What a year this has been. What a past several years this has been, actually, and what a large part of my life it has been to share with the Daily Kos community. It feels like it has been a long time since I’ve said anything, and coming into the holiday season, I wanted to take just a second away from the normal political back and forth that hits on our mind to just share what a meaningful role this community has had for me this year, and what can come next.
As some of you know, for many of us, this year was a year of big changes. I’ve moved back into mostly IT and more directly dealing with political campaigns, and I’ve also had time to think about how significant this community has been in making life possible.
I cannot understate how important the Daily Kos community was in being of assistance when I needed it most. To say this year would be difficult is.. well, let’s just say that would be putting it mildly. The last few years had not left me in the best of positions to address the situation at hand. Longterm care expenses and hospice care resulted in me cashing out my 401k a few years ago, selling my home, and just coming out ahead. When I was finally ready to try and “get out” and start rebuilding, you just began again. That’s all fine — and that was before COVID.
So, when housefire ripped through our home here, it was just like watching everything you had left immediately go away. What you hadn’t already lost before, here it goes again.
What made all of this incredible is that, in light of all of that, it was the Daily Kos community that made survival and transition possible at the beginning.
When the community quickly put together a GoFundMe I was surprised. I did not hint at one, and maybe a lot of that was pride. Looking back at it, though, this community made this year livable.
My girlfriend’s son had his birthday right around the corner, and every gift we had already put together.. gone. This community made it possible to get it back together. Care of animals and boarding our pets, tending to basic needs right up front — you made that possible.
This isn’t to say the insurance industry doesn’t suck. It most certainly does. In fact, there are so many things I wish I knew months in advance that could have made changes. After 10 months, we were able to move back into the house in November, just in time for Thanksgiving.
Overruns were killer for us, frankly. At the end of the day, we ended our “house rebuild” more than 30,000 over. Goodness. What a Christmas gift.
On a daily basis, I am reminded of a journey that Neeta (Navajo) looked at years ago, before COVID, and when we thought about what needs to happen next, for Daily Kos involvement next, we talked daily about how to better integrate this community into on-the-ground action. Beyond just talking online, but to move into action that is present, that is addressable.
While I have not been here writing, I’ve loved sending people here throughout this year, and I’ve taken more time to talk to downballot candidates this year at every level as people become more and more concerned with policies in their local school boards and city councils.
This is what comes next. It is what Nuts & Bolts was always built around. How do we help candidates succeed, and how do we do more to build up our network.
Thank you to this community for making my year possible. Without you, all of the accomplishments through so many years would not be possible.
