Finding a Clear Voice

with some help from my reality based friends

HELLO!

It’s been a wild ride these last few weeks. I feel like I’ve been treading water, and to be honest, I’m not the strongest swimmer/treader of water, so it’s been a struggle. Yet, in the struggle, there is something very inspiring about knowing that I am alive in these times, and history is being made, albeit democracy might be at stake.

I think anyone who pays attention to the political theater of The United States of America, no matter how they align, may have felt at some point the fate of the nation might be in peril. I also know that many like-minded people in my life believed that on November 6th 2024 we’d be waking up to the first female president. And likely, we were wrong for the second time, since we also thought that in 2016. And both times we were disappointed by the same outcome.

Very often when I sit down to write this newsletter, I consider everyone who might read it. I have tried to stay neutral on politics as to not alienate anyone who might think differently when reading my words. But as time goes on, I feel it is more important to have a clear voice about what I believe in, rather than be polite to a vague notion that someone might become upset. And to me, that is part of the problem, and why the USA got back together with its ex. We were being WAY too polite about the fact that this person who I will not name (do NOT feed the narcissist) has already demonstrated that he does not actually care about this country, does not care for democracy, and is more interested in producing a reality show of looney tunes. He is gifted in his black magic - I will give him that. But America is being played like a fiddle and at some point, it may be too late to actually be saved.

So here we are. And instead of tuning out and getting more complacent, I am looking to wise leaders for guidance. It feels frustrating to know that a campaign led on total misinformation was more successful than a campaign run on trying to help people. And as a helper of people as a career, I lean more into trying to support the good of humanity and helping people lift each other up and get stronger. To support marginalized communities and give them voice, so they are not ignored and forgotten. That is America to me. And there is soooo much history to this complex country that was either never learned or is easily forgotten. When is the last time you really thought about how a bill becomes a law (cuing School of Rock)?

There’s a more depressing upgrade involving the ‘filibuster’ that came out (don’t feel obligated to watch this, but it’s telling! )

I started following Heather Cox Richardson during the 2016 campaign and frequently read her “Letters From An American.” I feel like she is a true voice of reason, and is a very gifted historian. Perhaps she has a photographic memory for all of the history that oozes out of her. I was thrilled to hear that she was a guest last Thursday on Stacey Abrams’ podcast ‘Assembly Required.’ (link below) Can I also say that I think that is a brilliant name for a podcast?

Hearing HCR speak is just like reading her newsletter - concise, informed and so packed that sometimes you have to go back and read it again to make sure you caught it all. She refers to her followers as members of a ‘reality based society’ and her call to action is very simple: to empower people to direct their own lives (against authoritarianism).

In the podcast, she says there are 3 things to focus on right now. (I was actively in search of some type of assignment, so this is good)

1. The key way to fight back is bring your best game you have at whatever you are good at - and do it with joy.

2. Don’t do it alone - find your community - even if it is online - it still counts, and helps you to stay part of a reality based group!

3. Stop staying QUIET. Push back against lies by getting information from reliable sources. The only way to change society is by changing ideas and changing the public conversation.

Just naming those simple tenets was really helpful to me. I have definitely bowed out of conversations that were icky and stayed quiet because I didn’t want to rock the boat in the past, but the times have changed. It’s a mighty privileged perspective to ‘stay out of it.’

I had some gigs booked in Ohio last weekend and as weird as it felt after the election to ‘go play shows’ it was actually really healing to put energy into music making. It modulated a lot of my feelings and some of my songs felt like they came true again in different ways. I felt my ‘clear voice.’ I played with Columbus based band ‘The Mezzanines’ - David Vaubel, Maxwell Button, Nate Smith and Tony Brock plus special guest Brett Burleson, my brother in music. I can’t wait to do more with them. They learned my songs so well, and also allowed me to shred some fiddle with them. We played Natalie’s Grandview and also The Rambling House. What a gift to play my own songs with such charming and gifted players! After I finished playing on Sunday, I stopped down at my favorite bar in the whole world, the One and Only Dick’s Den and said hello and had a delightful conversation with my friend Wally Mitchel, one of the greatest drummers I’ve known. He is a treasure and so inspiring. He still practices daily and he is in his 80’s. ‘When I’m behind the drums, nothing hurts,’ he said to me during our talk.

Thank you for listening.

1.Natalie's by John Conway 2. Ramblin House by Diane Newberry 3.Wally&Me 4.Live painting by artist Frankii Fleming

PS at the end of Stacey Abrams’ podcast, she recommended a book I’ve read this year that may be the best book I’ve read this year and I thought that was very magical and serendipitous, so I will also recommend it to you. It’s called “What You are Looking for is in the Library” by Michiko Aoyama.