I'm baaaaack....

I've been away for awhile. Not only is it the busy holiday season but we are in the midst of relocating from Cincinnati to Baltimore. I have never made a long distance move so the whole process has been rather intimidating. And when moving away from home there are tons of goodbye dinners and activities that take up all the free time.

Plus, honestly, I just needed a break from politics. I have generated so much anxiety from the fear of the incoming administration I just had to stop thinking about it. I continued to stay engaged with news sources and political discussion but I had to refrain from analysis. I had to stop trying to wrap my brain around what was coming next and trying to figure out how to respond. But after yesterday's Electoral College fiasco I realize that my respite is over. It is time to jump back on the train and figure out what needs to happen.

I knew the EC was a long shot. I tried to hold out hope even though I knew in my heart it was not going to go well. So as I watched the votes pile up I grabbed Bernie's book and filled my soul with hope and the will to fight. I watched Full Frontal with my husband and children (it's okay, my children are both adults now) and I let her help me feel better about the finality of the vote.

I am making a conscious decision to start focusing on the positive. After all, he-who-shall-not-be-named is only one man. He is surrounding himself with a team of deplorables but even they are just a small group of humans. Overall, we are still a nation with a majority of voters who did not choose this administration. There are still more of us than there are of them and I have to believe that when all is said and done, good will prevail. Plus, as my daughter pointed out a few weeks ago, what change is worry is going make? I can worry until I'm dead but it isn't going to change anything. Action is what will change the world. And I cannot take action unless I surround myself with positivity. So I focus on the good. I get to Baltimore and find a political group to join. I get involved with politics at the local level because that's where we are going to make change. And when I get sad, scared, or feeling overwhelmed by this country's leadership....I will Google Biden memes. Good ol' Uncle Joe will always bring a smile to my face and peace to my soul.

Dinner with some nasty women

Tonight Rory and I had dinner with a great group of nasty women. We shared our stories, our hopes, and our fears. There was lots of laughter but also many tears as we relived those first days after the election and really reflected on what the next four years might bring. But I did leave dinner with a renewed hope. In my mundane, day to day life, I forget that there are other nasty women out there living their regular lives doing their small part to make a difference. When we add all those small parts together it turns out we are going to make big changes. That gives me hope.

Together we are stronger.
Love trumps hate.
I'm still with her.

Twelve ways to take action

Many of us feel the need to take action but do not know where to start.

Click here for 12 ideas from The New York Times.

The latest from Sanders

Here is a video featuring Bernie Sanders. These days, hearing this man speak is the only thing that brings me any peace.

Baby steps

It has been almost a week and many of us are still feeling shocked and overwhelmed. Every morning I wake with a heaviness in my chest as the reality of a Trump presidency continues to sink in. I still cannot believe Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but will not be my president.

Where do we go from here? We look to 2020 and begin making changes now that will affect the outcome of the next presidential election. But what about doing something tangible today? What about doing something that makes a difference now?

There are several little steps you can take to begin healing while making a difference.

• Wear a safety pin to show your support and solidarity with others who are feeling rejected and discriminated against. Your pin tells others that you are a safe person to turn to when they are experiencing trouble.
• Become educated about the policies the new administration wants to implement. Check out the idebar to see what legislation Congress is reviewing this week and other important bills to watch. Click the link to read bill summaries.
• Speak out by contacting your Congress Person and letting them know how you feel about pending legislation (we have form letters coming soon so you can just print, sign, and send a letter to Congress).
• Read, read, read. We will soon be posting a suggested reading list of books and articles.
• Join a peaceful protest. Join up with other nasty women and let the GOP see our numbers.
• Donate. Many organizations like Planned Parenthood and local animal shelters are facing the possibility of being defunded. Find the organizations that coincide with your beliefs and donate to their cause.
• Volunteer. Those same organizations that are going to be defunded will be depending on the work of volunteers to help keep their doors open and their services available to the public. Please give your time!
• Lower your carbon footprint. President Elect Trump stated he wants to eliminate the current Climate Control Initiatives. This means we have to lessen our footprint at a local level since there will be less regulation at a corporate level. Recycle, conserve water, and shop local. We will soon be adding information on additional steps to take to counteract the reduction of corporate regulation.

Together the nasty women can make difference!