I do get my news from Heather Cox Richardson and can count on Scott Dworkin to cheer me up. I also listen to Meidas Touch Network on Substack and Youtube. They are getting more views from all over the world than Fox News and Joe Rogan combined. Aaron Parnas is a fascinating young man to watch (and read) as well. But sometimes I cannot even handle it. When that happens, I like and restack my trusted sources without reading them. I need a break. And I continue to use my 5 Calls app to alert my representatives and give them a piece of my mind. The rest of the time finds me painting, talking with my children, grandchildren, and great grands, and making good food for my husband and I. Taking care of my health is a full time job for me these days, but you are right, Ilona. "Hearted" and "Restacked."
Thanks! I also subscribe to Meidas and Aaron Parnas, and many, many more. Your number one priority is and should be keeping yourself well. Thanks for doing all the things to promote this newsletter, dear Linda!
For the first time in my life I don't listen to NPR every time I am in the car. I try and then I just get so upset. I try to stay aware of what's going on but I just can't subject myself to that anymore. I'm planning to canvass for Mikie and help my Brick candidates, hoping that will help me and help us 🥹
Yes, we have to keep a Democratic governor in NJ. Certainly in Ocean County it's a tough row to hoe. Taking action always makes me feel better. PS I'm your neighbor in PPB.
Emma Mammano and Ilona Goanos -- with that pebble in the shoe:
My schedule does not allow me to listen to PBS everyday, but the Administration's destructive actions force me to become a larger annual contributor to PBS, since the Reds have cut the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, while they take over the TRUMP/Kennedy Center and reshape the TRUMP/Smithsonian, and will play the Aryan hits with the TRUMP/National-Orchestra-in-Washington-DC, all the while we are treated to a Stormtrooper environment in our national capitol and in LA.
Pamela Bondage promises to be generous to the homeless: We will FINE YOU and put you in jail, or you can go to a shelter of OUR choosing . . .
Shelter. We have seen in Florida (Alligator Alcatraz) what some of those dwellings look like, where they are so unsafe, they won't allow Congressional inspection.
Re-read Philip Roth, "The Plot against America," written in 2004. Philip Roth foresaw the situation even then. Philip Roth wrote of a dystopian America in 1940 that, in a parallel-universe-type history, elected Charles Lindbergh instead of FDR to the Presidency. In this Alternative-America, President Lindbergh cooperated closely with the Third Reich, and joined forces in interning Jews in our country.
Pam Bondage is a devil. If only white women were less enamored with their proximity to male power, we could get somewhere beautiful in this world. I still believe the matriarchy is the answer.
The homeless need resources and mental health support. The reason they're living out on the street is due to Reagan's policies. I didn't read Roth's book, and quite frankly, it sounds like it would haunt me, too.
Ilona Goanos: One who wrote beautifully, so wondrously about the anti-tyrannical, Freedom-Loving Matriarchy was Johanna Moosdoorf in "Freundinnen" ("Girlfriends"), which pictured the Mother Goddess creator and told of the Third Reich in a long parable ("Hexenritt" -- "The flight of the witches"), during the 16th c. Inquisition (Stand-In for the Third Reich) in persecuting innocents as "witches," with internment, torture, forced confessions, burning at the stake, wiping out of three generations of women and girls, and many a young woman who would give her own life in sacrifice to save the woman she loved.
Johanna Moosdorf suffered horrifically under the Third Reich and, living till circa 2000, never recovered from the trauma of the brutal state, and wrote beautiful novels that are a postwar testimony.
Yes: A Matriarchy.
This man, who has loved gloriously one woman for 54 years, with two wondrous daughters and a miraculous granddaughter, I join: A Matriarchy.
