Bookish Jen

Heck, they'll blame Obama's tan suit.

Good. Now let all the Trumpers' heads explode.

I guess they can dish it out, but they can't take it. I've had a lot of them call me horrible names and accuse me of horrible things (one just called me a pedophile) on social media, but if I just disagree with them or agree with someone who disagrees with them, they get all huffy and claim they are being persecuted. It's crazy. I was just thinking that the upcoming inauguration is on MLK, Jr day (oh, the irony). If Kamala Harris would have won, I would have watched the swearing in while wearing my Chucks and pearls and enjoying a glass or two of prosecco. But because Cheeto Mussolini is being sworn in that day, I refuse to watch it. I'm going to look for volunteer opportunities that day. I've been wanting to get back into volunteering for some time now.

I wish I could like this post a million times.

I'm finishing up "The Nutcracker Chronicles: A Fairytale Memoir" by Janine Kovac. I was able to interview Ms. Kovac for my blog and she sent me an advanced copy of her book to review for my blog. It's about her life as a ballet dancer and her involvement with the iconic Nutcracker ballet. She also connects this with her life as a girl, growing up, marriage, raising children, and working outside of the world of dance. I really like it. It's very charming.

I agree with what's been mentioned upward about this thread. I'm so glad it's here, and I hope it continues. This thread has truly been a healing balm during a very difficult time. And I'm glad we can talk about the election, politics, and social issues without ripping each other apart. It's been nearly three weeks since the election, yet it seems like three years. I'm still so numb, hoping to wake up from the nightmare of the upcoming Trump presidency. And with his cabinet picks, I'm afraid our world will become a mix of Idiocracy, Mad Max, The Handmaid's Tale, and Dr. Strangelove. At this point, I try to stay positive. I still have my job, though I live in fear I might get laid off and I will have difficulty finding a new one. I worry about the prices of everyday items going up. Already, I'm figuring out ways to cut back. I probably won't go all out for Christmas, and any idea of indulging in a little fun or self-care will be put on the back burner. And on top of that, I got a whopper of a cold and was feeling really low for over a week. Yesterday, was the first day I went to the gym in quite a while. I just didn't have the energy to workout. And working out is like therapy for me. I truly need it. Also, because I'm a glutton for punishment, I decided to get into the MAGA mind and checked out the book "Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War" by a woman named Peachy Keenan (yes, that's a pseudonym). Despite living what she considers an ideal enviable life (she's a SAHM of five, whose husband makes enough money to support them living in the LA area while she writes her right wing screeds), her book is just one grievance right another. And she takes endless snot-nosed mean girl swipes at feminists, the LGBTQ community, pant-suited girl bosses, single women, people with no children or small families, etc. I'm like, "Get off the cross, lady. We need the wood." Well, I can't wait to write a scathing review of her book for my blog.

I get to listen to podcasts while on the clock as long as I wear my ear buds.

The United States is becoming a scary a dangerous combination of Handmaid's Tale, Idiocracy, and Mad Max.

Sadly, narcissism is rewarded. Being a decent person, a mensch, is not.

The Regina Georges of MAGA are out in full force on social media. I've seen plenty of Trumper women on places like Twitter (I refuse to call it X) claiming now Trump has won a second term a we need to have a mean girl renaissance and make bullying great again. When have these women ever stopped being mean girls and bullies? Never. Before I ever heard of Donald Trumper, I grew up amongst Trumpers. When I was 10, my family moved to a very conservative community. Even though it was the next town over from the one I had moved from, it might has well been Mars. The town I lived in until I was 10 was filled with kind, friendly, and caring people. This new town was filled with uncaring, crass, and meanspirited people. They totally looked down on outsiders and were total bullies. I left soon after graduation and moved to a major city. So many of my classmates stayed in this town or moved back to this town after college, and they still retain the backward, racist, bigoted attitudes they had growing up. The last time this town was in the local news was when one of its sports teams left racist and anti-Semitic messages in the visiting team's locker room Sadly, we live in a world where empathy is demonized and cruelty is celebrated.

First, Cloud9Shopper congratulations. I'm very happy for you. I wish you the best. I wish I could say things are going swimmingly at my job, but I just got reprimanded for some expletives I said at work. I didn't say them loudly, but two of my co-workers heard me. I was told that I need to be careful from now on. I usually don't cuss. I think this happened while I was listening to a post-election podcast. I'm just glad my resume is updated. I haven't been threatened with being let go, but you can never be too careful.

No, Evie Magazine. I will not hold hands with you and sing "Kumbaya." Interspersed with articles about the virtues of sundresses, how to please your husband, and praise for Ballerina Farm, Evie features articles oozing with racism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, classism, and misogyny, not to mention misinformation about immigrants, mental health, vaccines, and birth control. These are not good people.

Don't forget Obama's tan suit.

Days later, I'm still so crestfallen about Trump being our 47th President. I remember waltzing (Walzing?) into the polling place, wearing my Chucks and pearls, with such pride and joy. I gladly voted for the Harris/Walz ticket and for other Dems. Now? I'm eating my feelings, my sleep is sporadic, and I can't concentrate on anything. I'm even taking a couple of weeks off from my blog to mourn and regroup. At this point, I think it's okay to throw a little pity party for myself and others. We know how awful a Trump presidency can be, especially for those who are not white and wealthy. I'm trying to stay positive and hope things won't go completely off the rails. But I'm not holding my breath. And in other bad news, my alderman was found dead of an apparent suicide. This is also so crushing. He was a decent man who truly cared about my community. Everybody, please take care of yourselves.

I am livid, heartbroken, and numb. It feels like 9/11 all over again.