Yay, I'm still in the Facebook friend bubble. I went in and got rid of the people who excessively gloated over the election results. I had been keeping them because I've known them for decades but I don't believe I can just "agree to disagree" anymore. But like you I've decided to tone down some of my social media posting.
. . . and I made the friend bubble as well! For several months now I have been slow to read your writings because I have been in a very weird headspace. Someday I will write an email to explain. I’m so glad you’ve been able to tackle the world this last week. Your Jill Homer!!! You can tackle anything’
The positive act a day is going to go a long ways. The truth is that it was all a show. And that the goal is to keep us scared and divided. So don’t be. Realize that we are at a void point, where what was is no longer operative and never will be again. Accept this, then do two things. Be curious and expect miracles. The chaos is unavoidable but we are birthing a new world soon and the old regime is breaking. Not saying it is going to be fun, but do not give into the despair.
I love your perspective on this! Though, in the days (and still) after the election I look around in my deep red county here in Texas and know I am vastly outnumbered by people who voted for him. I, too, and finding that tightening down and building community closer to home is probably the best outcome to getting through the next four years.
It wouldn't be a Jill post without at least one painful blow to a knee, but your bounce back (literal and figurative) was a joy to read about. Wish I were as good at slogging; inspired to try harder.
Ya know, I've been feeling the same way. Working on shutting down unproductive behaviours and engaging in the most positive things I can. It's called self preservation
I struggle with the prominence of Facebook in the running community here in the upper midwest. It feels like it was the center of the trail running world for so many years, and then it slowly diminished over covid. Yet there’s no single place that’s taken over the role of connecting people in it’s absence. There’s lots of great small communities, but nothing like what we had in 2018 when everything seemed to revolve around one single Facebook group. Granted, since then the main feed of Facebook has gone so far downhill that it’s almost useless. Plus, so much of the younger generation isn’t connected to Facebook at all.
Overall it just feels like the FB experiment ran its course and now we’re struggling to figure out how to continue in its absence. Anyway, just some random musings based on your post. When you get a chance can you send some of that snow up here to MN? We’ve got some winter ultras that really want a good year this year!
I’m exhausted (and jealous) just reading your posts, wish I had your energy, and fitness and the beautiful views ! I love London but sometimes I wonder if I should step out of it !
Perhaps one positive thing would be to talk to a few people who voted for Trump. Don't lead with your accusations and assumptions on what they believe about environment etc. You might be surprised that what the media has told you about them is not true. Or just listen to the concerns of those who voted differently than you, you might actually find quite a bit of common ground. There is a reason the election went down in a landslide and it is not because people don't care about the environment, women's rights, or equality for all lifestyles. All the media tells us is about the extremists, both on the left and right. I find that neither depiction is accurate for most of the people in America.
I have a fair number of Trump voters in my life — people I love dearly, quite a few of my extended family members. All I can say about them is that we seem to live in different timelines, different realities even, and it’s not all the fault of “The Media” that we have landed here. I do believe most people are smarter than that.
I will say that I don’t believe truth matters in electoral politics. What matters are the stories that sell. I don’t really care about what the voters think they’re getting, I only care about what actually happens. Most of the people in leadership have said what they’re going to do with their own words. This in what I fear.
But again, I will love to be wrong about all of it. If my loved ones who voted for Trump can come back in four years and say, “see, all of your worries were unfounded,” then I will be thrilled. Until then, I am angry.
I 100% agree with your statement about truth seeming to matter little in politics - a very sad state of things. I also believe that most people had fears about both candidates, not all of them unfounded on either side. At the end of the next four years I don't want to say, "I told you so," but I do hope I can see fewer fears. None of us will like everything that is done, but I'd love to see the national debt and spending reduced and an increase in national security. I don't want a historical repeat of colonization from the Ottoman empire. It only a little over 100 years ago that they were defeated. I don't think the same empire will rise again, but I do believe that freedom must be protected. Anger is part of the process and it is healthy to take the time to grieve. I don't fault you for that at all. My hope is that we as Americans see our way through this to a better place, one of understanding and a lot less hate.
It's not even panning out to have been a landslide now that all of the votes are being tallied. It looked that way the few days after the election but it is turning out to be much more closely divided than everyone assumed. There's common ground but as Jill replied, it is very much a different reality/different timeline situation.
