Doing the Things You Need to Do to Get to the Next Thing...

One breath, one step, at a time. Sometimes that needs to be enough. No great expectations. Doing the things you need to do to get to the next thing. Monday morning is a good time to reassess, to recharge, to renew, to revamp, to regenerate. The blows, the pricks & kicks come from all directions. Oh well. No worries. No fears. It is best to carry on despite the noise, the bad-juju, the thunder. That's the soulful way forward.

Dispatch from the Frontlines...

Folk #1: Fuck. Seems ICE & the Border Control have decided to invade and terrorize our little blue bubble community,  as well as other beautiful, serene neighborhoods dotted around and inside of Chicagoland. Helicopters have been flying overhead the last few days. It really does feel like a strangely weird war zone. These sleepy, happy streets are under attack. ICE & Border Control Agents are showing up, crashing cars, manhandling & snatching people off the streets. Uber drivers, landscapers, restaurant workers, people who work at the car wash. These are hard-working folks. They pay taxes, they are raising their kids, they are integral to our communities. Local schools have been on alert and lockdown, trying to avoid having parents abducted and leaving young children without their parents. This is total nightmare shite. The community is outraged. You will hear your friends and neighbors say "Fuck ICE," and you will nod your head and say, "Amen, this will not stand." Yes. They have brought their "Nazi-shite," to our little blue bubble world. These assholes aren't "keeping us safe," they are terrorizing and abusing us. It's disgusting, terrible, un-American. And they are lying to us all. They are are not targeting criminals, gang members, terrorists, they are going after common, hard-working folks. There was a big community rally yesterday, strategizing how to stand up & resist. Folks were handing out whistles to be used to warn folks when the ICE goons & thugs are near. We now all wear whistles around our necks. We, the citizens, the common folk,  are drawing closer together here. Folks who maybe were tuned out, are now totally tuned in. There is Hope in that development. If enough of us wake the fuck up, we can stop these atrocities. We don't want to live in this fucking Nazi Dystopia. These "brown people," being assaulted and whisked to some local gulag, are our friends, neighbors, co-workers. An attack on them is an attack on all of us.

Untethered From Reality...

Folk #1: That's what I would call this era we are living in now, the "Untethered From Reality," era. Oh, you know, reality, gravity, truth & consequences, the cycle of birth & death, these things actually all still exist, we live in a material, physical world, no doubt, but much of our culture, our politics, our collective consciousness, our head-space, the zeitgeist, is consumed with, and swimming in, the "unreal." There is a deep denial in our embrace of unreality. I guess it could explain how the richest, most envied Democracy on the planet elected a  Sexual Predator & Convicted Felon currently embarked on a revenge tour, a wanna-be dictator, who is dismantling our government and unleashing a war on everyday American Citizens. Madness. Idiocy. There is also the AI boom, the crazy, edge-lord Tech Bros, video game culture, the social media landscape. The world of business too seems to be smoking crack. The stock market is disconnected from anything tangible. Our brains are being pickled & fermented by the unreal. You know, it's kind of crazy-ass unreal. Makes one want to unplug, sit on a bench, breathe deeply, stare at the lake, the trees, the grasses. Be a Human Being, alive, aware, awake. Real. One thinks "this can't last." Every morning, looking for signs, seeking out the cracks in the firmament. "Isn't this all going to come crashing down on our heads, like, you know, some time soon?"

Learning from the Real...

Life it's a sticky-wicket. Being Human is not a dinner party...

My own powers of self-delusion are strong, but at the same time, I use these powers sparingly. Self-delusion can be an effective tool to propel yourself forward into a hostile world. You can use it to fortify yourself as you conjure up a positive vibe and jump into the breach. But, yes, it's important to know when, and how, you are deluding yourself.  You should only do it with purpose. And you must just as easily be able to drop that delusion in the blink of an eye.

I find great joy in surprising myself, in changing my mind, in being in touch with reality, and learning from the real. Clarity. It's a cool drug. And, of course, long-form improvisation is the best way forward. 

So yeah, I can go bleak when I see bleak. I can also find the Light in the Darkness. I don't mind trying on new ideas. I don't mind admitting being wrong. I don't mind being the Devil's Advocate. 

