"And I'm Trying My Best To Stand Up For You In Every Way I Can." 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️

The next few weeks are going to be hard for many of us in the US. The new regime is going to come out of the gate in full attack mode. The LGBTQ community, people of color, immigrants, women, the poor and even our (already broken) health industry are going to be targeted.

This is an attempt to exhaust us with a game of civil rights whack-a-mole, and there is no doubt that some of us are going to feel absolutely wrecked every time we look at the news.

Here is my advice on surviving the next four years

Limit your exposure to the news, it's fine to check the headlines, but

Order a big roll of postcard stamps from the USPS and buy some cheap, blank, postcards.

Sending physical mail can be more effective than signing online petitions, and it has the added benefit of getting you away from the computer. I personally prefer writing postcards because it feels more like I am taking tangible, physical action.

If you are especially organized, you can pre-print address labels for your representatives. I am 100% not that organized.

The ACLU has a guide on what to say here: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives

Most importantly, don't fall into despair. You are not alone in this, there are millions of us out here who want to see a kinder world.

We've got your back.

The Ladies Alexandra, Mary, and Theo Acheson

John Singer Sargent

1902

Bukovac Vlaho - Portrait of Dr Stjepan Miletic - Czech Republic and Slovakia School - 19th Century

Similar to Sargeant, I recognize a Boldini whenever I see one on my dash and feel the need to repost. This is the artist Whistler, or more formally James Abbott McNeill Whistler, painted by Giovanni Boldini in 1897.

Following up on the last post, my mind turned, as it inevitably must, to Tom Hiddleston looking so handsome and moody.

I got to see her perform a few times when I lived in Chicago. This is a great loss and she will be missed.

JONATHAN BAILEY as FIYERO in WICKED (2024)

Portrait of David Lyon painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, circa 1825. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid Spain.