Jul 7, 2023·edited Jul 7, 2023Liked by Steven Beschloss
We cannot tell you how grateful we are for your Substack post this morning. We've been staying off news since June 14 with the exception of our air quality issues and climate change. Each morning we clean out our emails. Many of the emails have gone unread. All of the acrimony in society, the indictments, the fake news, the lies, and the trials are going to continue for many months, if not years. We care about all of this but are completely out of intellectual and emotional energy to face this situation right now. Please enjoy your travels. New adventures, nature, art, and music all heal. You do not even need to know what time it is unless you have a dinner reservation, are meeting old friends, or need to be on time for a train or plane trip. You expressed our feelings so eloquently. We will continue to look for your posts but please be sure to take time off. Thank you.
I took 19 days off by visiting friends in Toronto, Canada and then Cleveland, Ohio- my childhood home. By amazing coincidence-both sets of friends now live on a lake-Lake Erie or two blocks from the shore of Lake Ontario so I spent a lot of time walking and contemplating ducks, geese, heron, swans, and their respective babies. Sunsets and sun ups became a daily ritual for photographs, contemplation, walking and relaxation. NATURE is healing. I suggest everyone take some time out from TV news, the audacity of the right wing and find yourself a quiet place to contemplate the things that really count in life. Back in beautiful, hot Arizona, feeling refreshed. TAKE TME OUT TO REGROUP!!!
I frequently feel overwhelmed and overstimulated by the news. I have to shut off the cyber feedbag for a few days or more. I’m a nurse, and reading about these current events inevitably fan the flames of my own outrage fatigue, reminding me of the burnout we all dealt with when Covid hit. I read books, listen to music, go to the beach, see friends and family.
This may be my favorite newsletter from you, Steven. Enjoy your self care.
Jul 7, 2023·edited Jul 7, 2023Liked by Steven Beschloss
I am reading this from a ship cruising the inner passage of Alaska. Have mostly, consciously, kept away from news and feeds. It’s been refreshing and needed. Enjoy your travels, Steve.
Enjoy your vacation, Steven. You have one of the best blogs on Substack: it is *compassionate* and alive. Thank you for your thoughts, insight and flashes of poetry.
Thank you Steven for reminding us we are in this for the long haul. I think it's healthy stop and take a moment to reflect and recharge. Our favorite criminal is depending on us to implode and become incapacitated by his 24/7 assault. Sorry it's not going to happen thanks in no small part to you and this community of like minded and informed people who are dedicated to keeping our Democracy whole.
We are leaving next week to refresh and revitalize in my father's homeland. Hope to cross paths with you in Athens as we celebrate the beginnings of Democracy.
Living here in Florida, land of pythons. alligators,Ron DeSantis and where there are only 2 seasons, summer and February, there are times when I would like to just get on a bus , get away, and end up where ever it goes. TV is boring ; 10 minutes of morning news is the same as the 10 minutes at night. Movies have killings or sex scenes within the first 5 minutes. I turn the radio in the car off. Days feed into weeks fade into months.
I have been to Mexico and Canada. I would like to see the British Isles, home of my ancestors. But if you want to travel, see diversity, climb mountains, see flat land with heaven's blue sky above it, then nothing beats traveling across our United States. I have done so by car 6 times and by plane. I have walked Fifth Avenue, seen the Liberty Bell, passed the once home of Aaron Burr in HoHoKus, NJ, the confluence of the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers to make the Ohio, the beautiful sky of Kansas, the night lights of Reno, real cowboys with their hats in Wyoming, New Mexico moon landscape, looked across from San Francisco at Alcatraz, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, both Disney parks, looked down in awe at the Rocky Mountains, and a boy in California chasing a dog, yelling at it in Chinese.
Where else can one find all these things ? There were times when living in WVA, 9 years going on 100 (sorry) that relief came from a shopping trip up to Pittsburgh.
There is one more thing I would like to do - get my kicks on Route 66.Travel from Flagstaff, Arizona to San Bernardino, California. Relive an adventure from the past.
If all else fails in the travel area, no time, too expensive, an easy way is through reading books. I have been to Korea, S Africa, the great plains, small towns in Wisconsin, Germany, Russia, even Siberia. One can always get away in books.
It is always a good thing to recharge the batteries. Take a break from all of it. I will also be taking a break and traveling. I will read your articles when time avails have a great trip.
