I just deleted my reactive comment to Nancy’s shared YouTube Video from yesterday. I stand by aspects of what I said — that it isn’t a sign of media illiteracy to pay attention to Marc Elias, that noting GOP fuckery hasn’t, in my case anyway, diminished engagement or my capacity to find joy elsewhere. But it was reactive, so it’s gone.
Before I move on to joy, you should know two things. One, I absolutely appreciate the sharing of links and resources here. I learn so much from you guys. Two, Nancy is one of my most generous blog friends and my reaction to the video was not at all about her.
Maybe I should add one more thing. As I’ve gotten older I’ve become more sensitive to noise and a podcaster or newscaster with a voice I can’t stand is problematic (although in ECM’s case it was a secondary problem). I found her voice shrill and scolding.
Robert Hubbell’s newsletter today repeats many of the things Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin said and expands on the “we’ve got this” point. He has a real knack for making me feel more hopeful, which is why it’s important that I read him every morning. Today’s post is here.
Moving on. Even though Trump’s repellent responses to panelists at the National Association of Black Journalists event has taken over the news cycle (was that the point?), I have to go back to Harris’s rally in Atlanta. The energy was off the charts!
I love how Warnock uses the language of liberation here. You can feel the energy of the crowd. It’s glorious! And after years of seeing trump-paid-Black-attendees cynically staged behind trump’s lectern, it’s refreshing to see to real Black supporters.
Good pairing of “weird” with dangerous by Shapiro.
The Daily Show has done some really good satire around trump’s bizarre attacks on Harris (she doesn’t like Jewish people?). They’re worth tracking down.
In personal news. See those boxes? Mostly hidden by the couch over by the cellar stairs?
They are filled with Ken’s things from the office. THIS IS HIS LAST DAY OF WORK!
We went downtown on Saturday to get everything. Did I already say?
I’ll make salmon for dinner but a special dessert is in order. What should I make? It might end up being Cook’s Illustrated’s delicious peanut butter cookies because I have all the ingredients in the house and I know how much he likes them. Maybe not the festive flare of a fruit tart, but yummy and I wouldn’t have to go to the store.
Joy!! Congrats to K! Congrats to you, too! What a slog its been – though I know he loved his job in many ways, it couldn’t have been easy. And I think your endurance of his travel is something you should reward yourself for. I can’t wait to see what new found piles of free time brings to your lives.
I love my ex-corporate life, that’s for sure. My hub’s retirement/work-only-on-fun-jobs starts in Jan of ’25.
happy cookie munching! Keep moving, nature bathing, and do not break any bones or get sick.
I didn’t watch the youtube video, but it sounds like it would overload what space is left in the politics section in my brain, for today. I read Robert Hubbell every morning – I am late on it today tho’ as I am packing up to burn some fuel and get back to our higher country patch.
I get my Jon Stewart fixes from Insta (short, condensed and pissed off). I’m glad he’s back tho’ I’m tired of him feeling sorry for himself about being old.
Thanks for all this!!
Cherrio –
xx
Are you ready for a retired husband? Just asking for a friend…..sigh.
The transition will be less sharp because he’s mostly worked from home since March 2020. But it’s still big. A lot will depend on him.
Thank you, thank you for the links you post. Robert Hubbell helps keep me on level ground. (I’ve also become extremely sensitive to unpleasant noises; you have my full sympathy.) Congratulations to Ken. May it be a good time of transition for both of you.
Thank you Stephanie. It is hard not to view the noise sensitivity as some kind of neurosis so I appreciate your share. And maybe it is. But it doesn’t help to manage it to make myself wrong about it.
Appreciate links that further the conversation as well as being able to offer my opinions on comments on blogs. All of you who blog and get into the weeds of this election, have my respect and deepest gratitude.
My touchstones during this election are as follows:
My daily newsletter from Robert Reich, and his in-depth Coffee Klatch with Heather Lofthouse, executive director of Inequality Media, on Saturdays.
Also on Saturdays, I read political Charge which Liz introduced me to via her blog.
https://politicalcharge.org/author/tokyosand/
On Wednesdays, I read a political analysis from a newspaper that I feel is one of the best in the world, The Guardian, from Great Britain. This analysis is titled The Stakes: US Election Edition and is written by Adam Gabbatt: Yes, The Guardian is left but also does an excellent job of balance. I also feel that it is important to get a view from outside of the US at this important and historical time in our nation!
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/the-stakes-us-election-edition
I should put here that I financially support both Robert Reich and The Guardian and feel that this is $ so very well spent.
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Congratulations to K and his retirement. Peanut butter cookies, since they are a favorite of his, are just right for a celebration. Sometimes we get all caught up in the celebrating and forget that lives will change with this new phase…so one step in front of the other, a plate with peanut butter cookies and although a glass of milk goes well with cookies, maybe after a bit, some bubbly is in order!
Thanks for sharing, Marti. I follow Robert Reich on Twitter. He is so good on wealth inequality and corporate greed. Hadn’t heard of DHSTokyo but found and followed her on Twitter right after reading your comment. I also see a lot of the guardian’s reporting online but you inspire me to consider a paper subscription.
Thank you Dee. I am sensitive to just about everything, noise included. I’ll check out Robert Hubbell’s newsletter as another resource. I loved Warnock’s speech so much…and Stacey’s and of course Kamala’s. To feel so much joy, long not felt and hard earned. I don’t even really have words, but Thrilling!
I wouldn’t have even noticed the boxes, because I was first looking at the beautiful color-filled quilts you live with. How fun! Then when I read your words…tears came to my eyes for the next part of your journey together! Huge congrats to Ken on his retirement.
May you have many days of adventure travel, lazy times reading (or whatever) side-by-side and loving conversations and laughter to last a lifetime. Peanut butter cookies sound wonderful!
“Remember this time. It’s the way life should be.” ~ Martin Waddell
Lastly, I feel like I am the only one who is wincing a bit with the usage of the word “weird”. It was always a negative word when I was growing up, then some many years ago, it became a word that some in groups that are ‘othered’ grabbed onto. Making it okay to be different or ‘weird’. I wonder how they may feel about this new usage. I’d love to know if anyone has seen anything about that. Now I’m pondering a replacement word/phrase. Haha
Hey Nancy! Today is Day One and we’re drinking coffee, reading the news, and wondering what the four huge trucks that have arrived on our street will be up to today. (Or course the giant flat bed parked directly across the street will leave its engine running for hours).
I like “weird” because it’s true, they are truly weird, but also because it’s getting under their skin. I’d like to see them move into “vile” and “disgusting” now. Because they are that too. I saw one person say there’s weird, the good weird, and then there’s weird, the scary weird, but mostly people aren’t making that distinction.
I agree, they are weird…bad weird. And creepy, I like that one. Vile and disgusting work too. And I do love that it seems to get under their skin so much!! It was actually hard to find anything written but that viewpoint when I was researching. haha
I guess I have just been thinking so much about folks who are Good Weird and how they may feel.
But, maybe I’m weird too…because I also don’t like the term “a Karen”. But I have good reason for that. Maybe that’s my next post. haha
What a great post!! Congratulations to Ken on his retirement. Freedom!!
Thanks Dana! So far we’re watching a lot of Olympics and by “we” I mean mostly him.