I think I am like so many who are commenting here. I'm not sure how ready I am to process what has happened. And while I understand that asking the question "what went wrong?" could be instructive and useful to make changes for (hopefully) future success, it's still too raw for that to be a useful exercise - in my opinion. It feels like it rapidly devolves into finger-pointing - as if the ultimate goal is to find out who we can blame. Right now I am mostly interested in figuring out how we can find ways to still hold onto enough of the good in us to move forward when we get up from the gut punch.
Anyway - here I am. Days after you published this and finally getting enough energy to read it. And I am amazing myself by commenting. I guess I land in the Gen-X group for age and maybe I am in the minority that I've always felt life experience mattered. "Boomers" I say we need you and your experience. I and many others value you and what you have to offer. We're all tired and I hope we each can find solace and redemption in the ways that work best for each of us.
And now we have election betting. I saw a piece about how people voted because of bets they placed-mostly younger guys -did they know what/who they were voting for?
I encourage dialogue here. I do ask that commenters include their real name. Posts from someone with no identity on Substack will be removed and blocked.
I took a drive on some gravel roads yesterday, and took a few pictures of a barn and some horses and other things in nature. I am devastated by the election results in Iowa and nationwide. Part of me is angry at the people that voted for him; they voted against their best interests. That’s the hard part. So how to carry on? I’m a realist and believe I know what is coming, and it’s not pretty. I am reminded of the statement “When fascism comes to America, it will come wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross”. We just witnessed this. God have mercy on the United States of America.
Julie, I so relate to your story. For instance, the lamp: I'm reminded of the time I was just in a fizz because the CD player in my computer at work would NOT work and I really wanted to listen to some music. So a co-worker took pity on me and tried to help me find out what was wrong. We popped open the CD drawer....and no CD! HA! Ok...never mind. I, too, have been spending time with my flower-garden-themed coloring book and colored pencils. My scrapbooking and card-making. My recipe for Nutella cinnamon rolls. Maybe we just want to create something beautiful where there was nothing before.
I'm trying to spend time with "my people" and things that bring me joy to remember that there is beauty in the world. Take care.....
Tulips inspire with their resilience (your collaborative is resilient) and vibrant simplicity. Emerging each spring, they remind us of renewal and beauty in life's cycles. Their delicate and striking colors convey hope, while their upright stems symbolize strength (like most of your writers). Like tulips, we can bloom brightly, embracing each season's unique potential for growth. Like flowers, inspiring writing (your Collective) blooms from deep roots, revealing layers of meaning and emotion. Just as flowers open petal by petal, a well-crafted piece of writing unfolds gradually, captivating and nourishing the reader’s spirit. Both require care, patience, and vision to fully blossom and resonate, offering beauty and insight. Written with help from AI
Is it wrong to want right? I don't think so. It can be disappointing. It can be disheartening. It can be utterly depressing.
I listened to a get-up-off-the-floor pep talk from Stacey Abrams that a friend sent me. Stacy is a saint to me. I listened to her and I understood every purposeful word of her intended comfort and encouragement. She was trying to put an arm around my shoulder - our shoulder - and I love her for it. But i had to turn it off because it hurt - not because she was scolding, but because i was so deeply in grief over how wrong I've been.
But is it wrong to want right? Is it bad when we fail do get right? Are we done because we failed?
I'm going to listen to Stacy as frequently as I can - maybe every other day at first - until I can absorb her words and her determination completely. Until then it will be painful to listen to her.
You are not wrong, Julie. Not by a long shot. I think you and I are not wrong, though I believe you have greater stamina than I (I'm 75, after all - much older than you).
I am searching for a way to get up off the floor. And I will read Julie Gammack's Substack column and I will listen to Stacey Abrams as often as I can until the pain subsides - and at this point, frankly, I wonder if it will.
You are probably far less "wrong" than you are "right". I know my values - and they don't fit with the election results. As noted by Robert Hubbell, it's a good idea to "take it slow" in terms of pinpointing why so many people voted for a felon who tried to overturn the constitution. When I hear words like "elites" as in "elites in the democratic party forgot the working class" - my response is - "trump never gave a donkey's ass about the working class and they have voted for him in droves." The echo chamber doesn't give a wider perspective on what tariffs mean, what losing social security means, what losing health care means. Pundits will espouse all sorts of views pointing fingers. People who voted for him have lots of time now to see his vision, or lack thereof, in action. The best answer I've seen so far is that disinformation was deeply effective - and getting the truth out was not effective.
I also thought cryptocurrency was a Ponzi scheme. I am not sure it isn't. I know there are much smarter eyes on it than those of most people as we speak. We'll see.
I can't wait to see your watercolors. It will be healing work.
I think I am like so many who are commenting here. I'm not sure how ready I am to process what has happened. And while I understand that asking the question "what went wrong?" could be instructive and useful to make changes for (hopefully) future success, it's still too raw for that to be a useful exercise - in my opinion. It feels like it rapidly devolves into finger-pointing - as if the ultimate goal is to find out who we can blame. Right now I am mostly interested in figuring out how we can find ways to still hold onto enough of the good in us to move forward when we get up from the gut punch.