We can only control what we can control, and for me, that is compassion towards others and supporting local elections. The bigger issues remain unresolved at this moment, despite protests, letter writing, and phone calls, all of which I have made repeatedly. With my frustration high, I turn to my local food pantry to offer my support and trust that at the very least, I am finding resolve in fighting back in the battle to alleviate food insecurity, a perplexing, growing problem. Excellent work here, Ilona; I am a huge fan of Heather Cox Richardson's. History teaches us so much!
Your work at the food pantry is going to gain even more importance with the cuts to programs and rising inflation. Thanks for the work you do, Candy. It's all hands on deck for sure. Every effort counts.
Happy to be reading this as my coffee cools, and wholeheartedly agree with you! Thanks for the new sources to follow! I've been reading HCR for years, and have added Scott Dworkin and Jayne the teacher to my list of sanity sources. Taking action does feel good, I plan to do much more of it. The daily avalanche of actions by this administration is so alarming. (Epstein, Epstein, Epstein).
I’ve always been a news junky, the difference now is that I go with independent media I trust, just like those you mentioned. The history teacher on IG is a new one for me and I intend to follow her, thank you for the suggestion.
I just wrote a piece on my 24 hour mind map. It’s been difficult to put into words what is in my head, but it’s so important to do so in order to stay connected with those going through the same process.
Ilona, your words really struck a chord with me, especially your candid reflection on being "blissfully unaware of political news" and how that shifted a decade ago. It resonates deeply because I've walked a very similar path. For so long, I felt that true engagement meant sacrificing my inner peace, that to care deeply about the world's problems was to invite a relentless assault on my spirit. And honestly, there were times it felt exactly like that – a constant clenching of the jaw, as you so eloquently put it, wondering if I was smelling smoke or just my own burnt toast.
But like you, I've come to realize that true peace isn't found in disengagement. It's in choosing where to put your energy, as you highlighted. It's in the small, consistent acts of showing up, even when the immediate impact isn't clear. Your journey from a place of "nonchalance" to becoming "a politically active citizen" is incredibly inspiring, and it’s a powerful reminder that our evolving awareness is a strength, not a weakness. It’s about finding a sustainable way to care, to contribute, and to still find joy amidst the chaos.
Thank you for your thoughts on this, Dr. A. I appreciate how you pointed out that true peace does not result from disengagement. YES 100%! Yoga teaches us that we are not our bodies or our minds. We are so much bigger than those things. No matter where we are, we have access to the peace that we have created for ourselves. We can't truly live when we are constantly in a stress response, and we need to find our way out of that pattern.
Excellent! There is so much we can each do. I've promised myself that I will do at least one thing each day to support our democracy. Maybe it's donating to support an NPR station that is desperately in need of money because of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting cuts (go to AdoptaStation.org) or donating money to pay for buses so people can go protest the detention center cum concentration camp in upstate Pennsylvania.
Amen to all that, Ilona. I am always impressed by the strength and perseverance of those write so welldaily on this forum I rarely address politics here on my own blog except in visual metaphors. Otherwise, I’m afraid I would be reduced to relatively crude language.
As my health has worsened, my tolerance for this time of insanity has greatly diminished. As you know, I am an avid student of Stoicism, so I remind myself that this is a repeat of history yet again. I know that for me, my example, my behavior and responses are what I do to show sanity, peace and kindness. Modeling your behavior for your grandchildren is worth so much more than those that just scream at the injustice. Rock on Ilona! We need more people like you.
My tolerance is zero, too. Everything gets me mad and has me shaking my head in disbelief. You're right-we only have control of ourselves, and in the words of author Mel Robbins, we have no choice but to "Let them." I appreciate your kind words, Jan ❤️
Ilona, I was wondering when you would get around to discussing our current politics, though it has become a defining feature of our public discourse. Like you, I find that I must handle the tsunami of terror in small bites to avoid having my brain fried. Although I cannot march in public protests, I am at each one in spirit. I too, follow the blogs you mentioned here on Substack and regularly contribute my comments when it is appropriate. In addition to those writers you mentioned, I recommend Robert Reich, Steven Beschloss, Johnny Palmadessa and JoJo from Jerz who can get a bit mouthy and obscene at times but always makes sense with righteous humor. Finally, there is Michael Cohen who writes extremely well from sadly lived experience in Trump‘s inner circle. The biggest challenge for all of us is sifting through the garbage for tidbits of truth. By the way, you are correct in advising us to find joy in each day lest we be overtaken by despair. My husband, children and grandchild are the joy in my life.
