Typical vacation: I go away for a while, and everything changes!
We haven’t really spoken since the Democratic Party revised its presidential ticket — yep, it’s been that long. Pres. Joe Biden is set to end his presidency without running for re-election, hearkening back to LBJ in realizing his odds of winning are slim. VP Kamala Harris is shaking up the polls and raking in the donations ahead of accepting the nomination this week in Chicago. And the Party is hoping that her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will siphon votes away from former Pres. Donald Trump in battleground states, especially among working-class white voters.
…so why haven’t I said anything more about all this? Other than being on vacation?
Two reasons, both of which I talk about in this video. For one thing, the shift at the top of the ticket sparked so much analysis and commentary that I didn’t really feel I had anything unique to add. I’ve always strived to never be just another voice in the chorus. That’s been tough lately considering the enormous Hallelujah chorus reacting to this shift. Basic commentary as filler is big business, but count me out.
Secondly — the larger reason — my time away has changed my outlook on a lot of things, especially my life. 2025 is going to be a momentous year, and it could be a time of great opportunity. But I realized that I was facing the coming year with some real dread. Regardless of who won, the future felt bleak and uncertain. Why couldn’t I see any rays of light through the clouds, I wondered? What’s wrong with me?
And then I realized: I’d been focusing on the wrong things. Even in building this platform, it’s taken all this time to understand that The Night Light is more than just protection and companionship through dark times. It’s an opportunity to make the most of things right now, despite the darkness. People don’t just hunker down in the dark: we also dance.
You’ll have to tell me if I’ve taken that a wee bit too literally.
I’ve also been having a blast learning to DJ. It’s not a professional ambition of mine, and I don’t know what I’ll do with it, but it’s a lot of fun. A certain someone nagged me to do it until I finally relented. Not to give them the satisfaction of saying “I told you so”, but I’m pretty good at it. In this video I’ll tell you more about my time away, where my life is right now (including a new health challenge I recently learned about), and what all this has to do with our approach to the challenges America faces today. As always, let me know what you think of the video in the comments.
And check out my very first mix! Very upbeat, melodic, hand-clapping, foot-stomping beats. For some reason, not enough venues play this kind of music. Maybe I’ll do something about that. Check it out, and remember to tip your DJ. 😎
➡️ LISTEN TO MY FIRST MIX HERE ⬅️
PS I’ve had the septum ring for about 12 years. You’re just seeing it for the first time.
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