light of the mind

And it’s Carl Sagan Day, too? 

Sitting here still amazed at Texas, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Kansas.

WOW. Y'all came through.

Furthermore...



I've linked to his videos before, and posting again because we can't stress enough how important this blue wave is.

As someone with a German and American background, I understand history.

The Greatest Generation defeated fascism. They made that sacrifice FOR US, the current generations.

The post-war generations of Germans (myself included) had the moral duty to continue pushing back against right-wing authoritarianism and the bigoted cruelty that seeks to deprive people of their joy and their lives. We make this sacrifice FOR YOU, the future generations.

Celebrate, dream, and hold the line.

Bernie!

My nervous system has been shooketh and I’ve cycled through emotions: shock, elation, excitement, and exhaustion.

Yesterday afternoon, I zoned out for a while and then went to bed early. It’s been a long, long ten years.

This joy is the one I was hoping for in 2016, the hope that was dashed. While this victory is sweet, it’s modulated with the grief of the past ten years. I mean, I haven’t felt this joyful about the possibility of having a future since the 2008 election. That is a long time.

The 2026 midterm election was the most dramatic one I’ve participated in. House AND Senate. And so far, 258 seats in the House! And blue govenors!

What happened is a BLUE FIREWALL. And I’m here for it.

Thank yous are in order:

First of all, my heartfelt thanks to Black women. Black women are the one who save democracy in the U.S. We need to LISTEN to them and honor their work.

My thanks to the Millennials and Gen Z who came out in record numbers to create a generational wipeout. I was pretty confident about the Millennials and am pleased beyond description that Gen Z woke up and realized they need to save their future. 

Thanks also to the poll and election workers, dedicated people who make sure the process goes smoothly.

Respectful thank you to the people of Minneapolis who held the line against a cruel invasion of their lives. Renee and Alex will be remembered. 

And oh, a thank you to Mayor Mamdani for setting down a template for progressive leadership. 

The results also issue a call to the Ds: this is a mandate, led by a coalition of Black Americans, LGBTQ, immigrant Americans, young people, and older people like me who stayed awake in history class, value the Constitution, and remember the necessity of youthful idealism.

Enough with corporatist candidates and conciliatory seat-warmers. We need a decided shift to a more progressive stance, one that’s led by this new, energetic generation. Time to bring back the spirit of FDR. We need to flush out fascism from the American spirit. Do not squander this opportunity!

Of the oldies, it’s still mostly Bernie who gets it. 

I know of course the work is only beginning. I’m holding onto hope, not only for myself but for the coalition I mentioned above. In 2024, I voted for that coalition, because THEY ARE THE FUTURE.

Speaking of which, I’m disappointed in my cohort, Generation X, too many of whom have forgotten their punk spirits to become Boomer-adjacent. 

Anyway… it’s time to go forward.

Y’all.

Y’ALL.

Y’AAAALLLLLL

My jaw. Is on the floor.

I can scarcely breathe.

New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia...

~~~~~~TEXAS~~~~~~~

If I read this correctly, and the numbers are there…

The Dems flipped BOTH the House AND the Senate?

OMG.

And I am thankful, so thankful, there were enough sane people in Ohio to carry Dr. Acton over the finish line. 

Now waiting on Maine and Michigan.

Update: Thank you voters of Maine and Michigan!

And... Mississippi is in play?

WOW

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And switching over to a blue journal theme.

Christmas is great but I will hold on to autumn-themed journal styles until December. 🍂

Halloween was a washout thanks to the rain but also thanks to that rain, it's a cool, partially cloudy day with fresh, clean air.

Ran a few errands in the morning, and now enjoying the energy from the extra hour of sleep and the golden afternoon sun.

Round up of recent reads:

Horror Movie, by Paul Tremblay. 

Not what I expected, and I mean that as a compliment, although with reservations.

Took a while to get into the book but when the characters entered the abandoned school with the liminal horror vibe, I locked in.

The story’s structure features two timelines and two narrative style. It flips back and forth between the original filming and the later reboot, while conveying the events through the first person POV of an unreliable narrator and a screenplay. Not everyone’s cup of narrative tea, but I liked it.

I also liked the themes and topics: how Gen X entertained themselves before the internet; the intensity of the creative drive and how it exacts a high price in mental and physical health; the parasocial nature of fandoms; and how the roles we play often end up being our reality. But where the story stumbled for me was the flat characters. 

This is the first book I’ve read by the author and I’d be interested in checking out another.

Magical Midlife Madness by K. F. Breene (audiobook) 

A fun and imaginative paranormal romance with a mature FMC/MMC pair and several eccentric side characters.

Due to the immersive nature of this adaptation, complete with music and sound effects, the audiobook was more of a radio play.

I enjoyed the story. It hit the spot and gave me several laughs while working. Liked the eccentric characters and appreciated that the FMC is 40 although once again, they seem younger than that. (But this must be my Gen X reaction.)

However, after six hours, I felt exhausted by the high intensity of an immersive audiobook. The accents are oh so Oirish, the music intrudes on the dialogue, and there is the very loud, distinct sound of a character urinating and flushing a toilet.

Still, good story and good performance by a cast of talented voice actors. I would also like to check out another book by the author.

The next few days are going to be long.

Poetry helps: