As I mentioned previously, I’m going to be doing a speed writing event on the weekend that ends with MLK Jr Day, and I invite ye all to come along.  I’m going to write about 12,500 words a day from tomorrow, Friday Jan 17th, through Monday Jan 20th.  You can set more modest goals and only participate a few of those days if you please.  Fiction or non-fiction is fine.  Post in the comments or elsewhere with links in the comments, or be shy / inviso and just mention your word count when you get to resting points.  I’ll read yours if you read mine; critique can be as baby-gloved as you please.  Holler in the comments if you want to join.

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In the wake of the miserable election, I tried to do one post a day for more than a week, encouraging people to carry on, even tho we all know this is about to be horrible.  I stand by that.  I believe we can survive and I want to see all of you do your best – to not let the sorrow of what’s happened, the pain of what’s happening, and the fear of what’s going to happen cause you to give up.

This coming Monday is the inauguration of the Nazi Clown Administration – one of those symbolic moments that throw all the bad shit into focus, lure the mind to catastrophize.  Be careful with yourself.  For my part, I intend to be living in a dreamworld of magic, and you can see my self-indulgent nonsense if it works out.

I doubt it’ll be a quality distraction for most of you, though.  You gotta go with something that engages you personally.  With self-indulgent writing, I’m mostly engaging myself, and the number of people who can be suitably diverted by my jackanapery is likely few.  You like video games?  A lot of gamers buy or otherwise acquire far more video games than they could ever play.  If there’s one you’ve been meaning to get to, the novelty of coming in fresh on January 20th might help engage your mind in something good.

Likewise, if there’s a TV show you’ve been meaning to binge, good time for it.  Or a book series.  Of if you have the kind of lifestyle where an all-day orgy is a thing to do, might be a good time for that.  Drugs, in moderation?  Try to avoid ads in any media you expose yourself to; they will likely include a face you don’t want to see.

If you have any other suggestions, leave comments.  Could be useful.  Like, some odd reader can’t imagine anything working for him until the last commenter suggests model trains.  Give it a whirl.

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HAHA!  I forgot the premise of my post.  Hope.  How?  Why did I think that would be a good idea for a post?  It just seemed like a necessary thing in that moment.

Well.  For starters, I made a special tag for posts relevant to this shituation, at this point mostly the initial ones following the election.  There may be some strand of hope for you in one of those posts somewhere.  And as I mentioned above, whatever it is, it’s got to be something that works for you.  We’re all so individual.  I can hardly tell you what will work best.

For me, the most compelling thing is that I have control over my own actions, and can choose how to conduct myself in life.  If everybody in the world was a crappy nazi and having compassion made one into a reviled outsider, I know I could be that bitch.  Feels good, knowing you can do good, in whatever small ways are in front of you.

So like before, where I shoveled that responsibility onto you, of coming up with Jan 20 distraction ideas, this is where I ask:  Is there anything that gives you some hope for yourself, or the people in your life?  Or are you one of those philosopher weirdos who feels more secure living with an alternate consolation, without relying on hope itself?  I sometimes lean that direction myself.

Anything may be useful.  Let’s remind ourselves what we’re living for, where relevant, and care for ourselves and others in whatever ways will make that life possible.

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