Thank you for this timely piece! Just this morning I was feeling fully overwhelmed and terrified that I wasn’t doing “enough”. I still feel this way but knowing I’m not alone in that fear and feeling the encouragement from you to keep doing what I can helps to ease the weight of it all. I think I have discounted all that I am doing and feel the pressure to do more. I feel bad for taking a day off and resting, like every minute of everyday should be full of something, I don’t even know what. And I can’t quite bring myself to believe or trust the words that rest is resistance in itself but I suppose I can borrow the platitude for a day and actually rest my weary soul so that I may continue on.
Janine having gotten even just a glimpse of how much you're doing, know that it's seen and appreciated so much! I 100% understand the feeling, though. One more reason why it's so important to lift and support (and rest) together.
How about "rest is rejuvenation" and lets you come back stronger and more able to reach out and go at it with clarity and greater optimism, which attracts others and builds the community we so desperately need right now?
Here in Souteast Milwaukee ( Bay View) there are several active groups who are working to counteract the current stuff. Even the annual Pumpkin festival seems to attract folks who care.
And that is it. It is because we care that we are active, each of us in our own way. And we also, each of us, need to take a break and rest when needed. And it is needed for all of us!
Hang in, break when needed, and go back when able. Humans do this!
"The counterpoint, I suppose, is 'what if these rights are not allowed in the future?' but my friends, that’s not a counterpoint at all. It is but one more reason to do those things now."
Oh, Garrett--I'm tattooing this on the inside of my eyelids. Because it is the heart of the matter.
I just got home from Sweden yesterday, and the Kimmel news hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm not a particularly big fan of his comedy (I'm a Seth Meyers girl), but just the brazen capitulation was awful to behold. BTW I heard from quite a few people there that they don't feel comfortable traveling to the U.S. under the current regime—and these are white Swedish people!
One of the things I was looking forward to was re-upping my Hulu subscription so I could watch the new season of "Only Murders in the Building," but I'm not going to give ABC/Disney a cent of my money if I can help it. The right wing successfully targeted Bud Light when they dared send a customized beer can to a trans influencer, so the left wing needs to show our strength in this regard. No Hulu, no Disney+, no theme park visits (the last one is super easy for me since visiting a theme park is my idea of hell on earth).
There's something about having extra fascism right when you're coming back from Sweden that's especially tough (speaking from experience). How was the trip, Sue?
The trip was amazing, thanks. I was there for a good long while (5 weeks), but it was still somewhat bittersweet to come back to California. After experiencing absolutely first-rate public transit in both Stockholm and Göteborg, I felt slightly resentful about having to drive places again. And I wish I could spend more time with my 2- and 4-year-old cousins. (Their parents DON'T WATCH MELODIFESTIVALEN! I told them that next year, I'll be texting them to remind them that they MUST indoctrinate those kids into the Melfest lifestyle!)
Oh my God the re-entry to subpar transit is so hard, isn’t it? But THANK YOU, in advance, for your service in terms of righting the terrible parental wrong being done to your cousins lol
As I allowed myself to observe and compare me today to me even a few weeks ago, I realized that I was numbing--putting daily inbox stuff away for "later" as it piled up. That was all it took to get mad and start checking back in with the people and resources I trust once again. (yes, Garrett, you're the exception to the numbing process.) I'm just determined not to become a victim of the overload and terror tactics.
OUCH!! Not a good space cuz numbing isn't specific, so everything and everybody we love gets a numb version and response. Maybe the one thing you did today out of hope, passion, gratitude or commitment needs to be a space where we all check in daily and have a buddy system of groups of 3-5 where we share contact info for when our group doesn't check in? I'm sure there are flaws in this thinking, but the concept is real and needed.
Gail, thank you for this description of noticing the numbing and then getting out of it. I have definitely felt like I want to hide recently, and I feel like I get overwhelmed by the news really easily, which makes it hard to keep up. But maybe I don’t need to keep up on ALL the news, and maybe I don’t have to do ALL the things. Maybe I can choose one thing (it’s so hard to choose) to track, or one thing to do. Maybe I’ll actually get set up with one of the groups for postcard writing - I’ve been thinking about that for awhile and haven’t managed it (see: numbing and overwhelm).
I actually track just 2 issues-- one positive and one negative realities that directly impact me. I quit watching "news" a few years ago. It's my inbox with Substack folk that was doing me in---good, important, but too much hammering at me and I had to learn to prioritize and scan.
Thank you for this timely piece! Just this morning I was feeling fully overwhelmed and terrified that I wasn’t doing “enough”. I still feel this way but knowing I’m not alone in that fear and feeling the encouragement from you to keep doing what I can helps to ease the weight of it all. I think I have discounted all that I am doing and feel the pressure to do more. I feel bad for taking a day off and resting, like every minute of everyday should be full of something, I don’t even know what. And I can’t quite bring myself to believe or trust the words that rest is resistance in itself but I suppose I can borrow the platitude for a day and actually rest my weary soul so that I may continue on.