Being wrong, and changing my mind might have been a hard to do when I was younger, but not really anymore. I really try not to cling to falsities, or disproven theories & ideas. Dropping the bullshit can be a powerful and joyful experience.

What do I hate? Blind certainty. Racism. Cruelty. Bullies. Lies. Religious Hypocrisy, Rich & Powerful People Lording over the rest of us. I just vicerally hate that shite. These are essential touchstones in my life. Reacting to, and opposing those "sins," against an Enlightened Humanity. 

Always be morphing, evolving, open-minded, open-hearted, always seeking, and wondering, and yes, leaning to the Light. Sticking to the Real...

The ZEN, the Light, the Darkness, the Duality of the Human Thing...

Sure lots of turmoil and hurly-burly. But then little moments of ZEN every day. 

The above photo was taken on my ususal late morning jaunt in the hood. It's a beautiful neighborhood that I navigate. Gorgeous day. Beautiful Lake Michigan. What was totally weird and disconcerting, helicopters were passing overhead quite frequently. Coming and going from the Great Lakes Naval Station. Thinking those copters had something to do with the heavy hand of ICE and Immigration atrocities across Chicago.

So even in those moments of ZEN, the darkness flies past. Talk about the duality of the Human Thing.

Ah... well... sitting quietly in the kitchen this morning, typing into my Chromebook, wondering if any interesting, pithy, brilliant, or maybe decently pedestrian thoughts pop into my head. Nope. Not really. It feels like the Titanic is taking on water. The whole shebang is about to sink, but not sure if that's just an illusion, or a misreading of the tea leaves. I am all about uncertainty this morning. More of a phase of "wondering what's next?" But even that thought is just out of a certain habit, a sort casual impulse, pointing to "wondering." 

My fellow Human Beings, I just don't know what to think. I want to lean to the Light, but the Darkness never seems to go away. It's a complicated, tricky picture.

The Children's Crusade...

 

"Earlier in the day students from Little Village Lawndale High School held a walk out to protest recent immigration enforcement actions in the area."

This is happening in the streets of Chicago. Maybe the kids are gonna rise up and save us? Show us the way? That would a good and necessary development.

The Resistance Here is Strong...

Folk #1: Yes. It is outrageous that the U.S. Government is at war with Blue Cities (see previous post). Of course it is a war ginned up & based on lies, stone-cold right-wing propaganda. There is no crisis in Chicago. We are happy here. We know our city is a jewel, a beautiful congregation of humanity. We love our multi-racial and multi-cultural populations. The immigrants here are by and large hard-working families trying to live the American Dream. ICE is an abomination. This assault on our city is wrong-headed, immoral, and ultimately futile. The Hearts & Minds will not be conquered. The Resistance here is strong. It includes the Common Folk, The Governor, State Senators & Reps, The Mayor, The Alderman, The Clergy, The Unions, The Business Community, etc. Anyone here, on the streets knows, that this Fascist/Authoritarian Regime led by Trump & his Thugs is Anti-American. Their attacks on the populace is cruel, pointless, and disgusting. They will be defeated, no doubt. We expect things will get worse, we are prepared to stand and resist as the evil-doers get more desperate to prove they are all powerful. Of course, they are not; it's all a blizzard of lies, a horror-show, total bullshit. It just won't fly in our lovely City & State.

Turns Out the Guns, the Zip-ties, the Armour Can't Win the Hearts & Minds...

Folk #1: "Tentative, uncertain idea here. We are winning the vibes here in Chicagoland. Neighbors helping neighbors in the face of ICE assaults & terror. We love our city, our communities, the surrounding suburbs. This ugly adminstration, Trump's thugs, and their strong-arm tactics can't change the character of the folk.  Our hearts & minds cannot be easily swayed. We grew up in a much different America, and we won't easily or willingly give that up. We know that America and the American Dream is not just for White People, it is for all of us who have arrived here. That's what was affirmed at the No Kings rallies and protests on Oct 18. That joy, that positive affirmation, the disciplined determination was real, and we carry it with us now. Talk to the folk they will tell you they hate what is happening with these attacks on families. It doesn't matter what color skin these folks wear. An attack one of us, is an attack on all of us. We are united in our love for each other. We know that America is better than this lawless regime. They can't change the character of our America. We loom much larger than them. They may have tear-gas, zip ties, big guns, masked faces, the armour of war, but we have love, grace, kindness, our voices, and each other.  We also have truth and reality on our side. We will not break. We will stand up and oppose. We actually found out to our own surprise that we are not afraid, we won't be intimidated or derailed, or denied, we are BRAVE. Funny how that works. Yes. The people rising to the moment. Yes. We own the vibes, the good vibes. They are real, they connect us. We shall overcome..."

