(Taps microphone). Is this on? Hello! Wygal here sitting in for the Batch. I have never done any of these VUTB diaries but I figured the morning one is best. You get the folks who have just gotten up, need coffee or tea, can't see how poorly this is written...
Life sucks. Let's just get that out there. We've heard it all our life that nobody said life was going to be easy. You know what? They were right. But we've grown up now and we are wiser. We might not be able to make all the changes we want to, but we can do quite a bit. With that said, let's get busy with what we need to do today.
It has been said many times here that you are the voice. You are the resistance. There is no one single thing you can do that is more beneficial to the cause than calling your representatives and senators! Let them know you are watching them. Can't call? Send them postcards every day, if you can afford it or once a month about causes you are concerned about and how you'd like them to represent you. If the cost of postcards is too high, send an email or comment on their Facebook page. They work for us. Never feel that you aren't doing enough for the resistance. We do what we are capable of. It is enough.
Join a protest. I was fortunate to march in the Woman’s March in Sacramento on January 21st. The feeling of camaraderie, of being in a place of friendship and mutual respect was empowering. For the first time since the election, I felt hope. I started to believe that we would survive. That our party would rise to the occasion and defeat the republicans. If you can attend a protest, large or small, that is enough.
If the previous choices don't seem to match up with your capabilities, perhaps joining a democratic club in your area would work for you. Want to help elect democrats in your county? There's a county chapter of the Democratic Party for that. Want to branch out farther? Each state also has a chapter. Whatever works best for you. That is more than enough.
What we really need to do is take care of ourselves. If the amount of information that you are receiving via social media is too much, step away from it. My daughter changed her Facebook so that stories from friends and family came first. That way she wasn't being hit with all the news stories from organizations she liked and followed. Take a break from Twitter. You may even need to take a break from Kos. I have taken to reading the diaries from my favorite writers, but ignoring all the comments. Make sure you eat healthy, drink in moderation (this could be hard for some, right Batch?) and get plenty of sleep. Don't forget to do something for your mind. I take a walk daily. It clears my mind, improves my disposition and takes me away from the resistance for a while. Whatever you need to do to heal yourself, do it.
JUST A COUPLE OF TWEETS/STORIES TO START YOUR DAY…
This Village is a place for Democrats willing to work together to resist the coming days, months and years. We are all friends here but ask others to join us in uniting against a common enemy otherwise know as tRumplethinskin. Although this is NOT A SAFE SPACE, it is a warm and nurturing community that holds to the belief that we are STRONGER TOGETHER.
A big thank you shout out to TheBatchelor for allowing me to steal his space. He has been my mental health coach and has climbed out on the ledge more than a few times to talk me down. I don't know where I'd be if he hadn't decided to extend a hand to help me. Oh, by the way, he's supposed to get up and hang the lynx since this will publish at 4:00a.m. my time. That's just a bit early for me. If he doesn't, will the first one up do something as a place holder for bfitzAR? Thanks. Now let's get to planning the take back of our democracy.