Anyway - here I am. Days after you published this and finally getting enough energy to read it. And I am amazing myself by commenting. I guess I land in the Gen-X group for age and maybe I am in the minority that I've always felt life experience mattered. "Boomers" I say we need you and your experience. I and many others value you and what you have to offer. We're all tired and I hope we each can find solace and redemption in the ways that work best for each of us.
Then, we begin again.
Best,
Rob
And now we have election betting. I saw a piece about how people voted because of bets they placed-mostly younger guys -did they know what/who they were voting for?
I encourage dialogue here. I do ask that commenters include their real name. Posts from someone with no identity on Substack will be removed and blocked.
I took a drive on some gravel roads yesterday, and took a few pictures of a barn and some horses and other things in nature. I am devastated by the election results in Iowa and nationwide. Part of me is angry at the people that voted for him; they voted against their best interests. That’s the hard part. So how to carry on? I’m a realist and believe I know what is coming, and it’s not pretty. I am reminded of the statement “When fascism comes to America, it will come wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross”. We just witnessed this. God have mercy on the United States of America.
Julie, I so relate to your story. For instance, the lamp: I'm reminded of the time I was just in a fizz because the CD player in my computer at work would NOT work and I really wanted to listen to some music. So a co-worker took pity on me and tried to help me find out what was wrong. We popped open the CD drawer....and no CD! HA! Ok...never mind. I, too, have been spending time with my flower-garden-themed coloring book and colored pencils. My scrapbooking and card-making. My recipe for Nutella cinnamon rolls. Maybe we just want to create something beautiful where there was nothing before.
I'm trying to spend time with "my people" and things that bring me joy to remember that there is beauty in the world. Take care.....
Ah, yes. Thanks, Connie
Tulips inspire with their resilience (your collaborative is resilient) and vibrant simplicity. Emerging each spring, they remind us of renewal and beauty in life's cycles. Their delicate and striking colors convey hope, while their upright stems symbolize strength (like most of your writers). Like tulips, we can bloom brightly, embracing each season's unique potential for growth. Like flowers, inspiring writing (your Collective) blooms from deep roots, revealing layers of meaning and emotion. Just as flowers open petal by petal, a well-crafted piece of writing unfolds gradually, captivating and nourishing the reader’s spirit. Both require care, patience, and vision to fully blossom and resonate, offering beauty and insight. Written with help from AI
This is perfect. Thanks!
Is it wrong to want right? I don't think so. It can be disappointing. It can be disheartening. It can be utterly depressing.
I listened to a get-up-off-the-floor pep talk from Stacey Abrams that a friend sent me. Stacy is a saint to me. I listened to her and I understood every purposeful word of her intended comfort and encouragement. She was trying to put an arm around my shoulder - our shoulder - and I love her for it. But i had to turn it off because it hurt - not because she was scolding, but because i was so deeply in grief over how wrong I've been.
But is it wrong to want right? Is it bad when we fail do get right? Are we done because we failed?
I'm going to listen to Stacy as frequently as I can - maybe every other day at first - until I can absorb her words and her determination completely. Until then it will be painful to listen to her.
You are not wrong, Julie. Not by a long shot. I think you and I are not wrong, though I believe you have greater stamina than I (I'm 75, after all - much older than you).
I am searching for a way to get up off the floor. And I will read Julie Gammack's Substack column and I will listen to Stacey Abrams as often as I can until the pain subsides - and at this point, frankly, I wonder if it will.
Listen to Stacey: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCEw8mrhGlV/?igsh=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ==
And read Julie.
How lovely!🥰
Julie -- Maybe we're burned out for a while, but you shed a lot of light on Iowa. Life is always interesting, complicated, precious, heart-breaking.
Indeed. Indeed.
I always feel I understand what you are writing and enjoy reading your thoughts..
I wanted to add one troubling election fact that is coming out and that is 11 million fewer voters voted Democrat this year than in 2020!
And 4 million fewer Republican votes were cast also.
They were calling this one of our most important elections and yet fewer people voted, go figure.
Lowell, suppression efforts were very effective. Shorter hours to vote, shrinking mail-in-ballot window…all part of the strategic plan.
You are probably far less "wrong" than you are "right". I know my values - and they don't fit with the election results. As noted by Robert Hubbell, it's a good idea to "take it slow" in terms of pinpointing why so many people voted for a felon who tried to overturn the constitution. When I hear words like "elites" as in "elites in the democratic party forgot the working class" - my response is - "trump never gave a donkey's ass about the working class and they have voted for him in droves." The echo chamber doesn't give a wider perspective on what tariffs mean, what losing social security means, what losing health care means. Pundits will espouse all sorts of views pointing fingers. People who voted for him have lots of time now to see his vision, or lack thereof, in action. The best answer I've seen so far is that disinformation was deeply effective - and getting the truth out was not effective.
I also thought cryptocurrency was a Ponzi scheme. I am not sure it isn't. I know there are much smarter eyes on it than those of most people as we speak. We'll see.
I can't wait to see your watercolors. It will be healing work.
I can't come. I wish I could.
I love your post and your research.
Your life experience matters
I think you forgot to provide the link to your new website. Or perhaps I'm just not seeing it.
Here you go, Tim (I made a button for it, but maybe that's hard to figure out).
https://okobojiwritersandsongwritersretreat.com
understood
Have you read Project 2025?