"Americans in 2018 did not use 768 million days of paid time off." That's such a waste. So many people don't get any paid leave, and they're the ones who most need it. I'm thinking of farm workers and fast food workers especially. But a lot of people working in other places get no time off, or any other benefits in many cases.
---
That said, I hope you enjoy your travels. I've been lucky enough to travel to Europe, and enjoyed seeing how other people live.
Jul 7, 2023·edited Jul 7, 2023Liked by Steven Beschloss
Coincidentally, I am at the same point of wanting to back away from the news of calamities, enduring 110 degree days (Arizona) with an elderly (!!?) body and needing to touch base with what is important in my life. My wake up call was my cats--too much time spent on computer and not with them. Working on a new life balance!!
I wish you a mentally restful vacation. Taking a break from all these difficult situations, all our worries and fears, is really important. I appreciate your columns very much as well as the responses from your readers. You have created a community here. That safety and support is so important. Have fun, do some exciting things, some interesting things, some restful things. Enjoy the people and the food. I am sure we will hear from you at times when it’s just not possible to keep the news off. But other than those times, enjoy everything.
Steven, your readers and supporters stand by your decision to break from the storms of life that have become almost all-consuming, in America. You have guided us with you observations and introspection, and challenged us to stand up for the country that too many wish to lay asunder. May you travels provide a refreshing reprieve, and peace from the fervour. Distancing yourself from the political battlefield, is a wise and prudent decision. There is so much to see and learn from other cultures and countries. It is interesting to note that people in Nordic countries are the happiest. For six years in a row, Finland has ranked No. 1 as the happiest country in the world., “Sisu” is a concept and way of living that has been interwoven into Finnish culture for more than 500 years. While it has no direct translation, it is focused on determination and fortitude. It’s about having the grit to push forward in the face of adversity, and near-impossible odds. It is a mindset we should embrace and sustain. No one ever said life would be easy, but in recent years, it has often felt like we are are on the brink of social disintegration and collapse, amidst discord, disagreement and wanton chaos. May different venues refresh your outlook and lift your spirits. It is always a privilege to 'ride along' with you on America, America, and we look forward to your future articles. There is life out there. Enjoy!
I look forward to photos of your trip, Steven. Nature, architecture, food....you name it. Actually, I've heard that photography is good for your mental health so go for it. Safe travels and have a wonderful trip.
We cannot tell you how grateful we are for your Substack post this morning. We've been staying off news since June 14 with the exception of our air quality issues and climate change. Each morning we clean out our emails. Many of the emails have gone unread. All of the acrimony in society, the indictments, the fake news, the lies, and the trials are going to continue for many months, if not years. We care about all of this but are completely out of intellectual and emotional energy to face this situation right now. Please enjoy your travels. New adventures, nature, art, and music all heal. You do not even need to know what time it is unless you have a dinner reservation, are meeting old friends, or need to be on time for a train or plane trip. You expressed our feelings so eloquently. We will continue to look for your posts but please be sure to take time off. Thank you.
Dear Steven, Thank you for this deeply meaningful piece at a critical time.
I took 19 days off by visiting friends in Toronto, Canada and then Cleveland, Ohio- my childhood home. By amazing coincidence-both sets of friends now live on a lake-Lake Erie or two blocks from the shore of Lake Ontario so I spent a lot of time walking and contemplating ducks, geese, heron, swans, and their respective babies. Sunsets and sun ups became a daily ritual for photographs, contemplation, walking and relaxation. NATURE is healing. I suggest everyone take some time out from TV news, the audacity of the right wing and find yourself a quiet place to contemplate the things that really count in life. Back in beautiful, hot Arizona, feeling refreshed. TAKE TME OUT TO REGROUP!!!
I frequently feel overwhelmed and overstimulated by the news. I have to shut off the cyber feedbag for a few days or more. I’m a nurse, and reading about these current events inevitably fan the flames of my own outrage fatigue, reminding me of the burnout we all dealt with when Covid hit. I read books, listen to music, go to the beach, see friends and family.
This may be my favorite newsletter from you, Steven. Enjoy your self care.
I am reading this from a ship cruising the inner passage of Alaska. Have mostly, consciously, kept away from news and feeds. It’s been refreshing and needed. Enjoy your travels, Steve.
Enjoy your vacation, Steven. You have one of the best blogs on Substack: it is *compassionate* and alive. Thank you for your thoughts, insight and flashes of poetry.
Take strength from all of us. We know you, we see you, we feel your pain. We are living history and you are our guide. Thank you.