Janine having gotten even just a glimpse of how much you're doing, know that it's seen and appreciated so much! I 100% understand the feeling, though. One more reason why it's so important to lift and support (and rest) together.
I really appreciate your lifting me up! I needed this boost, thank you:)
How about "rest is rejuvenation" and lets you come back stronger and more able to reach out and go at it with clarity and greater optimism, which attracts others and builds the community we so desperately need right now?
You’re absolutely right! After a good rest I definitely feel I have more to give:)
Janine, I hear you.
Here in Souteast Milwaukee ( Bay View) there are several active groups who are working to counteract the current stuff. Even the annual Pumpkin festival seems to attract folks who care.
And that is it. It is because we care that we are active, each of us in our own way. And we also, each of us, need to take a break and rest when needed. And it is needed for all of us!
Hang in, break when needed, and go back when able. Humans do this!
Yes, agreed! Thank you for your comment:)
"The counterpoint, I suppose, is 'what if these rights are not allowed in the future?' but my friends, that’s not a counterpoint at all. It is but one more reason to do those things now."
Oh, Garrett--I'm tattooing this on the inside of my eyelids. Because it is the heart of the matter.
(Metaphorically, of course.)
I was going to be so impressed if you pulled off the actual tattoo lol
I just got home from Sweden yesterday, and the Kimmel news hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm not a particularly big fan of his comedy (I'm a Seth Meyers girl), but just the brazen capitulation was awful to behold. BTW I heard from quite a few people there that they don't feel comfortable traveling to the U.S. under the current regime—and these are white Swedish people!
One of the things I was looking forward to was re-upping my Hulu subscription so I could watch the new season of "Only Murders in the Building," but I'm not going to give ABC/Disney a cent of my money if I can help it. The right wing successfully targeted Bud Light when they dared send a customized beer can to a trans influencer, so the left wing needs to show our strength in this regard. No Hulu, no Disney+, no theme park visits (the last one is super easy for me since visiting a theme park is my idea of hell on earth).
There's something about having extra fascism right when you're coming back from Sweden that's especially tough (speaking from experience). How was the trip, Sue?
The trip was amazing, thanks. I was there for a good long while (5 weeks), but it was still somewhat bittersweet to come back to California. After experiencing absolutely first-rate public transit in both Stockholm and Göteborg, I felt slightly resentful about having to drive places again. And I wish I could spend more time with my 2- and 4-year-old cousins. (Their parents DON'T WATCH MELODIFESTIVALEN! I told them that next year, I'll be texting them to remind them that they MUST indoctrinate those kids into the Melfest lifestyle!)
It was nice to see my dog again, though.
Oh my God the re-entry to subpar transit is so hard, isn’t it? But THANK YOU, in advance, for your service in terms of righting the terrible parental wrong being done to your cousins lol
As I allowed myself to observe and compare me today to me even a few weeks ago, I realized that I was numbing--putting daily inbox stuff away for "later" as it piled up. That was all it took to get mad and start checking back in with the people and resources I trust once again. (yes, Garrett, you're the exception to the numbing process.) I'm just determined not to become a victim of the overload and terror tactics.
I have definitely recently been in a numbing phase too, Gail
OUCH!! Not a good space cuz numbing isn't specific, so everything and everybody we love gets a numb version and response. Maybe the one thing you did today out of hope, passion, gratitude or commitment needs to be a space where we all check in daily and have a buddy system of groups of 3-5 where we share contact info for when our group doesn't check in? I'm sure there are flaws in this thinking, but the concept is real and needed.
Gail, thank you for this description of noticing the numbing and then getting out of it. I have definitely felt like I want to hide recently, and I feel like I get overwhelmed by the news really easily, which makes it hard to keep up. But maybe I don’t need to keep up on ALL the news, and maybe I don’t have to do ALL the things. Maybe I can choose one thing (it’s so hard to choose) to track, or one thing to do. Maybe I’ll actually get set up with one of the groups for postcard writing - I’ve been thinking about that for awhile and haven’t managed it (see: numbing and overwhelm).
I actually track just 2 issues-- one positive and one negative realities that directly impact me. I quit watching "news" a few years ago. It's my inbox with Substack folk that was doing me in---good, important, but too much hammering at me and I had to learn to prioritize and scan.
Thank you for the reminder that we all have lots of things we can do, and that they don’t all have to be the huge things. 💜
Thanks Cristie!
Or in the words of "What It Sounds Like" (still adjusting to your admission of initially disliking that track from K-Pop DH!):
"The dreamers, the fighters, no lying, I'm tired
But dive in the fire, and I'll be right here by your side"
None of us are out here on our own.
Yes! And to make it very clear, my initial impression was deeply, profoundly wrong!
😉