of the big blessing of his loss to Biden was that everyday didn’t begin with some god-awful thing he had said or done the day before! I was so exhausted of him! Since the election, I’ve taken an extended leave from network news of any sort, and stuck to my trusty website news orgs where I can pick and choose what I want to learn more about (I highly recommend CNN’s Good Stuff delivered to your inbox every Saturday). I’m frightened for the next four years and for my friends that aren’t always the square pegs in the square holes for whatever reason (and sometimes that’s me). I long for the years of quiet servitude that was yesterday’s political world (though I may have been to young to fully grasp the reality), just as I yearn for the days of the world in which I grew up. Say your prayers, seek your area of refuge, and hold on tight. There are many who have your vision of the world and who will make it through to the other side.❤️
🙏🙏🙏for you and your family. I still have not yet watched any news program. Last Wednesday I didn't turn on the TV or radio. The next day I watched White Christmas lol! NPR, 1440, NYT (yay!), Carolina Forward, Dan Rather's Steady email and Hometown Holler have been my go-to places. Thankful for this safe place!
When feeling out of control of our lives we often try to control what we can, even if that is dysfunctional. This can lead to angry explosions at each other, sticking a nipple on a vodka bottle, or other self harming, destructive behaviors. So? Instead, control what you can by unplugging from social media, not watching crime & violence on TV for a while, gather together with your allies & support systems.
The goal is always to gather more allies.
Get outside into nature. Get involved with activities that STILL speak to your values like animal welfare, veterans’ care, a soup kitchen, SOME action you can take to continue to advance your compassion, advocacy. Seek comfort to regain your equilibrium and to fight the exhaustion that allows authoritarianism to succeed. Sleep, or at least rest- breathe deeply, relax the muscles, allow the nervous system to down regulate. Emotional hijacks from the vast UNCERTAINTY drain us, weaken us, lead to catastrophic thinking and collapse. We must be on our A game to survive hurricanes, earthquakes, cultural upheaval. For now? Cry, shake your fist at the sky, howl at the moon. Talk to allies about your fears, but also your hopes. Stay focused in the present, this moment, the only one that is real. Try to rest, recover. Muster your forces. Anything can happen.
Working to figure out how the skills I’ve accumulated, the passions I have, and the purpose in my life I need to have to wake up each day can be best woven together to confront the challenges we will encounter in the years ahead. Only be being involved can I soothe my disheartened soul. And sending all good thoughts your way., my friend.
So, first and foremost, prayers still going up for y’all. Next, the election … let’s skip right over that and talk about my place of refuge, which used to be the beach. These days, it’s in my recliner, earbuds on and playing on my iPad, which will soon cost $1,000 if tariffs go into effect. Finally, back to the prayers - if I can do anything to help, please just let me know. Love to y’all, Warren Spahn
I have taken bits here and there of other comments here - getting outside, taking action to do my part and take care of my community, keeping the news at an arm’s length. I have also really settled into the rhythm of whatever sports is on TV at night. I’m a Denver Nuggets fan, and I’ve watched almost every minute of their games since the election. Even whatever random college basketball game is on, I’ll watch.
I go to the river - along the Carolina Thread Trail. Once there on the riverbank, i feel a peace and the presence of those friends and loved ones who are no longer with us. I always come away feeling better and a bit exhilarated.
Hi, Tommy. Thanks so much for the reminder that there are places of refuge in what feels like a very scary time. I'm a big fan of musician Carrie Newcomer. She released a song in 2016 called "Sanctuary". I hadn't listened to it for a long time and your post reminded me to play it today. "This one knocked me to the ground, this one dropped me to my knees. I should have seen it coming, but it surprised me...." and then later, "in a state of true believers on streets called "us" and "them"; it's gonna take some time before the world feels safe again.". It's also beautiful and hopeful and encourages me to look to those I love for support and gentleness while I move through grief and fear and anger. If you haven't heard it, give it a listen.
Thank you Tommy! I’m so fearful right now.
Hi Tommy, watching from Europe... Many people here are not only troubled by recent events in the US, but also by the way it has become increasingly and hysterically divided over recent decades. It's like watching your big brother, who you love and to whom you're so grateful, starting to lose his mind.
Taking time in nature is a great way to restore calm, and to put the folly and vanity of human behaviour into perspective.
And enjoy great anti-authoritarian writers.
Neruda wrote, "You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot stop spring from coming"
Orwell: "I think that by retaining one's childhood love of such things as trees, fishes, butterflies... one makes a peaceful and decent future a little more probable... spring is here... and they can't stop you enjoying it... The atom bombs are piling up in the factories, the police are prowling through the cities, the lies are streaming from the loudspeakers, but the earth is still going round the sun, and neither the dictators nor the bureaucrats, deeply as they disapprove of the process, are able to prevent it"
Thank you, Andrew. I used that Orwell quote in my commentary for WFAE this coming Monday.