Yay, I'm still in the Facebook friend bubble. I went in and got rid of the people who excessively gloated over the election results. I had been keeping them because I've known them for decades but I don't believe I can just "agree to disagree" anymore. But like you I've decided to tone down some of my social media posting.
. . . and I made the friend bubble as well! For several months now I have been slow to read your writings because I have been in a very weird headspace. Someday I will write an email to explain. I’m so glad you’ve been able to tackle the world this last week. Your Jill Homer!!! You can tackle anything’
The positive act a day is going to go a long ways. The truth is that it was all a show. And that the goal is to keep us scared and divided. So don’t be. Realize that we are at a void point, where what was is no longer operative and never will be again. Accept this, then do two things. Be curious and expect miracles. The chaos is unavoidable but we are birthing a new world soon and the old regime is breaking. Not saying it is going to be fun, but do not give into the despair.
I love your perspective on this! Though, in the days (and still) after the election I look around in my deep red county here in Texas and know I am vastly outnumbered by people who voted for him. I, too, and finding that tightening down and building community closer to home is probably the best outcome to getting through the next four years.
It wouldn't be a Jill post without at least one painful blow to a knee, but your bounce back (literal and figurative) was a joy to read about. Wish I were as good at slogging; inspired to try harder.
Ya know, I've been feeling the same way. Working on shutting down unproductive behaviours and engaging in the most positive things I can. It's called self preservation
Another crone reporting for duty on The Slog. 🙋🏻♀️
Great post!
I struggle with the prominence of Facebook in the running community here in the upper midwest. It feels like it was the center of the trail running world for so many years, and then it slowly diminished over covid. Yet there’s no single place that’s taken over the role of connecting people in it’s absence. There’s lots of great small communities, but nothing like what we had in 2018 when everything seemed to revolve around one single Facebook group. Granted, since then the main feed of Facebook has gone so far downhill that it’s almost useless. Plus, so much of the younger generation isn’t connected to Facebook at all.
Overall it just feels like the FB experiment ran its course and now we’re struggling to figure out how to continue in its absence. Anyway, just some random musings based on your post. When you get a chance can you send some of that snow up here to MN? We’ve got some winter ultras that really want a good year this year!
I’m exhausted (and jealous) just reading your posts, wish I had your energy, and fitness and the beautiful views ! I love London but sometimes I wonder if I should step out of it !
Love your writing, Jill. Keep it up. Mark from lovely Ouray.
Perhaps one positive thing would be to talk to a few people who voted for Trump. Don't lead with your accusations and assumptions on what they believe about environment etc. You might be surprised that what the media has told you about them is not true. Or just listen to the concerns of those who voted differently than you, you might actually find quite a bit of common ground. There is a reason the election went down in a landslide and it is not because people don't care about the environment, women's rights, or equality for all lifestyles. All the media tells us is about the extremists, both on the left and right. I find that neither depiction is accurate for most of the people in America.
I have a fair number of Trump voters in my life — people I love dearly, quite a few of my extended family members. All I can say about them is that we seem to live in different timelines, different realities even, and it’s not all the fault of “The Media” that we have landed here. I do believe most people are smarter than that.
I will say that I don’t believe truth matters in electoral politics. What matters are the stories that sell. I don’t really care about what the voters think they’re getting, I only care about what actually happens. Most of the people in leadership have said what they’re going to do with their own words. This in what I fear.
But again, I will love to be wrong about all of it. If my loved ones who voted for Trump can come back in four years and say, “see, all of your worries were unfounded,” then I will be thrilled. Until then, I am angry.
I 100% agree with your statement about truth seeming to matter little in politics - a very sad state of things. I also believe that most people had fears about both candidates, not all of them unfounded on either side. At the end of the next four years I don't want to say, "I told you so," but I do hope I can see fewer fears. None of us will like everything that is done, but I'd love to see the national debt and spending reduced and an increase in national security. I don't want a historical repeat of colonization from the Ottoman empire. It only a little over 100 years ago that they were defeated. I don't think the same empire will rise again, but I do believe that freedom must be protected. Anger is part of the process and it is healthy to take the time to grieve. I don't fault you for that at all. My hope is that we as Americans see our way through this to a better place, one of understanding and a lot less hate.
Well said. Thank you.
It's not even panning out to have been a landslide now that all of the votes are being tallied. It looked that way the few days after the election but it is turning out to be much more closely divided than everyone assumed. There's common ground but as Jill replied, it is very much a different reality/different timeline situation.