Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/31
Hi, all, and happy New Year’s Eve!
I hope you’re having a lovely holiday week.
I wanted to check in to let you know that I’m still on vacation, and will be for just a few days more. I’m getting some much-needed rest, eating home-made cookies, goofing around with my nieces and nephews, and reading another superb book about Vietnam. It’s all very restorative. The newsletter will be back in full force on Monday of next week—although I promise to get an “Extra! Extra!” out to you before then.
I hope you, too, are taking time to rest your bodies and refill your emotional wells. It’s critical! Needless to say, 2025 is going to be a busy year; we’ll have our work cut out for us on many fronts. I intend to be here with you for all of it—that’s why I’m taking a slightly longer chunk of time off than normal.
As many before me have said, rest is a form of resistance. So let’s all engage in a bit more of it before we get back on the proverbial horse.
Sending you so much love, folks. I may not have met most of you in person, but I know who you are, because you wouldn’t be here otherwise. You’re caring, brave, persistent, deeply patriotic, and so very hard working. It’s an honor to walk in your midst.
Here’s to a better 2025 than we expect. Because together we can create one.
Jess
P.S. — One of my subscribers has asked me to help amplify this Resistbot letter, which asks Congress to swiftly pass H.R. 7227, The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act. This would need to happen before the new session of Congress if it’s going to happen at all, so can we all do our part by sending the letter to our members of Congress right now? It takes about 5 seconds! You can do so by texting SIGN PPRWSV to 50409. Thanks!
You do more activism on vacation than most folks do the rest of the year, Jessica -- so enjoy your well-deserved down time!
Text SENT! Thank you for everything you do. Happy New Year! Looking forward to rolling up my sleeves again ASAP. I joined a local Swing Left group that I just discovered (I was with another group most of 2024 that is a bit too far away from where I live) and met up with a dozen local folks last weekend who want to start a local Indivisible chapter. They didn't realize there already is one in West Los Angeles, so we are going to see about joining or interfacing with the established group after their first meeting in early January. People are super motivated!!!!