Well, Ilene, I wrote a lot about politics in the fall leading up to the election, but afterwards felt kind of broken by it. I need a recharge, for sure. Plus, many other Substacks do a better job of staying abreast of each insult to our democracy. I follow almost all of the ones you mentioned, plus more.
Politics has been and continues to be a jagged, painful pebble in my shoe. These past eight months of Part 2 of the Trump administration have been brutal.
One reader advised me to "stay away from politics" in my writing, but it's not my nature to ignore the extremely bad leadership we are living under. Congratulations to the Trump administration for being the worst in American history!
Let's all keep doing what we can, Ilene.
Thanks again for that great book recommendation. I'm not finished yet, but I already recommended it to two friends today.
Thank you, Ilona, for your voice and sharing this info. I need to check out Heather and Scott. I read primarily Meidas and I'm so thankful for their efforts.
It’s so reassuring to hear that I’m not alone and can echo many of your thoughts and statements! I too listen to Heather Cox Richardson to help stay informed without being overwhelmed by the actual news stories. Dan Rather/Steady is another source I find reliable. For the “silly” version of information, I listen to Jeff Tiedrich’s Substack while driving.
I do get my news from Heather Cox Richardson and can count on Scott Dworkin to cheer me up. I also listen to Meidas Touch Network on Substack and Youtube. They are getting more views from all over the world than Fox News and Joe Rogan combined. Aaron Parnas is a fascinating young man to watch (and read) as well. But sometimes I cannot even handle it. When that happens, I like and restack my trusted sources without reading them. I need a break. And I continue to use my 5 Calls app to alert my representatives and give them a piece of my mind. The rest of the time finds me painting, talking with my children, grandchildren, and great grands, and making good food for my husband and I. Taking care of my health is a full time job for me these days, but you are right, Ilona. "Hearted" and "Restacked."
Thanks! I also subscribe to Meidas and Aaron Parnas, and many, many more. Your number one priority is and should be keeping yourself well. Thanks for doing all the things to promote this newsletter, dear Linda!
It's too good not to!
For the first time in my life I don't listen to NPR every time I am in the car. I try and then I just get so upset. I try to stay aware of what's going on but I just can't subject myself to that anymore. I'm planning to canvass for Mikie and help my Brick candidates, hoping that will help me and help us 🥹
Yes, we have to keep a Democratic governor in NJ. Certainly in Ocean County it's a tough row to hoe. Taking action always makes me feel better. PS I'm your neighbor in PPB.
Emma Mammano and Ilona Goanos -- with that pebble in the shoe:
My schedule does not allow me to listen to PBS everyday, but the Administration's destructive actions force me to become a larger annual contributor to PBS, since the Reds have cut the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, while they take over the TRUMP/Kennedy Center and reshape the TRUMP/Smithsonian, and will play the Aryan hits with the TRUMP/National-Orchestra-in-Washington-DC, all the while we are treated to a Stormtrooper environment in our national capitol and in LA.
Pamela Bondage promises to be generous to the homeless: We will FINE YOU and put you in jail, or you can go to a shelter of OUR choosing . . .
Shelter. We have seen in Florida (Alligator Alcatraz) what some of those dwellings look like, where they are so unsafe, they won't allow Congressional inspection.
Re-read Philip Roth, "The Plot against America," written in 2004. Philip Roth foresaw the situation even then. Philip Roth wrote of a dystopian America in 1940 that, in a parallel-universe-type history, elected Charles Lindbergh instead of FDR to the Presidency. In this Alternative-America, President Lindbergh cooperated closely with the Third Reich, and joined forces in interning Jews in our country.
