Content warning: US politics
As Novembers go, this wasn’t a bad one, qua November.
But that’s in part because the badness of November as a month, was overshadowed by the horrible November election news south of the border. It’s not just the US though. I was saddened to read polling data about the numbers of Canadians, not only but particularly young men, who are fans of Trump. I’m worried about the rise of the far right here in Canada. As a Canadian, I don’t feel smug or superior, just angry and nervous.
The morning after the election I got up and hit the bike trainer.
In a way the dark, grey end of November weather seemed to fit my spirits. The gloom felt appropriate to the doom.
I know we don’t all agree about how bad the election of Trump is and I know we generally don’t talk much about party politics here on the blog.
But we’re an explicitly feminist blog. We care about women’s equality, yes, but we also explicitly care about trans inclusion, about racial justice, about justice for Indigneous persons, about respect for human rights, about democracy. You get the idea.
I’m still sorting out my own feelings. I was shocked by the result but more shocked at how quick and decisive the results were.
Here’s three things I read after the election that resonated. Each in their own way helped me think things through. I recommend all three.
Jennifer Barnett, What went wrong is everyone can fuck off
“I see people talking about “the next four years” as if there’s going to be a chance to turn things around with organizing and resisting and all the other stuff you do in a functioning democracy to change things, and I can’t believe anyone is still so blind to think there’s going to be another free and fair election in four years… or in our lifetime. That’s not how it works under authoritarian rule, which is what the U.S. just signed up for. The frogs will boil.”
Kate Manne, Is There Any Hope? Define Hope
“But, tempted as I might be by it, I don’t think the “fuck hope” rhetoric is any more acceptable. Giving up is not an option. We must continue to fight for the most vulnerable people—anyone who can get pregnant, those who are trans and non-binary, undocumented immigrants, and those who are racially marginalized, for starters—during Trump’s administration. We must fight for ourselves and our families and our communities. Can we do this without hope? And even if we can, should we?”
Rob Stainton, Being Bipolar in the Time of Trump
“I recommend practicing radical acceptance. Especially if you don’t live there, you can’t hold yourself responsible for fixing things in the USA. Like aging, loss and death, there may be essentially nothing that you yourself can do to drastically change the situation. So, it’s crucial to stop resisting it. I’m reminded here of my favourite parable from the Buddha: the second dart of painful feeling. The Buddha asks us to imagine a man who has been struck by a poison dart, and who won’t let a physician help him until the man understands who fired the dart, why they did so, who else was involved, etc. Fretting about all those issues is a second dart. Says the Buddha, the man cannot avoid the first pain, the one from the dart itself; but it’s in his power to not experience the second dart, by simply accepting that the first dart is outside his control. “
Okay, so there’s that. That aspect of November felt pretty all consuming.
But what else happened in November? It wasn’t all bad. Some of November was pretty darned wonderful.
Here’s some November highlights.
There was Sarah’s birthday. 🎂 Lots of concerts. 🎶 Zwift bike racing. 🚴♀️ Strength training 💪
How’s my year going so far?
I’m on track to read 25 books in 2024. Most recently The Long Island Compromise.
I’m currently reading Elizabeth Strout, TellMe Everything.
I’m listening to another book in the Bob series.
‘On the exercise front, I’ve worked out 366 times so far this year, aiming for 400 in 2024.
Also this year so far I’ve ridden 1667 km, and more than 200 of those kilometers were in November. I was aiming for 2000 for the year but I might not make it. I’m riding more than I did in the first years after knee surgery but not as much as my big fittest by fifty years. Then I totaled 5000 km a year.
And we are on the count down to a semester of research leave. It’ll begin with a couple of months in NZ and then conclude with a couple of months in Toronto. So I’m looking forward to 2025!