The Crimes of ICE: Cruelty, Pointless, Heartless, Nihilistic Cruelty...

Folk #1: "We know people, who know people, who are being terrorized & assaulted by ICE here in our beautiful town, and surrounding localities. ICE is acting like a lawless force, snatching folks off the streets: Mothers, Fathers, hard working folks, carried away to god knows what gulag-hell-hole, leaving young children Motherless & Fatherless, crying and alone. Totally ripping families apart. This is madness. It's happening out on streets blocks away from our home. It's happening in beautiful Chicago Neighborhoods like Little Village, Pilsen, Lakeview, and yes, our sleepy little Town, Evanston. Such cruelty, pointless, heartless, nihilistic cruelty, with no purpose. Really, just raw power imposed on the defenseless Humans. Very, very sick. 

ICE is an obscene abomination. Of course, it should be abolished. It is being used as a tool for this Facsist/Authoritarian regime. It is ugly, counter to everything we hold dear here in America.

We spent time at a little art-space last night. A shaggy, friendly room, well-lit, and comfortable, filled with creative, engaged, intelligent Human Beings. The Crimes Against Humanity out on the streets loomed over us all. We are the kind of people who see an attack on one of us as an attack on all of us. We see ourselves as part of a beloved community, a collection of beings that includes folks of all colors, creeds, & persuasions. We are diverse & inclusive. We open our arms and hearts to all. We talked of the pain, the sadness, the disgusting displays of power being inflicted upon our Brothers & Sisters, and how we are all deeply wounded, but at the same time absolutely firm in our opposition.  

Folks are rallying to help the children. Folks are out on the streets witnessing & filming the atrocities, and voicing their deep contempt of the actions & crimes of the ICE thugs. Last night we played music, we gathered together as a community of souls. We think of this creative pursuit as the good work, soul-work, enriching & life affirming, we think it is the antidote to the tragedies unfolding across our country. We are filled with sadness and righteous anger. We oppose this super-charged cruelty with all of our hearts and heads. A disciplined non-violence. and a dedicated, deep in the bone, opposition to this terrible shite."

Was that Joy and Unbridled Happiness Real? Can We Carry it Forward? Yes, We Can...

This conversation, published this morning, between Paul Krugman and Erica Chenoweth is just the tonic I needed: https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/talking-with-erica-chenoweth...

Maybe you need it too? 

Remember that Joy & Unbridled Happiness you felt standing in the middle of that NO KINGS rally & protest on October 18? That was "cognitive liberation," surging thru your body & consciousness. You and so many other folks could feel it. It is essential & important, and it is a pathway forward to throwing off the oppressors: 

"a few things happen at the same time; the first is that there’s a collective understanding that the situation can be changed. There’s a collective understanding that it’s intolerable and there’s a collective understanding that each individual must do something about it, but also can do something about it. Then there’s an understanding that now that we all know this information, there’s no going back to the previous status quo where it felt like the situation was permanent, only going to get worse, and there’s nothing we can do about it."

Yes. HOPE. It lives in the hearts and heads of the folks standing against Tyranny. Folks can throw off the shackles of Tyranny & Authorianism. How to do it? People Power. Really. Galvanizing folks to stand up and oppose, to demand change. If enough us gather together as a united front, we truly can change the world. There is history and data to back that up. Not a pipe-dream. 

The resistance is alive and well in America. From all walks of life. That is what NO KINGS showed us all. We need to continue, "disciplined nonviolence," yes. We change the world via peaceful protest! Yes. It can be done, it has been done all over the world many times in the history of humanity.