I read the novel once, and it still haunts me.
Pam Bondage is a devil. If only white women were less enamored with their proximity to male power, we could get somewhere beautiful in this world. I still believe the matriarchy is the answer.
The homeless need resources and mental health support. The reason they're living out on the street is due to Reagan's policies. I didn't read Roth's book, and quite frankly, it sounds like it would haunt me, too.
Thanks as always for your support, Armando.
Ilona Goanos: One who wrote beautifully, so wondrously about the anti-tyrannical, Freedom-Loving Matriarchy was Johanna Moosdoorf in "Freundinnen" ("Girlfriends"), which pictured the Mother Goddess creator and told of the Third Reich in a long parable ("Hexenritt" -- "The flight of the witches"), during the 16th c. Inquisition (Stand-In for the Third Reich) in persecuting innocents as "witches," with internment, torture, forced confessions, burning at the stake, wiping out of three generations of women and girls, and many a young woman who would give her own life in sacrifice to save the woman she loved.
Johanna Moosdorf suffered horrifically under the Third Reich and, living till circa 2000, never recovered from the trauma of the brutal state, and wrote beautiful novels that are a postwar testimony.
Yes: A Matriarchy.
This man, who has loved gloriously one woman for 54 years, with two wondrous daughters and a miraculous granddaughter, I join: A Matriarchy.
We can only control what we can control, and for me, that is compassion towards others and supporting local elections. The bigger issues remain unresolved at this moment, despite protests, letter writing, and phone calls, all of which I have made repeatedly. With my frustration high, I turn to my local food pantry to offer my support and trust that at the very least, I am finding resolve in fighting back in the battle to alleviate food insecurity, a perplexing, growing problem. Excellent work here, Ilona; I am a huge fan of Heather Cox Richardson's. History teaches us so much!
Your work at the food pantry is going to gain even more importance with the cuts to programs and rising inflation. Thanks for the work you do, Candy. It's all hands on deck for sure. Every effort counts.
Happy to be reading this as my coffee cools, and wholeheartedly agree with you! Thanks for the new sources to follow! I've been reading HCR for years, and have added Scott Dworkin and Jayne the teacher to my list of sanity sources. Taking action does feel good, I plan to do much more of it. The daily avalanche of actions by this administration is so alarming. (Epstein, Epstein, Epstein).
Let’s cry about this today lunch. It'll make us feel better to commiserate.
I’ve always been a news junky, the difference now is that I go with independent media I trust, just like those you mentioned. The history teacher on IG is a new one for me and I intend to follow her, thank you for the suggestion.
I just wrote a piece on my 24 hour mind map. It’s been difficult to put into words what is in my head, but it’s so important to do so in order to stay connected with those going through the same process.
Great piece, thank you.
Yes, we’re all in this together. I will check out your latest!
I love your compassion and courage list!
Bravo, well said!
Ilona, your words really struck a chord with me, especially your candid reflection on being "blissfully unaware of political news" and how that shifted a decade ago. It resonates deeply because I've walked a very similar path. For so long, I felt that true engagement meant sacrificing my inner peace, that to care deeply about the world's problems was to invite a relentless assault on my spirit. And honestly, there were times it felt exactly like that – a constant clenching of the jaw, as you so eloquently put it, wondering if I was smelling smoke or just my own burnt toast.
But like you, I've come to realize that true peace isn't found in disengagement. It's in choosing where to put your energy, as you highlighted. It's in the small, consistent acts of showing up, even when the immediate impact isn't clear. Your journey from a place of "nonchalance" to becoming "a politically active citizen" is incredibly inspiring, and it’s a powerful reminder that our evolving awareness is a strength, not a weakness. It’s about finding a sustainable way to care, to contribute, and to still find joy amidst the chaos.
