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ginger buswell's avatar

people filling the streets, in cities and small towns, is another kind of flooding the zone

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erg art ink's avatar

Oranges are not the only fruit.

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Zoë Routh's avatar

Brilliant!

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Nana's avatar

After the protest on Saturday I went to see a 'small' movie called "Secret Mall Apartment." It was most uplifting and very exciting. It reminded me that AI will never replace human creativity and wild, creative art is the secret to a successful future. It's radical, subversive and never needs to be directly oppositional or reactive to things we don't like; simply another way to live, to do things. Move in a different direction and pay little attention to the bilge beyond clearing your drains. If you want to feel better, find this movie somewhere and watch it. Some people are still good, fun, inspired and creative. Focus on this and see where it can take you.

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Liz Gwedhan's avatar

You are a bloody marvel Jeanette Winterson.

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Etta Madden's avatar

Thank you so much for this powerful reminder. I needed to read this message today!

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Tew's avatar

Thank you for this quiet, brilliant piece that spells it out perfectly. Pure balm.

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Sandra de Helen's avatar

Yes, please. Let's all flood the zone with light. Thank you for this post.

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Michael & Michelle Styers's avatar

Damn straight about the bilge and news/ social Media. I can’t even look at Cheeto or Doge Bags without cringing. Much less hear their voices. Filling my head with positivity a few times a day seems like an oxygen mask.

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Lisa McLean's avatar

I praise the day you returned to Substack, your posts are ones I will not miss Jeanette.

Now a little plumbing advice from a fellow traveller, use the “Pots and Pans” setting on dishwasher always, I paid for this advice, I freely pass it on, hope it helps as much as your writing does.

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Sherryn Adair's avatar

I'm laughing because, hours after I read this, I noticed during a throwback of "Northern Exposure" (S1E2) Joel has plumbing problems and the *indigenous* answer* is to "fix a sauna, think like a sauna". For me, that means, to be like water and seep past the blockage...

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Taissa Ceric's avatar

So glad I can read great positive pieces here. It’s hard to not let the shit bring you down . But feeling connected to many people who reject the current attempt to destroy democracy in one powerful country is encouraging.

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Tara's avatar

Love this. Yes the personal is political. Also we can protest, raise our voices , boycott , laugh, be clear and connect . Civil disobedience is how much change happened. The Oompa Loompa”s old catch cry was ‘drain the swamp’ now we need to turn it back on them. Which is kind of fitting given the theme of your post. Thank you.

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Ann Leonard's avatar

4 part harmony hymn singing with a crowd. Not because it's magic, but because when the final chord is accomplished and all voices resonate as one, the heart expands and it feels like another shot of innoculation!

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Lisa Turowsky's avatar

This is why I sing in a chorus of 100+ people. So healing!

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Sasha Graham's avatar

You coming back to us with a regular column is the silver lining to this sh*t show. Thank you, Jeanette.

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ROSIE ODONNELL's avatar

beautiful work

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Victoria Gelberg's avatar

Totally agree, this girls life became better when she got a sink unplugging stick (gruesome what lies beneath) but also trying to use social media for connection rather than swimming in the crap many are drowning in.

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