"Here’s something that will make you feel hopeful. We have more information, more history, more knowledge, more perspective, more manuals, more guide books, more research, into how people mobilize effectively against authoritarianism than anyone in human history has ever had."

Be sure to read the whole thing. My take: "A change of consciousness can happen in an instant." It is the first step in forging a new reality. Yes. Brothers & Sisters, we shall overcome...

Just Refuse to Give in or Give Up to this Sick Madness...

 Folk #1: I'm not a doomer or a fatalist. I just don't roll that way. Still all of this turmoil & destruction unleashed by the current adminstraiton is overwhelming. We spent yesterday warning folks in our neighborhood that ICE was roaming the streets, grabbing innocent people, hard-working people, and disappearing them into newly-constructed American gulags. Yes. This is happening in our bluest of blue bubble communities. Our Governor & Mayor and all of our U.S. Senators and Reps are against this assault on the citizens here. It is all ugly, very, very ugly. Hard to imagine that this new American Dystopia is real. Hope lies in the hearts & heads of our fellow Humans who know that that kind of thing is absolutely wrong, soul-killing & inhumane.  How are we going to stop all this sick madness? Not sure. I suppose it's important to just say, "We are against it." We should all stand up and say it.  Stand in opposition with every fibre of our beings. Then, march, protest, vote. Refuse to give in, or to give up. No time for doomerism or fatalism. We can defeat this illness in our country. I do believe we can, and will...

The Onslaught of Bad News...

 

Folk #1: Good Lord. I think of myself as strong-willed, strong-minded, not easily rattled. But I must admit that the unrelenting onslaught of bad news, one day after another, is taking it's toll on my well-being. This latest atrocity, Trump's destruction of the East Wing of the White House is not the worst story out there, it's not as life-threatening as kidnapping & disappearing hard-working folks off the streets of America and into gulags, or blowing up fishing boats & murdering fisherman in the Carribean, or dismantling American's healthcare for a large section of the populace, or taking food from needy children, or slapping tariffs on imports like a drunken idiot making everything more costly, or looting our government from the top down, but symbolically you couldn't come up with a better single image of the impact of this immoral, lawless administration on the traditions and well-being of the USA. You know. What the fuck...

Slim Pickings...

Well. The sky isn't falling on our heads. We have that going for us. Beyond that, yikes, things seem to be hurtling out of control. There are no steering wheels, or brakes. The momentum seems to be picking up speed, always going forward towards a brick wall, or a precipice. Can cooler heads prevail? Can we adjust trajectory before it's too late? An Imagined God only knows. There are no big daddies to save us. We are on our own, muddling about. Seriously, not sure what to think about it all. I look around for a bit of wisdom or insight, and it is all meager portions & "slim pickings." Be Here Now. One Step at a Time. Breathe. Don't forget to Breathe. Beyond that? Well. Your guess is as good as mine...

Trump is Literally Destroying the White House...

 

Folk #1: "Can this be real? Yes. It is really real. This lawless, immoral, very corrupt and stupid President is literally overseeing the destruction of the White House. WTF?! We were still riding the good vibes of the No Kings rallies across the USA on Saturday, and then we see the latest atrocity from Trump. What a terrible scourge & plague on the land. This is a perfect encapsulation of what this very unworthy President is doing to our beautiful country. Destroying one of the key symbols of our nation, destroying the "people's house," to construct some hideous, Mar A Lago type, dictator-chic monstrosity. Holy fuck, the mind reels. This photo, my fellow Americans, pretty much sums up this time & era. Yikes. Fuck. It is going to take a major new movement to fix all the shite, & wreckage that this clueless, malevolent fucker has unleashed upon us."

The Dream is Still Alive in Many Hearts & Heads...