Thank you for your thoughts on this, Dr. A. I appreciate how you pointed out that true peace does not result from disengagement. YES 100%! Yoga teaches us that we are not our bodies or our minds. We are so much bigger than those things. No matter where we are, we have access to the peace that we have created for ourselves. We can't truly live when we are constantly in a stress response, and we need to find our way out of that pattern.
Excellent! There is so much we can each do. I've promised myself that I will do at least one thing each day to support our democracy. Maybe it's donating to support an NPR station that is desperately in need of money because of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting cuts (go to AdoptaStation.org) or donating money to pay for buses so people can go protest the detention center cum concentration camp in upstate Pennsylvania.
Great examples of thinking outside the box. There are so many ways to resist.
Amen to all that, Ilona. I am always impressed by the strength and perseverance of those write so welldaily on this forum I rarely address politics here on my own blog except in visual metaphors. Otherwise, I’m afraid I would be reduced to relatively crude language.
As my health has worsened, my tolerance for this time of insanity has greatly diminished. As you know, I am an avid student of Stoicism, so I remind myself that this is a repeat of history yet again. I know that for me, my example, my behavior and responses are what I do to show sanity, peace and kindness. Modeling your behavior for your grandchildren is worth so much more than those that just scream at the injustice. Rock on Ilona! We need more people like you.
My tolerance is zero, too. Everything gets me mad and has me shaking my head in disbelief. You're right-we only have control of ourselves, and in the words of author Mel Robbins, we have no choice but to "Let them." I appreciate your kind words, Jan ❤️
Ilona, I was wondering when you would get around to discussing our current politics, though it has become a defining feature of our public discourse. Like you, I find that I must handle the tsunami of terror in small bites to avoid having my brain fried. Although I cannot march in public protests, I am at each one in spirit. I too, follow the blogs you mentioned here on Substack and regularly contribute my comments when it is appropriate. In addition to those writers you mentioned, I recommend Robert Reich, Steven Beschloss, Johnny Palmadessa and JoJo from Jerz who can get a bit mouthy and obscene at times but always makes sense with righteous humor. Finally, there is Michael Cohen who writes extremely well from sadly lived experience in Trump‘s inner circle. The biggest challenge for all of us is sifting through the garbage for tidbits of truth. By the way, you are correct in advising us to find joy in each day lest we be overtaken by despair. My husband, children and grandchild are the joy in my life.
Well, Ilene, I wrote a lot about politics in the fall leading up to the election, but afterwards felt kind of broken by it. I need a recharge, for sure. Plus, many other Substacks do a better job of staying abreast of each insult to our democracy. I follow almost all of the ones you mentioned, plus more.
Politics has been and continues to be a jagged, painful pebble in my shoe. These past eight months of Part 2 of the Trump administration have been brutal.
One reader advised me to "stay away from politics" in my writing, but it's not my nature to ignore the extremely bad leadership we are living under. Congratulations to the Trump administration for being the worst in American history!
Let's all keep doing what we can, Ilene.
Thanks again for that great book recommendation. I'm not finished yet, but I already recommended it to two friends today.
Thank you, Ilona, for your voice and sharing this info. I need to check out Heather and Scott. I read primarily Meidas and I'm so thankful for their efforts.
I love Meidas! They are doing a great job. I wish they didn't have to deal with constant death threats.
It’s so reassuring to hear that I’m not alone and can echo many of your thoughts and statements! I too listen to Heather Cox Richardson to help stay informed without being overwhelmed by the actual news stories. Dan Rather/Steady is another source I find reliable. For the “silly” version of information, I listen to Jeff Tiedrich’s Substack while driving.
I read Jeff's Substack. Today, he calls him a fuckbrained old coot. I'd rather be laughing instead of crying. It's all so inane.
Exactly.
Thank you Ilona for writing this! I appreciate your kind words.