Thank you Steven for reminding us we are in this for the long haul. I think it's healthy stop and take a moment to reflect and recharge. Our favorite criminal is depending on us to implode and become incapacitated by his 24/7 assault. Sorry it's not going to happen thanks in no small part to you and this community of like minded and informed people who are dedicated to keeping our Democracy whole.
We are leaving next week to refresh and revitalize in my father's homeland. Hope to cross paths with you in Athens as we celebrate the beginnings of Democracy.
Living here in Florida, land of pythons. alligators,Ron DeSantis and where there are only 2 seasons, summer and February, there are times when I would like to just get on a bus , get away, and end up where ever it goes. TV is boring ; 10 minutes of morning news is the same as the 10 minutes at night. Movies have killings or sex scenes within the first 5 minutes. I turn the radio in the car off. Days feed into weeks fade into months.
I have been to Mexico and Canada. I would like to see the British Isles, home of my ancestors. But if you want to travel, see diversity, climb mountains, see flat land with heaven's blue sky above it, then nothing beats traveling across our United States. I have done so by car 6 times and by plane. I have walked Fifth Avenue, seen the Liberty Bell, passed the once home of Aaron Burr in HoHoKus, NJ, the confluence of the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers to make the Ohio, the beautiful sky of Kansas, the night lights of Reno, real cowboys with their hats in Wyoming, New Mexico moon landscape, looked across from San Francisco at Alcatraz, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, both Disney parks, looked down in awe at the Rocky Mountains, and a boy in California chasing a dog, yelling at it in Chinese.
Where else can one find all these things ? There were times when living in WVA, 9 years going on 100 (sorry) that relief came from a shopping trip up to Pittsburgh.
There is one more thing I would like to do - get my kicks on Route 66.Travel from Flagstaff, Arizona to San Bernardino, California. Relive an adventure from the past.
If all else fails in the travel area, no time, too expensive, an easy way is through reading books. I have been to Korea, S Africa, the great plains, small towns in Wisconsin, Germany, Russia, even Siberia. One can always get away in books.
It is always a good thing to recharge the batteries. Take a break from all of it. I will also be taking a break and traveling. I will read your articles when time avails have a great trip.
"Americans in 2018 did not use 768 million days of paid time off." That's such a waste. So many people don't get any paid leave, and they're the ones who most need it. I'm thinking of farm workers and fast food workers especially. But a lot of people working in other places get no time off, or any other benefits in many cases.
---
That said, I hope you enjoy your travels. I've been lucky enough to travel to Europe, and enjoyed seeing how other people live.
Coincidentally, I am at the same point of wanting to back away from the news of calamities, enduring 110 degree days (Arizona) with an elderly (!!?) body and needing to touch base with what is important in my life. My wake up call was my cats--too much time spent on computer and not with them. Working on a new life balance!!
I wish you a mentally restful vacation. Taking a break from all these difficult situations, all our worries and fears, is really important. I appreciate your columns very much as well as the responses from your readers. You have created a community here. That safety and support is so important. Have fun, do some exciting things, some interesting things, some restful things. Enjoy the people and the food. I am sure we will hear from you at times when it’s just not possible to keep the news off. But other than those times, enjoy everything.
Steven, your readers and supporters stand by your decision to break from the storms of life that have become almost all-consuming, in America. You have guided us with you observations and introspection, and challenged us to stand up for the country that too many wish to lay asunder. May you travels provide a refreshing reprieve, and peace from the fervour. Distancing yourself from the political battlefield, is a wise and prudent decision. There is so much to see and learn from other cultures and countries. It is interesting to note that people in Nordic countries are the happiest. For six years in a row, Finland has ranked No. 1 as the happiest country in the world., “Sisu” is a concept and way of living that has been interwoven into Finnish culture for more than 500 years. While it has no direct translation, it is focused on determination and fortitude. It’s about having the grit to push forward in the face of adversity, and near-impossible odds. It is a mindset we should embrace and sustain. No one ever said life would be easy, but in recent years, it has often felt like we are are on the brink of social disintegration and collapse, amidst discord, disagreement and wanton chaos. May different venues refresh your outlook and lift your spirits. It is always a privilege to 'ride along' with you on America, America, and we look forward to your future articles. There is life out there. Enjoy!
I look forward to photos of your trip, Steven. Nature, architecture, food....you name it. Actually, I've heard that photography is good for your mental health so go for it. Safe travels and have a wonderful trip.
So very true. Have a wonderful time, recharge and rest.