Folk #1: "I don't want to make more of it than what is was, but what it was, was magnificent. Saturday's No Kings rally & protest, near & far, & across the land, was a beautiful, wonderful, inspiring gathering of the beloved community. No doubt. It was so soul-enriching, and life-inspiring to stand shoulder to shoulder with folks from all walks of life, all ages, all creeds & all colors. These were folks who all had the same vision of America still in their heads and hearts. A country of Freedom, of Democracy, the Rule of Law, Empathy, Justice; a country founded and built by immigrants. A generous, giving, empathetic & progressive view of the USA and our place in the world. We stand in opposition to the MAGA movement, which is hateful, stupid, and a dead-end. No Kings was thrilling, satisfying, joyful. If only we could bottle that energy. Where does it all go from here? Not sure, but so happy to see that folks, the common ones, the people, young, old, in-between still care, still want to live the American Dream we conjured up together."

One of the Largest Mass Mobilizations in American History...

Ah... well... that's the America we know & love...

What happened yesterday? "One of the largest mass mobilizations in American history," that's what, and it was freaking glorious.

What about our little, sleepy college town on the North Shore? 

No Kings rally & protest in Fountain Square, Evanston, IL. October 18, 2025. It was just one of 2500 of these around the USA.

Was it amazing, beautiful & inspiring? Yes, it was, indeed. Indivisible Illinois!

And what about Grant Park, in Chicago, IL? Crowd estimate? 100,000 beautiful souls!

Navigating the Wonder & Horror...

Folk #1: "The Wonder and the Horror. The Goodness & the Terribleness. That's the Human Thing. You have to somehow navigate through it all. How to make sense of it? Beats me.  Maybe, doing the best one can? You know, Spike Lee's idea: Do the Right Thing. I do think we Humans have a made a total hash of things. We are not a very intelligent species, we are also very selfish, short-sighted, and can be brutally vicious to each other. It makes one tend to want to cultivate silence. Step back into a state of Mystery & Grace. Seems like a retreat, but, you know, maybe, probably, a necessary retreat? Aware. Alive. Awake. Living in the Moment. Cautiously seeking the Wonder & the Goodness, turning away from the Horror & Terribleness. That's all I got this morning. Looking forward to our local No Kings rally & protest later this morning. It's a sleepy, prosperous, generous town. We will be standing shoulder to shoulder with our fellow citizens. A small gesture. Thinking everything hinges upon it. Who knows?!"

Let's Reclaim the Dream...

 

We were sitting on our favorite bench yesterday. Mid-afternoon. Watching the clouds drift across the sky, watching the waves crashing into the sandy shore. The beach was deserted, except for a few seagulls, flying low, and a few prancing across the sand.

Two fellows came trekking down the path. They stopped at our bench and handed us the No Kings handbill. We all talked about the big event coming this Saturday. Supposedly there will be around 2500 gatherings throughout the USA. 

Think of it as the sprawling "Beloved Community," coming out to stand against tyranny. Are we a bunch of paid radicals? Nope. Just concerned citizens. The common folk. It seems the Trumpers are a bit worried about this event. They should be. I do think we will show the world, and America, that there are more of us than them.

We will celebrate the Constitution, Freedom, Democracy, the Rule of Law, Immigrants, Workers, Diversity, Inclusiveness. All walks of Life. Humans of all kinds. This is foundational stuff. Important. Find a local Indivisible gathering and stand up to be counted. This is our America. Let's reclaim the Dream.

Too Far, Either Way...

Folk #1: "Don't think too far ahead, or too far back. I think that's good advice. I mean, I am not saying I have it all figured out, no way, that would be complete & total vanity, I just think it's a good rule of thumb to try to live in the moment, as close to the present moment as possible. It's the only place you can actually do something, you know, in the present moment. Think too far ahead, well, you are dead, think too far back, there are way too many unfortunate, embarrassing and humbling events to review. Life: a series of unfortunate events. Remember, thinking is another one of those double-edged swords. Too much thinking makes the baby go blind. Ha. And too little thinking makes you a very stupid person; a fool, an idiot, a dolt. It's tricky."

Life Coach: Rules for Better Living...

Be Hopeful.

Be willing to Dream. 

Keep your feet on the ground.

Love Truth.

Hate Hatred.

Be willing to change.

Be open-minded.

Be open-hearted.

Be disciplined.

Don't freak out.

Fuck fear.

Fuck ICE.

Live your life to the fullest.

Don't be afraid to be you.

Improvise.

Evolve.

Lean to the Light.